[wterrell]

Don,
The pistol will be considerably diminished in value if the magazines are separated from it. You have retained money through the loss of the sale for you would have suffered a net loss with this sale.
Does not Federal Express ship in Canada? UPS employs out of work gorillas to conduct destruction testing on packages (they call it handling and delivery).
I would have told them that it was an antique auto part and insured it for $800 with no questions asked. If it was lost, no problem. If they decided to rip it open and inspect it, I will guarantee to you the the federal employee would confirm that it is in fact an antique auto part and expound on what a rare part it is indeed!