I ship from CAL and to all over the U. S. with very few problems.
Shipping an antique gun of any type is really easy 99% of the time, it is that 1% though that could bite you. That is why I always double check the state that I am sending it to and any city rules just in case. I'm like Boats and others, I do not want to get caught in a sting. And some sellers on Gunbroker are getting busted sending to NYC and JERSEY. So check and be safe.
Most of the time I ship USPS and I will tell you why, If you are mailing a high dollar rifle and insure it and they break it or loose it then you get the insurance. Last time they broke any of my stuff it was a nice model 1885 cracked the butt stock right the heck through at the wrist, looked like they had used my box for a pry bar or a seat for someone with a very fat can. That was a $2,000.00 check. UPS broke a box right where the rear sight of a Ballard rifle is and laid the sight back, I claimed 60.00 loss and still have not been paid, that was 5 years ago. FedEX does a fair job too. But FEDEX has had problems paying claims. For your own insurance make sure you insure for the full purchase price and take lots of pictures, detailed close up are best of items that are easy to break such as pictures of the wrist from all 4 sides, sights, and several overall pictures. This increases your chances of actually settling a claim as with a broken wrist you will have to prove it was not broken when shipped.

I've shipped all my antique firearms through USPS, but I had a lot of trouble in the beginning. First time I tried they freaked out and told me "they don't ship guns of ANY kind."
I went home and called our main post office and got a very nice guy who was sympathetic, and told me to go back and tell them he said it was OK. I went back and gave them his name and number, and they still refused.
Headed home and called him again, he directed me to their web site and the correct area to print out their regulations. I printed out the rules and took them with me. Same lady looked them over and still wouldn't accept it until she got her boss to read them.
They finally accepted the package and made a copy of the rules. I've gone back many times since then, and always keep the rules with me.
But the real key is what the guy at the main post office told me, "Don't tell them what's in the package!"
Seems that those 4 questions they ask are not anything to do with what's inside, and he said if thye asked me what's inside to tell them, "You're not supposed to ask that."
My mistake the first time was the lady casually asked, "What's in here that's so long and heavy?" And I mistakenly told her.
Since then I simply drop the package on the counter, pay the fees, and head home. Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies!

My understanding is that you are required to declare that it is a firearm. No problems at my local small town post office once I explained what I was doing and the postmaster checked out the regulations. Some postal employees don't have a clue. No wonder they are losing money.

A few years ago, I mailed a Lo Wall to Kansas.

I printed out the regulations from the ATF and USPS web sites, took it to the larger local PO.
I told the clerk it was a antique rifle, She right away told me I could not use the USPS to ship the rifle.
Handed her the regs, she read them and said she needed to ask the Post Master.
When she came back we shipped the rifle.

IF there is damage or loss and you told them it was something else, your coverage is voided.

Always good to have the rules in hand and stand your ground, when you are right.

Good to know. My PO is no problem either way but no need to give them more info than necessary.

It is good that the USPS honors their insurance.  They have for me, they paid to replace a broken reticle in a well packaged Unertl scope.  Unfortunately that is not what I want, just as with a guarantee, I don't want my money cheerfully refunded:  I want what I paid for to work.  If you look at just this thread, and the top thread under General Discussion concerning a Lyman STS, you will see all sorts of stories concerning the postal service breaking things.  That is why I use FedEX.  I don't work for them, but they have always worked for me.  My personal opinion is that the better package tracking makes their people more accountable for damage or loss.

The C & R deal get real bad as far as I know. To n=be C & R eligible the firearm in question I was told has to be in it's original form, not modified. 
Mike