I thought you guys might like to hear about this. I shipped my handgun to Magna-Port today, I removed the cylinder before shipping and kept it here which classifies what's left as parts and if you go to any of the websites like Magna-Port you'll see that under those conditions you can ship it ground or whatever you want. I received a call from UPS telling me the package was being returned because it had to be sent over night and a long story short after a couple phone calls to the UPS help line I was first told I was in the right but then told that UPS policy is any frame or reciever must be sent over night now and to make things better I asked for a refund and I was told I'd have to wait until I get the package back to see if I'm eligible for one. The other thing that really pissed me of was I sent the gun in it's original box from Reeder and I wrapped it with brown paper, apparently they don't like that anymore so they unwrap them and put them in a brown box but this lady went a step further and opened my package to see what was in it since I had it insured for 1500.00 which her seeing the gun is what caused the whole mess in the first place. UPS originally started the overnight deal because their employees were stealing guns when they would see a destination of a gun shop or manufacturer but all the guy kept saying tonight was "it's due to the current political climate towards guns"

I thought you guys might want to know this before you try sending a gun and I thought you might also like to know that UPS likes to open your packages. I checked with Fed Ex and any gun whether disassembled or not must go overnight and according to magna port you have to have an ffl to ship them through the postal system.

WTF did he mean by that?!?!? They've had that policy for quite some time now. It's all BS, we get screwed again.

Sorry to hear 'bout your trouble Rod.

I forgot to mention that to ship the gun next day air saver is 83.00, I think it's more about the money than anything else they've just found another way to stick it to you and make more dollars.

That blows! I hope you at least get your money back.

I can't even express my feeling on this issue!!!!!

well I found their rules and it does say that a frame or receiver is classified as a firearm which means that the shipping instructions given by most of these outfits including Magna-Port are wrong. I've also been shipping guns this way for many years and they say the regs have been the same for quite a while but the funny part is when I still lived in central oregon there were many times I'd walk in with the gun and package it right there with their stuff and they would watch me and never say a thing. I was also told because of the amount of insurance (1500.00) I had they consider that a reason to open your packages to audit what is inside. I just got off the phone with them and they can't do anything about a refund yet because it hasn't been charged yet so I have to call back but because it was my fault I probably won't get the refund. I've made other shipping arrangements and the gun is on it's way but to do what they wanted I would have had to pay 83.00 to send a gun for 95.00 worth of work and from what they just told me they would not have given me a credit for the 36.00 I already spent, I would still have to fight for a refund but in the mean time I'd have to pay the full shipping amount. I'm starting to see why Gary Reeder doesn't like UPS and after this I will avoid using them whenever possible. I also found out that two scopes I had sent out, one for repair and one that was sold were also opened and gone through.

This started when UPS bowed down to Clinton to kiss his arse....

When I used to work for Jensen's Custom Ammo, we had several people who shipped long guns through UPS get the stocks broken. Then they had a long drawn out procces before UPS paid up. We started recommending FedX. No more problems.

There is a loophole though. If you ship it through a FFL to Magna-Port (which should have a FFL) it usually costs $39 or so (2-3 day ground), otherwise you have to pay the hefty bill of the overnight fees.

If you have an FFL you can use USPS for less than 10 bucks, flat rate.

Ah, my FFL charges $20 if he get his hands on it! Coming and going! Thats another $40 without any shipping. The big thing now is to see if Rod gets a refund!!

UPS sucks plain and simple. I always use FedEx and have never had any problem with them whatsoever. I was told once that you need an account to ship a firearm but I that might have just been someone trying to create an issue until I told her I had an account.

It has been a few years since I shipped any guns, but FedX did not require an acount and it was no more than $30.00 for an overnight shipment.

I had never had a proble with UPS until now but they have really tweaked me and I'd say from here on out fed ex will get my business. I'm no major customer but I figure I spend on average about a thousand bucks or more a year on shipping from both receiving and sending but to a big company like that it amounts to squat so I'll go somewhere I feel more appreciated.

I use UPS quite a bit and I haven't had any problems like Rod. Just last week I sent out 2 shotguns that I sold on GB. I didn't have any issues. If Rod does not get his first shipping refund, then that is just plain common and I will switch to Fedex.

Also, what if the gun went missing. If they already jipped him on shipping, whose to say he would get his insured amount if any. They would say it was shipped wrong so they are not responsible. That is a loophole.

Rod, if they do jip you on the refund. I would take a big ol' dookie. Wrap that badboy up and for the insured amount for...Priceless! Let that brown bastard open that package up! LOL

A couple of times I have had the FFL on the recieving end just send a pickup tag to me. Fed EX comes and gets the gun (package) with no troubles. Then when done the FFL just sends it back.

Kind of like reverse shipping. Usually the FFL only charges actual shipping because he get to do the work.

LOL, nice Jeremy. Well the main issue is that shops like Magna-Port are putting out shipping instructions that are not valid. I thought they were right and I know some other shops go by the same guidelines which is that only handguns have to be shipped overnight but any disabled handgun or long gun may be shipped ground or whatever but according to UPS even if I only ship a frame with nothing else in the box it must go overnight. I talked to the local manager yesterday and she told me it states ANY HANDGUN part must go overnight which would mean the springs I've sent some of the guys or a cylinder or set of grips, etc., technically need to go overnight.

That's nuts.

That would stink to have to pay as much for shipping as the cost of the mag na porting. I think that would discourage alot of people from sending in thier guns to have worked on. I'm glad I live close enough to drive there.

I have a real good relation with my local guy and he only charges when he has to do real (transfer) paperwork. I can ship to and back for the price of postage, USPS.

I just need to finish getting my ffl but I wanted to wait until I was healthy enough to start my business but it looks like I might as well get it just for my own hobby.

Just got off the phone with UPS and they will not give me a refund even though it never got out of town. They said regardless of what I had done in the past or what the shipping instructions from Magna-Port say I should have called them first before shipping and because I didn't they won't refund the 36.00 I had paid. I emailed Magna-Port and suggested they change their shipping instructions before someone else gets shafted but I never got a response from the last one I sent when this started.

My wife just called me and apparently she called UPS, I'm not sure what she said but knowing her when she's mad it wasn't nice but anyways I guess she got them to give me the refund. This isn't the first time something like this has happened, I'm starting to think why bother I'll just let her call for now on.

Remind me NEVER to make your wife made Rod!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yes... Congratulations!

[quote=wapitirod apparently she called UPS [/quote]

When all else fails...break out the big guns! LOL

yep, she set him up good, started out sweet and nice and then dropped the hammer on him so he never knew what hit him. LOL

heehee, I love it!

Great!

I feel your pain Rod; was in the same boat kinda once before. The ATF does ,however, and always has classified the serial numbered part as the firearm. So even if you sent a bare Blackhawk frame, it has to go overnight. MNP needs to update their site.
I've never had problems with UPS before on shipping guns or ammo. FedEx has 2 different overnight shipping options; one guaranteed next day, the other by 10am the next day. The last handgun I shipped through them, they insisted it go the more expensive route ($86) and said it was polcy. They handed me their policy manual and sure enough, it was. You probably ain't gonna be happy with them either. Get that FFL ASAP and go USPS cheap.

You can always try to ship "undercover", but if something happens and you need to claim it on their insurance, you're screwed.

what's really funny is I talked to Magna-Port today and they asked me if I wanted it returned ground or 2nd day so even though I emailed them about this they are still breaking the rules. I'm sure I'll be happy with the porting job but I won't be sending anything else, it's costing me as much in shipping as it did to get the thing ported.

you guys won't believe this crap, as I told you my wife got the 37.00 back but those sons of b*tches just charged me 22.15 for returning the package to my wifes work on their regular pick up run which is all of 3 miles from the UPS station which here is a 40x20 modular building on the half gravel have paved runway where planes have regular near misses with the elk.

Man you got...are you...that just sucks Rod!

It's time to pull out the old priceless dookie package!

I don't know how outfits like Magna-Port can keep going when shipping rates are getting worse and worse. It's amazing that the fuel surcharge went way up last year with 4 dollar a gallon gas but even after it went down they didn't lower it. I shipped it in under the radar for 22.00 which if the shipper or atf is reading this they can both kiss my 250lb butt. Magna-Port returned it via second day Fed-Ex which according to fed-ex it should have gone next day but the charge was 48.00. I paid a total of 70.00 in shipping for 95.00 worth of work and if it had gone next day both ways it would have been over 100.00, the quote ups gave me if I had wanted to continue shipment with them was something like 89.00 just to get it there. I remember when ups and fed-ex were actually reasonable but like most businesses they have become excessively greedy. The sad thing is I'm very happy with the Magna-porting but at these shipping rates it just doesn't make any sense. I can buy commercially made brakes for as little as half the cost as shipping one way and I've even toyed with making my own brakes and all it will take is some practice to become proficient at installing them I and I have a few take off barrels to practice on.