On Friday I shipped my 386 NG Cylinder to TK Custom to be cut for moon clips. I sent it FedEx 2nd Day Air so it would arrive today (Tuesday). I tracked it this evening and saw the last scan was early Saturday in Memphis. And that was the last scan. Not good.

I called FedEx and they told me they would put a trace on it and try to find it.

I do over $100K in shipping with FedEx every year for my business. I have never had a single problem in the last 6 years. This is the second package they have lost in the last two weeks!

The other package were samples sent internationally. Much of my shipping is overseas.

I'm really not pleased. I doubt SW sells replacement cylinders for he discontinued NG series.

This is why I hate to ship any of my firearms or gun parts.

Really hope it turns up.

Fed Ex truck crashed and burned in Nashville early today. Hope there were no one's guns on it but it looked like a double.

It was insured, right?

Yeah the cylinder is insured. But I doubt I will find a cylinder for the discontinued 386NG form S&W or Numrich, or anywhere else for that matter. I would have to buy a whole gun, and the whole gun was not insured. Only the cylinder was in the box.

So what good does it being insured do???

Hmm.

I would've insured for the whole value of the gun since it's useless without that part. It's a bit of an armchair quarterback decision but I was actually thinking about sending a slide off to get sights installed sometime soon.

Would it have been ok to insure for the complete value since the gun would be be rendered unuseable without the part?

Anyways, I bet Smith & Wesson could fit a cylinder into it, some way, somehow.

I have shipped tens of thousands of packages via fedex over the last 6 years. Never an issue.

I hope it turns up.

I think a 686+ cylinder would "work" in a NG. You could even have it coated. Didn't S&W do a limited run of 386PDs with stainless steel cylinders? I think I remember seeing one on here not to long ago.

FedEx still can't find it.

I called S&W and they don't have the part.

I called Mike at Gun & Gunparts, he said I will never find one

I call Jack First. he said the same thing.

If FedEx does not find it, I will probably have to have a 686 Plus cylinder blackened and installed. In fact that is what it is anyway. The 386NG cylinder is coated stainless. I know this because when TK Custom cut the cylinder on my other 386NG it is stainless under the coating.

So I will buy a 686 7 shot cylinder, extractor, yoke, and ejector rod and have it coated. Which is exactly what the 386NG parts are anyway.

Smith doesn't have it? Isn't the 686+ a current factory offering? That's odd. Maybe they don't have the part for sale, but if you sent in the gun with an explanation of what happened they could install a cylinder.

Check with S&W, they replaced the titanium cylinder on my 386PD with a cylinder from a nightguard, and warrantied it due to erosion on the face of the cylinder. Here is a link to a post regarding this
Titanium cylinder 686
Here are a couple of before and after pictures

Don't panic yet. I have received several packages in the past 3 weeks that I had been tracking. Every one was delivered and in my hands before the tracking system caught up. On one, the last scan was 4 days prior.

Several things can cause the delays. Missed scans along the way. Subcontractors who merely deliver but aren't regular employees. Data uploading jams from all the scanners.

If you were expecting a Tuesday delivery, wait until Friday 7PM before getting worried.

Make sure to ask for a refund of shipping charges.

The gun is a 386 Night Guard.

I have been speaking with a trace agent. The package is lost. No missing scans, no subcontractors. They cannot find it.

Yes I spoke with S&W. They said I could send it in and they can probably figure something out. I suggested a 686 Plus cylinder, yoke, extractor, and ejector rod and have all the parts blackened. They are quoting 4 to 6 months turn around on something like this right now. Not to mention hundreds of dollars they will charge me for the parts and work.

I just had the trigger and action done on the gun and the cylinder was the last part of the project. I have over $1K into this gun and all I have is a scandium frame with an excellent trigger. Really pissed off right now.

I know you have a 386, but I suggested a 686+ cylinder for exactly the reasons you listed above.

What about turning this revolver into a custom project--how about cerakote for example? Since you like the gun so much, a custom finish might make it even more 'yours.'

Was this one of your guns that had timing issues in the past?

I suggested call S&W because they may have a nightguard cylinder and yoke in stock. If you get a 686 cylinder the finishing may add time to the project, and the nightguard cylinder would match closely. Also don't forget the insurance may be enough to pay for the needed parts at S&W. S&W did not have an answer for me over the phone, they suggested the nightguard cylinder after they inspected my pistol, and did not have a similar replacement to offer me. When I called they told me they would not sell me a nightguard cylinder, but would sell me a 686 cylinder to fit myself.

Even if you insured the Cylinder for $1,000 Fedex will not pay the claim.They will say you over insured the item as a new Cylinder will cost only $150,They don't care about the color match.This is the catch 22 with insurance...

Yes it had the timing issue. Not into cerakoting a revolver. I have an AR that was very well done in Patriot Brown.

If I was to do anything "funky" I would leave the cylinder and parts stainless.

As I explained above I spoke to S&W this AM. They do not now, nor have they now had a NG cylinder in stock for a very very long time. They will never have them again. As I said above as well, they also gave me a few places to call. None of them have a NG cylinder either and said it is unlikely they ever will.

The NG cylinder is actually a 686 Plus cylinder that has been blackened. So that is the route I would have to go. S&W quoted me a 4 to 6 month turn around to do this. That is the current wait time for non-warranty work of this nature. And will cost around $400 for the parts, finishing and labor to fit it.

So really sucks for me. Had FedEx simply done thier job the cylinder would have been done today and I would have it back Friday or even tomorrow and would have been done with the project. I even have a set of Ahrends grips waiting to go on it. $%$$ #$%% &%$#$#$

Fed Ex has not a one employee. They all work under contract. They are not responsible for a contractors theft. Even if you have video of them stealing Fed Ex won't do a thing.

I'd give it some time. Then check back with them.

This is the peak season for any package handler. This year is even higher and tracking to be the highest volume in history as more and more people are shopping internet vs brick and mortar. Damage and loss is always higher during this time of year.

If a package gets misloaded, it's not scanned. So it just cruises around the system until someone finds it and heads it back toward where it should be going. I'd check back in a couple days to see if it popped up.

It would suck to wait the time S&W needs, but I think I'd complete that project no matter what it took/cost. It'd be an obsession with me at this point. Good luck on it.

This would be incorrect.

FedEx Ground, Custom Critical and Office are contractors.

Express, Freight, System, and the several other internal support companies are employees.

I know of contractors that have gone to jail for theft, and ones that lost their contract because of failure to meet service standards.

Buy a GP-100. Junk your Nightguard out for parts and all's well with the world. The time and cost Smith quoted you is ridiculous. I have 30 Smiths and 3 Rugers. If I have to grab one and run guess which I would choose?

Bottom line is that you're out 400 quoted to complete the gun,minus whatever insurance you had on the original cylinder.So perhaps $200? Infuriating,I know..but it could be worse.

Well I'm guessing for some unknowable reason it would be the Ruger... but what exactly does that have to do with the OPs issue with FedEx and the money and time he's already invested in making his gun perfect for him?

S&W is doing what the car people are. Making so many different models that keeping a decent parts inventory is too expensive. Instead of making 15 different models that are excellent it seems that they want to make 50 that are not as good to try to please the proverbial Everyman. Look what's happened to the small block Chevy. Most parts would interchange in a 30 year range until it seems some Jap designers took over. Just look at the new model 66 and compare it to a -2 or 3. And then look at the prices for a 66 in nice shape. Far out performs the stock market not to mention the interest rate.

S&W replaced the cylinder on my NG, under warranty back in Feb-2013, with the appropiate black cylinder, so their statement isn't totally correct, IMO.

.

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Waiting for the break of day

My 386 was shipped to smith on June 22 2013, and had my cylinder replaced. Check with another person at S&W sometimes they have differing answers. Also I asked about buying one, and was told we won't sell one to you, but they had mine in stock, don't give up.

OP UPDATE:

I just heard from Tom at TK Custom. He received my cylinder today. Via the US POSTAL SERVICE!!!

That is insane. I know it is mine because it had my letter enclosed with my Credit Card info and everything.

I know I shipped it FedEx because the tracking shows it getting to Memphis AND ENDS THERE.

Craziest thing I ever heard. FedEx has no explanation.

excellent news

Glad it's found and where it belongs. I'd keep a close eye on that credit card account -- someone's been in the package and had access to your personal info.

***???? I would cancel my credit card number just to be safe. Someone had to take it out of the box so someone else knows your credit card number.

James

USPS is working with almost everyone now making deliveries for them especially UPS final destination.

Glad it was delivered and anxiety for nothing but understandable.

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Psalm 23:4

Had this happen to me a while back. Shipped out UPS and arrives USPS in my mailbox.

Yup, the common carriers and the post office are in cahoots. I have had several items double handled that way.
I am glad your cylinder made it to destination, now all it has to do is get back after the work is done.

Hey! I just this minute got a package that was not predicted to arrive for two more days. By mail with nothing to indicate a collaboration on shipping.

I have received shipments that were designed to work that way. The private carried delivers the package to the nearest central post office, and USPS makes the final delivery. I imagine that it's a cost saving measure, compared to having the private carrier make the entire delivery.

Glad it showed up.

The box was never opened. It was only opened by Tom at TK Customs. The box arrive sealed and in perfect condition. SO my Debit card info has not been compromised.

It seems FedEx is now handling US Mail and USPS packages and the other way around. What must have happened was my FedEx package got mixed in with the USPS mail/packages. No foul play, just delivered by USPS.

Oh, FedEx could probably give you an explanation...they just don't want to.

If you're interested, this is the only thing I can figure:

Fact: FedEx and the USPS have a mutual contract with each other. They've had this contract for years and years and years...this is nothing new. The person you sent it to, was the address a P.O. Box? If so, there's your answer...FedEx isn't allowed to deliver to a P.O. box, period, so rather than return it to you, they may have handed it off to the USPS in the destination city. I've seen this happen. Your package might sit around for a day or two while people from FedEx and the postal service try to figure out how to handle it. You may be an experienced FedEx shipper, but I'll bet they never tell you that their tracking system may be 8 hours or even days behind where your package actually is.

As you probably know, Memphis is FedEx's central hub. You said it was scanned in Memphis, but didn't say whether it was an arrival scan or a departure scan. And when your package is sitting in a big shipping container on the FedEx ramp, it isn't going anywhere and it isn't being scanned. The container will be scanned upon departure, but your individual package won't be.

Next time you ship a firearms part, I suggest USPS Priority Mail with a tracking number. Plus it's probably cheaper and you can pack it in a flat rate box. And ironically, your package will end up being flown on a commercial flight or a UPS or FedEx plane, because the postal service does not have any airplanes.

It's also possible that under their contract, FedEx handed your package off for delivery by the USPS simply because of heavy mail volume. If FedEx couldn't deliver it timely, they handed it off.

But all's well that ends well, I guess...glad you got your problem straightened out.

Not sent to a PO Box. My business sends and receives hundreds of FedEx packages every week, I know very well you can't send FedEx to a PO Box.

Here is the email response I got from the FedEx Trace Agent:

"I just received your email...WOW I am soooo happy that your package was delivered. I cannot stress how relieved I am that this was found. As to how this package was delivered by the post office makes no sense to me. I just got off the phone with TK Customs about how this could have happened if maybe there was an old label or something that may have caused it. He said that there were no other labels on it other than the FedEx label. In the 10 years I have worked for FedEx I have never heard of anything like this ever happening. Again I cannot stress how relieved I am that this package was found. I will update the trace with all the past emails and close the trace with credit. If you do not see the credit on your statement please contact the billing department. I apologize for how this package was handled and I will try to find out how this could have possibily happened so that it never happens again."

Now that this story has a happy ending...Well it will be happy once I have the cylinder back in my hands. Tom actually called me and told me it was just finished and he will ship it overnight to me and I will have it tomorrow Now that is amazing service! He got it this AM, finished it today and is shipping it back today. Can't beat that.

Anyway I have another shipping saga unfolding.
I bought a 686 3" on GB over the weekend. It shipped Monday from IL. It was sent USPS 2-Day Priority Mail. It was supposed to arrive Wednesday. It didn't come Wednesday, now it is Thursday and I just got off the phone with my local FFL who is receiving the 686, he said USPS came already and it was not there. So now it is two days late. I hope it comes tomorrow. I won't panic until Monday

Terrible time of the year to need to ship anything in a timely manner, guaranteed or not. Glad you got it all straightened out with the NG cylinder though.

Sounds like a Happy ending to me.
It appears that Fed Ex didn't loose your cylinder after all.

I never ship anything of value that can't be replaced near or after the holidays. When it calms down I ship.

Do you by chance live in a rural area?

I experience delays like that many times with all mail in general.

If there aren't enough items destined for my rural Post Office to make the trip worthwhile, the distribution center will wait and bundle it until there's enough to justify the expense of a truck making the trip out... at least that's the unofficial explanation/theory my local Postmaster gave me when I asked.

I've gotten used to things just getting here when they do...

Especially with FedEx... can't tell you how many times the tracking info will say "in transit" with a planned delivery date of 2-3 days out, and then when I leave the house the morning after I checked the tracking, I trip over the "in transit" box sitting by the front door.

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

We need photos of the final TK product.

No not at all rural. Heavily populated South Florida.

Both UPS and FedEX use the USPS for their "value line" shipping.

That doesn't explain how a 2d day air got in there, but with the craziness of the season, I'm willing to bet the package probably got mishandled early in the deal and got mixed into a group of packages that were going super saver. Then it just got dropped off to the USPS with the rest of them and went through their system. I'd bet USPS didn't even catch it until it got to the actual postal carrier. He likely would have noticed, but probably just delivered it with the mail he was already delivering because it made sense to just do that.

That's great news though!

We need plenty of pics when this is done!

Glad it worked out.

Glad it worked out, too...but to be safe, have Tom send me the cylinder, you send me the rest of the revolver and the credit card and I'll make sure everything checks out.