Shipping

[JCKelly]

I took a well-packaged English rifle to the FedEx office, to ship it to a gentleman & got a surprize.
FedEx does not insure antique (one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable) items.

Huh?

So do any of you guys have actual experience shipping an antique rifle worth several thousand dollars?

[louieparker]

Priority mail can be insured up to 5K , registered mail goes to a much higher figure .. Can't say how high as I have never been refused  a figure ...Registered is probably the safest way, but you must use only paper tape in the packaging ..At my post office they will accept an aluminum case with a pad lock . Not sure they all will ...LP

[Buck]

JC Kelly,
I shipped a longrifle last year via FEDEX, it was packaged in a aluminum case, I claimed the gun for $2500.00 which covered the rifle and the case cost. Technically this is not considered insurance, well unfortunately the rifle was destroyed, not beyond repair but enough to break a collectors heart and along with it the case was bent up. Now I do not know how they destroyed the case because they claim you can drop it from an airplane without damaging the contents, but they did. After numerous correspondence from myself and the buyer, along with several repair quotes and appraisals FEDEX reimbursed me the $2500.00. It worked out, but I believe a blanket insurance policy or an Umbrella policy is your best bet. I have a friend who has an account with FEDEX and because of his account, all of his items are blanketed when in transit, if you move rifles frequently this could possibly be a good option. FYI 

[msmith]

usps registered mail will insure up to 25000.00.....

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Registered mail will cover up to $50K, I  believe.  The last time I sent a "gun" however, they made me unpack it in the post office in front of them....then gave me a hard time when I did not have the repacking tape with me. BEWARE .
Hurricane

[JCKelly]

Thanks, gentlemen. I shipped it USPostOffice registered priority, I think the insurance limit might have been $25K, but I was well below that max.
Yep, gotta use paper tape, so after the nice man at my small town PO patiently taped over my 3M stuff I bought a big roll of paper tape at Staples.

Through this I realize that a particular auction house along the northern Mississippi river, near an old US arsenal, just FedEx'd me a miquelet pistol, circa 1715, which must have been uninsured. Pistol OK, for which I am pleased. But I'm not so pleased that they chose to risk my $$$ (a very large amount for me) on whether or not the truck would crash, &c. I ass-u-me-d too much.

[smokinbuck]

JC,
I've shipped rifles through FedEx and paid extra for "insurance". I don't think it is FedEx that is insuring the package but maybe a second party insurer. Sometimes they want to see how the item is packed, unless they pack it for you, before they will give you the insurance option.
Mark