freight shipping

[drooling idiot]

i didn't want this link to get lost. he is talking about the MG42 AA double mount specificly but the info on the shipping may be useful to some of the members generally.

I don't know exactly how much it weighs, but the vendor estimated 300 pounds for the base, the mount, and a pallet. Sounds about right. I do have one, haven't used it yet. Got it from Cole's for $700 I think. Shipping is expensive unless you know how to work the system. Most shippers will quote you something in the high $300's through the $400's. However, I signed up online for an account with a discount LTL (Less Than Truck Load) shipping broker. I did a little research and contacted a shipping company to figure out the proper class code (you need a class code to ship freight). I got mine shipped from Kentucky all the way to the West Coast for $119. Yup, $119. (BTW, I recall checking and finding out that you cannot ship ammo this way.)

Several things affect price: 1) If you can pick it up from the trucking copany's terminal, they love it and give a price break. I showed up with a pickup truck and they forklifted the pallet right into the back. No fuss no muss. 2) If they have to make a delivery to a residential location or one without a loading dock, they jack the price up because they have to send a truck with a lift on the back. 3) Same as #2 if the shipper does not have a loading dock.

Just to see how much of a difference it made going through the discount LTL broker, I called THE SAME trucking company that was hauling my shipment and asked them for a quote (exact same details). They quoted me around $400. Obviously, it made a huge difference. I used The Freight Rate Co. for this about two years ago so YMMV. Here is their link:

http://www.thefreightrateco.com/

[TOM R]

this is great to know, i had a fiberglass hood shipped and it was still over 200 shipping with me going to the terminal, had to go freight just cause of the size probly cheaper with this company