US Post lost my gun

A

av8tor

Guest
Guys,

I bought a gun from a trusted member, and has been a pleasure to deal with. The gun was shipped insured in one box, and lose parts in two other boxes, all sent priority mail. Two boxes arrived, the third box, the gun is MIA. We all know hat happens from here when dealing with USPS.

My questions is this: I don't want to be unfair or a jackass to the seller as it isn't his fault either, but how long am I suppose to wait for the gun? I'm out $3600 bucks, have no gun, and shooting season will be half over before an insurance claim is ever paid. Post says it takes 14 days before claim can be filed, and who the hell knows from there. To top it all, I can't really do crap, as I'm not the sender or the receiver. The sender has to file the claim and collect insurance.

I've been down this road with the US Post before, and it took me almost 120 days to collect my money. I was seller. I refund the buyer his money, and fought the post from there.

I want to be fair to seller, but I'm not interested be told to just wait. How long before I can fairly ask the seller to refund my money so I can buy another gun? The rifle shows one scan where it was scanned into system, and nothing after that. It was suppose to have been deliverd this past Thursday according to USPS website. Now, I'm being told to just wait. How long should I?

Thanks for your thoughts..
 
This is a real PIA situation. However from my perspective your problem is with the carrier not the seller. There is not a heck of a lot you can do to speed up an insurance claim, especially with USPS. You might nicely ask the seller to refund your money but unless he is a really nice guy and three grand means little to him you pretty much have to wait.
Dick
 
So, I'm without gun or money, and it's not even in my hands to be able to file insurance claim or push usps to find gun??
 
I know it is not much consolation but the insurer's position will be "these things take time" who knows it may yet show up that is why they won't even talk to anybody till 14 days after it is overdue. You are certainly within your rights to ask nicely for the seller to refund your money but push comes to shove I think you really only have a claim against him if you get neither gun or money after several months have passed.
 
Did you or the sender track it? he would have the proof that when it was sent and where it disappeared. i went to the post office when one wasn't showing up and they punched in the numbers and everything came up, some how it went to an other state and just sat there and finally it made it. A 150 miles took two weeks and they need a raise?….. jim
 
A few years back, I sold a rail gun to Jeff Summers in Tennessee, and when the UPS guy delivered it he tossed the top in a custom oak box off his shoulder it destroyed the box and bent the Leupold 36x scope. Jeff and I worked tirelessly for months along with my FFL dealer and it took 6 months but we finally got a check for 975.00.
I made sure I talked to either the insurance people every few days, when the wanted additional info I got it immediately. They said they couldn't find the value of the scope so I told them they weren't made anymore and to access value you have to look at a secondary market like Bruno's. As seller I felt it was a shared responsibility to help resolve the issue. In the end both buyer and seller prevailed due to persistence. That's what needs to happen, good luck, and don't take a no from a low level employee, once you explain your situation and they tell you that you have to wait or anything else ask for their supervisor!
 
Hang tight I shipped a barrel 2 day priority mail from the 6BR site just recently and I believe it took 10 days from NY to Tenn. and the buyer received his barrel.

The weather has been bad this year and lets keep our fingers cross that you receive your new toy.

Good Luck
 
Go to the post office and have them track item, I just went through a similar deal took a couple of days and it showed up. If you know any workers there they can call if checked in anywhere and trace from there.... hope it works out George
 
I know you want it now...understandably, but if it hasn't been the 14 days required to file a claim, maybe a little patience and a call to the atf would be in order. I would guess that the sooner the atf is informed of a lost or stolen firearm, the better, but USPS is likely handling it like any lost package until ATF starts asking about it. Licensed dealers are required to report lost/stolen fireams within 48 hours of discovery.
 
If it was only this past Thursday when it was supposed to be delivered, it's a little early to panic. It's likely that it was sent somewhere else and will show up in a day or two. Also, shipping has been a mess lately with the weather conditions. I send packages out daily through USPS and it's not unusual for things to get scrambled for a while, but almost everytime things show up. It's tough, but try to be patient at least until your 14 days pass. You've been given a lot of good advice, go see your postmaster.

Rick
 
A lost Firearm

Here in Oz I am not even sure a firearm can be sent through the post. So chances are this situation couldn't happen with the postal service. However if the USPS cannot tell you where it is then essentially they don't know who has possession of it. It could be a criminal who has it. Would reporting the situation to the FBI motivate USPS into finding it and delivering it to the rightful owner. Just a thought.
Andy.
 
Lesson Learned

I learned a long time ago not to ship firearms by Priority Mail. Express Mail (1-2 day service guaranteed) is the only way to go, and, of course, insure it for full value. I have not had problems with Express Mail with loss or damage. They give special attention to these packages and track them fully. But...it costs a lot.

If you want or need complete reliability ship by Registered Mail. It requires special packaging but if you want 100% odds it will get there, you've got it.

I shipped several heavy Flat Rate boxes (Priority Mail) recently. Three were broken open upon arrival but fortunately no contents were missing.

And yes, the storms recently have delayed the US Mail.

In your case, I would not ask the shipper for a refund. He completely did what was required of him and is without fault. If the gun truly is lost you will get your insurance coverage eventually.

And bear in mind that shipping labels get torn off or get water damaged or lord knows what. A month or so ago I got an envelope that had been submerged in water--the address was barely legible. If the label is gone, hopefully the shipper put his ID or address inside.

Shipping firearms by any carrier is risky. I've had no complaints with Express Mail or Fed Ex Priority, but lots of problems with Priority Mail and UPS Ground.
 
Good news. Rifle was final scanned into the system this morning. It shows scanned in Little Rock, so hopefully, it will show up tomorrow. I spoke with a Supervisor with the Postal office yesterday morning, and I mention that I was getting the ATF involved first thing Monday morning since the gun had gone missing, it had to be assumed that it was stolen. He didn't seem to like that ideal. Not sure if it had anything to do with the gun finally making an appearance or not, but at least it'll finally be here...Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the bunch of monkeys haven't broken it along the way.

Jim
 
Good news. Rifle was final scanned into the system this morning. It shows scanned in Little Rock, so hopefully, it will show up tomorrow. I spoke with a Supervisor with the Postal office yesterday morning, and I mention that I was getting the ATF involved first thing Monday morning since the gun had gone missing, it had to be assumed that it was stolen. He didn't seem to like that ideal. Not sure if it had anything to do with the gun finally making an appearance or not, but at least it'll finally be here...Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the bunch of monkeys haven't broken it along the way.

Jim
 
Great news! Now, what range are you going to use to shake out the bugs at? Seeing as how you seem to be in my neck of the woods.
 
Will be at Ouachita in Pencil Bluff at end of March shooting 100/200.(The gun they lost is a D. Scott built 6ppc) Planning on going to the Barn this coming weekend to shoot PSL with my new Myers build 22. I'll be shooting at Benton on Thursday as well.

Jim
 
I was thinking that Benton had given up benchrest, or was that just the rimfires.
 
If I buy a gun or other valuable

Shooting item I now us USPS REGISTERED mail. It costs more but the added security is worth it to me. It is handled separated from regular mail, is stored in secure areas overnight and there is a chain of custody on the item at USPS until it gets delivered. It's worth the extra money IMO. A postal employee would have to be downright stupid to fool with this mail. But, there are no absolutes or guarantees in life. Greg
 
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