Unpleasant experience with UPS gun shipment

Sun195 · Dec 9, 2008

Heres a conversation you never want to have with your UPS customer service guy when going to pick up a firearm:

Me: Im here to pick up my package. (hand slip to UPS guy)
UPS Guy: Ok, Ill go get it.

20 minutes later

UPS Guy: What does your package look like? Who sent it?
Me: UmIm not really sure its about so-big. (then, in a lower voice because the room is full of people & I dont want them to know Im picking up a gun) Its from Smith & Wesson. Its a handgun
UPS Guy: Oh, ok

Another 20 minutes later

UPS Guy: Well, I cant find it. Youre going to have to call UPS and file a trace/stolen report.
Me: What? What do you mean you cant find it?
UPS Guy: Its not back there
Me: You do realize this is a handgun, dont you? You realize the s*it-storm thats going to come down on you? The ATF is going to be down here.
UPS Guy: Yeah, the ATF has already been down here. Someones been stealing rifles
Me: What!??...I want to speak with the manager
UPS Guy: Well, he doesnt know anything about this
Me: I dont care Im not leaving here with a piece of paper and no gun. Im speaking with a manager.

We then proceed to a room behind the counter where he calls the manager

UPS Guy: Manager is on the phone, hell be down in a minute. Ive looked in here and cant find it
Me: Is this where you keep firearms? This room isnt even secure!
UPS Guy: Well, nobody knows whats in these boxes, so oh, wait, heres your box it was placed on the wrong shelf.

So, in the end I got my gun back, but not until a few heart-stopping moments. I was already apprehensive about sending this back for service; this didnt help any.

RangerEric · Dec 9, 2008

That'll get your heart-rate going...! UPS just doesn't seem to get it when it comes to handling firearms... I had my Bersa shipped back to me from some warranty repairs, and found the dang thing sitting on my doorstep when I came home from work one day..!!!

PhysicsGuy · Dec 9, 2008

Wow, that was close.

ZeroRing · Dec 9, 2008

Yikes!!! You'd think they'd be at least a LITTLE bit concerned when dealing with firearms and have some sort of policy in place to keep them secure. :s0001:

And then the comment about "someone's been stealing rifles"??? Come on UPS, get a clew already!! :nuts:

skud_dusty · Dec 10, 2008

Did you still talk to the manager?

Sun195 · Dec 10, 2008

ZeroRing said:
And then the comment about "someone's been stealing rifles"??? Come on UPS, get a clew already!! :nuts:

That's the part that got me - if you know people are stealing firearms, why route them through this facility?

skud_dusty said:
Did you still talk to the manager?

No - I was already late for another appointment (didn't think it would take an hour to pick up a package) and got out of there. I'll probably call over there today.

Joe Link · Dec 10, 2008

Man, I'm happy you got your gun back.

When I picked up my Springfield 1911 from FedEx after returning it for warranty work, the woman asked who it was from and what it was. When I told her it was a handgun she insisted it was illegal and against FedEx policy. I couldn't help but laugh, and she looked at me a little funny. I told her she might want to check that with her manager, and that Springfield is probably a fairly large account, since they pay FedEx shipping to and from their repair center.

Teamowner · Dec 10, 2008

Lot's of people wouldn't know the contents from a Smith and Wesson label, to a Crest toothpaste label. I would suggest in the future you pay a little extra and send your firearms " signature Required" this way they are not just left at your door step. You can also request that they be held at the ups will call and they never go out on car. The package would be held at the ups faciility and you would go to pick it up in person.

NWLIEN · Dec 10, 2008

The fact that handguns must be shipped 'overnight' by both ups and fedex are >not< federal regs, but company policies....they instituted that policy because so many came up missing.............

We 'c&r'(o3 ffl) firearms licencees, are all too familiar with the horror stories of common carrier shipping of firearms......oddly the usps is probably the best route to go, but can only ship long guns for anyone not in the 'higher tiers' of ffl license holders......us lowly c&r license holders have to ship handguns ups or fedex, like the great unwashed masses.....
--carlos

korntera · Dec 10, 2008

I just traded firearms on Arfcom. I went to UPS and they said I had to take the firearm to their main facility. I called the guy and he said ship Fedex, he had a positiv rating of 118 and said thats all he ships and NEVER had a problem. plus they don't ask what is in the package.

NWLIEN · Dec 10, 2008

You do have to take firearms to the main depots, of both fed ex and ups, and by federal statute, you must inform them that the package contains a firearm........

Lots of people don't though.......

They can not >mark< the package id'ing it as a firearm, but they must be informed as to the contents in that case........

Not telling them because they don't ask is playing 'don't ask/don't tell' on a federal beef..............

elsullo · Dec 10, 2008

At least in the "holiday season" when they hire gyppo subcontractors. Last year I had a non-gun shipment simply DROPPED outside my door---and I WAS HOME at the time, but they did not even bother to buzz me. The problem was: I live in a 65-unit apartment building; the entrance door is right ON a public sidewalk, next to a busy cafe, and right ON a busy bus stop! Yeah, never saw the shipment.

Any firearm delivery MUST require a signature or a pickup!......................elsullo

Sun195 · Dec 10, 2008

Teamowner said:
Lot's of people wouldn't know the contents from a Smith and Wesson label, to a Crest toothpaste label. I would suggest in the future you pay a little extra and send your firearms " signature Required" this way they are not just left at your door step. You can also request that they be held at the ups will call and they never go out on car. The package would be held at the ups faciility and you would go to pick it up in person.

This was an overnight UPS delivery, shipped from/by S&W, in an unmarked box, requiring adult signature, and picked-up at the UPS customer service center. Not sure what else I or S&W could have done.