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Thread: Never ever again: Brownells and Fed-Ex

  1. #1
    Boolit Master


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    Never ever again: Brownells and Fed-Ex

    I just completed a 3 week ordeal after stupidly ordering powder from brownells. I had my 2 week vacation coming up so ordered powder on a Wednesday or Thursday.. It was expected to ship and arrive within the next 2 weeks easily, expected date was the end of the first week I had off.
    Then brownells took 2 weeks to ship it..when it had said it would ship within 3 days. Ok..im back at work.. I'll just have the package held at the hub.. I do this all the time with UPS..firearms..etc. Log into my ups account..digitally sign or hold or delay or pick another address to receive at... Easy. My shipping was originally quoted as UPS. So I figure no problem... Ups has held powder or delayed it for me before in years past from hodgdon. Then I get a fed ex notice..ok..bad.... They have mis-delivered a firearm a couple times to people other than me that caused a storm of phone calls and threats to call the atf and report the guns as missing and give the atf their supervisors name and let them sort it out... So..i already had 0 confidence with them.
    Then, as expected.. The problems start. I call FedEx to get the package held. " sorry we cant, the shipper has to request this". Ok.. Ups doesn't make you jump thru hoops..but ok. Call brownells back.. Talk to various people over the course of 2.5 hours.. No problem..we will have it held. This goes on for about 4 days.. Each hold gets turned down..package starts going out for delivery..getting missed. Each day I call FedEx and brownells.. Brownells average call time is about an hour to get handed off from phone answered to shipping to support to support confirmation... Each time they tell me..oh yeah..we got it held..its at their ground location. FedEx tells me that they will not hold hazmat packages at any of their locations now.. There was no where within 4 hours drive that I could have it held. I keep telling brownells thos..they keep assuring me it's held. Final/3rd delivery day arrives.. I call fed ex to see if it's held or on the truck.. Told its out for delivery. ..so I take a precious unpaid vacation day that I have to borrow from next month because mine are used already..from my real vacation using up all my accrued time... Loose a 10 hour day of work... Truck never comes... Tracking says out for delivery AND delayed. Now it's the 4th day and I decode to be at the ground facility at 8m when they open to try and get this box that's in limbo.. Luckily didn't have to be in early today. Jumped thru an hour of fire burning hoops because their ground facility is still under covid controls... Paper on their door says You have to call in and make an appt to get held boxes. Their hours are abbreviated 8-10am and 4-6pm m-f. I call in.. Lots of explaining..hold for half an hour. Box was on a truck..marked ok to load.. Driving around..but not deliverable..stuck in some sort of purgatory of un applied holds, fake delivery attempts.. Fake out for delivery tracking..and me out a days work.. Finally got my package in hand.
    Never will I do business with either party again. Brownells should have a good understanding and clear interaction and procedures in place with fed ex to handle hazmat packages. Neither company acted like it had any idea how to handle it...

    If you are thinking of doing business with the. And can't set at home 24/7 for 3 weeks... Don't do it!!!

  2. #2
    Boolit Master



    TNsailorman's Avatar
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    I ordered from Brownell's since Leonard started his business and was always happy with my service. I even talaked to Leonard several times. Then about 5 years ago, I tried to order from Brownell's and was going to send my usual USPSMO--no dice, we do not accept anything but internet and credit cards. Ok, then I tried to order using the internet and credit card--no dice, my credit card info on their system does not match. So I called their customer representative and tried to find out what the problem was all about. No dice again, there was no problem with their system; it was a bad credit card. I tried to explain that they had an error somewhere in their system as I have been using this credit card for several years and everybody else takes it with no problems. Sorry sir, our system is correct, you are trying to use a bad credit card. After trying to resolves the issue for about 30 minutes, I gave up as the two people I talked to were not going to check their system and see where their error was located. I am finished with Brownell's. They don't have a clue about customer service. james

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I feel your pain - I have not ordered from Brownell's lately but we have horrendous issues with all the carriers; seems like UPS, Fed-X and good old USPS all have their issues. We have three basic problems that keep reoccurring...1) They deliver to the wrong address and I have to track down stuff at the neighbors. 2) They don't bring it on the day that's on the tracking info. 3) They leave it near the main road rather than coming down our relatively short driveway to our gate.

    USPS once left a carton of 45 ACP next to the road in the middle of our driveway - fortunately, I was coming home from work and got there shortly after they dropped it off. Fortunately, our neighbors are good folks (and we get their stuff regularly) so that's not quite as bad but leaving items near a heavily travelled farm road is for the birds...

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Hannibal's Avatar
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    I suppose before long it will become necessary to pick up such deliveries from a LGS or FFL so they can verify delivery. I'm sure that will be great for everyone.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master


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    If I ever order powder again I'm seriously considering paying my transfer dealer his fee and have Jim receive my powder and just put his name on the order. Cost me 20$.. But that's better than the worry and my lost DAY of work that just happened.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master


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    I just read where ups is closing gun and gun parts suppliers accounts right and left. Must be what happenned here and I was caught in the changeover. Guess I can't order anything that doesn't go USPS now...

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Hannibal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Soundguy View Post
    I just read where ups is closing gun and gun parts suppliers accounts right and left. Must be what happenned here and I was caught in the changeover. Guess I can't order anything that doesn't go USPS now...
    I've noticed that the LGSs and major chains have largely if not completely eliminated their reloading sections particularly where the bullets, powder and primers once were. I can't help but wonder how many will have that section again when/if the supply returns. Might be that online ordering is the only viable option in the future and if shippers follow UPSs lead .......

    I just hope that doesn't become reality.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

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    One thing I try to avoid is giving any of the carriers too many hoops to jump through. It usually never comes out to my satisfaction.
    “You should tell someone what you know. There should be a history, so that men can learn from it.

    He smiled. “Men do not learn from history. Each generation believes itself brighter than the last, each believes it can survive the mistakes of the older ones. Each discovers each old thing and they throw up their hands and say ‘See! Look what I have found! Look upon what I know!’ And each believes it is something new.

    Louis L’Amour

    The Californios

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    I always hate ordering anything that is shipped via UPS or FedEx because they generally can not put it in my mail box. I do need to order some ammo like .22s and maybe some center fire. It is always a pain. Sometimes you can get it shipped to a shipping point like walgreens or CVS. But often you can not. And they have to leave it on the street since one cannot get past my locked gate. In the last year or so I have ordered some powder through hodgdon and primers through midway and did get everything. But it is a painful process if it is coming to my home of trying to meet the delivery truck and generally a real pain. I was certainly worried when I had ordered expensive AR uppers for example.
    Last edited by barnetmill; 07-29-2022 at 11:53 PM.

  10. #10
    Boolit Mold
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    FedEx has gone really downhill. If I have the option, I won't use them.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy eastbank's Avatar
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    i have had a few problems with both fedx-ups, they should change there names to FEDUP.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master ACC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HWooldridge View Post
    I feel your pain - I have not ordered from Brownell's lately but we have horrendous issues with all the carriers; seems like UPS, Fed-X and good old USPS all have their issues. We have three basic problems that keep reoccurring...1) They deliver to the wrong address and I have to track down stuff at the neighbors. 2) They don't bring it on the day that's on the tracking info. 3) They leave it near the main road rather than coming down our relatively short driveway to our gate.

    USPS once left a carton of 45 ACP next to the road in the middle of our driveway - fortunately, I was coming home from work and got there shortly after they dropped it off. Fortunately, our neighbors are good folks (and we get their stuff regularly) so that's not quite as bad but leaving items near a heavily travelled farm road is for the birds...
    I have never ordered anything from Brownell's but from my experience most internet shopping problems are the carriers, not always but most of the time. But it is nothing new.

    Right before all this Covid craziness started my brother in law ordered a whole bunch of 9mm. About a thousand dollars worth and asked if he could have it shipped to my house since he and my sister live out in the country. To make a long story short Fed-X left 60 cases of ammo on the street even though my BinL paid for shipping and I had to move it into my house. The Fed-x guy wouldn't even put it on my porch 10 feet away. Just left it in the street.

    But that's not all ancient history. My first order of primers a few weeks ago were shipped UPS. I had a date and time for delivery. The day came and no primers. The next day at 3:00 A.M. a UPS came and rang my door bell. It was my primers. My last shipment of primers were shipped by a company called DSL and from the time I ordered the primers to the time they HANDED them to me was just under 48 hours. They were a little more expensive about 2 dollars. When I order again I am going to ask for them again.

    Sorry y'all have had problems but I have racked my brain and can't figure out any other way to have anything shipped unless DSL makes it.

    ACC

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Hannibal's Avatar
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    Apparently it all depends on the local employees. I personally have had more delivery problems with DSL than any other carrier where I live now. At a previous rural address everything that came by UPS would be 3-5 days late. Apparently I was at the end of the driver's route and if he wasn't running ahead he'd just skip my delivery. After enough complaints I was informed that UPS had changed the driver's route and I never had trouble after that.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy AlHunt's Avatar
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    FedEx is complete dog poo. I've complained to Brownells about the dog poo service from FedEx and they do not care. At all. UPS is slower but at least consistent. USPS has lost/destroyed several things for me and never once paid a claim.

    A pox on them all.
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  15. #15
    Boolit Master elmacgyver0's Avatar
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    I expect screw-ups occasionally, I would be disappointed if they didn't happen.
    I ordered some Mexican .22 ammo on Brownell's Cinco De Mayo sale.
    It never showed up. I sent them an Email and it finally showed up FEDEX, originally it was supposed to arrive "Speedy Delivery".
    Speedy said they never received it.
    I'm just happy I got my 2000 rounds of Aguila 22s.
    I didn't need them but since I wasn't eating Mexican, I thought, what the hell.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    at one time when i was "in the business"; i spent around $25,000 with brownells. the last time i ordered anything (several years) i mentioned that i haven't recieved a new catalog. was told that there is now a $10.00 fee for a catalog. bought one and have never ordered from it. if you see something in the catalog or on line that you want; it would be best to go on line and look elswhere. you will find that a lot of stuff,if available is cheaper than what brownells sells it for.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Handloader109's Avatar
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    Tracking information from FedEx over the past year or so has been 1 to 5 days off. Never early, always late. Heck I've had out for delivery notice same day an item shipped and it shipped from 1000 miles away. Ups has been better until last couple of months. Now same issue 1 or 2 days late. Oh well.

    Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

  18. #18
    Boolit Master ACC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AlHunt View Post
    FedEx is complete dog poo. I've complained to Brownells about the dog poo service from FedEx and they do not care. At all. UPS is slower but at least consistent. USPS has lost/destroyed several things for me and never once paid a claim.

    A pox on them all.
    It is a waste of money to buy the insurance from USPS. My late brother had a computer shipped to him and had it insured for $900. To this day we have not gotten any type of settlement from them and I don't believe I ever will.

    ACC

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy

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    I feel the same about Midway and their incredibly stupid "Nitro Express" shipping cartons that scream "STEAL ME!!!" Three times since 2011 I ordered ammunition on sale, or a free shipping promotion, as well as other needful things and all three times the carton with the "speeding bullet" graphics was broken open on a corner and just the ammunition removed. Midway CS sent replacements immediately, kudos to them, and dealt with the carrier and ins co, but Potterfield brings this pferdscheisse on himself for insisting on using "STEAL ME!!!" packaging, and putting "Midway USA" in the first line of the return address on the shipping label instead of something like "Distribution Center."

    2018 was my third such experience and my last Midway order.

    Noah

  20. #20
    Boolit Master


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    Agreed. Marking packages is stupid. I ordered a mold a few months back. Same deal..corner opened..mold gone...

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check