Shipping boxes

[Curt Larsen]

I don't know how the rest of you ship or plan to ship your rifles--or need to ship a stock or blank off for inletting, but you might check out Cameron Packaging in Lima, Ohio.  They have expandable boxes that others don't carry.  The website is www.cameronpackaging.com.  I tried Brownells first, but they didn't have anything long enough.  I was really impressed by the specialty rifle boxes they carry.  Just a heads up.
Curt

[t.caster]

I don't trust cardboard to protect a finished longrifle. I make a custom wooden box for each project to be shipped. It might cost more and take more labor, but it gives me piece of mind that it will arrive at it's destination safely.

[Lucky R A]

    I am with Tom.  I have shipped many a gun over the years, and have seen some serious damage to wooden boxes.  I can only imagine what might have happened to a cardboard box.  I have also repaired a number of guns that were broken when shipped in cardboard boxes.  The thing that many forget is to provide at least 4" of padding at each end of the gun to absorb the shock of the box being dropped on the end.  Longrifle boxes are heavy and unwieldy, package handlers seem to like to bounce them around a bit.  I have never had damage to a gun that was shipped in a box made out of 1X4" pine sides and ends w/ a Luan  underlayment top and bottom.
Ron

[P.W.Berkuta]

This is they type of box that I use which I build for the rifle - it saves a lot of headaches in the future if something goes wrong with shipping.

[flehto]

Just rec'd 2 cardboard LR shipping boxes from TOW and have shipped LRs previously w/o damage to the LR or visible damage to the box.  TOW sends these boxes to whoever is shipping a MLer to the consignment sales at TOW.

The LR is first inserted into a heavy plastic sleeve, then custom fit into the foam and taped and then is put into the heavy inner box which is then slipped into a heavy cardboard sleeve and taped.

Don't think TOW would use this box if MLers were damaged. One advantage of this box is the lighter weight than the pine boxes I formerly used....easier for the delivery personel to handle, so might be "treated kindlier"......Fred

[Curt Larsen]

Paul's custom boxes are neat.  In defense of these guys I mentioned, check out the array of different kinds of boxes they offer.  I have one custom made box that I use, but it is too short for the blank I'm sending out for  barrel inlet.  The Cameron folks have an adjustable carton available that I will customize for length.  I can then add any kind of frame or foam liner I like.

[Nate McKenzie]

I vote for TOW boxes too.  I've used them many times for USPS, UPS, and Fed Ex and never had a problem.

[ddoyle]

Up here insurance is now 2 dollars per hundred with a max insurable amount of $1000 IIRC. So yeah obviously stuff gets trashed ALOT!

If you care about it over pack it. Long thin packages that are light enough get javelin-ed (union postal chimp's description not mine)

As for price an equal volume package does not get much more expensive as it gets heavier. for example I just punched some figures into the postal calculator and a 2 pound package 3 feet by 1 foot by 5 inches costs $28 dollars to ship the same box with 20 pounds in it cost $34.

That price spread would only buy 300 dollars of insurance! What can you fix on a long rifle for 300 dollars?

So obviously why not make the box heavy enough to demand respect?  4/4  pine, 3 inch iron nails and a nest of DOW pink foam. A nice gun has how many hours in it?


Berkuta has it right. Wish everyone showed that much respect. Especially the last vendor that sent a 300 dollar lock, plug and sundry  items loose and unwrapped in an over sized carton.  

[Thom]

I've only shipped one long rifle(an original Samuel Gobrecht) . I built my own pine box and drove 40 miles to a UPS shipping facility. The clerk there helped me further pack it in bubble wrap, I nailed the top on and it was quite secure. The customer was very happy with my diligent packing.

[whitebear]

I asked our local UPS office about shipping a longrifle the Indian (not American) nerd asked what is a longrifle.  I told him it was an old timey gun.  His face kind of took on a greenish tent and he said "we don't ship guns" I told him that they did in fact I had gotten one just a few days before shipped UPS, then he said that there office had decided not to ship guns.  Have I been back to this UPS store NOOOOOO.

[ddoyle]

Yeah and they likely wont forget it and probably the next time you do business they will be happy to pay a premium cause they know they are dealing with someone who cares. Usually when we pack guns we are packing someone Else's treasure.

[Bob Roller]

I asked our local UPS office about shipping a longrifle the Indian (not American) nerd asked what is a longrifle.  I told him it was an old timey gun.  His face kind of took on a greenish tent and he said "we don't ship guns" I told him that they did in fact I had gotten one just a few days before shipped UPS, then he said that there office had decided not to ship guns.  Have I been back to this UPS store NOOOOOO.

I will start by saying I do not like UPS.The way they throw packages on the porch and then take off around the corner on 3 wheels is not a good way to do anything in delivery. The UPS store here in Huntington WV would not ship a Colt SAA to DGW for me several years ago and I had to take it to the terminal in the upper end of our community.The lady asked one question and that was "Is this pistol loaded"? I told her it was not and it was a legitimate antique going to a legitimate long time dealer.It arrived the next day and a check camea few days later.

Bob Roller