A Christchurch woman is shocked after a gun was mistakenly couriered to her house.

The package, dropped off by Fastway Couriers, was in the distinctive shape of a firearm and 'Rifle' was listed in the parcel description.

The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, says her first reaction when finding it on her doorstep in Avonside was panic.

"I wasn't going to either use the gun, sell the gun."

"Anything could have happened really, if the wrong person had arrived home to find that at their doorstep."

The woman phoned police, who picked up the firearm.

She's complained to Fastway who told her the incident should not have happened.