Unique Situation - Need Thoughts and Advice

[ken erickson]

I was kinda curious as to WHO would ship the handgun...kinda obvious it's a gun, maybe easy to steal ??
best bet, let the dealer handle it.

Having the dealer handling the shipping is no guaranty that a firearm shipment will not be stolen en-route either.

I (while I was in business with FFL) shipped a Beretta handgun to Beretta repair facility in Maryland for warranty work, circa 1998. Long story short, it never reached the destination, stolen by a UPS dock worker at a Maryland facility. He was caught because he would be on the look out for small boxes with the Beretta address, open the box, steal the handguns, then throw the outside shipping boxes into the dumpster! Even with UPS insurance, being stolen by one of their employees, it took months to be reimbursed by UPS.

 

[Trimley]

We have FEDs rules.
We have States rules.
We have Logistics rules.

Now days shit gets "lost"

"Whats a Loopole" for $200, Alex

 

[GeoHorn]

I bought a lightly-used Ruger P97DC (.45ACP from a Dickinson, TX gunshop. It had been traded-in by a local police officer for a 9mm. (I believe his PD would supply 9mm for officers but not .45ACP.… but perhaps there was a different reason …as I soon suspected.)

I took it home and discovered about every 20 or 30 rounds it would jam (fail to feed.)

Next trip to Dickinson I returned the pistol and asked the dealer to ship it to Ruger for repair. (I have a fondness for Ruger, especially since they refuse to “warranty” their firearms…. they simply repair them regardless of age, condition, or cause.)

The dealer handled the transaction (packing and paperwork) and I paid the shipping.. I thought that was fair.

BTW, Ruger replaced a spring they said had been altered by persons unknown, and then tested, cleaned, and returned it with a new, molded-plastic box such as it was likely sold with when new, and included a new Owner’s Manual. No charge.

I’ve run about a thousand rounds through it since and it has functioned flawlessly.

I consider a firearm raffle open to the public to be something different rather than customary, and progressive…. not conservative.

(It’s how a friend of mine won a genuine Colt M4 (LEO), new in the box…. and since he already had several such types…. it came to me at a very favorable exchange-rate.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Friends don't let friends, drink and drive buy Taurus pistols.

Do yourself a favor and look at Rock Island or Canik

Way better quality for about the same price.

 

[ehenry]

If I choose to have it repaired I will certainly let the dealer handle it if they refuse to offer another gun of same make and model that’s not on recall list.

Depending on what they value the gun at I may add to it and get a different pistol all together.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I've had one Taurus. It was a POS. The only thing I've ever had that was worse was a Jennings given to me by someone who apparently didn't like me. I cut that one up for scrap.

Before the tragic boating accident, I had a Davidson .380 in my collection. It probably made/makes your Jennings look like a Colt Gold Cup. What a POS.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I am going to get a different pistol all together.

There, I fixed it for you.

 

[GeoHorn]

My Bro-in-Law showed up here at the ranch with his new Taurus .22 autoloader. It seemed to shoo “OK” …but I didn’t really look at it closely.

What’s the deal with Taurus.?? ( I don’t buy foreign stuff unless it’s a collectible.)

 

[Runs With Scissors]

My Bro-in-Law showed up here at the ranch with his new Taurus .22 autoloader. It seemed to shoo “OK” …but I didn’t really look at it closely.

What’s the deal with Taurus.?? ( I don’t buy foreign stuff unless it’s a collectible.)

I have had 3.

My first handgun was a Taurus .357 its actually ok.

The next 2 auto loaders we junk. Broken extractors, failure to feed, failure to eject...you name it.

Finally just sold them.

 

[ken erickson]

I have a different take on Taurus and their reputation for lack of quality than many here, but all good points.

The first revolvers that Taurus imported to the states had design cues very much resembling Smith and Wessons MP series. Pop the side plates off each brand and it was very evident that the lock works was much inferior to the S&W. Fit and finish also lacked, especially when compared to Pre war Smith's. I think this perception has followed Taurus and it is a reputation that is extremely hard to shake! A bit of interesting history, the parent company (Bangor Punta) that owned S&W also had controlling interest in Taurus for a time.

Taurus purchased tooling, specifications etc from Beretta after Beretta completed a contract to produce handguns for the Brazilian govt. The PT-92 is a fine quality handgun which I had sold many of and also had available for rental on my indoor range.

Did Taurus make some dogs? Yes! Especially in the time period when handgun manufactures where transitioning to polymer frames and downsizing autoloading handguns for the ever increasing concealed handgun market. Small autoloaders, with as much energy as possible caliber wise coupled with new to the industry materials spelled trouble.
Smith & Wesson , Colt etc made their share of dogs also durning that time period.

I hope ehenery gives his dealer and Taurus a chance to make his GX4 right! And congrats on a cool raffle prize!

 

[GeoHorn]

I had a horrible experience with a Colt peacemaker in .44 S&W I bought new from a Houston dealer.
I sent it to the factory to have the 7-1/2” barrel replaced with a 5”…and a spare cylinder made in .44-40.

It came back five months later with all that work done and a letter that it’d been tested, zeroed, cleaned. etrc.

The barrel had been installed cross-threaded and the front sight leaning over about 10 degrees.

Sent it back. Nine months later it came back “test fired, zeroed, cleaned, etc.”

I have no idea how they test tired it because it couldn’t be loaded…..the loading gate would not open at all due to interference. Sent it back.

Six months later it came back and the .44-40 cylinder could not be installed …. it collided with the forcing cone of the barrel…. cylinder was too long or barrel forcing cone was. The .44 Spcl cylinder was filthy and I frankly do not believe it was the correct cylinder because it had engraved between the chambers a completely different set of numbers than the serial of the gun (which the original cylinder matched exactly.)

The dealer accepted it as a “return” in exchange for different product.

Other than my early 1911 and a M4/LEO…. there are no other Colts in my ownership as the result of that experience.

 

[ehenry]

All, I haven't taken possession of the gun yet. I plan on going tomorrow see what can be worked out.

I've been talking to several close LEO friends that I work with that have done business with the dealer that sold all the raffle guns to the school. They all said that due to the fact that the guns were probably sold to the school for not much over dealer cost that the best I could hope for is getting the dealer to handle sending it in to Taurus for repair. If they refuse I'll handle it myself.

The dealer has the gun retail cost listed at $377 voucher I have. I'm guessing their cost will be in the low $200 range or less. So we'll see how that will work towards another make of compact semi-auto pistol.

 

[fried1765]

Friends don't let friends, drink and drive buy Taurus pistols.

Do yourself a favor and look at Rock Island or Canik

Way better quality for about the same price.

I respectfully disagree!
My Taurus G2C is a sweet little 9mm.

 

[DustyRusty]

My 1988 Taurus handled extremely well and it never killed anyone.

 

[fried1765]

All, I haven't taken possession of the gun yet. I plan on going tomorrow see what can be worked out.

I've been talking to several close LEO friends that I work with that have done business with the dealer that sold all the raffle guns to the school. They all said that due to the fact that the guns were probably sold to the school for not much over dealer cost that the best I could hope for is getting the dealer to handle sending it in to Taurus for repair. If they refuse I'll handle it myself.

The dealer has the gun retail cost listed at $377 voucher I have. I'm guessing their cost will be in the low $200 range or less. So we'll see how that will work towards another make of compact semi-auto pistol.

If the dealer will not give you $200,..... I will!
You could put in a USPS Priority mail box (I'll pay) and send it to me.
If the postal clerk asks about contents, the answer is:......."PARTS"

 

[ken erickson]

You could put in a USPS Priority mail box (I'll pay) and send it to me.
If the postal clerk asks about contents, the answer is:......."PARTS"

I would guess Fried1765 is kidding!

NOT a good idea to mail a handgun and mis-state the contents.

Is Mail X-Rayed?

Some of the mail that is sent through the United States Postal Service will pass through an X-Ray machine. There are no specific guidelines as to what may or may not be x-rayed, though mail sent to or through larger cities is likely to pass through an X-Ray machine.

If you have additional questions about X-Raying of items, contact your local Post Office.

Note: Marking a mailpiece "Do Not X-Ray" will not forgo the X-Raying of a mailpiece, and may result in the item being considered suspicious.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I would guess Fried1765 is kidding!

NOT a good idea to mail a handgun and mis-state the contents.

Is Mail X-Rayed?

Some of the mail that is sent through the United States Postal Service will pass through an X-Ray machine. There are no specific guidelines as to what may or may not be x-rayed, though mail sent to or through larger cities is likely to pass through an X-Ray machine.

If you have additional questions about X-Raying of items, contact your local Post Office.

Note: Marking a mailpiece "Do Not X-Ray" will not forgo the X-Raying of a mailpiece, and may result in the item being considered suspicious.

I had my FFL for a few years and have mailed quiet a few/hundreds of guns via USPS.

I have no idea if they were X-rayed or not, but they never once called me to verify I was in fact an FFL.

When I first started, the staff would check to make sure my FFL was on file, but they soon just remembered me, and I would just flop it on the counter, pay and walk out.

My point is, I have no idea how the X-ray guy downtown would know I was an FFL.

Disclaimer: I would not mess with the post office, or skirt the law though.

( I am too pretty to go to prison )

 

[ken erickson]

A FFL must complete PS form 1508 before shipping a handgun thru the US Postal Service. Not sure when that form was first implemented.

A federal firearms licensee manufacturer, dealer, or importer need not file the affidavit under 432.22, but must file with the Postmaster a statement on PS Form 1508, Statement by Shipper of Firearms, signed by the mailer that he or she is a licensed manufacturer, dealer, or importer of firearms. The mailer must also state that the parcels containing handguns, or parts and components of handguns under 432.2d, are being mailed in customary trade shipments or contain such articles for repairing or replacing parts, and that to the best of their knowledge the addressees are licensed manufacturers, dealers, or importers of firearms. Registered Mail service is recommended.

Postmasters may forward an unsatisfactory mailer statement to the PCSC for a ruling

 

[skeets]

OK contact Taurus they will send you a shipping label box it up and most likely UPS place, they will repair it and send it back eazy peezy, and sending one back for repair does not mean you have to send it to through a dealer. And Taurus once owned, or was part of the group, S&W so a lot of stuff you find is based on something S&W had done. I have,,errr had a 1911 and it shoots ,,,err shot everything you stuck in it from hardball to hollow points cast or jacketed, it shot a lot better than the 2 Kimbers I had. A tracker .357 I would put up against any S&W I own errr did own, and a few others that I have moved along because I wanted a new toy. At any rate, I bet they are faster getting it back to you than SIG was

 

[ken erickson]

OK contact Taurus they will send you a shipping label box it up and most likely UPS place, they will repair it and send it back eazy peezy, and sending one back for repair does not mean you have to send it to through a dealer.

Problem with handguns is that they DO require shipping to be handled by a FFL dealer due to common carrier policies mimicking the USPS handgun shipping policies. I searched and was not able to find a common carrier that will accept a handgun from a non licensed individual. I could be wrong but I do not think that Taurus sending a pre-paid shipping label will make a difference.

See post #17