Just as a FYI, Whitey sent me a boxed scope a while back and did the most extreme packing job I've ever seen.  He made up a piece of square tubing (Stainless Steel??) that was a slip fit around the box, then cut ends to fit it and secured them with duct tape.  Needless to say, the scope and box arrived exactly like they left him!  Some folks are just thorough that way. 

It's a cruel world out there and much of our favorite stuff is pretty hard to replace, even if we can get the shipper to pay for it.  A little extra protection goes a long way. 

Froggie

I make a cardboard box that surrounds the scope with at least 2-3" of foam or other packing material.

Then I pack that box in a larger box with 2-3" of packing material around it.

Impact and crush survivable.

Was at the post office to send out the scope the other day. Among the stuff they have was round tubes with plastic end covers. Sounds like someone didn't know the rules. I basically am a pack rat when it comes to boxes and mailing tubes and such. And many's the time I've dug into my stash to package something. About all I buy is the bubble wrap and tape. Even the foam wrapping on the new tower I just bought got recycled. Guess you could say that I'm green but since another gentleman uses part of that as his handle, lets just say cheap. Frank

Froggie that was was 1/8 Aluminum for the postage sake. And I wanted it to get there in good shape those nice Balavar's are getting harder to find. Whitey

Ah Mr.Green Frog I'm terribly sorry to have disturbed your slumber sir. And gentlemen is a term I've come to call all of you. Besides its way better than saying the green fart over there. Frank

Marlinguy, yep been saving old shipping boxes that firearms came in, boxes that the wife and daughters get stuff in, even some Christmas boxes get saved. We had to replace certain electronic appliances and the foam is also being recycled. Or should I say being moved from one state to another. Frank

Mr. Green Frog, as a matter of fact a 3" schedule piece of pvc pipe will snugly fit into one of the triangular mailing boxes. Thats how the scope was shipped out. Packed one end w/bubble wrap and taped it closed. Then the scope was bubble wrapped using the stuff that came from a flat screen monitor and again sealed with the bubble wrap and taped. Worked like a charm. Well worth the added expense for the pipe. Think Lowe's was selling a 5' piece for about 7 bucks. Course both ends of the triangular box was liberally taped. Whoever posted the thread about using pvc pipe should get a medal. Frank