USPS " misshiped" firearm and now its lost.

[_Will_]

I purchased a firearm from a small FFL ( firearms dealer)on Gubroker who was in Utah to have the pistol shipped to my local dealer in my area. That was the start of some odd occurrences going on with the deal. There was two tracking numbers associated with this delivery 1) with insurance for $100.00 which is the only valid tracking number and 2) One with requested amount of up to $1400.00. The first tracking number was the only that seemed to work. Okay, whatever I thought that seems a bit strange and odd. On the receipt it shows the itemized breakdown indicating this. Essentially two tracking numbers. Transaction numbers associated with the sellers information. Either he or USPS screwed up.

Fast forward to today. I que up the tracking information to see it was delivered an hour north of at me at a " PO BOX in Portland" So naturally, Immediately I call the 1800 USPS call center and they were doing their best to help me. But explained to me that they couldn't " release the information due to security concerns". I told them, what?? excuse me but this is a firearm that's misdelivered to the wrong person. I even asked for a postal inspector which went nowhere.

After hitting a dead end with the 1800 USPS number. I drove down to my local trusted Post Office where they've been excellent and the postal worker explained to me that it looks like its a " missent package" and that it should be delivered tomorrow sometime or at the end of week. I still don't understand how this could happen. Does anyone have experience with this type of ordeal?

I asked if it doesn't show up I suppose I'll file a police report and write it off as a loss.

The postal worker said I should be able to track the package and see what she does. I said, on my end on USPS's website it just says " delivered at PO box"

I also called the USPS postal inspector law enforcement number and they referred me back to the 1800 USPS general number. Still waiting to hear back from the seller as I texted him. This whole thing has been a bizarre series of a events.

My impression from the USPS Postal Inspector Law Enforcement arm is that they generally don't give a damn and that tons of firearms go missing every year with little to no investigative work.

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[Certaindeaf]

I purchased a firearm from small FFL ( firearms dealer)on Gubroker who was in Utah to have the pistol shipped to my local dealer in my area. That was the start of some odd occurrences going on with the deal. There was two tracking numbers associated with this delivery 1) with insurance for $100.00 which is the only valid tracking number and 2) One with requested amount of up to $1400.00. The first tracking number was the only that seemed to work. Okay, whatever I thought that seems a bit strange and odd. On the receipt it shows the itemized breakdown indicating this. Essentially two tracking numbers. Transaction numbers associated with the sellers information. Either he or USPS screwed up.

Fast forward to today. I que up the tracking information to see it was delivered an hour north of at me at a " PO BOX in Portland" So naturally, Immediately I call the 1800 USPS call center and they were doing their best to help me. But explained to me that they couldn't " release the information due to security concerns". I told them, what?? excuse me but this is a firearm that's misdelivered to the wrong person. I even asked for a postal inspector which went nowhere.

After hitting a dead end with the 1800 USPS number. I drove down to my local trusted Post Office where they've been excellent and the postal worker explained to me that it looks like its a " missent package" and that it should be delivered tomorrow sometime or at the end of week. I still don't understand how this could happen. Does anyone have experience with this type of ordeal?

I asked if it doesn't show up I suppose I'll file a police report and write it off as a loss.

The postal worker said I should be able to track the package and see what she does. I said, on my end on USPS's website it just says " delivered at PO box"

I also called the USPS postal inspector law enforcement number and they referred me back to the 1800 USPS general number. Still waiting to hear back from the seller as I texted him. This whole thing has been a bizarre series of a events.

My impression from the USPS Postal Inspector Law Enforcement arm is that they generally don't give a damn and that tons of firearms go missing every year with little to no investigative work.

How much money are you out.. all of it or?
Can you stop payment?

 

[_Will_]

How much money are you out.. all of it or?

$1500. in theory it should have been a new in the box Sig 556 Pistol, that I was going to do an SBR form 1 on.

 

[titsonritz]

And people wonder others refuse to ship. I've had USPS packages spin around the country for while and show up late, hopefully yours will, too.

 

[_Will_]

I spoke with the seller, hes going back to the original post office location to speak with them tomorrow. I'm going to say this is USPS fault 90%

 

[Diamondback]

I had a friend buy a miniature airplane from me that Newman left in the back of the truck on "last mile" for six months once.

 

[Jay Walk]

Did you pay with a credit card?

That double tracking number and only the one for $100 being valid seems sketch.

 

[_Will_]

Did you pay with a credit card?

That double tracking number and only the one for $100 being valid seems sketch.

I did a electronic wire. It was either that or a cashiers check. ( dumb move I know) Truth be told, I've had crap luck with USPS and firearms. During a different transaction with a different seller USPS didn't deliver a rifle to a FFL and they literally told me I could go pick up it at the hub lol. I Get there and explain to them that it's a firearm and it needs to go the FFL to be in compliance with ATF regs. I literally watched them load my rifle onto a mail truck and hand deliver it to the FFL after I made a fuss. It seems like they're totally inept and clueless unless its mail or a package.

 

[eustace_stelio]

I've had usps screw up tons of shipments but they usually got it delivered eventually.

Sent my buddy a gift going to Rockford, IL and it went to Chicago and tracking showed it was "out for delivery." Spent a couple days in Chicago before it went to its proper destination.

I sent another gift to a friend in Ontario Canada and that one went all the way to Munich Germany before being sent back to Canada.

Hopefully your package will get delivered to its proper destination tomorrow but if not best of luck to you.

 

[_Will_]

I sent another gift to a friend in Ontario Canada and that one went all the way to Munich Germany before being sent back to Canada.

That's a awesome story. lol I just imagine the German postmaster laughing at that. I've been to Munich or Munchen before and the Germans being on time and attentive is 100% true. They most likely just shaked their head.

 

[Ben B.]

I shipped 2 ARs, 2 weeks before a hog hunt. They never made it, tracking number was worthless. I called USPS a lot, dealt with a lot of worthless call-center drones, and eventually got 2 guys who worked in the back and actually knew something. They told me it was very unlikely that the rifles were lost, and that they were mis -shipped and had a bad number and sometimes that happens. I knew those rifles were GONE.

2 weeks after the hunt was over, and I had flown home, the rifles arrived. The tracking number said they were signed for. My dad found them sitting on the front step.

 

[titsonritz]

I shipped 2 ARs, 2 weeks before a hog hunt. They never made it, tracking number was worthless. I called USPS a lot, dealt with a lot of worthless call-center drones, and eventually got 2 guys who worked in the back and actually knew something. They told me it was very unlikely that the rifles were lost, and that they were mis -shipped and had a bad number and sometimes that happens. I knew those rifles were GONE.

2 weeks after the hunt was over, and I had flown home, the rifles arrived. The tracking number said they were signed for. My dad found them sitting on the front step.

 

[Jay Walk]

That sucks man. I purchased a 686 off from Gunbroker this year and was nervous but it went quick and easy.

Did this seller have a high number of A+ ratings?

 

[eustace_stelio]

That's a awesome story. lol I just imagine the German postmaster laughing at that. I've been to Munich or Munchen before and the Germans being on time and attentive is 100% true. They most likely just shaked their head.

Oh yeah. Me and the Canadian said "at least it went to Germany because they'll get it where it needs to go." Lol then joked about the Germains having a good laugh at the Americans.

 

[thorborg]

An entity, able to insure there is no place for the buck to stop, and from my experiences, no concept of remorse, is what power is all about. Not much any individual can do about that.
In this case, What were your sellers shipping terms? Making sure things are bought from sellers offering FOB; "Destination", is good, not FOB; "Factory" The Free on board (FOB) "destination" means their responsible for everything, until its in your possession. If that is the case, they owe you. FOB "Factory" means as soon as it leaves the dock its your problem whether they shipped it for you or not.

 

[aasbra]

I had a rifle coming from small town, coastal GA a year or two ago from a seller on GunBroker that was missing in limbo for 1+ week in transit. Not USPS, it was FedEx. No updates on tracking from the first scan when it was picked up for well over a week. I called the general FedEx number, not much help. They said give it a few more days to show "no movement" then put in a claim with seller who arranged shipping. I asked them the routing, and they told me where it was supposed to go. So I tracked down the phone number of the local hub in GA that handled the shipment (the only scan for over a week). Found a helpful lady there who looked into it and figured out it was put on a rail car across country, arriving to central WA. Train was delayed several days for some reason (this no scans for a long time).

Ultimately it all worked out. Just took a week or so longer than it was supposed to. I always get nervous shipping a gun. Hopefully yours turns up.

 

[Diamondback]

Okay, here's a UPS horror story... my gal has a package with Kohl's that the last update on her order was "shipment created, UPS awaiting item" A MONTH ago. I reached out to Kohl's customer service a week after that since usually you see first movement within 2-3 days of that asking them to send someone to the warehouse loading dock and check on it... not a peep since.

 

[Alexx1401]

I did a electronic wire. It was either that or a cashiers check. ( dumb move I know) Truth be told, I've had crap luck with USPS and firearms. During a different transaction with a different seller USPS didn't deliver a rifle to a FFL and they literally told me I could go pick up it at the hub lol. I Get there and explain to them that it's a firearm and it needs to go the FFL to be in compliance with ATF regs. I literally watched them load my rifle onto a mail truck and hand deliver it to the FFL after I made a fuss. It seems like they're totally inept and clueless unless its mail or a package.

If the gun ever shows up, great. If it does not looks like you are out. Either way I hope others reading this remember this when they go to buy. I read people all the time talk about how "other forms" of payment are great because they have been doing it for years with no problems. They probably have but, it only takes one time for that to all change.

 

[Alexx1401]

I shipped 2 ARs, 2 weeks before a hog hunt. They never made it, tracking number was worthless. I called USPS a lot, dealt with a lot of worthless call-center drones, and eventually got 2 guys who worked in the back and actually knew something. They told me it was very unlikely that the rifles were lost, and that they were mis -shipped and had a bad number and sometimes that happens. I knew those rifles were GONE.

2 weeks after the hunt was over, and I had flown home, the rifles arrived. The tracking number said they were signed for. My dad found them sitting on the front step.

You got lucky all the way around. Sadly all the shippers seem to do this now and then. Long ago sent a 1911 to Springfield for their custom shop to do some work. They sent if back UPS. Showed it would need "Adult Signature". I checked that morning and it was not showing out for delivery so I went to the store. Come home to find it laying on my porch. Large red sticker said "ADULT SIGNATURE REQUIRED". I thought about calling them to say it never got here and asking them where it was just to see what they would do but did not want to spend the time. It would have been interesting if someone had picked the damn thing up and run off with it.

 

[raftman]

It may still turn up; I've had a couple items over the years that were misdelivered but ended up showing up (granted they weren't high dollar items so I didn't really need to stress either way). One time I had something delivered months late, but what ended up delivered was just a clearly torn-open package with nothing inside so I wonder why they bothered.

I used to sell a fair amount of parts on eBay, and always bothered to get the insurance but the one time I decided not to bother (it was a set of 1911 grips), I had problems. USPS tracking said they were delivered to the mailbox… several weeks later the buyer claimed he never got them. For all I knew he was lying and wanted to end up with both the grips and his money back. Apparently eBay only protects extremely large volume sellers from this possibility so basically my options were to refund the guy or eBay would just take the money from me and refund the guy anyways. If I'd gotten the insurance maybe I wouldn't have been out both.