Shipping Bows Overseas

[SELFBOW19953]

Has anyone had a "good" experience shipping a bow overseas?  It seems that the max length allowed is 60".  So is it safe to assume that there are no 60+" American made longbows overseas?  Do bowyers, as a business, have special dispensation for oversize packages?

[Flying Dutchman]

Last year I bought a Cari-Bow Peregrine from Abe Penner. The bow is 62 "long, when strung. So unstrung it will be longer. Add to that the cardboard box so I think you will end close to 70 inch.
I live in The Netherlands and there was not the slightest problem getting it here.

[30coupe]

I have shipped a couple to Australia, but both were take-down bows, so the length wasn't an issue. I used USPS. I think the cost goes up considerably as the length increases. A lot will depend on the country you are shipping to. You may have to use something other than USPS. The 60" rule may be theirs.

[Bjorn]

Bowyers ship longbows generally using Fedex; 250-300 dollars is about the going rate. I have shipped takedowns in the past, and I sent a 70" water ski to a guy in Australia with a specialized carrier so it can be done; but it is painful to say the least. Also payment is not straightforward either. The best is an international Paypal and ship to a Paypal verified address.

[Flying Dutchman]

250 to 300 dollars is absurd and not true! I and my friends always pay around the US 100,- for getting a bow over here. We live in The Netherlands/Germany.For that money you get unsurance and a tracking code. If I remeber well they use UPS.
Go ask Abe Penner from Cari-Bow and Ken Rohloff from Whippenstick! They know how it goes...

[wingnut]

Well if they are doing it for $100 they are eating the difference.  Go to the UPS website and put in the numbers.  Prices run over $250 using them.

FedEX is a little less.

Mike

[Mike Yancey]

I checked into shipping one to Sweeden this week and it was 279.00
Mike

[Flying Dutchman]

You must do something wrong I think

[stujay]

I just sent a three piece longbow to Sweden and it appears to have been delivered today, it was mailed USPS priority 10-3-11. So 9 days. Cost was $47. Sent it in a well padded box total weight 3lb8oz. It appears a 1 piece bow because of size throws a monkey wrench into the equation. The cost of shipping a 1 piece bow may be what you are asking about. 3 or 2 piece bow, no problem.

[LongStick64]

Anything over 60" is going to kill your wallet plain and simple. I had an estimate of over 400 US to send to Scotland. USPS wouldn't ship a tube over 60". UPS was scary expensive and FedEx wasn't far behind. When I got the bow from Scotland it came from a carrier I never heard of. But I will say, it came faster from Scotland than any bow I've bought from here.

[ron w]

I sent a recurve to Norway, it was only 56" and the box came out to be 59". It only cost $56 with USPS Priority Mail. UPS for the same was $150+. Once you get over 60" it's a different set of rules.

[Margly]

I have bought several bows from US to Norway.
When I have bought bows with a length more than 60" in the package it's quite expensive!!

For the last year it seems that the damaged items has grown bigger... Send the longbow in a pvc tube if it cost some USD more I would say better safe than sorry!

Margly

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Plenty of US-built 70" bows here. We just use UPS or FedEx. We pay a lot extra for shipping, but we reckon it's worth it for a good bow.

[cacciatore]

One piece over 60" are quite expensive,I would check USPS,it takes a little bit longer anyway.
This is one of the reasons I prefere to use a TD.
also airlines charge you extra for a second bag,and with a one piece lb you need that.

[Lincoln Ribeiro]

Fedex from US to Brazil, for a 68" longbow, is around USD$250. Some bowyers knows how to ship to here by USPS, but they are just few ones. USPS says the maximum package length, to Brazil, is 42 inchs. But I know several guys who brought longbows via USPS and payd less than USD$50 for shipping. The USPS website says that it can be shipped to here tubes with length plus girth up to 79 inchs. Since a longbow is very slim, it seems to be possible to ship to Brazil. So it's not clear what can be shipped, and what cannot, via USPS.

[Dave Lay]

I know i sent a 66" one pc longbow to Australia and it was around $100or less a year or so ago,pretty sure it was on ups. It was in a 3" pvc tube if i remember right.  i have shipped several take downs overseas as well with no problems.

[tg2nd]

Craig Ekin (HH Archery) ships his bows for a little less then 100 USD to Germany, insured via Fedex. Last year I bought a 64" bow from another TG Member. Also a little less then 100 USD, insured via USPS.

[Hubi]

like Flying Dutchman and tg2nd .... I received a 66" Longbow from Ken Rohloff Whippenstick about 3 weeks ago via FedEx insured $75!!!!! It was in 5 days in Germay!!

[Osagetree]

Just tried this from the USA.

Fedex $374.00 to South Africa @ 7 lbs & 72" - didn't ship it!

 USPS to South Africa = $46.00 @ 7 lbs & 42" - made a two peice

USPS to New Zealand @ 7 lbs & 67" - $56.00

[SELFBOW19953]

Joseph,

I just tried using the USPS postage calculator for Priority Mail International (on the USPS website) shipping to New Zealand, 7 lbs, 67x4x4".  The result was "There are NOT any Mail Services available for the specified mail piece".  At 60" it gives me a rate.  At 61" "There are NOT any Mail Services available for the specified mail piece".

What USPS mode did you use to ship to NZ?  I have an overseas buyer for a bow (I've had to turn down several others in the past).