View Full Version : Screwed by the Post Office... Lost or Stolen Rifle
HBARleatherneck
05-09-2020, 11:59
Buyer just let me know his FFL received the rifle.
Hard to tell what is going on....right now I think I am in day 5 of something not being scanned at Littleton, CO. Nothing as expensive as a rifle, but some internal Glock parts on a slide I am assembling. When I pinged the seller, they indicated that a lot of items failed to get scanned in at the post office on the day that my hardware shipped out.
FYI: This is when they do a bulk scan at pickup, and re-scan each item as it is processed into the facility. A few weeks ago it took 3 days to get logged in, and about 6 days to make it the 80 miles to the Springs.
I know I have been driving myself crazy hitting that F5 refresh button to see that the item was processed.
Only info I found was dealing with an FFL doing the shipment.
https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/theftloss-transit?page=1
cableguy11
05-09-2020, 12:17
USPS has been exceptionally terrible lateley. My wife is making masks for family and friends and I ship them out USPS Priority...they take forever to get there, and go all over the place and tracking updates are far and few between. Anytime I drop something off at the Post Office I always make sure I get my receipt. At least it shows dropped off, after that it is on them.
https://about.usps.com/publications/pub370/pub370_v10_revision_012016_tech_013.htm
I'd get started on a loss claim if it will let you do it. It might motivate them to find it. And yes, you can make a non-emergency report with the make model and serial so that it'll be added to respective databases and hit if someone tries to pawn it. (normal gunshops aren't obligated and usually don't run serials, though) just note that if it DOES suddenly appear at the destination, that could cause a huge kaboogaloo depending on what kind of store it is in KY and what kind of regs they have there.
ETA:/PS: I know someone in craft, but that'd be about useless. You really need a customer services manager, and they are night and day without any crossover. Speaking of which, have you went down and asked to speak to the manager? You might even be able to escalate it through to the postmaster if you approach it right.
Bailey Guns
05-09-2020, 12:33
I don't think the sheriff's office will/can do anything with an internal issue at the post office. I wouldn't bother with the sheriff's office except... To report a lost/possibly stolen firearm. Doesn't have to be a theft report. An incident report will suffice. At least that way you can get the serial number entered into CBI/NCIC databases as lost/stolen.
Just BE SURE to contact them to remove the rifle from NCIC if/when it's found or makes it way to the new owner. Make sure you let the receiving person know it's been entered as well so they can contact you as soon as they finally get the rifle.
ETA: FoxtArt beat me to it.
hurley842002
05-09-2020, 13:05
I don't have any advice beyond what has already been given, but sorry to hear about your rifle, that is a pricey piece of hardware.
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hurley842002
05-09-2020, 13:07
USPS has been exceptionally terrible lateley. My wife is making masks for family and friends and I ship them out USPS Priority...they take forever to get there, and go all over the place and tracking updates are far and few between. Anytime I drop something off at the Post Office I always make sure I get my receipt. At least it shows dropped off, after that it is on them.It's been ridiculous, I've been waiting for things that were mailed out May 1, that would normally take like 3 days to ship, and nothing to date.
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Once you enter post office hell, I don't think you can get out of post office hell, until the item arrives or fails to arrive.
I always make the extra drive to a "main, post office" versus giving items to a satellite. Just makes sense, fewer hands or scanners (people) in place before it hits automation.
-John
I haven?t even had any mail in my mail box for three or four days now which is weird. There?s at least some sort of junk mail in there daily. Almost wondering if they discontinued delivery to me or something.
Anything I have ordered recently that shipped with USPS has come really slow and several items I was advised that USPS wasn?t offering tracking information at this time.
I have something that I ordered in late April that shipped priority mail and it says it is out for delivery today. So that?s like eleven days for priority shipping a small, light weight package. I can?t imagine how slow something the size of a rifle would be.
Currently (depends on where) it is about 1-3 days late on priority and 1-5 days on media mail and first class.
I would give little more time. I have 2 packages which I've shipped did not even scanned for 2 days.
Mostly those show up later at denver sort facilities.
Go to usps.com and register first. It will be much easier and faster to file a claim online. Priority requires 14 or 15 days after it was shipped to file a claim.
Hope it shows up on a scan asap. I would hate my 338 lapua being lost during transit.
Just to be clear, it's pretty normal to go into post office hell. It may still come out of it, or it won't.
As MrPrena says, I would give it more time.
-John
I have purchased an item from someone and they shipped via USPS..item never arrived and the last scan was in my local PO. I started. Dispute via PayPal, I paid via G&S, and PayPal gave me my money back. That was back in June 2017, fast fwd to April 2020....the damn item showed up!!!! Must have fell off the belt of a sorting bin at the post office. I doubt that happened with your rifle, and it fucking sucks. But they do sometimes loose shit. I did get back in touch with the original seller and gave I’m his money back because I said I would.
I have noticed that the USPS tracking system has been down late at night. The system could be down for scheduled software maintenance, don't know. I did sign up for status updates on my package so that might provide better updates away from the USPS website.
BushMasterBoy
05-09-2020, 15:30
The receiving FFL should report the loss. just my interpretation of the law....
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/report-firearms-theft-or-loss
The receiving FFL should report the loss. just my interpretation of the law....
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/report-firearms-theft-or-loss
If it hasn't arrived at it's destination, there is no receiving FFL.
An FFL cannot report a loss for a firearm that they have never received or seen, much less logged on the books.
USPS tracking is shit. I just received an item that the tracking had shown that it left the sellers location in San Francisco, went to a local hub in Sa Fran then a couple days later showed "Delivered" with the address as being San Francisco, the ship to address on the tracking was Boulder Colorado.. About 12 days later I actually received the package. The online tracking still shows that it was delivered 12 days prior in San Fran.
As for filing a claim, the person that purchased the insurance is the one that needs to file the claim. You might want to wait a couple more days, you never know, it could still show up.
Great-Kazoo
05-09-2020, 16:04
USPS lost a $400+ postal m/order. started a claim after 30 days for lost mail. They reimbursed me day 53 after the original letter was "oopsede" To date 1.5 years later i get a weekly email letting me know the usps is still searching for my lost package
Just so you know, they are not any longer looking for your package, Kazoo. :) You can file this under Junk Mail.
-John
StagLefty
05-09-2020, 16:29
Scanning and updates have been really bad the last few weeks. I had a USPS package out for delivery yesterday and the Amazon truck delivered it.
thedave1164
05-09-2020, 16:51
The USPS has investigators
I had a package that was shown as out for delivery on Monday and it made it to my house Friday. I’d give it more time before I’d get too worried, the virus has the USPS messed up big time.
hurley842002
05-09-2020, 19:33
This thread reminded me of a dress I ordered for my wife, was supposed to be here 4-28, USPS says it was delivered 5-7, but we never got it, hmmmm.
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BladesNBarrels
05-10-2020, 10:36
I mailed 4 Priority Mail items with Tracking two Friday's ago.
They were going to California, Florida, and other eastern destinations.
All of them went to Portland, OR.
They were redirected from there about 2 days later.
I guess the local Post Office staff could only reach as far as the bin going to Portland - who cares, they can handle it.
But, at least I could track their trip to the Northwest.
I just received an update from USPS - it will take 10 days to travel between Denver and the Springs. It took 5 days to move from the pickup vehicle to the sorter to be scanned. I wonder if they are only making the trip once a week between the two cities.
Avg speed will be approx .3 mph give or take.
I am hoping the scan on your rifle shows up soon.
At least you get an email. I get the "your package in enroute to the next destination' when I track my package... Going on two months...
USPS lost a $400+ postal m/order. started a claim after 30 days for lost mail. They reimbursed me day 53 after the original letter was "oopsede" To date 1.5 years later i get a weekly email letting me know the usps is still searching for my lost package
Wow, that really sucks.... hopefully the find it. Recently we had an item show delivered and only after I started an investigation did it actually show up, about 10 days from when it originally showed delivered.
A few years ago I shipped a ~$500 silver coin to FL by registered mail. It went from the Castle Rock post office to one in South Dakota and disappeared. It took about 2 months but at least they paid the insurance, I often wonder what actually happened to that coin.
Sorry hbar, sucks for sure.
My wife mailed some gifts to the Moms for Mother's Day and they would only accept them sent either Priority, or some other BS high price method.
blacklabel
05-11-2020, 07:38
I had a couple of items that shipped on the 4th and are still showing waiting for pickup. Sounds like they're tracking went tits up.
battlemidget
05-11-2020, 08:42
I've sent/received more via usps than usual lately, and it seems like hand addressed parcels have more difficulty than 'labeled' packages.
BPTactical
05-11-2020, 09:59
Not sure why one would use USPS to ship a firearm.
UPS and FedEx have a much better tracking & Chain of Custody.
Totally sucks HBAR, I hope it gets recovered
dang, I hate even reading this. Just sucks. Plain and simple.
Along the lines that several others have mentioned, I can also say that shipping anything is most definitely slower these days. Something that used to take 2-3 days now takes at least double that.
Hope all turns out and the rifle turns up unscathed for ya.
because the post office is only 25 miles round trip and open for 4 hours daily. The ups hub is over 50 miles round trip away and only open 2 hours per day for customers. (according to their website the only way they allow shipping firearms from a NON FFL is through their hub) the greeley ups store has told us no before, im sure because they are liberals working the counter.
We are not all city dwellers, with all the amenities next door.
the UPS store isn't "the UPS", so it is true they cannot take receipt of firearms, which have to be either picked up directly by the carrier or dropped off at the carrier. (and it would be up to the carrier if they accepted pickups, which they may not) The main reason people ship firearms via USPS is handguns - if you ship a handgun via a common carrier it has to go by air.... Easily $70-$80. Go to a FFL and they can ship a handgun USPS for about $15 + their transfer fee. (and yes, I recognize this is a rifle) - The FFL is supposed to also drop it off at the post office, although some areas might look the other way on store pickups. Generally for firearms USPS is also the more reasonable option... and lets face it, I've seen pretty bad treatment of boxes by UPS and Fedex both (and of course, USPS too). The main reason someone might have a preference is they just haven't experienced a mistake by their favorite yet... but they all get kind of screwy. One inside tip - I haven't confirmed though - supposedly if you REALLY need to make sure something gets there ok, insure it for $10,000 and it'll be hand carried and hand sorted (USPS, maybe fedex, memory is a little old here) and it won't disappear. There's supposedly some $ threshold on insurance that triggers "white glove" treatment.
The worst I've personally seen was an AR (lower) that was snapped in half after god-knows what happened to the fedex box. Might have been a metal defect too, but that box was fuxxxed. I can't even begin to hypothesize. It would take me ages to find a picture as that was maybe 8 years ago.
I've shipped "machine parts" via UPS several times, FWIW.
I've shipped "machine parts" via UPS several times, FWIW.
Many did that ~13+ years ago.
Good ol' days.
[Coffee]
Aloha_Shooter
05-11-2020, 22:56
I mailed my nephew some custom woodwork last year, insured. The Post Office claimed it was delivered but he never saw it. He even asked the neighbors to see if it was misdelivered, no luck. Kicker was the Post Office denied my claim because their record said it had been delivered.
One inside tip - I haven't confirmed though - supposedly if you REALLY need to make sure something gets there ok, insure it for $10,000 and it'll be hand carried and hand sorted (USPS, maybe fedex, memory is a little old here) and it won't disappear. There's supposedly some $ threshold on insurance that triggers "white glove" treatment.
The worst I've personally seen was an AR (lower) that was snapped in half after god-knows what happened to the fedex box. Might have been a metal defect too, but that box was fuxxxed. I can't even begin to hypothesize. It would take me ages to find a picture as that was maybe 8 years ago.
My wife worked at UPS for about 2 years in one of their "centers". The actual threshold for "high value" is $2500. A package insured for that amount will NEVER be on a conveyor belt, and is hand carried through the hub, with enhanced tracking.
The rifle was just delivered 14 days later. Priority shipping with insurance was over $98. The hole in my gut...priceless.
I'm not sure yet, if it was delivered to the right place. The out for delivery was listed as wrong town.
That?s at least some movement in the right direction! Here?s to hoping you?re not screwed by USPS at all! [Beer]
HBAR - try to ask for a refund on the priority shipping that you paid for but didn't receive - LOL
You know that isnt going to happen.
The Buyer just let me know that his FFL received the Rifle. Only 14 days for priority mail with extras and insured for $3400.
Yeah, I know, I wouldn't bother either and my post office is 2 miles away.
I'm certainly happy that the buyer's FFL received the rifle. :)
BPTactical
05-12-2020, 12:24
Thank God HBAR, doncha love a happy ending?
Seems like tonight's a fancy beer night.
beast556
05-12-2020, 14:09
You know that isnt going to happen.
The Buyer just let me know that his FFL received the Rifle. Only 14 days for priority mail with extras and insured for $3400.
This is good to hear, happy that it worked out.
kidicarus13
05-12-2020, 14:21
HBAR - try to ask for a refund on the priority shipping that you paid for but didn't receive - LOLUSPS Priority mail is not guaranteed enteed, as in the # of days to reach destination.
ChickNorris
05-12-2020, 14:33
Im glad its finally sorted HBAR & hopefully the buyer was understanding of the situation.
Hope you get some long overdue rest tonight too.
Glad it turned up. Better late than never, in this case!
[Alrigh]
love a happy ending.
colorider
05-12-2020, 15:52
And the lesson from all this and the responses from others, don’t ship anything you care about usps.
Aloha_Shooter
05-13-2020, 10:58
Just an example to show this isn't a problem solely with USPS. I've had 2 packages this past month that Amazon showed as "delivered" which weren't. The next day, I queried the seller on Amazon on one of them and they sent a second package. 4 days later, I got a package which I assumed was the replacement package but then the next day I got yet another package.
TLDR; Amazon claimed to have delivered a package but didn't. Original package arrived 5 days later, just before the replacement.
This Monday was the turning point for post offices (yes , multiple offices) I go to. Line use to be all the way outside. Now, hardly many as before.
Maybe mother's day gift sending? Stay home order was the reason it was crazy backed up on packages.
HBAR - try to ask for a refund on the priority shipping that you paid for but didn't receive - LOL
For sure you get your shipping costs back.
-John
Everyone has been having issues with USPS, I wish I didn't have to use them but they are cheaper for the Priority mailings than Fedex and UPS with out a business account.
I shipped three seperate things on Monday; to Castle Rock, NJ and Mineral TX.
I shipped something Tues to Littleton, which was delivered yesterday a day ahead.
The stuff in the former went into limbo. The Article to Texas showed up scanned in Ft Worth................ the other two that was going to NJ and castle rock............. Just scanned in OR.
WTH??!?!
Last year I had barrel shipped to someone on this board in Aurora, 4 days in it had disappeared then got scanned in Arkansas, it got turned around and delivered without harm, only a week late.
I've been to Mineral Wells, TX...great place to visit...I dont remember them at the time having a Whataburger, so I didn't stay
68Charger
05-14-2020, 08:58
I've been to Mineral Wells, TX...great place to visit...I dont remember them at the time having a Whataburger, so I didn't stay
Whataburger is owned by a Chicago company now... I haven't been recently, but have heard quality has suffered.
hurley842002
05-14-2020, 09:03
I subscribe to the informed delivery service through the USPS, had two pieces of mail scanned for delivery yesterday that we didn't receive, the same two pieces plus two additional pieces have been uploaded for today. I know my mail guy came through, guess he just didn't feel like visiting us yesterday. Hopefully he has time today....
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hurley842002
05-14-2020, 09:06
Whataburger is owned by a Chicago company now... I haven't been recently, but have heard quality has suffered.I had Whataburger for the first time in January, it was good, but hard to tell what all the hype is about, better than Mc Donald's? Sure, but outside of that, meh.
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I had Whataburger for the first time in January, it was good, but hard to tell what all the hype is about, better than Mc Donald's? Sure, but outside of that, meh.
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Most regional burger places are like that. All have some item which is good, but otherwise, meh.
In-n-Out, Whataburger, etc.
At the end of the day, it's bread, beef, and some sort of condiments. It has a quality/taste ceiling.
If I've learned anything about Texas, Texans, and Texas-based enterprises, it's that they're basically a giant propaganda machine. Texas sucks, frankly.
hurley842002
05-14-2020, 09:28
Most regional burger places are like that. All have some item which is good, but otherwise, meh.
In-n-Out, Whataburger, etc.
At the end of the day, it's bread, beef, and some sort of condiments. It has a quality/taste ceiling.
If I've learned anything about Texas, Texans, and Texas-based enterprises, it's that they're basically a giant propaganda machine. Texas sucks, frankly.I concur.
I enjoy in n out, but I'm starting to suspect that it isn't because the food is out of this world, but rather it reminds me of vacation (we eat it a lot when in CA). Now that I live in a city with in n out, it's becoming meh, I still enjoy it, but it's not the same.
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There are many things that don't suck in TX. Things like Tex-Mex and BBQ...and registering your vehicle.
You know what keeps TX from sliding into the Gulf of Mexico? Oklahoma sucks.
Glad to hear the rifle showed up!
This thread is proof positive of how quickly they go off the rails here.
We went from a USPS rant to Whataburger.
[ROFL1]
This thread is proof positive of how quickly they go off the rails here.
We went from a USPS rant to Whataburger.
[ROFL1]
The important thing to takeaway is it didn't go off the rails until after the resolution of the OP issue.
I sent the TaylorMade M3 set about 3 days ago, and there are absolutely no movement as usual.
Good thing that the buyer didnt accuse me of not shipping it.
81616
Great-Kazoo
05-20-2020, 23:45
For sure you get your shipping costs back.
-John
No you do not. The priority mail delivery time frame (extra small print) is a suggested average time frame for delivery. Barring any setbacks, such as weather, road conditions, disasters etc. The CV crap, has literally overwhelmed delivery carriers. As all of them say deliveries may run later than expected.
The postal service, until recently suspended interstate deliveries via aircraft. With everything being sent OTR.
This thread is proof positive of how quickly they go off the rails here.
We went from a USPS rant to Whataburger.
[ROFL1]
At least no one's post was, oops, deleted
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