Ordering ammo online, always damaged.

piasashooter · Post by **piasashooter** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:23 pm

I was just wondering for those of you if any, that order ammo online, do you have problems with it always being damaged during shipping? I have ordered ammo online maybe 4-5 times, and three times know there was at least a couple boxes smashed. Each shipment was through UPS, but I think the problem is the way it's packaged. I don't think it's asking a lot to receive a product in proper condition.

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 11:57 pm

I ordered a case (5000) of CCI sv 22lr, and I was fortunate, it came in perfect shape
when I received it. My guess is that because ammo is heavy and difficult to pack
properly, the slightest rough housing will mash the boxes. I did order some
rifle bullets from midway that came scattered all over the container box
when it arrived. It wasn't packed sufficiently.
Haka

bigfatdave · Post by **bigfatdave** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:28 am

I've had some smashed corners on boxes, but never damaged ammo.

One company did send me 2 boxes of 9x19luger in with a mass order of 9x18mak ... and a bunch of the .22wmr I ordered from another company came in with cracked boxes recently ... but the actual ammo has always been fine.

Shipping charges are bad enough, adding more packing material will just jack them up higher ... I just expect to get some degraded boxes here and there.

ruger22 · Post by **ruger22** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:36 am

Hakaman wrote: the slightest rough housing will mash the boxes. Haka

I worked security at a UPS "hub" about twenty years ago. Assuming nothing has improved, they handle stuff very roughly.

As it travels through the building, there are places where a package drops three feet or more from one conveyor belt to another, plus one package can drop onto another that way. Imagine a fifteen pound package dropping onto a two pound one. Packages slam into each other making the curved chutes, too.

Once they get to the trucks, the packages are tossed from one guy at the belt to another guy in the truck, and a lot gets dropped..........

I always felt UPS could destroy a cannon ball or lose an aircraft carrier. I try to deal with places that offer Priority Mail as an option. Then I always get clean, unmashed packages. Cheaper and usually faster, too.

piasashooter · Post by **piasashooter** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:46 pm

I could deal with some of the corners of the boxes being a little smashed, but one of the bricks I bought fell apart when I grabbed it to pull it out of the box, most of the small boxes within the brick a little roughed up but two boxes were smashed and damaged the actual ammo. Oh well, I will give UPS a call and see what happens.

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:49 pm

I no longer order bullets from Midway. They use the air bags which just pop when the box is dropped. I had to sort out 3000 bullets one time of 9mm 115gr and 124gr Rainers. I had ordered 5000 an the other 2000 was in a different box that was not torn up quite as bad but bullets were still out of their original packaging. On top of that there was a hole on one corner that bullets just poured out. I called Midway and they said they would ship me some replacements for the ones lost. After a week I had a total of ~300 rounds mia. The replacements were in plastic boxes and survived the shipping. I called and talked to someone on how they should package bullets. But when you use min wage help most don't care 1 way or the other.

Unless they ship USPS Flat Rate the shipping can be quite high for bullets/ammo.

Post by **Bullseye** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 4:03 pm

I knew some folks who once worked with UPS in the warehouse and some made deliveries. I believe they all were rejects from the airline baggage handlers union. Rough doesn't even begin to cover what they did to those boxes.

You know what they say, "You can't spell 'stupid' without the letters U-P-S!"

R,
Bullseye

Georgezilla · Post by **Georgezilla** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:49 am

I've only received badly damaged bullets through the mail once, and I think it was for 2 reasons: they were poorly packed, and they were swagged bullets.

Nowadays I am a patron of Darda's bullets. They do an excellent job with shipping.

In regard to UPS, I have only ever had one problem with them. I ordered an expensive computer, and picked the "signature required for drop-off" option, but someone made an oversight and it ended up being delivered when no body was home, and it was left outside for several hours... I am fortunate it was not stolen.

Though seeing as FedEx charged $77.27 to ship a pistol, I'm not too happy with them right now...

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:07 am

You know, I really hate to say this but i have shipped and received many packages including ammo. Have used all of the major shippers USPS, UPS and FeDex and have never had a problem. When I ship a firearm of an kind, I use my LGS as he can get the job done for less cost.

Georgezilla · Post by **Georgezilla** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 12:51 pm

bearandoldman wrote:You know, I really hate to say this but i have shipped and received many packages including ammo. Have used all of the major shippers USPS, UPS and FeDex and have never had a problem. When I ship a firearm of an kind, I use my LGS as he can get the job done for less cost.

You know, I thought about seeing checking with a gun store, BOM. If you dont mind me asking, how much does that usually run you? I know all of the local gun stores here charge around $50 for FFL, not that FFL transfer is the same thing as shipping, but I thought it might reflect their shipping cost. I was really taken back when I was told the shipping cost... I expected like $25.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 4:26 pm

Georgezilla wrote:
You know, I thought about seeing checking with a gun store, BOM. If you dont mind me asking, how much does that usually run you? I know all of the local gun stores here charge around $50 for FFL, not that FFL transfer is the same thing as shipping, but I thought it might reflect their shipping cost. I was really taken back when I was told the shipping cost... I expected like $25.

Remember when shipping a handgun you must ship"next day" as that is what UPS and FeDex require but your LGS can ship USPS Priority mail at a much lower cost. Also depends on what kind of a relationship you have with your LGS, when you walk in the door do all of them call you by your first name? does make a difference you know. Benn doing business with one shop for 48+ year since he started in business and he and
IOI were both young guys. If there is a problem with a gun that I have purchased from them and has to go back to the factory, there is usually no charge. If I need to send something to my son or a friend, usually only the actual postage charges.
Buy most of my guns. etc from this guy and we take care of each other.

Baldy · Post by **Baldy** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 4:21 pm

I worked one Christmas rush season with UPS and that was all my nerves could handle. You would open the door to the trailer and start backing it into the dock and them dummy college kids would jump from the dock to the trailer before you could dock it. I could just see one falling between the dock and trailer and getting crushed.

Handling packages rough is a under statement. They throw everything.

I have only order ammo one time on line and it was in good shape when I got it. I ordered a case of .22's..