Shipping airguns.

The shipping stores are all franchises and are able to make their own rules. Just go to another one and ship from there. How do they think all of these "rifles" got to the shops and stores in the first place?
That’s a good reason why we need Air Gun Shows all over the country so we can do it like regular Gun Shows do it.
😥 Not a big enough market though.
 
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Recently had an air rifle to return to an airgun vendor in western USA. I was issued a return label from the vendor that had nothing suggestive in the address on the ship label. I’m going to say, and maybe I’m profiling here, that because the UPS nazi saw the length of the box, was thinking it was a gun and says “Can I ask what’s in the box?”. Since the gun had a 480cc cylinder on it I said “Carbon Fiber Tubing”. Was that a lie ? Gray area I’m thinking. The funny thing is, the vendor has a contract with UPS for their entire product line, but a private individual has no right to ship as a private person/customer. Fortunately UPS does not have X-ray machines or my package would probably have been destroyed. I kept an eye on its progress across country and it made it safely. I received a UPS notification last night that it is on its way back to me. I have shipped many firearms through UPS and they always ask what long packages are. I always say “machining samples”. Never a problem. They ask what their told to, I give a non-threatening answer that assures the world is safe while they handle my package. Once in their hands, the survivability of the package depends on how I packaged it and the ability of a UPS gorilla to destroy it.
I have had 100% luck with USPS on any kind of package. I have shipped medium flat rate boxes completely totally full of 9mm range brass, at least 20 to all over the USA with not one ever breaking open from poor handling. I do tape them up really well to help prevent “accidents”. USPS never asks what’s in boxes, regardless of shape or size. They do ask if there’s batteries or chemicals, which I never ship.
I guess with USPS I’ve been lucky. Reading some posts here I’ve read some real horror stories.
I also have had stuff destroyed using UPS and FedX, air rifles included, but have never had a problem with USPS. I can ship a rifle from Missouri to California with USPS priority mail and it will be there in 3 days....UPS or FedX at least 5 days. Maybe I have just been lucky using USPS, I haven't has the issues others have....but still have them with UPS and FedX boxes being delivered destroyed.
 
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I had an odd experience with UPS on a shipment from Krale in the Netherlands. The package has to go through customs and my second shipment of two P35s got hung up there. I had to spend an hour on the phone to find out why and they indicated it lacked a shipping invoice. So I got Krale to send one to me and I forwarded it exactly as UPS requested and the guns shipped promptly. But when they arrived there was a shipping invoice in a clear envelope on the outside of the box. Was it missing and UPS put it on? Or was it always there and somebody decided to mess with the shipment? I will never know. Krale swears it was on the box when it left their facility and they do enough international shipments it's a little hard to think they don't know what is required or make a habit of messing up.

I know the owner of the UPS store closest to me. I wouldn't hesitate to take him an air rifle to ship for me. I think I did when I returned my Avenger to AV for warranty service. I know I didn't have a problem in either direction. I usually get excellent service from USPS but there are exceptions. The uncertainty makes me reluctant to use them for higher value shipments. I've also had them get goofy with anything a little large to fit into the delivery vehicles they use. They are really set up for envelopes and little boxes IMHO. I've had to go to their area distribution center twice for things that would easily fit in their vehicles but would take up a fair bit of space. One was side steps for my pickup. Can't remember the other. A gun box seems long enough it might get the same treatment.
 
This thread is all about shipping/receiving packages via USPS and UPS. Has anyone had experience with FedEx ?

I shipped an air rifle about a year ago using FedEx ground. They had the cheapest price, and got it across the country in about 4 days. I typically use FedEx ground for large items like mountain bikes, etc. and never had an issue.
 
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If you want them to get there do NOT ship them through USPS..
Your chances of them getting to your final destination is slim to none.. In a nutshell USPS SUX...

I ship upwards of 1000 packages a year and i will Only ship USPS if i am forced to do so, and i will NEVER ship a package worth man than 100.00 through the morons.

Save yourself the grief of them getting broken by FedEx and lost by USPS..

My case in point , i just bought an 1100.00 used airgun from a member that is lost in the never ending world of USPS, " the infamous words in transit arriving late.... Trust me i am losing my mind at this point since i told the seller to ship it UPS...

To further back this story up i have a 1200.00 shipment i sent to a customer who insisted on USPS guess what 18 months later it's still "in transit arriving late"...
That was the last straw for me...
Had the same happen with the “in transit” arriving late, filed a claim with usps, gave them the tracking and they located it and got it to the destination in 2 days. Talk to an operator, but they will ask you what it is and declared value.
 
The shipping stores are all franchises and are able to make their own rules. Just go to another one and ship from there. How do they think all of these "rifles" got to the shops and stores in the first place?

Yep, true. I am able to ship airguns out of my nearest UPS store because I've been open about it, and they told me all they care about is that it doesn't contain high pressure air. So if you buy an airgun from me, it's going to ship empty.

Frankly if someone is so uptight and of a certain persuasion where they have a problem with airguns, let alone 2A related supplies in general, I'd rather give my business to somebody else.
 
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The shipping stores are all franchises and are able to make their own rules. Just go to another one and ship from there. How do they think all of these "rifles" got to the shops and stores in the first place?
As with any franchise business, it is controlled by a Franchise Agreement. The UPS agreement specifically prohibits the shipping of air guns, I saw it in the document. That doesn't mean that a specific store will not accept them, but it places them in violation of the agreement.
 
As with any franchise business, it is controlled by a Franchise Agreement. The UPS agreement specifically prohibits the shipping of air guns, I saw it in the document. That doesn't mean that a specific store will not accept them, but it places them in violation of the agreement.

I thought UPS franchise policy was that stuff with HPA had to be shipped ground (not air). Are you sure the prohibition is "air guns" and not the high pressure air? I have read UPS policies as well, although probably not the same document you're referencing, and this is my understanding.
 
The UPS franchise stores cannot accept air guns, it's in their agreement. But a UPS company hub can, and I've never had an issue there. But, I've found the easiest solution, just print a label from my USPS account and drop it off at my local custom postal store.
The UPS franchise store near me WONT accept anything related to firearms....ANYTHING. I had a spotting scope that was bad, was sending it back to be warrantied in the original box,WITH a supplied UPS shipping label, and they refuse it because it COULD be used with firearms. I told them I was a bird watcher but they wouldn't accept that. I had to take it to a hub 30 miles away.
 
The UPS franchise store near me WONT accept anything related to firearms....ANYTHING. I had a spotting scope that was bad, was sending it back to be warrantied in the original box,WITH a supplied UPS shipping label, and they refuse it because it COULD be used with firearms. I told them I was a bird watcher but they wouldn't accept that. I had to take it to a hub 30 miles away.
I've had zero issues at my local place, heck the guy and I were even talking air guns. This is in the Hard Left long state west.
 
The UPS franchise store near me WONT accept anything related to firearms....ANYTHING. I had a spotting scope that was bad, was sending it back to be warrantied in the original box,WITH a supplied UPS shipping label, and they refuse it because it COULD be used with firearms. I told them I was a bird watcher but they wouldn't accept that. I had to take it to a hub 30 miles away.
We need a UPS WOKE map so we can go to where normal businesses are.
 
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Use pirate ship, all done on line, print the receipt and drop it off at a UPS shipper. Better yet for a couple bucks you can have it picked up at your house, don't have to talk to anyone.
This right here. You print a pre paid label and get to just drop it off at the ups store free from questions. You also get in and out of the UPS store without getting utterly raped. It’s awesome. Pirate ship UPS rates are amazingly low. Anyone who ships anything for any reason must set up a pirate ship account. It’s free and easy to use.

Honestly I don’t get all the shipping problems people have. It’s super easy to NOT tell them what’s in the box. Super super easy. Lol.

EDIT…I suppose shipping something that is against “their” policy might hinder a claims process if something did happen in transit?? Don’t know but something to think about I guess.
 
I agree with the others use Pirate Ship and print your own labels. For those wondering a Zebra ZP 450 printer is best (which I have) and you can get them used on EBAY.


Don't have to get a label printer of course I needed one for work anyway so got one but they are nice to have. I use it to print shipping labels for everything now! As others have said if you are dropping off a box with a shipping label no questions asked it's the only way I will anything from now on.