Wolfgang The Gun Doctor

Shipping & Repair Info

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Notice: As of 30JUN19, I will no longer be a Warranty Repair Center for Eagle Imports  (Bersa/Metro Arms/American Classic/Gr& Power/S.P.S./Avidity Arms/Llama/Comanche).

 However, I will still be working on these models and almost all other brands/models, but as an ordinary gunsmith and will be charging my normal rates and for return shipping.

(also see "General Notes" below):

(Last Updated: 04JUL2019)

1. Basically, I won't waste time trying to find information that should be in with the firearm until I have completely run out of useful things to do.  I don't mean to be difficult in this matter, but I find myself spending an inordinate amount of time just figuring out who & what I'm dealing with.  I speak with & email many folks on a given day, so don't expect me to remember you & your particular situation off the top of my head.  My time is far better spent on repairs.  I have had one firearm in for 13 MONTHS - no name, phone #, or problem description & was sent from a UPS store.  I will soon declare it as abandoned, repair, & sell it.  
2. Print a cover letter with the problem(s), any special notes, your name, contact information, including street address, (UPS/FedEx cannot deliver to a P.O. Box), phone number, email address if you have one, & put this information inside the package, preferably in direct contact w/ the firearm. WRITE THIS LETTER AS IF WE HAVE NEVER BEEN IN CONTACT AS I CAN'T POSSIBLY REMEMBER ALL THE DETAILS OF ALL THE CONTACTS/CALLS.  OTHERWISE 1.  ABOVE APPLIES.
3.  Do not send original receipts or other irreplaceable paperwork, only copies;  I will NOT be responsible for them.  I toss all paperwork at the end of a job, except the problem description page. 
4. I prefer to communicate via email Wolfgang@WolfgangTheGunDoctor.com.  When you email, be sure to include your name, who the firearm was shipped by & the approximate ship date, & make, model & serial number if known - see 1. above.   
5. I realize that sometimes it is necessary to call, (503) 429-7342 (O) or (503) 475-3563 (C), & that is fine, but you'll probably get a quicker response if you email.  If you leave a voicemail, speak slowly, distinctly & state your phone number at least twice, preferably near the beginning & end of the message.  The only reason I don't reply to a voice mail is that I can't understand it & the problem is getting worse due to bad cell phone connections.
6. Occasionally I get swamped, but you should generally expect an answer or at least acknowledgment by the end of the next business day. If not, it's probably for one of the reasons listed in the previous paragraphs, so don't hesitate to re-send or re-call.
7. There is no need to disassemble/field strip a firearm for shipping.  It is legally still a firearm even if completely disassembled & all laws & regulations still apply.  Have the firearm & magazines, etc. wrapped together in a single bundle. I have almost discarded magazines & other small parts because they appeared to be just more packing material.  In general, do NOT clean the firearm before shipping as this may remove useful evidence for identifying & rectifying the problem.  However, it is a good idea to wipe down the outside of the pistol & apply a light coat of gun oil to prevent rust during transit.  Put some sort of contact information inside with the firearm itself in case the outside address gets obscured or obliterated.

Regardless how you choose to ship your firearm, please DO NOT  address it to "The Gun Doctor" - it's always best not to advertise the fact that there is a firearm inside.  The address is: 

TGD (or Wolfgang Rotbart)

60690 Stoney Point Rd.

Vernonia, OR 97064

Be ABSOLUTELY SURE you have unloaded the pistol & magazine(s); call me if you are unsure how to do this.  Do not have any ammunition in with the firearm as this is illegal when shipping via U.S. Mail & is subject to a "Hazmat" charge for the other shipping companies.  It is even illegal to have a fired case in the package for reasons I won't even try to fathom.

Send the firearm "Signature Required" as I want to ensure that it does not inadvertently doesn't get left where a child or unauthorized person can get it.  This is something all responsible gun owners should support & it only costs a few dollars extra.  Check & abide by all state & local shipping/transfer regulations.  This is your responsibility; I can't possibly keep up with all these useless/needless/unconstitutional laws.  You may be required to ship using a local FFL, report to your local authorities, etc.  

Shipping Options:

There are 4 ways I know of to ship a firearm.  The costs can vary tremendously, so shop around send it the cheapest way you can.  Here are the shipping options that I know of in order of increasing cost:

1. Send it through the U.S. Mail yourself.  This is illegal unless you have a valid Federal Firearms License (FFL), so I can't recommend this.  It is my understanding that the P.O. will confiscate the firearm if they happen to find it.
2. Find someone who has an FFL, such as a gun dealer, gunsmith, & some pawn shops, & have them ship it for you.   Some folks will do this for free, especially if it's where you bought it, & others charge a fee for the ATF-required record keeping.  They will need a copy of my FFL on file before they can legally send it, so have them send me an email with their FFL & I'll reply with a copy of mine.  If sent via mail, I'd suggest sending the pistol & magazine without the Bersa packaging box so that you can use the post office's "Small Flat Rate" box.  Even with the "Signature Required" charge, it only costs $10.50 to ship it this way.  If you want to include the Bersa packaging box for extra protection, you will need to use the "Medium Flat Rate" box & the cost will be $16.50 total (as of 14MAR2018).
3. Ship via UPS/FedEx Ground.  To go this route, package securely, including at least one magazine and preferably with all the magazines you use with the firearm, but NO ammunition.  Do not volunteer any information about the contents, but I think you are required to answer truthfully if specifically asked if there is a firearm inside.  If you tell UPS (or FedEx) that there is a firearm inside, you will be forced to ship it overnight at extortionary rates (see D. below).  All things being equal, I'd suggest shipping via UPS as this is the company that Bersa uses & so we will have have more leverage with them if there is a problem.
4. Ship via UPS/FedEx Next Day.  If you inform them that you are sending a firearm, they will require you to ship it overnight at great expense: $40 - $100+ depending on where you are located.  There is no legal requirement for this.  It is just pure corporate greed at its "finest" & legalized discrimination against firearm owners.  Also, you will usually be required to take it to the main office in an area which is invariably inconveniently located, made to fill out needless/useless paperwork & generally be treated as if you're a criminal or insane.  Also, there are an increasing number of shipping offices that will flatly refuse to ship a firearm regardless.  These are several of the reasons I urge people to use the U. S. Mail whenever possible.

General Notes For All Other Firearms:

Much of the information below is used by permission from a GunTech Video Magazine article, featuring Ken Brooks as the demonstrator, found on the Gun Club of America website.

1. MAKE DOUBLE, TRIPLE & QUADRUPLE SURE THE FIREARM IS UNLOADED!  A $50 FEE WILL BE ADDED TO ANY FIREARM FOUND TO BE LOADED UPON RECEIPT - NO EXCEPTIONS!  If you're not absolutely sure how to unload a firearm, please contact me beforehand.
2. See "Shipping Options" above.
3. Please contact me before shipping rare, antique, heirloom or irreplaceable firearms for special instructions.
4. Check & abide by state & local shipping/transfer regulations.  This is your responsibility; I can't possibly keep up with all these useless/needless/ unconstitutional laws.  You may be required to ship using a local FFL (Federal Firearms Licensee), report to your local authorities, etc.
5. Print a cover letter with the problem(s), any special notes, your name, contact information, including street address (UPS/FedEx cannot deliver to a P.O. Box), phone number & email address if you have one & attach it to the firearm or at least put it inside the package.  Envelopes on the outside of a box are often lost & I will have no idea what the problem(s) are & sometimes even who sent it.  It is a good idea to send me an email with the make, model & serial number of your firearm in the subject line when you ship it as then I will have your email address, know what, when, & how to expect the firearm to arrive.
6. Be sure to insure the firearm(s) for their full value.  I cannot be responsible for firearms that I don't receive or that are damaged in transit.  That's what the insurance is for.
7. Avoid anything on the outside of the packaging which suggests a firearm is inside as that makes it a prime target for thieves.  Address the package to:

TGD (or Wolfgang Rotbart)

60690 Stoney Point Rd.

Vernonia, OR 97064

Packaging Notes:

1. Disassembling the firearm is unnecessary unless you need to to fit a box or some bone-head state/local regulations.  A fully stripped firearm is still legally a firearm.
2. If you have the original factory box/case, you may want to ship it in that as they generally provide very good protection.  If shipping it in some other packaging or box, be sure to wrap the muzzle end with packaging material such as bubble wrap. Repeat for the butt end & middle for long guns.
3. Wrap the entire firearm in any suitable packing material so that it fits snugly in the shipping container/box & doesn't shift around inside the package.
4. Place several inches of packing material in the bottom of the shipping container/box, place the rifle in butt first, pack material around the muzzle to keep it in the center of the shipping container/box & fill the muzzle end of the shipping container/box with at least 4" of newspaper or other sturdy packaging material, not the "air bag" type material.
5. Remember: YOU WILL NEVER REGRET "OVER-PACKING" A FIREARM FOR TRANSIT.  Assume it will be handled by angry, anti-gun gorillas & thrown out of a plane at high speed & altitude as it nears its destination.

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