If I was in your shoes they’d have to hit me with a tranquilizer gun. I’d be smokin hot and unable to rationalize my next move. I asked this before but nobody can tell me who underwrites the packaging operation of USPS. I can’t even find a clue how they handle claims but I suspect they self insure this line and if so it sure explains how they evade conventional insurance protocol and laws. In normal insurance claims there must be a claim # and a timeline for responses revealing the actions taken to resolve the loss. I have to admit I’m not up to speed on their terms and contract as I’m guessing it’s that long white tape/receipt with all the microscopic verbage. 

My Brother used to shoot and hang out with a US Postal Inspector now retired and he used to track firearms but who knows anymore. If I were you I’d reach out to your Local congressional rep. I know it sounds far reached but they can often make a few calls and get things moving

Rick

marlinguy wrote on Oct 4^th, 2022 at 7:29pm:


Not sure if you explored this already but call the US Postal Inspector and report a gun theft. They used to be serious federal law enforcement agency that pursued mail theft and fraud. Worth a try

Our Tax Dollars at work.
Have you tried to Call a local Politician in area.

burntwater wrote on Oct 5^th, 2022 at 12:35pm:


Yes, I keep saying it, but it seems to still be brought up. It seems to be part of the USPS system to avoid having to answer questions verbally. They instead provide online forms that you can fill out, but those forms have multiple choice answers that don't apply to anything the average customer would be asking. I'm sure my claim was denied because I couldn't in most cases find a box to check that was close enough to what my answer should be.

marlinguy wrote on Oct 5^th, 2022 at 2:01pm:

Some advice given to me several years back is start a chain of e-mails to those in charge rather than making phone calls. This ties the slackers down to a legal document and forces their hand. Over the phone conversations never happened in their world.

Here's hoping it finally shows up, long long overdue and with no explanation or apology. 

Otony wrote on Oct 6^th, 2022 at 10:58am:


Since all Ballard rifles are "antiques" by ATF rules, they have no concern about what they classify a "non firearm". So they also don't need to, or want to get involved.

My worst issue with the usps was a Sharps.  I was in my local gun/pawn shop one afternoon, asked per usual if they had anything neat coming out of pawn.  Owner's son-in-law goes in the back and comes back with an early Droege/Schoffstall business rifle in 45-70.

The serial number was EK100.  They had built it for Elmer Keith just after Droege migrated to Montana.
I just said "how much...?".  $2600 out the door.  Keith had left it to his grandson and medical issues had forced him to pawn it.  I was 7-inches taller and the butt stock was way too short for me.  I bought a very nice two-piece stock blank set, and had it restocked.  A couple years later a Sharps collector in Denver bought it for about twice what I had in it.  It arrives two-day and there is a clear forklift tire tread across it about 1/3rd from one end.  Fortunately he was at the gun shop when the carrier tried to get the store owner to "just sign, I'm running late...".  The good news; it had broken the original butt stock at the wrist, no other damage to the rifle  It turned out I had to institute the claim, since I had mailed and insured it.  They fought me for three weeks.  I just decided enough of this BS and called my US Senator's office about it.  The next afternoon I had the regional supervisor on the phone.  He was very contrite, and wanted to know how much to settle the claim.  I got the cost of the blank, a full repair cost, and the estimated cost to refinish the metal.  Forget the metal work, it needed none.
That was the last usps firearms shipment I did.

I suggest the US Senator route.  The po really hates having a congressman's office call them.

Rich