USPS firearm shipping woes.. "We so sorry but your package is lost"

[dandyrandy]

So I had a firearm shipped out on the 3rd and to my surprise it has not been delivered yet. Today is the 12th and it was sent out the usual 2 day Priority. Has been lost in transit since the 8th. Not lookin so good... Anybody ever file a claim before on a firearm? The good news is there is insurance the bad news is it dosent cover all the extra costs that went into the firearm. All around not really good at this point in time. There is an investigation launched on it. Anybody else ever have to deal with this?? The USPS opps I think I did it again.. I lost your gun.. Opps I did it again to your heart! Your gun got lost in this game, oh baby Oops, you think that I'm sent from above.. USPS is not that innocent...
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CduA0TULnow[/ame]

 

[03hemi]

I though it was illegal to ship a firearm through the United States Postal Service?
Surprised you haven't been arrested if this is true?
Can someone confirm this?
EDIT: Just checked, long guns are permissible, but advised sent tracked, However, hand guns are a big NO.

 

[Rob613]

A FFL can ship a handgun USPS.

 

[dandyrandy]

I though it was illegal to ship a firearm through the United States Postal Service?
Surprised you haven't been arrested if this is true?
Can someone confirm this?
EDIT: Just checked, long guns are permissible, but advised sent tracked, However, hand guns are a big NO.

Oh Lort... Thanks for the info there "Professor" your a great help and obviously a rogue scholar of the subject of the USPS

 

[dandyrandy]

Anbody else like to try and actually answer the question I asked about? You know about the thing about experience filing a claim? Golly gee that would be swell and thanks!

 

[SAFireman]

I have actually had one stolen by a USPS employee. The OIG got involved as well as the ATF and US Postal Inspectors. They are as helpful as any other .gov agency. I found a good man at OIG, and speak to him at least once a year.

As long as you followed their rules, then you will get paid on your insurance claim, if not, then you may be SOL.

Good luck.

 

[dandyrandy]

I have actually had one stolen by a USPS employee. The OIG got involved as well as the ATF and US Postal Inspectors. They are as helpful as any other .gov agency. I found a good man at OIG, and speak to him at least once a year.

As long as you followed their rules, then you will get paid on your insurance claim, if not, then you may be SOL.

Good luck.

Thanks for the info. Could you elaborate more on what you mean by "there rules?" I do despise thieves but hopefully thats not the cause and it miraculously pops back up out of the wood works. My thing is the time line. When should I start to be concerned? Like I said it shipped on the 3rd. Thanks!

 

[ColbyBruce]

I feel for you; however, you did not state any of the tracking details. May 3 was a Monday, if mailed at a post office you should have a time of acceptance, then a time when it left the post office in route to the plant, a time it left the plant to it's destination, and any place in between. How far can you trace it?

 

[dandyrandy]

Hopefully its just the Oh gee whiz theres an investagation... Oh gee whiz ya'all this package magically showed back up again out of this dudes back pack. Well tar nations its a USPS magical miracle!

 

[Rpg]

It could easily take a few months to resolve your claim. That time line begins when you've filled your claim.

 

[dandyrandy]

I feel for you; however, you did not state any of the tracking details. May 3 was a Monday, if mailed at a post office you should have a time of acceptance, then a time when it left the post office in route to the plant, a time it left the plant to it's destination, and any place in between. How far can you trace it?

Ya mailed on the 3rd and has been "In transit" since the 8th at a major sorting hub... The tracking aint really worth a flip and dosent really tell you much. Only when the package gets scanned. I have had firearms "lost in transit" for longer than a week but as soon as an investigation is started its like a Festivus Miracle! It shows back up again out some dudes Monte Carlo and gets scanned again.

 

[Luvmine]

My wife sells on EBay and she mails quite a few packages Priority Mail. We just had one go missing for close to thirty days. We thought for sure it was gone. After a few phone calls to its last known tracked location, it was found and eventually made it to its final destination. I hope they find your package.
As far as claims, go the USPS website. You have to wait a certain period of time depending on the type of mailing. Not sure if those times pertain to a missing firearm.
Here's to hoping it gets found.

 

[BC38]

I'm sure this will elicit yet another snarky response, but I'm going to say it anyway.
The tone of some of your replies DOESN'T encourage people to reply dandyrandy. I'm assuming you really do want replies, right?
Ya' catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Not trying to be offensive, just sayin'...

 

[Narragansett]

Well, first off, you do not say where you are located. So I will tell you that the East coast can be a nightmare. I just sent a firearm from RI to VA, and it took 10 days and no updates other than it is in route to destination.

I sent a 2 day priority envelope 3 months ago from RI to NC. It took 20 days.

As for filing a claim, go to you local postmaster and ask for the right process.

My bet is that it is not lost

 

[03hemi]

Oh Lort... Thanks for the info there "Professor" your a great help and obviously a rogue scholar of the subject of the USPS

Are you an FFL? Doesn't indicate it in your heading, you never made any comment about being one, if you are?
I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings.

 

[dandyrandy]

My wife sells on EBay and she mails quite a few packages Priority Mail. We just had one go missing for close to thirty days. We thought for sure it was gone. After a few phone calls to its last known tracked location, it was found and eventually made it to its final destination. I hope they find your package.
As far as claims, go the USPS website. You have to wait a certain period of time depending on the type of mailing. Not sure if those times pertain to a missing firearm.
Here's to hoping it gets found.

Ya it got scanned and sent to the next sorting facility in the trunk of old boys Caddy by now no doubt...

 

[dandyrandy]

Well, first off, you do not say where you are located. So I will tell you that the East coast can be a nightmare. I just sent a firearm from RI to VA, and it took 10 days and no updates other than it is in route to destination.

I sent a 2 day priority envelope 3 months ago from RI to NC. It took 20 days.

As for filing a claim, go to you local postmaster and ask for the right process.

My bet is that it is not lost

Ya I agree... Im trying to smile and be positive and pretend like the gun isnt going enroute to its next destination via the trunk of a 1987 Monte Carlo right now and its actually happily being cared for by trusting US postal service heros! Im sure everything will be alright...

 

[clang444]

I'll second Narrangassett's response - East Coast USPS DCs can be awful. Packages can sit for weeks, no matter what the priority.

My last package that went to MD via Priority took a month long vacation at the DC (or is it Sorting Center?) before it was delivered.

 

[dandyrandy]

I'll second Narrangassett's response - East Coast USPS DCs can be awful. Packages can sit for weeks, no matter what the priority.

My last package that went to MD via Priority took a month long vacation at the DC (or is it Sorting Center?) before it was delivered.

Gee whiz another Festivus USPS Miracle ya'll! God bless those men and women in blue.. I will sleep well tonight ya'll knowing they are guarding our shores...

 

[Kraaaken]

My FFL will never use USPS again for the issue noted. Worth the peace of mind to use UPS imo. Good luck with recovery. Hopefully it will still show up. Else you may need to wait 45 or 60 days to even submit a claim.


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[ColbyBruce]

Ya mailed on the 3rd and has been "In transit" since the 8th at a major sorting hub... The tracking aint really worth a flip and dosent really tell you much. Only when the package gets scanned. I have had firearms "lost in transit" for longer than a week but as soon as an investigation is started its like a Festivus Miracle! It shows back up again out some dudes Monte Carlo and gets scanned again.

While I understand your anger and frustration your attitude will not float well with those you must depend on to search for your package. The shipper needs to initiate the search as well as any insurance claim, not the recipient. You may or may not be aware that the pandemic has swamped all the delivery services causing huge delays amongst them all. Your suggestion that an employee stole it is both rude and ignorant. Theft is not impossible but is improbable. Cameras, catwalks, and honest employees help to prevent what you seem to think is routine.

 

[dandyrandy]

While I understand your anger and frustration your attitude will not float well with those you must depend on to search for your package. The shipper needs to initiate the search as well as any insurance claim, not the recipient. You may or may not be aware that the pandemic has swamped all the delivery services causing huge delays amongst them all. Your suggestion that an employee stole it is both rude and ignorant. Theft is not impossible but is improbable. Cameras, catwalks, and honest employees help to prevent what you seem to think is routine.

Yes thank you for that information I will try and if possible pass along that info to the 6 package handler employees of the most impeccable ethical characters of the highest standards lets not forget courageous too that were arrested for stealing packages at my local hub. Thats if I can get to them they are in jail right now.

 

[dandyrandy]

My FFL will never use USPS again for the issue noted. Worth the peace of mind to use UPS imo. Good luck with recovery. Hopefully it will still show up. Else you may need to wait 45 or 60 days to even submit a claim.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I dont really know if there is anyone thats better really. Ive heard horror stories from all the carriers. I suppose its all inevitable... So I gather this claim thing is going to be a long drawn out affair if it goes that route?

 

[Echo40]

I feel for you. Fortunately, I never had a firearm get "lost" in the mail, but I did have an unpleasant experience in which USPS repeatedly attempted to deliver a package before the gunshop was open, despite the fact that I provided delivery instructions specifying what the store hours were, and the issue was only resolved because my FFL had someone go in early to receive it.

That's why when it comes to firearms, it's best to stick with websites who use a courier service like FedEx or UPS, and be willing to accept the additional shipping cost as assurance that your firearm will be delivered quickly and efficiently.

Best of luck getting this resolved.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Yes thank you for that information I will try and if possible pass along that info to the 6 package handler employees of the most impeccable ethical characters of the highest standards lets not forget courageous too that were arrested for stealing packages at my local hub. Thats if I can get to them they are in jail right now.

I trust your cynicism will comfort you if your item is not located. Again, have your shipper follow through in a timely manner with the insurance claim if your item fails to turn up. There is no "do over" with the insurance; you are correct in that respect.

 

[dandyrandy]

Everyone talks you ear off about gun control like guns are this huge problem like they arent being controlled by dealers enough or some crazy quackery like that. What about these shippers? You dont hear much about them and the gun black market connection however I did read a report a few years back that said that complete statistics are hard to come by, but government reports suggest thousands of firearms have vanished from interstate shipments over the past two decades. I remember reading about a UPS freight lot in Springfield, Missouri that got robbed for more than 650 firearms. I want to hear more about that stuff and what is being done to stop things like that from happening.

 

[GypsmJim]

While I understand your anger and frustration your attitude will not float well with those you must depend on to search for your package. The shipper needs to initiate the search as well as any insurance claim, not the recipient. You may or may not be aware that the pandemic has swamped all the delivery services causing huge delays amongst them all. Your suggestion that an employee stole it is both rude and ignorant. Theft is not impossible but is improbable. Cameras, catwalks, and honest employees help to prevent what you seem to think is routine.

I thought this kind of rude behavior got you points or even banned?

 

[diyj98]

I've had a couple claims on firearms through USPS. One one claim I was denied and even received a letter from someone with a title stating that shipping firearms wasn't permitted under USPS regulations. I wrote a letter back and photocopied the USPS regulation on shipping firearms to him. Eventually I received my money back.

I'd had several postal clerks tell me that shipping firearms wasn't allowed, but this was someone higher up the chain.

 

[.357magger]

8 days is not that long in the current Covid world we're in. Just saying.

Date shipped may be different than date scanned. USPS tracking begins when a tracking number is issued, usually when the postage is purchased. Larger FFLs may wait 2-3 days later before handing over to USPS.

What used to take 5-7 days (yes, I know the signs say Priority 2-3 days) is on average for my latest transfers 7-10 days. Additionally, IIRC, previous posts are correct that the shipper needs to initiate a missing item claim, not the recipient.

What does the last USPS tracking info say?

 

[ColbyBruce]

diyj98 the lack of knowledge of the DMM by window clerks, managers, and postmasters continues to boggle my mind. The subsequent refusal by many of those same people to look up and verify their claims has prompted many an angry outburst by customers. I have heard postmasters say "not from my office" and window clerks "our postmaster does not allow that". I have also seen a window clerk correct her supervisor and postmaster on such matters, only to be sent home.

That turned out well, as the clerk had a twin who was a postal inspector.