Expect them to deny the claim, and also to say the packaging was inferior. Only recourse will be to either get it from the seller, or send it back to him and get a refund.
Fultons can fix it like it was never broken, and without any visable signs of repair, if you can get UPS to pay up!

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25 RF?  Are you going to shoot it?  Where would the ammo come from?

I have a problem with,  Improper packaging.

IF UPS has packaging requirement, then why would they accept such a package?

Instead of accepting a badly done package, they should say nope needs to be done better.

When I shipped a rifle to Kansas, I made sure it was packaged well, but I used USPS.

I guess I don't like the shipper passing the buck.

Unfortunately, UPS has gotten miserable in recent years on the coverage with packaging issues. Expect a balk. This should serve as a reminder to make sure there is confirmation from any shipper that goods depart in a packaged hard case. I've had to kick in a bit extra more than once for that piece of mind.

I once had a seller ship a nice Remington double hammer shotgun to me in a custom made cardboard box that was hell for stout and well-cushioned inside.  UPS delivered the gun with the box bent in the middle and heavy scuff marks across it.  Upon inspection, the gunstock had a fresh crack in the wrist.  I really liked the gun.  I thought I could probably make repairs to the stock and didn't want to part with it.  However, after discussion with the seller, I re-packed the gun in its original packaging, put a heavy cardboard sleeve over the whole works and sent it back to him.  He kept my money while he put in the claim with UPS,  He showed them the gun and the packaging and when they coughed up the $150 he asked for, he shipped the gun and $150 back to me.  Under the circumstances, it worked out pretty well for both of us.

boats wrote on Jun 18^th, 2009 at 7:33am:


Unfortunately those hard cases are NOT approved shipping cartons by UPS! I had a friend who shipped a gun in a hard Doscosil gun case, with cardboard over the case and it was damaged by UPS. When they came to pick up the gun and inspect the case they denied the claim saying the shipping case was not adequate.

Because of a broken rifle that was packed in a very heavy cardboard box and other theft problems I quit using UPS years ago unless the other party demands it.  A while ago I had occasion to send a rifle back to Remington for repair.  I made a custom wooden shipping container and sent it off via USPS without any problems and for a cost that was cheaper than UPS.  When Remington sent the rifle back to me it came in a cardboard box with a generic foam insert through UPS, unbroken.  Adequate packaging, like beauty, must be in the eye of the beholder!  Either that or they won't mess with the big customers.

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