I have two handguns I have been going to list on an Internet Auction and want to be specific what the shipping charge will be on them. I live twenty miles from a city of 100K+ and dropped by the UPS Center there. Not a USP Store but the place things are shipped from. I explained to the lady there I needed an approximate shipping amount on a handgun. I, of course, didn't know exactly where they would be going so the lady ran Florida on the computer. I live in the central US and she said the charge would be between $75 and $90. I about fell over. Has shipping increased that much since the last time I shipped? It was around $35 at that time. I asked her if dealers paid the same rate, she said Oh Yes.
A Bad Case of Sticker Shock
- Thread starter jondar
- Start date
chris in va
New member
Wow. I sent mine FedEx for ~$55. Check with your local FFL and see what they charge...bet it's a lot cheaper.
Doodlebugger45
New member
I don''t understand that. I just bought a revolver and the dealer shipped it to me via UPS for $20.
Dealers can use the USPS but individuals must ship by a carrier.
The USPS will not allow shipping of firearms by some strange rule I cannot remember.
Which brings us to UPS and FedEx.
They had some handguns stolen and now they will only ship them overnight.
It's not a federal law or anything just company policy and they will not deviate from it.
I suggest you check some local gun shops.
I have one here that will ship firearms for me (USPS) and they charge a nominal fee. It's still $35 to $45 but far better than the ridiculous overnight fees.
The USPS will not allow shipping of firearms by some strange rule I cannot remember.
Which brings us to UPS and FedEx.
They had some handguns stolen and now they will only ship them overnight.
It's not a federal law or anything just company policy and they will not deviate from it.
I suggest you check some local gun shops.
I have one here that will ship firearms for me (USPS) and they charge a nominal fee. It's still $35 to $45 but far better than the ridiculous overnight fees.
JameyPrice
New member
I used UPS, and used Next-Day Air Saver, and from Detroit to the central states, it was $46. Now, when I went to ship it, they offered me next-day priority at $80, regular next-day at $72, or the option I chose - I'm fairly sure you can see why. You were probably quoted next day priority. Ask them again, but be more specific.
MosesMosley
New member
Sent a rifle(16lbs in total) from WA to NY for $28........
Mike Irwin
Staff
UPS started putting the screws to people shipping handguns because they couldn't keep their employees from stealing them from the transit system.
UPS' problems with poor hiring practices and criminal employees = YOUR problem, costing YOU more money.
UPS' problems with poor hiring practices and criminal employees = YOUR problem, costing YOU more money.
Mr Irwin....your comments regarding UPS hiring policies and criminal employees hits home. I worked for that company for 20 years and know first hand that they screen their applicants aggressively and watch the sorting process with an eagle eye. If you have first hand knowledge of "criminal employees" then report that "fact" to the police and UPS...both will aggressively follow up on your information. If on the other hand you're blowing off steam at 1:26 am, because the cost of shipping is rising, then perhaps a better choice of wording is appropriate. Irresponsible slandering of a good company, with an outstanding work force is just that, slander. Best regards, Rodfac
Mike Irwin
Staff
Mr. Rod...
Well...
How about this article from the Wall Street Journal?
http://www.smartmoney.com/breaking-news/?story=19991007073234
Catch the last paragraph in the story:
"In 1997, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms arrested a UPS employee who had stolen 130 guns shipped from the Smyrna, Ga., facility of Glock's U.S. unit. The guns were later resold in Atlanta housing projects."
That was an effective application of the aggressive screening process, don't you think?
An even more interesting article from the Washington Post from back in 1999.
http://www.paulrevere.org/boycottups/When_Guns_Don't_Arrive.htm
"They started cautiously, slicing open cardboard boxes addressed to a Prince George's County gun shop, removing one or two handguns and taking them out by hiding them under their clothes.
When nothing happened, the three UPS cargo handlers – one of them a convicted crack dealer – grew bolder, according to affidavits filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. They grabbed entire packages filled with revolvers and semiautomatic pistols, slapped on new address labels and had their employer deliver them home for free."
Eagle eye on the sorting process? And old, blind, eagle?
This line is pretty damning...
"In 1998, 941 firearms were reported stolen from interstate shipments, most of them from commercial carriers such as UPS, according to ATF figures. But federal officials concede that they have no idea how many of the estimated 5 million guns that are shipped each year by commercial carrier are stolen."
And if UPS is peopled by such honest people, and the company has such an aggressive and effective employee screen process, where did this comment from the UPS spokesman at the time come from?
"UPS spokesman Bob Godlewski said "several hundred" guns are stolen from the Atlanta-based company each year, although he declined to be specific."
And finally, the cause-effect of UPS' inability to prevent theft by its own employees...
"In October, after the thefts from its Landover distribution center, UPS changed its rules and now requires all handguns to be sent by next-day-air service, the form of delivery also required by Federal Express Corp. and Airborne Freight Corp. That method allows packages to be tracked more closely and reduces the time they are sitting around, making them less vulnerable to thieves, according to UPS officials. Rifles and shotguns, however, can still be sent by standard ground delivery, which is cheaper."
The only difference between UPS and the other shipping agents? The others admitted a long time ago that they can't control all of their employees all the time.
No matter how effective a screening policy you have in place, there's always the chance that you can hire a criminal who is intent on stealing from the company or the customers that it serves.
I spent several years working for Navy Federal Credit Union, a financial services company that also had a very thorough screening process to (hopefully) weed out those who would abuse their positions and commit criminal acts.
Human nature being what it is, it didn't always work. I saw a couple of people taken out of there in handcuffs after the CU became aware that they were breaking the law.
So, what do we have....
Do we have slander against UPS in my previous message? No. UPS changed its shipping requirements for handguns because it couldn't prevent employee theft as admitted to by its own spokesman.
Is UPS a good company? I never claimed that they weren't. Virtually every company/corporation has a theft problem to varying degrees.
Are all UPS employees criminals? I never said that, either.
Did UPS change its handgun shipping requirements, costing gunowners a lot more money, becuase they couldn't control theft and wanted to insulate itself from possible negligence lawsuits? YES.
Sorry that this doens't match up with your experience in your career at UPS, Rod.
I wish I had made this stuff up due to the hour at which I was posting, but I didn't. It's simple fact.
Well...
How about this article from the Wall Street Journal?
http://www.smartmoney.com/breaking-news/?story=19991007073234
Catch the last paragraph in the story:
"In 1997, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms arrested a UPS employee who had stolen 130 guns shipped from the Smyrna, Ga., facility of Glock's U.S. unit. The guns were later resold in Atlanta housing projects."
That was an effective application of the aggressive screening process, don't you think?
An even more interesting article from the Washington Post from back in 1999.
http://www.paulrevere.org/boycottups/When_Guns_Don't_Arrive.htm
"They started cautiously, slicing open cardboard boxes addressed to a Prince George's County gun shop, removing one or two handguns and taking them out by hiding them under their clothes.
When nothing happened, the three UPS cargo handlers – one of them a convicted crack dealer – grew bolder, according to affidavits filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. They grabbed entire packages filled with revolvers and semiautomatic pistols, slapped on new address labels and had their employer deliver them home for free."
Eagle eye on the sorting process? And old, blind, eagle?
This line is pretty damning...
"In 1998, 941 firearms were reported stolen from interstate shipments, most of them from commercial carriers such as UPS, according to ATF figures. But federal officials concede that they have no idea how many of the estimated 5 million guns that are shipped each year by commercial carrier are stolen."
And if UPS is peopled by such honest people, and the company has such an aggressive and effective employee screen process, where did this comment from the UPS spokesman at the time come from?
"UPS spokesman Bob Godlewski said "several hundred" guns are stolen from the Atlanta-based company each year, although he declined to be specific."
And finally, the cause-effect of UPS' inability to prevent theft by its own employees...
"In October, after the thefts from its Landover distribution center, UPS changed its rules and now requires all handguns to be sent by next-day-air service, the form of delivery also required by Federal Express Corp. and Airborne Freight Corp. That method allows packages to be tracked more closely and reduces the time they are sitting around, making them less vulnerable to thieves, according to UPS officials. Rifles and shotguns, however, can still be sent by standard ground delivery, which is cheaper."
The only difference between UPS and the other shipping agents? The others admitted a long time ago that they can't control all of their employees all the time.
No matter how effective a screening policy you have in place, there's always the chance that you can hire a criminal who is intent on stealing from the company or the customers that it serves.
I spent several years working for Navy Federal Credit Union, a financial services company that also had a very thorough screening process to (hopefully) weed out those who would abuse their positions and commit criminal acts.
Human nature being what it is, it didn't always work. I saw a couple of people taken out of there in handcuffs after the CU became aware that they were breaking the law.
So, what do we have....
Do we have slander against UPS in my previous message? No. UPS changed its shipping requirements for handguns because it couldn't prevent employee theft as admitted to by its own spokesman.
Is UPS a good company? I never claimed that they weren't. Virtually every company/corporation has a theft problem to varying degrees.
Are all UPS employees criminals? I never said that, either.
Did UPS change its handgun shipping requirements, costing gunowners a lot more money, becuase they couldn't control theft and wanted to insulate itself from possible negligence lawsuits? YES.
Sorry that this doens't match up with your experience in your career at UPS, Rod.
I wish I had made this stuff up due to the hour at which I was posting, but I didn't. It's simple fact.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Oh, and just so as to show that I'm not picking on UPS as being the only organization populated by employees who steal guns...
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/fedex_employee_charged_with_st.html
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/fedex_employee_charged_with_st.html
+1
See my first post above.
I knew they changed their policy because of theft.
The overnight shipments are tracked much more closely than ground.
That's why overnight prevents theft.
The packages are never just sitting in a warehouse.
They are checked, monitored and moving all the time.
If a package is stolen, they know exactly where and what time.
Your info appears to be 10-12 years old...UPS was, is, and will continue to be an outstanding company with a reputation for fast, reliable, and honest service. It continues to be competitive against USPS despite USPS' subsidizing it's package delivery service with 1st class mail rates. Wonder why it costs $.44 to send a letter? That's the reason. UPS continues to be competitive vs. FedEx despite the latter's use of non-union labor...a major cost in benefits alone, let alone salaries. UPS also employs over 330,000 workers....99.999% of whom are loyal, honest, and hard working.
UPS ships on a nightly basis, well over a million packages. Prices reflect ongoing shipping costs. Fuel being the prime one. Firearms shipments in the small numbers actually shipped have no bearing on UPS' overall pricing policy. It's a business, Mike, not the government where a profit is something to malign.
The company does have an active enforcement policy and does use magnetic screeners, the kind in daily use at all airports, to "search" each and every employee before they leave the property. Over-reacting to a small problem...nope...it's a commitment to good honest service.
I stand by my comments. If you have issues with the company; then take it up with them or law enforcement. Let's keep the forum's content focused on what we all enjoy...ownership and use of firearms, and leave idle speculation to the media. The "data" you mentioned is hardly proof of widespread theft. And while we're at it, how 'bout some "data" from the USPS or FedEx? Good luck getting that kind of information, let alone seeing it in print.
It appears to me that you've taken "data" 10--12 years old, garnered from the print media, and extrapolated it into an ongoing problem. I can't speculate on your motives for doing that, but it surely doesn't belong on the Firing Line forum.
Regards, Rodfac
UPS ships on a nightly basis, well over a million packages. Prices reflect ongoing shipping costs. Fuel being the prime one. Firearms shipments in the small numbers actually shipped have no bearing on UPS' overall pricing policy. It's a business, Mike, not the government where a profit is something to malign.
The company does have an active enforcement policy and does use magnetic screeners, the kind in daily use at all airports, to "search" each and every employee before they leave the property. Over-reacting to a small problem...nope...it's a commitment to good honest service.
I stand by my comments. If you have issues with the company; then take it up with them or law enforcement. Let's keep the forum's content focused on what we all enjoy...ownership and use of firearms, and leave idle speculation to the media. The "data" you mentioned is hardly proof of widespread theft. And while we're at it, how 'bout some "data" from the USPS or FedEx? Good luck getting that kind of information, let alone seeing it in print.
It appears to me that you've taken "data" 10--12 years old, garnered from the print media, and extrapolated it into an ongoing problem. I can't speculate on your motives for doing that, but it surely doesn't belong on the Firing Line forum.
Regards, Rodfac
Maybe
dealers have deals with courier companies so they can subsidise sending a gun to the customer?
I know over here, I write 'sporting equipment' on packages with guns in 'em... (well, my chosen sport is shootin'.... the gun is equipment)
Any time you write 'gun' on a package someone will think it's christmas.... and they got a gun :barf:
Write sporting equipment, you are not lying.... and they dont know it is a gun inside (unless they x-ray the packages)
dealers have deals with courier companies so they can subsidise sending a gun to the customer?
I know over here, I write 'sporting equipment' on packages with guns in 'em... (well, my chosen sport is shootin'.... the gun is equipment)
Any time you write 'gun' on a package someone will think it's christmas.... and they got a gun :barf:
Write sporting equipment, you are not lying.... and they dont know it is a gun inside (unless they x-ray the packages)