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Rifle lost in transit..... Responsibilities/ Return buyer's $$$ ?????

Redbear57Redbear57 Member Posts: 68 ✭✭
edited August 2020 in Ask the Experts
I sold a long gun thru  Gun Broker and the buyer paid and I shipped the rifle via U.S.Mail, insured in early August. Now it appears that the rifle is hung up/ lost within the postal system. The rifle has been "in transit" for  19 days and it appears that it is stuck in one location. I have started a CLAIM with the Post Office, but that could take some time  before anything happens.  I have keep the buyer appraised of the issue, but he is now requesting his money back. He said that he would notify his dealer to not accept the rifle and have it returned to the sender, should it show up...... Am I obligated to return the buyers money at this point or is there another way to consider??........  .... I have advised the P.O. that if the rifle does not show up, I will have to report the loss to the local Sheriff's dept. and the F.B.I. ... ........ any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated, thanks.

Comments

  • Ricci.WrightRicci.Wright Member Posts: 5,129 ✭✭✭✭
    I would probably refund the buyers money, I usually offer a three day inspection, but  probably not until I had the rifle back in my hands. I just went through this with the USPS but thankfully it was a set of files and not a firearm. In my case the dimensions of my package changed, got larger, but the USPS issued a partial refund. My guess is they damaged my original package and repacked it. I would try to talk to the postmaster at the last location and see if they could help. Good luck and please let us know the conclusion.
  • mark christianmark christian Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 24,456 ******
    edited August 2020
    I had a similar situation on the CMP Forum with a WRA barrels receiver which I purchased from a forum member. The receiver got "stuck" in one location for two weeks. The seller initiated a claim and offered me an immediate refund, but all that meant was that I'd get my money back...I wanted the rifle! I rode it out and after 10 days more the rifle "broke out" and began moving again. The box arrived battered and beaten, but the seller's packing job prevented any damage to the rifle. 

    If your buyer wants his money back, give it to him, but don't be surprised if the rifle mysteriously appears at his dealer. 
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,875 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2020
    A package that I shipped is stuck in the Bowling Green, OH post office --- for 15 days, & holding.
    I think that all of us have gotten wet because of a whizzing contest between the PMG, the President, & the postal workers union.  We will all get our packages delivered eventually, but there has not been a whole lot of pressure put on the President by the public.
    I am going to email the PMG with a copy to the White House.  (I usually send complaints about the USPS by mail, but, in this case, email is more likely to get through.)
    Reporting a stolen firearm?   That's a job for the Postal Inspection service.  They will bust the ovaries of any USPS employee found to be complicit.
    Neal
  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
    I had a similar experience with usps 'priority mail', they said "21 days is normal delivery". I would not send a refund until you have the gun 'back in hand'.
  • mac10mac10 Member Posts: 2,539 ✭✭✭✭
    3 guns out for delivery today 2 days ahead of time said
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
    Start the trace, follow tracking history, and be patient.  I would not return the buyer's money until the situation is resolved, one way or the other.
  • GrasshopperGrasshopper Member Posts: 16,704 ✭✭✭✭
    Go to a USPS outlet, a major one and they can pull up the last time it scanned and also they have a photo of it. They will put a tracer on it and see what happens. The same thing happened to me and it sat over two weeks until I did what I just said. They have photos now of all packages going through there system, quite amazing.
  • truthfultruthful Member Posts: 1,975 ✭✭✭✭
    A few weeks ago I had a similar problem with UPS (not USPS) with an insured shipment coming to me several hundred miles from Kansas City, MO. Everything went fine until it arrived at the UPS distribution center 30 miles from me. Then it just disappeared. It was impossible to get any response from UPS to any of my inquiries on their web site, email, or phone. I was just totally ignored. Finally, I sent a registered letter to the UPS home office describing the problem and giving them 48 hours to get the package to me or I was going to report the theft to local, state, and federal authorities. I got my package the next day.
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