Both Ken Hurst and I have reported on shipping firearms in this forum.  I know Ken has shipped hundreds of firearms and I have shipped close to 60 heavy-barrel Browning and Winchester BPCRs.  The method that we both use and endorse is USPS Registered Mail.  To date neither Ken, as far as I know, nor I have had a firearm damaged using registered mail.  Registered mail items are placed under tight security from the point of mailing to the point of delivery and can be insured up to $25,000 against loss or damage.   I understand that everyone handling the parcel must sign for it.  The two drawbacks are somewhat higher shipping charges and the special water activated tape required to seal and secure the boxes, which is available from the USPS or most office supply stores.

The 2nd best method is FedEx insured shipping.  I cringe whenever I hear someone shipping UPS and do my best to influence anyone shipping a rifle to me to stay away from UPS.  After having 5 of these expensive rifles damaged by UPS, FedEx and the USPS regular priority mail, it is my experience that UPS is by far the worse company to deal with and the one that has the worse track record concerning damaged firearms.  

Imagine the outcome when dropping or tipping over a long rifle box standing on end containing a heavy barrel rifle.  When it slams flat on a concrete floor or the flat bed of a delivery truck, that heavy barrel tends to crush the surrounding padding and shifts significantly more than the much lighter and much wider wood stock.  Something has to give so the stock flexes and cracks at the wrist, the weakest part.  One of the boxed rifles I received was slammed down or stuck so hard the front sight penetrated though a layer of foam and two layers of cardboard.  Both the sight and stock had to be replaced.

Regardless of the carrier used, I highly recommend taking good photos to dispute the claim that the rifle was damaged prior to shipping, especially if the box shows little damage.

Got email from seller. UPS is sending him check. He has offered to refund purchase price plus return shipping. Offered to keep the gun in return for the insurance settlement, depending on the amount of the settlement. Waiting for reply. Don't know how much they paid yet. Doubt they will pay total amount it was insured for. Worst case senerio, I get my money back and am only out my time. Maybe UPS is not as bad as I am hearing?

I have found that when the box is badly damaged all the carriers pay up pretty quickly and without much fuss.  The problem comes when the inside contents are damage but the outside of the box shows little or no damage.   

I typically deal in and ship long heavy barrel rifles that weigh around 12 lbs.  See my earlier post in this thread on June 21, and the comments on damage to the heavy rifle.  After several calls and written correspondence, the carrier finally paid up for both the stock and sight repairs, but only because the front sight had penetrated the box through 2 layers of cardboard and foam padding.

By the way, one guy shipped me an $1800 rifle and did not insure it to save a few bucks.  The stock was cracked in route and it cost him around $500 to replace the stock.  He did refund my money including shipping.

Wayne