Author Topic: International Shipping  (Read 3174 times)

Offline axelp

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International Shipping
« on: May 19, 2010, 08:15:47 AM »
Has anyone shipped a longrifle to Germany? What is the best way to do this? I used the online calculators for the various shipping websites and the price seems pretty high... (aprox $300) I wonder if I am doing something wrong...

It might be cost prohibitive for this particular longrifle...

Ken
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westbj2

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Re: International Shipping
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2010, 11:57:27 AM »
I think you will find that USPS is substantially cheaper than the commercial shippers.
Check with them however on length/girth restrictions on the package.
Jim

Birddog6

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Re: International Shipping
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2010, 02:15:10 PM »
The problem with shipping with USPS, once it is gone you have no control, no tracking, no nothing.  I shipped a Kindig book insured & tracking to NZ. It left & 30 days later had now shown up. P.O. told me once it leaves the USA they cannot track it because foreign countries don't have reliable tracking service. (?  as if ours does ?).  They said they could track it to Miami & that was it. (and they couldn't even do that)  45 days later it shows up at my place....... wrong customs form..... they had me fill out a 3 part form instead of a 5 part form. Now the 5 part form is Exactly like the 3 part form, but only 3 copies instead of 5, & apparently nobody at the P.O. knows how to use a copy machine  ::) so they sent it back. Also it had never left the USA, it was sitting in Miami all of this time......  And I had to pay full shipping again to reship it, sent it regular mail this time instead of express, it arrived in NZ in 10 days.  go figure......   ::)

I recently had a gentleman in UK wanting me to build him a Tenn. rifle. I told him I would do so but he had to handle all the shipping & customs & etc.  He investigated it all using the guy that TOW uses for the customs agent & etc.. Found out it would be well over $300. just to ship it.  He is going to wait til he makes a visit to the USA & take it back with his luggage as it is much cheaper.

You might call TOW and see who they use & etc. I would thing they would know a rough idea of the cost of doing it & who to ship it by the best all around.
 :)

Offline Ken G

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Re: International Shipping
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2010, 02:48:19 PM »
I shipped one to Australia.  I don't remember the cost but it was over $300.  More like $40 with insurance.  Then there was another $100+ in some sort of import tax the owner paid. 
Be prepared for major problems with any carrier you use.  The local folks know very little about shipping guns internationally.  When in doubt they just refuse to ship.
Ken
Failure only comes when you stop trying.

Offline Rolf

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Re: International Shipping
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2010, 04:00:56 PM »
I live in Norway and allways request stuff sent to me by either USPS  express mail international or USPS international priority mail. Both services provide a tracking number that let's you follow the package in transit.  The last package was a pistol stock+ 15"barrel+ small siler lock + 4 ramrod blanks. Weighed about 15 pounds and cost 70$ to ship express. Took 4 days to get here and I tracked it all the way. I receive about 10 packages a year via these services(mostly books). Never had a problem.

Here's the link to the shipping calculator for USPS:  http://ircalc.usps.gov/
Here's the link to the tracking site: http://www.usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm?from=global_header&page=trackandconfirm

Just don't send packages USPS first class mail.
It takes forever and I have lost 2 packages that way.

Best regards
Rolfkt
« Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 04:06:20 PM by Rolfkt »