Royal Mail vs Parcel Force

[emilianoksa]

My wife posted a gbb pistol for me today. 

Unfortunately I forgot to tell her to use Parcel Force, and she sent it as a toy with Royal Mail 1st Class.

What are the chances of it getting seized and destroyed? Slim I hope.

 

[MagpieTactical]

My reading of there prohibited items list is that you should be ok

View attachment 88904

 

[Asomodai]

My reading of there prohibited items list is that you should be ok

View attachment 88904

He sent it Royal Mail. Not Parcelforce. Thats the Parcel Force prohibited list.

Will it get seized? I have doubts. But no experience. 

I did accidently send out a rifle PF24 before and it got through. Probably doesn't help in this instance. 

 

[EDcase]

Yeah should be fine

 

[sjhirst]

Should be grand i think........

View attachment 88912

 

[BigStew]

When I have sent a rif postoffice by accident they have been seized every time. Got them returned eventually.

 

[MagpieTactical]

He sent it Royal Mail. Not Parcelforce. Thats the Parcel Force prohibited list.

Will it get seized? I have doubts. But no experience. 

I did accidently send out a rifle PF24 before and it got through. Probably doesn't help in this instance. 

Really? It's the royal mail prohibited items leaflet 

View attachment 88914

Found on this page, and a tick means it's OK to send in the mail

https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/96/~/prohibited-and-restricted-items---advice-for-personal-customers

The Parcelforce one is here:

https://www.parcelforce.com/help-and-advice/sending/prohibitions-and-restrictions

 

[Asomodai]

Really? It's the royal mail prohibited items leaflet 

View attachment 88914

Found on this page, and a tick means it's OK to send in the mail

https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/96/~/prohibited-and-restricted-items---advice-for-personal-customers

The Parcelforce one is here:

https://www.parcelforce.com/help-and-advice/sending/prohibitions-and-restrictions

Oh wow. Has that changed recently???

I stand corrected!

 

[MagpieTactical]

I think it's always been like that. Only parcel force method accepted is 48 hour express at a post office counter,  can send them royal mail 1st class. 

I think the problem you may have, is that it doesn't offer enough cover in the event of loss etc so rarely gets used.  As a consequence, I doubt Royal Mail staff know enough about IFs, RIFs, airsoft etc, and stuff is likely to be seized/destroyed because of that lack of knowledge. 

I personally wouldn't chance it on purpose, but technically its allowed - according to that 

 

[Sneaky]

You should be fine, but just be prepared for the farce!

 

[Guest]

As some help, I post a lot of toy guns.

Only ever had one issue, sending RM special delivery, a pistol got x-rayed, the sorting office  panicked. 
This was just before lock down if I remember correctly. 
 

The pistol got sent by land and sea to the Northen Ireland depot where they check out anything dodgy.

obviously,  they laughed when they opened it, and sent it on its way.

Took three weeks though, and I did get my special delivery charges back as they guarantee next day delivery 

 

[Druid799]

Well having sent a miss described MP7 back to the seller last wk I can say my experience was the guy in the post office said it could have gone with either(was light enough) , I did question about shouldn’t it go PF48 but he said the latest T&C’s have eased up a bit so as long as I confirmed there’s no Gas or Batteries with it it could go with either . 

 

[Floperator]

Pistols are fine by RM, I've posted loads. Only issues may arise if you include gas cans or CO2 caplets - then the whole package is liable to be destroyed - or if the parcel travels by air, in which case there may be delays but it *shouldn't* be destroyed if labelled properly.

For long guns and if you want substantial compensation cover you need to use PF, unless you want to break it down into smaller components and take your chances with RM.

Will reiterate that you MUST NOT post pressurised gas containers.  Empty the mags if you are sending a GBB.

 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

The compensation value is £100 max IIRC if sent RM.  Apart from that you're fine.

 

[Enid_Puceflange]

I accidentally sent a pistol rif by parcel force (not 48) and it was stopped and examined

it took almost two weeks to get to the recipient

Everything was ok, just a delay due to inspection 

The compensation value is £100 max IIRC if sent RM.  Apart from that you're fine.

I’m led to believe they won’t offer compensation on anything gun shaped, which is why I send uninsured 

 

[Rogerborg]

I did question about shouldn’t it go PF48 but he said the latest T&C’s have eased up a bit so as long as I confirmed there’s no Gas or Batteries with it it could go with either .

Yup, @sjhirst's image above appears to be a true truth, see https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/what-can-i-send - it does warn about delays while they grasp your Glock, but should get through eventually.

That's great news, it looks like we have a viable option to PF48.  PF48 caps (or capped) compensation for shooty things to £100.

To be honest, on the few occasions I've posted (cheap) RIFs I've just sent them by whatever courier was cheapest, marked as sporting goods, on the basis that I doubt Hermes (or "Evri" as they've rebranded) really gives a stuff what they're carrying as long as it's not dripping or ticking.

 

[Asomodai]

I think the biggest barrier is weight limits at this point. Post Office/RM wont take anything above 2KG I think. So most rifles will still be PF48. 

 

[DestrO]

I think the biggest barrier is weight limits at this point. Post Office/RM wont take anything above 2KG I think. So most rifles will still be PF48. 

RM will take over 2kg but the price is way higher, at that point PF is the best option 

 

[The Waco Kid]

As Google fight isn’t a thing anymore, I give you brothers being shits (Parcel Force is Royal Mails sibling).View attachment 89124

 

[emilianoksa]

Just to let you all know, it did arrive and the next day at that.