Shipping stock blank & barrel ??

[Ionian]

   How do you guys ship your stock blank to get the barrel inlet and what shipping method do you use?  Is cardboard wrapping enough or do I need to build a box? Thanks for your help.

[Eric Smith]

Use lots of bubble wrap and tape the barrel to the blank vigorously.

[Acer Saccharum]

I send the wood naked. USPS has no problem with that. (I don't know if UPS would or wouldn't)

I corner round the blank with a router, write the address on the blank itself, then affix a label over that, wrap the label with clear tape, and away it goes. BBL goes in a separate tube. Don't send the tang, inletters don't inlet that for you anyway. 

BBL and wood should come back as one shipment, bbl taped into the bbl channel.

Before sending:
Look your barrel over, and see if there is a flat that should be on top, or a flaw that you want hidden in the channel. Indicate the top flat with marker, protect with clear tape.
Also, drawfile the SIDE flats, even put a little taper to the flat that is buried in the stock. This makes bbl removal much easier for the life of the gun.
Ramrod channel: Mark the blank out for web thickness and at the breech. Have an idea where you will locate the front lockbolt, if using one.

[Ionian]

  Thank you Tom. Very informative.

[David Rase]

Like Tom says, no need to build a box.  In lieu of rounding the corners alot of the guys just cover the butt end grain and forestock endgrain with cardboard and tape.  FedEx ships bare stocks as does the USPS. 
Dave

[Dennis Glazener]

I send the wood naked. USPS has no problem with that. (I don't know if UPS would or wouldn't)

Well they told me that a stock blank had to be wrapped in at least paper. UPS told me it would have to be in a box. Of course these are "desk" employees and maybe the workers don't care. Will try it naked next time. One thing you may want to consider is sending it Parcel Post instead of Priority Mail. I sent a blank to the west coast via Parcel Post and it was about 1/2 the price of Priority Mail.
Dennis

[Acer Saccharum]

Something Dennis said on a different thread: the toe could chip off if hit in just the wrong place.

one more thing: Just make sure there are no slivers or hard sharp edges if you ship the wood naked. Hard maple can cut like a knife. USPS folks will not appreciate cuts or splinters.

I take my chances, and so far so good.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

For you Canadians asking yourselves this same question I have so far just sent the wood bare and the barrel in a mailing tube separately.  The wood comes back,  usually wrapped in cardboard, barrel in the wood, and tang taped where the entrance hole of the rod is to be.  When buying a blank, the wood has come naked without issue.  I ship Canada Post, and USPS - works for me!

[Acer Saccharum]

Did I tell you, naked works for me, too? Eh.