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Shipping a higher end handgun

CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,595 ✭✭✭
in Ask the Experts

I have a question about shipping a higher end handgun. I have never listed or sold anything this expensive on the auction side before and when I do list the gun, I am expecting it will sell for around $6500 give or take. How do you go about determing the shipping costs for an item like that, adding in for full insurance as well. When I ship a regular handgun, I usually charge about $25-$35 depending on value. It will be shipped from a FFL dealer so would USPS Priority Mail be the best way to ship? Do they insure that amount or do you have to do extra paperwork to get fully insured? If my dealer uses Fedex or UPS, it has to go Next Day Air, correct?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

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    duckhunterduckhunter Member Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭

    Registered mail. Every one who touches the package must sign for it. . Jp

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    mark christianmark christian Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 24,456 ******
    edited November 2020

    For amounts of $600 to $5,000, the Post Office changes $9.95 + $1.40 for every $100 up to $5K, which is the maximum insurance amount for ordinary (including Priority) mail. If the pistol sells for over $5,000 and your dealer is mailing the pistol, it needs to be sent using Registered mail. Registered mail is (arguably) the most secure and the limit on insurance is $50K. $5K insurance is $23.75 + $1.70 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof.


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    CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,595 ✭✭✭

    Thanks Mark and Duckhunter, that gives me a very good idea of what to add for shipping!

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    mark christianmark christian Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 24,456 ******
    edited November 2020

    Shipping won't be cheap. You might consider mention in the listing how expensive insurance will be. PLEASE, under no circumstances let the buyer persuade you to waive insurance. It is an invitation to disaster! If the pistol is lost or stolen, the buyer will still demand his money back, despite his having agreed to "take his chances." I have been a firearms dealer since 1985, I simply won't play those games. When a gun goes missing, someone has to pay up...and it won't be me!

    When you list the pistol, please give us a link to the auction so that we can see it. Shameless plugs are always welcome in our forums.

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    CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,595 ✭✭✭

    Will do, thank you!

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    Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 39,376 ***** Forums Admin

    I agree with Mark on the insurance. The few(3)things I've sold on GB have all been insured, and the buyer gets no opt out. I plainly state in my auction description "Insured shipping to 48 states will be $$.¢¢".

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    mac10mac10 Member Posts: 2,542 ✭✭✭✭

    pack well and pray or ship over night $$$$$

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