Common sense and shipping a firearm

[Stony]

I very recently purchased a Hawken from a member of the forum. It arrived in a priority mail box a couple days ago, and I haven't brought myself to contact him yet regarding the condition of the rifle. I just can't believe anyone is this clueless regarding something as basic as packing a box. He shipped it in three pieces....barrel, stock and ramrod....with no packing material around it. The box was oversized enough that some type of packing material could have been placed in it to avoid the pieces banging into each other on the trip, but obviously this was not a concern of his. When I picked up the box, I could hear the jangle of parts banging against each other and there were holes in the cardboard where the end of the barrel was sticking through, and the hammer was poking out of another place. Obviously the stock was banged up in numerous places from contact with the barrel.
Just how clueless can people be in this world?

 

[Reloadron]

We do have a section to Rate Private Deals and Transactions where this might be better addressed. I see this as an issue between you and another forum member. When I have shipped things to other members I have always discussed both packaging and shipping in advance. Beyond that, not much I can tell you. I would think you would at least provide pictures to the shipper so you guys can get this resolved and I would not wait any longer to get with the shipper.

Just My Take....
Ron

 

[GBExpat]

I once bought a hard-to-find SVT-40 stock & handguard from a fellow. He used brown plastic packing tape to tape them together and also tape bits of packing to them here & there.

During shipment as things shifted around in the loosely-packaged box, that packing tape did a wonderful job of pulling trips of shellac off of the wood.

You just have to wonder what he was thinking.

 

[PJSprog]

I have only ever bought something from someone here once, and it was a stellar experience. It was a S&W M64, so shipping was handled through both of our LGSs. Packaging was first rate. It even shipped (albeit accidentally) before payment was arranged.

Do not hesitate to contact the seller. Since it's a private sale, that's really your only recourse. Most of the people here seem like stand-up kind of people. Hopefully, he'll make it right for you.

Edit: Now that I think of it, I've bought brass from someone here, too, and it was also a very good experience.

 

[Stony]

I'm not really looking for recourse and I'm just going to chalk it up as a poor experience. I thought about contacting him and telling him what I thought about his lack of care with the firearm, but after thinking it over I don't think it would result in anything positive.
Just thought I would pass this experience on for others to learn from. I'll move on and lick my wounds. I've never run into something like this before and hopefully never will again.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

Do the rest of us a favor and post in the section Ron suggested so others will be forewarned. There is nothing mean or wrong about simply posting the truth, such as: "If you purchase anything from "THR Member" be sure to ask if you need to send packing materials before he ships the merchandise." Shipping anything loose in a box is not just careless or ignorant, it also shows a disrespect for the buyer and the merchandise.

I once bought an antique rifle (a Podewils Lindner made in the 1850's) from a person in Quebec and he shipped it wrapped in carpet padding in a cardboard box surrounded by bubble wrap in a wooden crate. Now that is a good job of packing. Small pieces of carpet padding make a great packing material.

 

[Reloadron]

I'm not really looking for recourse and I'm just going to chalk it up as a poor experience. I thought about contacting him and telling him what I thought about his lack of care with the firearm, but after thinking it over I don't think it would result in anything positive.
Just thought I would pass this experience on for others to learn from. I'll move on and lick my wounds. I've never run into something like this before and hopefully never will again.

Your call and your decision so you handle it as you wish. Really in the interest of all concerned you should give the guy a chance to explain and make things right. Then there is the section I mentioned. Your experience is important to others. Again, your call.

Ron

 

[FROGO207]

I have purchased lots of things from lots of different individuals over the years. Never had this type of problem yet. Seems the older I become the less QC seems to matter in the scheme of things in general, just like with most other aspects of our daily existence. :banghead: I do take the extra time to thank those that do things above and beyond what is expected. I hope it helps make their day a bit better.

 

[hso]

I have seen the most absurd and lazy packing of items purchased from amateurs. Heavy fragile items with little more than a couple of sheets of the local paper wadded up and shoved in between the box and item only to be flattened in shipping and the projecting bits sticking through the box.

 

[Captcurt]

Ruger is one of the biggest offenders.

Having bought and received hundreds of shipped guns I believe that poor packing is not the norm when they come from individuals or dealers. Once in a great while one will come in that could have used a little more tender care, but the majority have been pretty good. One of the worst offenders, however, is none other than Ruger. They put their 10/22's in a box that will let them rattle around without padding and also pack their crappy lock and accessories where they are not secure. If there are any dealers out there please chime in. Maybe Ruger will take the advice of the High Rode.

 

[Ignition Override]

Such shippers have not heard of "the golden rule": treat others as you would like to be treated.

Or it only applies to them.

 

[GBExpat]

A lot of the milsurps imported by Century 10-15 years ago and then sold them to various distributors shipped with minimal padding/packaging.

According to the way the boxes were sealed and marked with a lot of these rifles, Century apparently inspected/graded/added-a-little-packingpaper/sealed/labeled the boxes. Some of the better distributors would then place that box inside another box for extra protection, but I never came across one that opened the original box to add decent packaging.

It has always surprised me that none of the many rifles that I received like that exhibited any damage resulting from the minimal packaging, especially since I am one of the "Golden Rule" people that seriously overpackages such things.

 

[dogtown tom]

Stony I'm not really looking for recourse and I'm just going to chalk it up as a poor experience. I thought about contacting him and telling him what I thought about his lack of care with the firearm, but after thinking it over I don't think it would result in anything positive.
Just thought I would pass this experience on for others to learn from. I'll move on and lick my wounds. I've never run into something like this before and hopefully never will again.

By naming the seller and leaving honest feedback you do other forum members a great service. Nothing is worse than letting an idiot seller skate by unnoticed so that someone else suffers as you did.

The seller is undoubtable a grown man and should know full well that simply dropping the gun into a box isn't acceptable. He needs to be educated so that he doesn't repeat this again.

 

[bonza]

About ten or so years ago I purchased an original Remington 1863 Contract Rifle (aka 'Zouave') from a guy in San Diego. A few days later it arrives in a good size cardboard box (bigger than a typical rifle carton) &, like the OP's experience, this $2000+ rifle-musket is just rattling around inside.....no packaging material at all, not even a gun bag or sleeve to help protect the rifle.
Luckily, & I have no idea how it happened, the rifle was unscathed after banging around inside a box from southern California up to Seattle, WA!
I contacted the seller & 'diplomatically' informed him of my disappointment in his packaging, & that he should pay more attention to detail if he ever shipped another gun. I also mentioned that if the gun had been damaged I would have requested a refund. His reply was that it was a good thing the gun came through ok as he had already spent the money & wouldn't have had it to refund me!!
Moral of the story: Go overboard on packaging, & don't spend the money until you know the buyer is satisfied with the purchase.

 

[jerkface11]

I once bought a large assortment of bullets from a member here. It came in two boxes. All of the bullets were in their factory boxes. But as packing material he had used brass drain covers! It worked but it was very odd.