Shipping service unfriendly to gunowners

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Brent

New member
I recently had a negative experience with Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE)which I would like to share with forum members.

MBE is a chain of small stores which rents mail boxes, and arranges for the shipping and receival of small packages throughout the U.S. One of the services is to hold received packages for customers, and turn them over to the customer when the customer comes to the store to pick them up.

Recently, I purchased .45 ACP target ammo from CTD and had it shipped to my box at MBE. When I went to pick up the package, I encountered an individual I will call "Bufus". Bufus informed me that he had "inspected" my package because it arrived "open", and that he was surprised to find that it had ammunition in the package. Bufus said that he felt "uncomfortable" in receiving my package, so he called corporate headquarters to see if he was allowed to receive such packages. Headquarters told him they had no policy, and that he was free to do as he pleased. Bufus went on to tell me that he didn't want to have ammunition shipped to his store because it wasn't safe, and that it might start blowing up if his store burned down. Bufus said that he made this decision as the store owner.

I listened to Bufus politely for several minutes while he talked about how dangerous my package was. Then I told him that I was going to let my fellow firearm owners on the Internet know that MBE is unfriendly to gunowners. Bufus started yelling and shaking (literally). He said that he was going to take away my mail box if I "slandered" him on the internet. I told him that I would sue him for breach of contract if he withheld my mail. He started yelling some more, and THEN told me that I should talk to the store owner.

But wait--he already told me that HE was the store owner! He then furiously rummaging through his desk drawer looking for the REAL owner's business card so that he could pass off the problem to the manager. All the while he was yelling and shaking with great vigor.

He repeated his threats to withhold my mail several times. I repeated my threats to sue him several times.
 
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MAKOwner

New member
Did you get your ammo or not?

I've had so-so luck with my MBE. I shipped a rifle there, and when asked what was in my package I truthfully answered "a .22 rifle" (A Jager AP74 AR15 lookalike, woulda scared the girl working the counter...). She then started to open it up "to inspect it" but the store owner/manager stopped her and said they're not to open to jack**** and that "it could be a ironing board as far as I'm concerned, mail it..." so all was well.

I also shipped a box of ammo and some mags to a guy in a old Wolf 9mm case box. The guy quickly just scribbled over the 9mm and ammunition markings on the box and shipped, without asking what was in it. I casually mentioned it was "auto parts" though but I think he knew better. Even though it worked out I've seen anything firearm related makes your average sheep nervous. And from now on whatever I happen to ship will not be firearm related if you catch my drift. Car parts seems like the perfect cover... Screw it.

With franchise stores like MBE I think you're going to get different results everywhere, as each local owner/manager gets to call the shots really...
 
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Azrael256

New member
Wait... out of curiostiy, what shipping service are we talking about here? While I suspect we're talking about FedEx or UPS or somesuch, I would find it hillarious if it was USPS.


He repeated his threats to withhold my mail several times.
Click to expand...

Oh, yeah, that's rich... maybe you should contact your friendly neighborhood postmaster. I'd be interested to hear his take on that threat.
 
K

Kentucky Rifle

New member
There must be great disparity in how these franchises are run.

When I go to "MBE" to ship something, the counter guy ALWAYS askes to see what I'm carrying that day. He asks my wife too. He's really interested in firearms, target shooting, or anything that has to do with the hobby/sport/right. He's even carefully packed firearms that have to go back for service. Once I went directly to FedEx. The lady took the pistol out of my well packed box and re-packed the firearm in one of their boxes and all she talked about was how much rain we were having. Oh, I forgot. She also told me how much she enjoyed throwing marshmallows in a nearby stream and shooting at them with her .22 rifle as they floated by. One of the benfits of living in Kentucky, I guess. We have a pretty polite society here. :) Everybody I know is armed! (And has a pocket knife too! :) )

KR
 
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HankB

New member
My local MBE has NEVER asked what's in the packages I ship.

Hmmm . . . I know UPS wants handguns to go by air because of their own thieving employees . . . if one were to ship ground UPS via MBE to a licensed dealer, would a LAW be broken? I mean, something you could be successfully prosecuted for, as opposed to breaking shipper's rule?

How would they prove you DIDN'T declare you were shipping a firearm, if it went though MBE by ground? Maybe MBE just screwed up?

I figure if the package disappeared you might have trouble collecting insurance, but could you end up in jail?
 
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leadbutt

New member
Sounds like you deal with the same STUPID people I did,my local "MBE" in Great Bridge , VA.has them I went to have a "TC" barrel packed and shipped, they were more than happy to pack ,but would not ship,Manger stated" uos doesn't allow firearms", so while I stood in line I called the local usp shipping centerand spoke with the directors secratary,she told me it was no problem as it was only a barrel and not a whole firearm,I then handed the phone to the manger and she told him the same thing.he then told me it was MBE's policy not toship firearms.He was realy confussed when I told himthat not less then two days ago,you ship a rifle for me.He thought the Rolling block was a toy.

STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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PKAY

New member
Whenever I buy ammo in bulk, I have it shipped to my door. UPS requires an adult signature, mine. Whenever I ship a firearm to the mfg. for repair or service I can't perform myself, I use FedEx. It's good to get the FedEx packing box that fits your shipment first. Pack it at home then take it to the FedEx processing facility. You may want to declare it a firearm or not. I've done it both ways: "Don't Ask, don't tell. Insure like hell."
 
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Derka

New member
This issue sort of just came up with a friend of mine this week. I hardly ever use MBE because I just pack my own boxes and ship them USPS or Fedex. Anyways, my friend took his airsoft P90 (basically a very realistic looking full auto BB gun) to MBE to have it sent to Kali for some upgrades. They refused to box or ship it for him, so he had to take it down to the UPS building and ship it there instead. He said MBE said they had a no firearms policy. I was surprised to hear about that in Utah.
 
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