I don't know how many typewriters we've sold on our online store and shipped across the country but there have been dozens. We've even shipped a typewriter as far away as Hawaii while shipping some just down the road from us.
If you've never attempted to ship a large, heavy, fragile item before, it's a real challenge. Generally speaking, it's always a bad idea to subject a vintage typewriter to the rigors of shipping but it can be done fairly successfully. Over the last three years, we've learned the best practices of shipping a typewriter while also experiencing what it's like to have a typewriter arrive at your door that someone didn't pack well and see the damage that occurred in transit. I've seen carriage return levers broken off, the frame of the typewriter broken, typebars tangled, ribbon covers bent and twisted, and platen knobs shattered.
If you're thinking of purchasing a typewriter online, I'd encourage you to buy from your local typewriter shop, if possible. It's best for the machine and one less chance you have to take. If you happen to not have that luxury, buy from a typewriter shop that has experience shipping these wonderful writing machines and have the necessary materials to do it well. It's worth the extra cost.