I used to work for FedEx Ground and there was some level of service where I had to sign for the package (as a driver) and then keep it in the cab of the truck. You can bet I got a legible signature when I delivered it!

Everything is based on price. Sometimes people inflate the value of something just to make sure it is delivered. Next day air is pretty foolproof as well. The shorter time something is in the system, the less chance of it getting "lost".

I would wager to say, the legal ramifications would surely discourage such a venture.

I don't understand the problems most are having shipping firearms.....NEVER ship any thing of value by the cheapest way possible. Pay for special handling and your problems will all but go away.

Business operates every day and ships things more valuable without the nightmares some of you seem to have.

You go for cheap you get cheap.....it's the way it is.

I doubt you can compete with them.. I shipped my perazzi to the gunsmith on ups 2 weeks ago, added extra insurance, and never gave it another thought..it went and came back no problem. also i didnt worry whether they actually had the million dollar insurance policy or not..

Go for it. Work hard and become noticed in the freight biz. If your people un ionize then UPS will buy you out. If not then FedEx will buy you out. You get to stay on at a nice salary as an advisor for awhile then its off to the 52' Hatteras in Costa Rica that you have earned. Best of luck.

Both Fed Ex and UPS deliver millions of packages a day that are insured and there is never an issue with. Why is it a few guns get damaged and they are no good pieces of shat? Most damage is caused from poor packaging plane and simple. Kind of like "winners and losers are self determined but only the winners are willing to admit it". Just like people shipping firearms,some do it right and some don't but only the ones that pack things right are willing to admit it. Disclaimer-rare accidents do happen with every shipper.

Sounds like a good idea to me.If your insured and give ffl dealers a good rate,build trust and confidence within the realm of dealers,they may actually start reccomending you to people instead of the others(ups,fed-x,etc.)It seems you might even be quicker if from the sounds of it,you'd specialize in ffl to ffl without other deliveries to other places that would slow your trucks down.

Doug H.

Just for grins, what would it cost me to ship a gun from Colorado to Ithaca, NY? Am I assuming that you would have to drive to Colorado and pick it up, then drive it to Ithaca? Gas alone would make this deal prohibitive I would expect. I have shipped UPS for years and never had an issue and I would bet that they have a hell of a lot more insurance than your one million, not that any one individual should need it. Registered USPS requires signatures each time a package changes hands. UPS and Fed Ex both offer "same day" service within the USA if you are willing to pay.

It's the logistics that'll kill ya. The big boys have a logistics hub for a reason. A better solution may be to contact Kolar, Perazzi, Beretta and so on to see if you can work out an agreement to deliver from their distribution centers and then come back with warranty work or updates from the larger FFL's. There would also be opportunity out of the FFLs like the the advertisers in Trap and Field and other quality magazines to deliver direct to customers. This would serve a niche' market and keep the truck in a route to eliminate out of route miles, which is another killer in transportation.A solid reputation is everything and it sounds like you have the desire to perform.Not only is the opportunity there to deliver firearms, but have you considered trap machines out of Pat Trap which is not all that far from you. The components dealers would also be interested in shipping to a group of individual shooters who would like to combine orders to save money on shipping and get discounts on volumne. So a call to Gamaliel,did I spell that right, might be in order. You could deliver directly to gun clubs which would fit in your route parameters. The idea is to keep the box full both ways, but you know this. It may be that you discover that regional delivery may be more realistic until you can work out a longer customer base route. Either way, this will take time to develop. Make sure you keep a maintenence escrow for your truck of at least .10 a mile for every mile you run without fail! Don't get caught short. A hundred thousand mile year will mean $10,000.00 for oil changes and the occasional bumps that come along with this type of business. You didn't say what size truck or van you were going to use and you are going about this the right way by asking questions from potential customers. Good luck and continue to see the potential but know the risks.- Greg Saucedo

Mr.1100: Tell us a little about yourself and your business. What's your background and experience? What have you done to this point? What's the name of your business and how do your plans fit to cover the U.S.? What permits, licenses and qualifications do you have to have to qualif for this type of business? I just like to know who I'm dealing with and hope you reply here on the forum!

ttt

Looks like we're not going to get any replies from the original poster. Did anyone else get any particular vibes from the wording of the first post?

Was that a Nigerian accent?

The spelling and sentence makeup certainly was. I was hopingtoget a rise there someplace.