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shot gun packaging

standby
I've not ever shipped a rifle or shotgun. Is there somewhere or someone that can give me tips as far as where to located the box needed and how to pack the gun so no damage is caused. I just want to get this straight before I do something and hurt the gun. Thanks for your help.
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • MIKE WISKEY
    buble wrap is your friend, if it is a 'take-down' shotgun separate into the 2 pieces and wrap separately. find an appropriate box and pack well with crushed newspaper or 'peanuts'. put your reutrn address and the adress that it is going to inside the box also. Mail usps priority insured.
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  • Herschel
    More and more of us that ship long guns are going to the rigid plastic gun cases with the "egg crate" foam liner. The cases are $15-$20 new and sometimes come in a corrugated paper box. This will best protect the gun. Of course it is recognizable as a gun case but an appropriate sized corrugated paper box is just as easily recognized. USPS, FedEx and UPS are not gentle in handling packages.
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  • standby
    Thank you kindly for the quick replies. I will check on the u-line site and see what type of boxes they offer that would be appropriate. I'll also look into the plastic boxes as well. When you go to ship a 1200-1500 long gun, you just know you need to do it right.

    Thanks again and I look forward to doing more reading on this board.
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  • jonk
    For a 1200 gun, I might use a proper hard case myself.

    Generally I run some 1/8" plywood or masonite down the table saw and hot glue into a box shape, then put that in a cardboard box, and a bubble wrapped gun into that. Only adds $3 or so for shipping costs.
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  • nmyers
    If you are talking about something in that price range --- check out the Civilian Marksmanship Program ( www.odcmp.com ); they have really sturdy foam lined shipping boxes. Brownell's also has some high quality boxes.

    I use some Uline boxes, but they require a lot of padding & tape, as they are not really heavy-duty.

    Or, if you have a friendly sporting goods dealer nearby, the cartons used to ship golf clubs may work well, & cost you nothing.

    Neal
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  • gearheaddad
    36" X 10" X 10" box and ALOT of bubble wrap! Break down gun and wrap separate. Cut sheet cardboard and tape inside bottom, sides, and top as a "liner". Use ALOT of tape on to , bottom, around girth twice, and around long ways. Remember to insure it!
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  • MrM1A1
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    Mail usps priority insured.


    no disrespect, but I don't think you can ship firearms or ammunition via USPS. UPS and FedEx only. Please correct me if I'm wrong, for clarity's sake. Respect[;)]
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  • mark christian
    I agree with Neal; golf club boxes are the long gun shippers best friend. For the money involved you might check out the local mart.big box/depot and see what they charge for one of those plastic foam lined long gun cases. If it is under $25 for teh case I'd just put the shotgun inside the hard case, latch it up and then cover the gun case in innocent looking plain cardboard. By the time you are done tracking down a suitable card board shipping box, buy a roll of tape and then buy a roll of bubble wrap (which is surprisingly pricey) it will probably be cheaper and safer to just buy the plastic gun case and be done with it.
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  • ruger41
    quote:Originally posted by MrM1A1
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    Mail usps priority insured.


    no disrespect, but I don't think you can ship firearms or ammunition via USPS. UPS and FedEx only. Please correct me if I'm wrong, for clarity's sake. Respect[;)]

    you are only 1/2 wrong--illegal to ship ammo--totally legal for a non ffl to mail a LONG gun(rifle or shotgun) through the USPS--handguns can only be mailed via USPS through a FFL. It's right in the USPS Domestic Mail Manual what you can and cannot ship--SOME small post offices will give you a hassle but you can force the issue and get them to look in their DMM or call their postmaster. By law you MUST inform them an unloaded firearm is inside-they have the right to inspect it to make sure it is unloaded but I have yet to ever have this happen. Some people on the board will say don't even tell them a gun is inside--that is quite foolish and illegal to not let them know-why take the chance and risk jail[:D]
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  • 11b6r
    Re: packaging- they seem to toss the boxes so they hit on the end. No matter whether you use carboard boxes, hard cases, or oak 2x6s, put extra padding at the muzzle and at the butt. Rolled up bubble wrap, scrunched up newspaper at least 4 inches thick. Have recd more than I rifle with the muzzle poking out of the box. Front sight sorta gives away that there is a gun in there.
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