Re Posting an air rifle via Parcel Force.

[delbenjosh]

I was trying to find out the details about posting an air rifle. I visited the post office and was told 'no, not possible' and phoned Parcel Force and still being told 'no, not possible' or 'yes, if you drop it at our depot'.

Eventually I managed to speak to the manager of the managing directors office. I explained everything and she gave me all the details.

I asked for it in writing so she emailed me over the following:

Hi Adele



On the 2nd April 2013 we made an alteration to our terms and conditions regarding the sending of air weapons through our Parcelforce Worldwide network.



We are not changing our policy for any class 1 firearms – so they are still prohibited on all Parcelforce Worldwide services. However we will now accept certain air weapons (defined as a low powered air rifles, air guns or air pistols). Please note the goods must be accepted at a Post Office counter and our Express 48 service must be used. Also the goods are covered up to a maximum of £100.00 for compensation and no enhanced compensation is available on goods of this nature.



Thank you for contacting us and I hope the above clarifies matters for you. Please be assured the previous information provided has been taken up with the manager of our Bristol depot as a training issue.



Regards



Diane Pickering

Manager, Managing Director’s Office

Customer Service & Customer Experience

Parcelforce Worldwide


I have posted it in case it helps anyone else having problems as it seems most staff at Parcel Force are not aware that they now accept air rifles. She also pointed out that most post office staff are asking if you want enhanced compensation. Even if it is purchased it will not be covered so may as well save yourself a few quid.

Cheers Ben

[flatrajectory]

Ben,
Thanks for posting this. We were aware of the new regs regarding Parcelforce 48 but were not aware of the £100 limit on compensation. !!!
Pete.

[Bsa22]

Thank's for the posting. Shame about the compensation.!!!!

[Garvin]

Thanks for posting this information. That's the first I've heard about a £100 maximum compensation.

I wonder how they can justify this? If they are willing to carry air rifles, why not insure them like any other goods? Are they suggesting their value is harder to verify than other goods? Surely that can't be true. They also seem to be suggesting air rifles can't be collected from the sender's home like other parcels?

Assuming the above is correct (and let's face it, the left hand doesn't seem to know what the right is doing here)...

...it looks like the same anti-gun people with the Royal Mail (Parcelforce's parent company) that devised the attempted ban on firearm parts, airguns etc last summer are at work here - trying to frustrate us with regulations where official policy wouldn't get past the regulator, Ofcom.

The BASC has the muscle to get its lawyers onto this question, perhaps DavidBASC can tell us what they are doing to clarify what the situation is and improve it if this ridiculous cap on compensation is true?

[Rich]

I wonder if it's possible to obtain additional cover from a third party?

For example, if you are a NSRA member you have cover for your own rifles but I haven't looked up to see if that covers unaccompanied transit.

[webb22]

so whats the alternative then?

Do DPD, DHL, FEDEX for example take air rifles...and are they covered for more compensation?

I've come across a problem with RM Recorded Delivery recently; they only pay out a max of £48 - and if you declare its a sound moderator (for example) then you're stuffed?!!

[Paul55]

You can buy additional compensation cover at the time of posting. The £100 limit is the included comp value.

Ask at your local Post Office for the "Our Prices" guide, "Your handy guide to our UK & international parcel & letter service prices" & all will become clear.

[Minuteman]

Thanks for posting this information. That's the first I've heard about a £100 maximum compensation.

I wonder how they can justify this? If they are willing to carry air rifles, why not insure them like any other goods? Are they suggesting their value is harder to verify than other goods? Surely that can't be true. They also seem to be suggesting air rifles can't be collected from the sender's home like other parcels?

Assuming the above is correct (and let's face it, the left hand doesn't seem to know what the right is doing here)...

...it looks like the same anti-gun people with the Royal Mail (Parcelforce's parent company) that devised the attempted ban on firearm parts, airguns etc last summer are at work here - trying to frustrate us with regulations where official policy wouldn't get past the regulator, Ofcom.

The BASC has the muscle to get its lawyers onto this question, perhaps DavidBASC can tell us what they are doing to clarify what the situation is and improve it if this ridiculous cap on compensation is true?

Initially I was as relieved as anyone that carriage of air rifles in the post was going to continue.

However excuse me for being cynical, but I now see this as only the thin end of the wedge.

RM has effectively banned rifles from their services, evading the previous OffCom ruling that they must by altering Parcel Farce's terms to allow carriage.

If this £100 limit is real then they are unfairly prejudicing their services against legitimate use - the only reason for this cannot be commercial, after all as has been noted previously - a well packaged air rifle is no more liable to damage or loss than a sewing machine or a cricket bat - so that must give some indication to future intent, they are simply going to tighten the noose from here on in.

Now that it is in the hands of Parcel Farce all they need do is wait a period of time and then change their terms again, our position made weaker at every juncture till a de facto state of non-carriage exists.

This just indicates to me that we are half way down that road, and are being told that it is a success when actually it is a failure.

[thisisdonald]

It could be a coincidence, or forward planning, but this is an extract from the scottish air weapon licensing consultation regarding compensation to people handing in their guns - post licensing implementation.

Panel members have also pointed out that many of the air weapons
sold in Scotland cost less than £100 at point of sale. Should the application
fee be set too high, this too would be seen as disproportionate, having a
detrimental impact on the retail industry and potentially leading to a situation
where owners chose not to comply with the licensing regime.

One of the issues which has been raised at the Scottish Firearms
Consultative Panel is whether air weapons owners who choose to give up
their weapons should be compensated financially. On balance, the Scottish
Government does not propose to offer such compensation. Many of
the 500,000 air weapons estimated to be in Scotland may be old, unused and
lying forgotten in attics and garages and we do not believe it is appropriate to
offer compensation for these.

For newer, or regularly used air weapons, it will be for the owner to
decide whether he or she wishes to retain the weapon and obtain a certificate
for it, or to hand it in to the police. In order to assist in that decision, the
Scottish Government will aim to set a certificate application fee at a level
which takes account of the fact that the majority of new air weapons being
sold by dealers cost less than £100 at point of sale. Those who possess the
more expensive weapons are highly likely to have them for legitimate use
such as pest control, organised sports events etc, and are therefore more
likely to apply for and be granted a certificate.