UPS loses my gun in the mail...what do I do?

[wilkersk]

UPS (pronounced "OOPS" around here) has a track record for "losing" anything of value that is shipped on the cheap. If you don't insure it for full value and declare that the package contains the queen's jewels, it will get appropriated by someone who will properly appreciate it.

I always ship smaller packages of high value through USPS, they have more stringent internal controls.

 

[bubba15301]

a friendof mine bought a garand from the cmp . ups left it on the back porch he found it 2 weeks later

 

[RP88]

Given the size of the box, I doubt it got stolen easily.

the only way I see it getting stolen is with a team-effort "overlabeling" scam. Several people I know mentioned how it was unlikely to get a package out the door without a co-working, manager, and/or the security guard catching you (all former UPS warehousers)

I will see what UPS says before I change my mind on it being "lost" and just consider it "stolen".

 

[bob.a]

I've used UPS to ship any number of fairly delicate and expensive musical instruments. Fortunately I live 15 minutes from a major hub, so I take the pkgs there. When I tell them how much I want to insure it for, frequently a supervisor will open the box to check the packing. hat way I have a witness to condition, as well as the approval of the UPS regarding the quality of packing.

I've never had an instrument broken. However, I've read horror stories, and consider myself lucky.

 

[Zebraranger]

As a business owner who frequently ships as many as 30 to 40 packages a week, I can say this. When I started 3 years ago, I used USPS, because they were the least expensive. But soon after I switched to FED Ex because of packages being delivered damaged way too much, like trucks rolled over them type of damage. I then encountered some damage issues and lost packages with Fed Ex. Not so much damage as there was 4 lost packages within 6 months. So, I ended up switching to UPS. I originally avoided UPS because when I started this business, I compared rates and found they were the most expensive. Since going with UPS, I've never looked back. I've had a 100% successful delivery rate (knock on wood). I did have one damaged package delivered to the customer and the customer emailed me about it. I've been so pleased about it that I even posted it on the website. I think I've just probably been lucky with UPS, but any company with the number of employees that were talking about, will have some bad apples in the pool. When it comes to shipping firearms, this link that Natman posted, written by a former UPS employee is definitely worth the read, some great information here http://www.rbgc.org/publications/ups.htm

 

[mgkdrgn]

File the claim and move on with your life.

EVERY package delivery service / company screws the pooch once and a while and punts one down a rathole.

 

[REPOMAN]

Thanks Zebra Ranger for the link to read.....

 

[RP88]

well, another update:

someone from UPS finally got back to me. She was polite. I explained everything, we went through the whole "check lost and found, call all hubs, see if it got shipped back to sending hub, etc.", part two of the claims if they don't find it... so we'll see what happens. I already have receipts for a claim if they don't find it. I'll hear back by next Monday or so on what the deal is gonna be.

 

[Zach S]

deleted - went off on a rant.

In short, I trust UPS more than I would FedEx and USPS.

 

[RP88]

Massive stupid update:

I'm in the dark right now. It appears the gun has been found; it ended up back at my dealer's location. He said he had it for nearly a month now, but since it was the same gun I had already transferred, it didn't pop up in his little book to call me. Well, I get a call today, saying that my "yugo" has been delivered. I was like "Awesome! My new Yugo 59/66 SKS!". Yea, turns out they shipped the Yugo AK back to him, and now it is sitting there until I figure out what the heck I'm gonna do with this regarding CAI, AIM, and UPS. The dealer said that he was wondering why it was there and he finally dug up my name and called me. Quite an unpleasant, pleasant surprise. I really wanted my new Yugo SKS. But, I found the dang AK...

 

[Holiday]

Umm, I think I would use another FFL next time. A gun he didn't order shows up and it takes a month to get curios?

 

[RP88]

Nah, he's been good to me and has the best price around (can't beat $10 transfers around me). He also apparently lost my contact info. No biggie. He'll probably release the gun back to me if I show that it is in fact the same gun. Either way, no real harm done.

On a side note, he told me he sent snail-mail to my address since he couldn't find my phone number. So, it isn't like he DIDNT try and contact me. He just eventually found my number before U got mail.

I dunno. I'm mainly wondering what AIM will think of this. The gun went to them for a return, and they obviously didn't receive it.