As I indicated in the original post the seller, PA Reb, has been nothing but a gentleman throughout this ordeal and I know he's as upset as I am.

My only update so far: I called the 877 number provided for me by the lady at the Mesa PO to report this to the postal inspector service. I got a flunkie on the phone that took my info and said someone would contact me. Within 24 hrs I got a call but it was not from a postal inspector, but rather from a dude at my own local Phoenix zip code post office ( was somehow referred there based on my home address that I had provided.). He listened and of course said there wasn't anything he could do but wished me luck! We'll see if the actual postal inspector contacts me or not. I hope cages get rattled and expect that they will, but I'm not optimistic at this point that any amount of rattling will result in finding the gun.