Are any of you having trouble with USPS? I have shipped 3 parcels in the last 10 days and have one other coming in to me. One that I shipped took 10 days to go 40 miles. The other two that I shipped are lost and so is the one that I ordered from Raven Rocks. What the HELL is going on!!! This is B.S. Screw USPS; I'm shipping UPS from now on.

A VERY PISSED OFF

Paul K

Louis De Joy is an expert in logistics, just ask him. Same here, I have had stuff shipped all over creation while the new more efficient distribution system is implemented. I have also seen nearly two week delivery for a letter going less than 50 miles.

I still ship USPS, as bad as they are, nothing is as secure as Registered mail.

Just received a customer payment post marked Mar 27.

He was in the Pacific Northwest, but still 2 weeks for first class mail is certainly the longest I have ever seen!

Concur, their poor performance is legendary. They lose letters and packages, sometimes temporarily and sometimes permanently. They often damage packages and contents, sometimes by cramming it into a mailbox instead of delivering it to the doorstep.

The always have an excuse why the insurance you purchased won't be honored. (I went through all levels of appeal a few years ago, including to the Postmaster General of the US). It started with their claim that shipping a firearm is illegal - I had to quote to them their own policy on that subject, and then they counted that as a level of appeal!

My FFL strongly recommends using UPS or FedEx over the USPS.

They once lost a Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope and claimed it was "delivered" - it magically appeared at the addressee's home THREE WEEKS LATER. I guess I was supposed to be grateful and just ignore the lie.

If at all possible, use UPS or FedEx. The seem to be reliable, and they "own up" to mistakes when they are made, which is usually infrequently.

Regards,

Realize that an individual can't ship any firearm, or "Firearm component" via UPS. And even a dealer can't unless they register with UPS as such. Their internal rule, they told me, to prevent people from making guns with no serial numbers on them. So UPS is not an option for most people, even to ship a trigger guard screw.
I do not know Fed Ex rules.

My dealer uses UPS with better service and less money through a online third party agency service. Prints label right away and signature tracking at every hand off. UPS is the way to go.

I would disagree after having UPS both damage and STEAL high grade firearms from me. Registered mail is the ONLY service that hand carries the package each step of the way(no conveyor belts) AND holds the INDIVIDUAL responsible for the safety of the contents. You will find that no place else. Added bonus that they do not steal from you.

The shipping is more costly and packing is a pain, but the insurance on Registered is dirt cheap because so little risk is taken by the carrier.

The action screws I just ordered from Sarco were sent: UPS. Should be here about Monday.

Two revolvers I bought at auction in MD were sent USPS to my dealer. One I saw was in a flat rate box.

A bad decision to buy a Charter Arms snubby that broke soon after. Went thru the hoops with FED EX, paying $36 to send back for repair. Was tossed on the porch in a flat rate box, not insured.

Way too often it's hard to figure this shit out.

Two days ago I mailed a book to MD. media mail. Local hassler clerk insisted on knowing what type book it was. HUH?? What difference does that make?

George

"YES" to troubles lately with USPS. I'll stop there

Troubles with USPS is an understatement, I’ve had items bought here on AR lost, have had them returned to sender and nearly every package I get from AR members has been cut open. The last package I received had several bright green stickers saying some of the contents were missing (.474 bullets), the box had been sliced open and retaped, bullets were loose in the priority mail box, but all were there.
It’s not just shipping packages, I’ve gone to the local post office to send money order and there is one lazy ass clerk doing their best to piss customers off, and doing a damned good job of it. Minimum 30 minutes to get money order.
We are on a rural route and have been pretty lucky with our carriers, we had one that had 18 years service on the route that quit when a new postmaster decided to change her route. Had 3 or 4 piss poor carriers (including one that “misplaced” our new passports. The janitor at the post office found our passports laying beside the loading dock, no joke), we now have a decent, purple haired-shaved eyebrows-black tattooed lips, two nose ringed, multiple earringed carrier, but at least HE delivers our mail!

USPS service seems to be getting worse by the day!

I buy and sell on the internet a bit and lately I mostly pay by USPS Money order.

I always PM the seller that the MO is on the way and add that "If it is on the way----IT IS ON THE WAY! I'm not a Bulls^&TTER! I have had the payments take up to 9 days and PRIORITY Packages take 6 Days!

What the F^&K!

Hip

P.S. I once sent/donated some gun parts to a woman in a padded envelope app 3x5 or 4x6.
This was from another site and 1 year later I got a PM thanking me for the parts which she just got.

I’ve had several issues with them in the last 30 days, specifically very long delivery times, even when I paid for priority. It’s a govt/union entity that’s grossly mis managed, what a surprise.

With regard to USPS money orders; it baffles me why guys still use them. It is not 1960 any more and there are far better ways to transfer money. And my bank won't cash them; they are the most counterfeited financial instruments around. I do not take them.

In rural AK there's only one way to ship and that's with USPS.
UPS is sort of ok, FedEx makes suicide a valid option.

All my transactions arrive un molested with USPS.

My FFL received a handgun for me from Alabama in three days.

The days of reliable package carriers are over and way over priced to do something very simple....get something from point A to point B in a timely manner....

I have been having a lot of trouble with USPS recently, both letters + packages. As for their insurance policy, it's a bad joke. 20+ years ago, when my son was in the Army, I bought him a stereo for Christmas + insured it for $500.00 to send to Ft. Lee. When he got it, it looked like it had been run over by a truck. I sent my son the receipt, but they told him he needed the sales receipt as they would only pay for the initial price that it was paid for, otherwise "their people" would look at it + determine the value themselves. I asked my postal people why they sold me an insurance policy when they knew they would not honor the amount that I insured it for. They gave me that same old excuse that I have come to hate anymore; "well, that's just the way it is."

UPS is the only carrier that has actually broken a stock on a gun of mine.
USPS is my go to but like the rest of you, mail and shipping times are absurd and they once lost an Enfield action I sold.
They could still track it to their depot in Denver but I was not allowed to go there to fetch it.
They said it would be returned once they got to it but that’s been two years and at this point, I’ve written it off.

Last year I bought a bulk order of .308 bullets.
The medium flat rate box had a corner torn off and bullets were actually spilling out - lost about half of them!
The carrier must have looked like Yosemite Sam with a bag of gunpowder but leaving a trail of bullets!

quote:

Originally posted by Fal Grunt:
Just received a customer payment post marked Mar 27.

He was in the Pacific Northwest, but still 2 weeks for first class mail is certainly the longest I have ever seen!

I beat that! Three weeks from San Antonio to Tacoma

I think the price of a stamp is going up as well.

For those who don't know, the USPS had mail times intentionally slowed down a few years ago. Trump, fearing mail-in ballots, appointed his big-time donor Luis DeJoy to run the USPS. He immediately went to work by taking out high-tech sorting machines and limiting work hours for employees.

DeJoy has major conflicts of interest and should not be running the USPS.

And for those who actually believe DeJoy was appointed to "fix" the financial side of the USPS, let me tell you about some ocean-front property near Amarillo that I'd like to sell rather cheaply. The USPS was designed to be a SERVICE and not a for-profit business. More than likely, though, it would not be in the red if not for some insane policy of immediately having to fund the retirement of each new employee.

quote:

Originally posted by OkieNewton:
I think the price of a stamp is going up as well.

Yes, they are raising stamps to 73 cents. And probably everything else.

Paul K

No carrier will pay an insurance claim just because you insured it for x million dollars. You have to have a sales receipt.
You can imagine the fraud such a policy would generate.
Also, anyone who ships loose items in a flat rate box is asking for trouble. You MUST tape the hell out of them. Or any box. I now use Gorilla Duct tape; it will hold.
Packages are not handled by humans any more; remember, it ain't 1960; they are handled by giant robots and conveyor belts and are scanned by AI monitors.
Now consider this; Amazon mails a billion packages an hour and 99.9% of them get there in one day. Or less.
And yes, the US Mail contracts with them to do it.
So, maybe the problem is you. (Sometimes it is.)

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Also, anyone who ships loose items in a flat rate box is asking for trouble. You MUST tape the hell out of them. Or any box. I now use Gorilla Duct tape; it will hold.

Yes, item need to be packed securely and the boxes well-taped. But I'm surprised your local PO isn't rejecting the boxes with duct tape. Done properly, heavy duty shipping tape is all you really need.

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):

quote:

Originally posted by Fal Grunt:
Just received a customer payment post marked Mar 27.

He was in the Pacific Northwest, but still 2 weeks for first class mail is certainly the longest I have ever seen!

I beat that! Three weeks from San Antonio to Tacoma

I think it is a PNW issue. :-). I sent Jim L a check a week before Christmas from Atlanta. He still has not received it! Literally the first time I have sent a check in years where I did not pay for tracking. Never again.

I still use regular duct tape, the real kind that we use in the HVAC industry + never had any issues; works for me.

While sometimes it takes ridiculously long, check out something I recently sent all the way from TX to NH. I mailed it on the 11th; it was delivered on the 13th. And this was USPS Ground Advantage.


Delivered

Delivered, In/At Mailbox

NOTTINGHAM, NH 03290

April 13, 2024, 11:48 am

Out for Delivery

NOTTINGHAM, NH 03290

April 13, 2024, 7:00 am

Arrived at Post Office

NOTTINGHAM, NH 03290

April 13, 2024, 6:49 am

Departed USPS Facility

MANCHESTER, NH 03103

April 13, 2024, 5:13 am

Arrived at USPS Facility

MANCHESTER, NH 03103

April 13, 2024, 4:02 am

Departed USPS Regional Facility

NASHUA NH DISTRIBUTION CENTER

April 13, 2024, 3:27 am

Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility

NASHUA NH DISTRIBUTION CENTER

April 13, 2024, 1:24 am

In Transit to Next Facility

April 12, 2024

In Transit to Next Facility

April 12, 2024, 3:23 pm

Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility

SAN ANTONIO TX DISTRIBUTION CENTER

April 11, 2024, 9:58 pm

Departed Post Office

SHINER, TX 77984

April 11, 2024, 3:47 pm

USPS picked up item

SHINER, TX 77984

April 11, 2024, 2:58 pm

i haven't had a problem with priority mail, its been gong and makes it tio the destination when they said it would.
HOWEVER, incoming payments, like a regular 50 cent letter, is taking as much as 10 days to get to me.

It almost seems intentional.

Why on earth would the post office reject my packages taped with duct tape?
And they Don't! I use either black, or silver, Gorilla duct tape. And ship stuff every week. Gorilla duct tape is ten times stronger than anything.
Duct tape is not allowed? It definitely is allowed here.
Your postal employees must not like you.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:

Duct tape is not allowed? It definitely is allowed here.
Your postal employees must not like you.

You're hilarious. I've never tried using duct tape because I can read ("... do not use gift wrapping, cellophane tape, duct tape and masking tape...") and understand how duct tape reacts to heat and pressure and can easily strip off and bind the sorting machines.

Heavy duty shipping tape is what I use. If using a non-USPS box that has wording/lettering, I'll use the brown packing tape to cover and then re-inforce with clear tape.

It's not exactly rocket science.

OH, you haven't heard, there is now no First Class parcel mail!! It has quietly been merged with "GROUND ADVANTAGE!!" If you want air service, you must ship PRIORITY!!

I was told by our local Postmaster, there is no guarantee of air mail on First Class letters and USPS is leaning towards more truck shipments as well!! Air is too expensive!!

I also read the news that UPS just won the USPS mail contract to relieve the burden of mail bags on US AIRLINES!!

And yesterday we mailed our tax payments to the IRS by US PONY EXPRESS... bet those go FAST, it's thier pay checks coming in!!

quote:

I also read the news that UPS just won the USPS mail contract to relieve the burden of mail bags on US AIRLINES!!

And our mail carrier sometimes doesn’t deliver our US mail due to having Amazon packages to deliver, DFW Amazon delivery area ends about 2 miles north of us, USPS has contract to deliver south of that line. This was especially bad before Christmas and USPS delivers Amazon 7 days a week. Makes perfect sense to me…

Well, just look at who the PostMaster General is, and then it all makes sense. He owns millions of dollars of stocks in COMPETITORS of the USPS. Sure, he divested some of it -- but it was to FAMILY MEMBERS lol.

Trump appointed DeJoy to the job for one reason: to cripple the USPS. On that note, he's doing a hell of a job.

---

"Postmaster General Louis DeJoy continues to hold a multimillion-dollar stake in his former company XPO Logistics, a United States Postal Service contractor, likely creating a major conflict of interest, according to newly obtained financial disclosures and ethics experts.

Outside experts were shocked that ethics officials at the postal service approved this arrangement, which allows DeJoy to keep at least $30 million in XPO holdings.

Raising further alarms, on the same day in June that DeJoy divested large amounts of Amazon shares, he purchased stock options giving him the right to buy new shares of Amazon at a price much lower than their current market price, according to the disclosures.

Before joining the administration, DeJoy, a Trump ally and fundraiser, was on the board of directors at XPO Logistics, a large transportation and logistics company that does business with the USPS and has contracts with other US government agencies, such as the Department of Defense. In 2014, XPO acquired DeJoy’s company, New Breed Logistics, for $615 million.

According to federal records, when he became postmaster general, DeJoy still owned a large equity stake in XPO, totaling between $30 million and $75 million. Federal ethics officials recently approved his decision to keep these assets, but outside experts with decades of experience in government are raising red flags.

“The idea that you can be a postmaster general and hold tens of millions in stocks in a postal service contractor is pretty shocking,” said Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, who resigned in 2017.

Federal records also show that DeJoy owned between $265,000 and $550,000 in UPS stock at the time of his appointment.

DeJoy ordered the removal and destruction of high-tech sorting machines and stopped all overtime for employees. A Postal Service memo stating late and extra delivery trips and overtime were no longer authorized sparked alarm across the postal industry. The memo, which claimed the changes could save upwards of $200 million, noted that it may be difficult for employees “to see mail left behind or mail on the workroom floor or docks … which is not typical.”

In letters to lawmakers, the USPS general counsel said the memo did not even originate from Postal Service headquarters."

-----

Bottom line: Trump wanted to destroy the USPS and found the right man -- his own big-time donor -- to do just that. So let's put the blame squarely where it belongs.

You have to realize that these tapes, called "duct" tape, and "duck" tape, are modern multi use repair tape. Duct tape for these products just a generic term. Take a trip to Lowes and you will see.
The stuff I use works better than any other tape, and again, NO one has ever said it was not allowed. If they are placing modern duct tape in the same category as masking tape and cellophane tape, that is from the dark ages.
Gorilla tape broke at 149 pounds dead weight; try that with other tapes.
The Air Cav guys used it to patch holes in their OH-58s.
It is the preferred tape for taping hands together and mouths shut for the Mafia. So it is not what you and the USPS thinks it is.
I will continue to use it because it works very well. Very hard to open.
Also, here too, USPS delivers Amazon 7 days a week.

I'm still waiting on a package from another AR member in Ohio that was shipped on the 5th, + yesterday the PO traced the tracking # to Louisville, Kentucky + said that it MIGHT get here this week sometime. No rush as it's not that important, but that is kinda shoddy service.

If anyone is shipping or receiving anything that must go through either Atlanta, Jackson MS or North Houston, be prepared for a potentially-long delay.

Our postal service here in middle Georgia has closed its distribution/sorting center and a local post office in its consolidation move. The roadblock in Georgia it the regional distribution center in Palmetto, Georgia outside of Atlanta. I’ve had three rural mail carriers since January.
On Feb 26 I mailed two USPS money orders. One to north Georgia and another to West Virginia. North Georgia received theirs on March 16 and the West Virginia was received on March 22. Tracking showed them in limbo in Palmetto Georgia distribution center for over two weeks.

Maybe all this will be sorted out by November.

Migrants may be working at the USPS.

Honest elections reflect the will of the citizens.
Stalin: Let them vote, we will do the counting.

Sad but too true.