USPS Fiasco

[Pilgrim]

Last winter I noticed a .40 flintlock on the For Sale forum that really caught my eye. I'm getting old and have a bum shoulder so a .40 sounded like a good idea. I contacted the owner and we agreed on a trade, his .40 for my Centermark Fusil de Chasse. I packed up the FdC and used USPS Click-N-Ship to create a label for Priority Mail and insured it for $1,300.00. On Feb. 23rd I handed the package to a clerk at our local post office. It should arrive at its new home in the Adirondack Mountains of NY in about 4 days. My new rifle, shipped via UPS, arrived promptly and in great shape. USPS tracking indicated the FdC cleared the San Antonio, TX regional center. Then it disappeared. Days, and then weeks, went by without further scans showing up on tracking. I initiated an inquiry with USPS. No result. My new friend in NY was very understanding and patient. After the required amount of time had passed I filed an insurance claim for $1,300.00. Then things got interesting. The USPS denied the claim saying I failed to provide adequate "Proof of Value". I had provided a link to a French smoothbore for sale by Track of the Wolf. Not sufficient. I appealed and got a letter of appraisal from H. Dykes Reber at The Muzzleloader Shop, Ltd. in Arkansas. Again, the USPS denied the claim based on inadequate proof of value. Would the USPS continue to flatly deny the claim on a package they LOST? Or were they planning to settle for a lesser amount? Luckily, we didn't have to find out. On May 3rd, more than two months after I handed the package to the clerk in Texas, it arrived at the post office in Johnstown, NY. The FdC was undamaged.

To say this was a learning experience is an understatement. How does anyone establish irrefutable proof of value on a hand-made muzzleloader, especially in a straight trade transaction? Should we both have paid dealers to sell the other party our gun for us so we would each have had a receipt? According to the USPS, a sales receipt would have been proof of value. Or would they have found another excuse to deny the claim? Be very careful, my friends.
John

I think usps was stalling while they searched for the package. Also some usps employees will steal mail. Not sure it's possible in your case. My 2 cents wort.

 

[Eric Krewson]

When I shipped a lot of bows, I included a very official looking bill of sale wrapped around the bow that was marked "paid in full". If the bow was a freebie, it still had a phony bill of sale wrapped around it. Back in the day the USPS didn't break or lose items that often, the one bow they did break had the bill of sale in the box to establish value, I had my insurance claim money in a couple of weeks.

 

[Pilgrim]

When I shipped a lot of bows, I included a very official looking bill of sale wrapped around the bow that was marked "paid in full". If the bow was a freebie, it still had a phony bill of sale wrapped around it. Back in the day the USPS didn't break or lose items that often, the one bow they did break had the bill of sale in the box to establish value, I had my insurance claim money in a couple of weeks.

Smart

 

[Old Rufus]

John,
I’m glad it finall showed up, I’m also the very man that purchased the left hand flintlock from you about 3 weeks ago. It is a fantastic shooter and a work of art .
Mike

 

[Nameless Hunter]

I never buy the insurance anymore from any shipper. They NEVER pay. Also, I only ship FedEx or UPS signature required. May not be better for handling, but at least the package gets there.

Unfortunately, even "signature required" doesn't mean a thing. We've had "critical" medicines delivered for my wife via FedEx "Signature Required", and watched the FedEx van pull up, do an immediate turnaround and take off. His delivery report: nobody answered the door.

 

[SOLANCO]

Unfortunately, even "signature required" doesn't mean a thing. We've had "critical" medicines delivered for my wife via FedEx "Signature Required", and watched the FedEx van pull up, do an immediate turnaround and take off. His delivery report: nobody answered the door.

I have had a UPS signature required package left sitting on a stone wall by my driveway.

 

[BEP]

Ordered a rifle from the Civillian Marksmanship Program; it was shipped FedEx Next Day. Sat in my kitchen all morning, where I could see both the front and back doors. Nothing. Checked the website - delivery info stated "Undeliverable, nobody home". I knew they also delivered to our county courthouse where my wife worked so I called her. When he arrived there she lit into him. She called me to tell me what she said. About 15 minutes or so, the driver showed up at our door with that rifle. I merely thanked him. Figured he'd already been put through the proverbial wringer. All's well that ends well. At least that time.

 

[lexington1]

I had an antique muzzle loader broken in shipment that had insurance on it and USPS would not pay either. There were tire marks across the package and the box had a smashed corner, like it was thrown off of a truck or something. According to their site the USPS can't be sued over damages either. Bunch of Cranberries...

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

I have had a UPS signature required package left sitting on a stone wall by my driveway.

I get gold alloy sent to my office every week, it’s always sent signature required but if they know I’m there they just leave it at the door without me signing for it.

 

[lexington1]

BTW, I didn't use the term cranberries. Thanks whoever is responsible for changing my message.

 

[Togo]

I've sold 5 TC muzzleloaders to others on this forum, all with UPS, all shipped ground and all arrived to their destinations undamaged and on time, and a few within a couple days.

 

[Togo]

Avoid shipping with FedEx ground, I've had packages that said out for delivery, then I would get " business closed will attempt next day" on the tracker even though my truck or motorcycle was our front and my office was all glass windows, the lazy cranberry never tried to deliver.

 

[Jed42]

I once had USPS tracking take 9 days to tell me they'd delivered a package that had arrived in 7

 

[Sudsy]

How does UPS fare with smaller size packages? I don’t know how often they loose stuff but I have read they destroy a lot.

Remember this?
Pretty sure he works at my local PO now

 

[PathfinderNC]

I just read this on Clay Smith's website regarding shipping firearms:
Firearm Shipping Regulations as of May, 2023
FedEx will now only ship guns to and from an FFL holder. This new policy includes pre-1898 guns classified as "antique" and muzzle loaders, new or old. As far as I can tell, they do not recognize a C&R as a legitimate license. Even though antique and muzzle loaders are exempt from current gun regulation according to the BATF, FedEx has decided on a blanket rule of no guns except through licensed FFLs will be easier for their employees and affiliated shipping centers. Due to this I have closed my account with them and will no longer ship ANY item through FedEx.

From what I hear through the media, UPS may follow soon. This will leave only USPS which is well known for delayed deliveries as well as losing or breaking packages. They also have a max insurance limit of $5000. USPS also has so many steps in making an insurance claim that it is very difficult to get reimbursed for lost packages.​

 

[Sam squanch]

Fed ex, ups, ect , are trying to avoid lawsuits. If people are trying to sue gunmakers for the aftermath of a horrific crime, they reason they may be sued for DELIVERING the firearm. That’s what’s is coming next.

 

[Frontier's]

Ups for me

 

[Billy Boy]

Last winter I noticed a .40 flintlock on the For Sale forum that really caught my eye. I'm getting old and have a bum shoulder so a .40 sounded like a good idea. I contacted the owner and we agreed on a trade, his .40 for my Centermark Fusil de Chasse. I packed up the FdC and used USPS Click-N-Ship to create a label for Priority Mail and insured it for $1,300.00. On Feb. 23rd I handed the package to a clerk at our local post office. It should arrive at its new home in the Adirondack Mountains of NY in about 4 days. My new rifle, shipped via UPS, arrived promptly and in great shape. USPS tracking indicated the FdC cleared the San Antonio, TX regional center. Then it disappeared. Days, and then weeks, went by without further scans showing up on tracking. I initiated an inquiry with USPS. No result. My new friend in NY was very understanding and patient. After the required amount of time had passed I filed an insurance claim for $1,300.00. Then things got interesting. The USPS denied the claim saying I failed to provide adequate "Proof of Value". I had provided a link to a French smoothbore for sale by Track of the Wolf. Not sufficient. I appealed and got a letter of appraisal from H. Dykes Reber at The Muzzleloader Shop, Ltd. in Arkansas. Again, the USPS denied the claim based on inadequate proof of value. Would the USPS continue to flatly deny the claim on a package they LOST? Or were they planning to settle for a lesser amount? Luckily, we didn't have to find out. On May 3rd, more than two months after I handed the package to the clerk in Texas, it arrived at the post office in Johnstown, NY. The FdC was undamaged.

To say this was a learning experience is an understatement. How does anyone establish irrefutable proof of value on a hand-made muzzleloader, especially in a straight trade transaction? Should we both have paid dealers to sell the other party our gun for us so we would each have had a receipt? According to the USPS, a sales receipt would have been proof of value. Or would they have found another excuse to deny the claim? Be very careful, my friends.
John

I don’t insure anything I ship, it rarely ever matters, almost never is a claim properly paid.

 

[Lakeman]

John,
I’m glad it finall showed up, I’m also the very man that purchased the left hand flintlock from you about 3 weeks ago. It is a fantastic shooter and a work of art .
Mike

Mike, Glad you like it. It was always a shooter for me.
John

 

[Dale Lilly]

I've never had a gun of any package lost or damaged by USPS. However, a Money Order I purchased, and sent, was torn up by a sorting machine I guess. Vendor returned the torn up portion to me. Took me about twenty minutes to get it replaced. My loss? Mailing price only. Not bad. Dale