I thought the following shipping experience might be helpful.
To those that have used Pirate Ship and know the ropes no need to read on...!

I purchased a barrel from a forum member. (several over the past year)
We all probably have read the threads about Shipping Horrors of late, this is not about that altho I have shared a bad experience or two on this forum in the past related to USPS 

RE: Pirate Ship Service:
As I had never used a third party postage / payment handler service I was skeptical. I compared Pirate Ship's vs. USPS rates to send a PVC Tube in a Box: To and From the seller. The total difference between the two, sending the empty return tube in a box and the cost of return shipping with the barrel was $35.00 vs. the cost of $60.00 to do the same thing with the USPS.

I chose to send a PVC tube to the seller for return shipping because of two reasons, one, I didn't want the barrel to arrive, half in the box or not at all and two, the combined cost of sending the PVC tube with screw on end caps and the return shipping expense was the same as the one way USPS postage. $35.00

In addition to sending the funds to the seller with the prepaid return label I included a Apple Air Tag Tracking device which, while not completely comprehensive, works the majority of the time. 

Pirate Ship offers you the option of picking the carrier, (USPS or UPS, FedEx) and the cost of each.
You print out the labels at home, tape it to the box and drop it off at the selected carrier. No waiting in line etc. Very Efficient. You have tracking numbers and can get insurance on line.

This makes the process very simple for the seller, all he has to do is open one end of the box, unscrew the cap, insert barrel, tape the included label on the box over the old one, tape it up and drop it off at the appropriate carrier. 

Including the Air Tag in other packages has helped me locate wayward packages that the Post Office told me were 'in transit'.
In one case I was able to give the local postal person who worked in the Greensboro Postal Sort Facility, not only the street address of the building it was in but the relative cardinal point within the building where the package had been sitting for three days. 

As a side note relative to shipping mailing "TUBEs"
Given their shape and how they sometimes get squeezed between boxes in sorting chutes, they sometimes get Jettisoned at the bends and turns over the edge, where they either get picked up and reprocessed or

There's not much more infuriating having an empty box or package delivered to you that had contained a rifle barrel. I've had that happen to me twice. 
I'd only add one thing to what ssdave said, that being that I like to add a small block of wood at the ends of the package to help prevent damage to the muzzle and breech ends of the barrel. You can't use too much packaging tape on the ends of the package also.

Mailing items through postal services has become such a pain…but I just used Shipmygun.com to send a set of pistols through the mail, and I’m very pleased with how easy it was. I’ve had some horror stories with the mail, but was satisfied with this service. Not only was it convenient, but it was much cheaper than any other options.

Thank you Chuck. I have upgraded to using a square box, but my packaging is still pretty much USPS proof. 

I have a good friend who manages a company that sells those huge copy machines that print out banners and wraps for commercial vehicles. The materials come on cardboard tubes that have 3/8" walls and I can jump up and down on them and never do any harm to them. I have to cut them with a hacksaw, or my bandsaw as they're very tough.
I use those for shipping anything like a scope or barrel and just use dense foam cut to fit into each end. I wrap the scope or barrel in bubble wrap to make it fit snug, then push the foam in each end and tape the ends shut. Then put the tubes in a square box and label it. I'd love to get the tubes back, but since I have an endless supply it's no big deal.

DeadEYE,

Thanks for that warning.. Good to know.

Also good advice about interior addressee info. 

I'm guessing there are better ways but this is how I recently started shipping my barrels. 

I hope my method prevents that sort of problem you experienced/. 
I place my barrel in Schedule 40 PVC so it doesn't rattle side to side or move from end to end. Caps on both ends, one screwed on (preferably both) 

Then take a "4" Pool Noodle" cut to required length. (round formed "Foam, bout 1.5" hollow in the center) slice it down the middle one side, wrap that around the PVC tube and put it in a "4'X"4" Box long enough for the tube ( 38") 

It would take one heck of a fall or heavy truck to run over it before it damaged the barrel.  


Deadeye Bly wrote on Mar 6^th, 2026 at 9:25am:

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"Heavy duty, triangle shape offers extra side protection."