I was on the phone trying to order 2000 Remington 38 cal 148 grain hbwc (~ $115/2000) + shipping.

Phone attendant said shipping was $35, via UPS. I asked why they couldn't ship in a USPS flat rate box for ~ $12-14 (depending on size). Midway rep say's "It's not our policy, it's the result of the contract USPS and Midway agreed upon. Can't exceed 50 lbs."

Ok, I asked if they could ship 1000 148 grain 35 caliber hbwc to me in the smaller USPS flat rate box. "No, it has to go UPS."

I informed the rep that 2000 148 grain bullets weigh 42 lbs (2000 x 148/7000 grains per lb), well under the 50 lb limit.

Long silence. "Well that's the contractual agreement." She says.

I ask her, "Is 42 lbs less than 50 lbs?" "Yes." she replies. "Ok, then what am I missing? USPS has a max limit of 70 lbs on flat rate boxes."

Long pause. "That's our policy."

"I'll pass on the order. I hope you can pass a message to Mr. Potterfield to consider reviewing his "USPS contractual agreement" and weight limits."

Back to the casting table.

PS: casting equipment purchased at Graf and sons.

I find Midway's "fair and honest" shipping charges to be consistently excessive. Okay, sure, they need to pay for the box, the foam crap they fill it with, and the eighth-grade drop-out who tapes the box shut, but I don't appreciate the pretense that they are shipping at cost.

I had a back and forth e-mail session with Midway about their excessive shipping costs and was told it includes "handling". I suggested they ask the president if he gets charged for cooking when he buys a steak. This hidden rip off technique seems to be spreading. I just bought an Eotech sight from GG&G in Tucson. This comes in a box about 1/3 the size of a loaf of bread and weighing about a pound tops. Freight and handling was $27. Cabelas started this and a lot of companies are copying it.
I get really upset with Midway but they usually have what you need. I don't have a decent gun shop in the area and my local Sportsman's Warehouse closed so I'm screwed.

I absolutely refuse to deal with Midway. I'm sick & tired at being screwed by their shipping. BTDT too many times.
NOw, NorthFork bullets, that's another story. Flat rate box thru the mail - way to go!!!
Midway can go out of business for all I care.
Bear in Fairbanks

I raised cane with Cabelas shipping cost when they told me $14.95 for a E scale. I told them to put in a free USPS flat rate box buy a 25 cent new paper to stuff around the scale and send it to me for $9.75 at that time. the lady told me they couldn't do that so I told her to forget the sale i would buy else where. She told me to hold she wanted to talk to her boss. They sent it free shipping and said they would review the USPS flat rate system since they did ship PP thru the USPO.

Al

quote:

PS: casting equipment purchased at Graf and sons.

I started using Graf and Sons for that very reason two years ago.

I feel the same way about Midway. I was on my way from St. Louis to KC one weekend and wanted to buy some powder, so I called Midway and said I would use their pick-up window instead of paying all the charges. Their response was, "we don't really carry the powder and primers locally, we outsource it so you can not pick it up."

I went the extra 10 miles off the highway and picked it up at Grafs. I never looked back.

Not trying to defend Midway but everytime I've checked their charges against usps or actual ups charges they have been on the money.
Shipping has gone crazy lately.
RE the flat rate boxes. I used to do some ebay stuff and loved the boxes. Lately the boxes have gotten really thin.....they are junk and some of em' can't hold safely for shipping more than a few pounds.
One last trick with MIdway. If you are going to order put the words "midway coupon" in google. It usually takes you to a site that will give you a code that can often pay for shipping. It's not unusual to find $10 codes for $100 orders or other coupons.

quote:

RE the flat rate boxes. I used to do some ebay stuff and loved the boxes. Lately the boxes have gotten really thin.....they are junk and some of em' can't hold safely for shipping more than a few pounds.

...and on the 8th day God created filament tape, and solved this problem with room to spare...

I am another once upon a time Midway customer.I quit them for the same reason others have.Outrageous shipping.I much prefer Graf and Sons. $4.95 handling fee, done.Fed Ex has smaller vehicles and less room to abuse your purchases in.

I see what I am purchasing sometimes midway is cheaper and sometimes midsouth and sometimes graph and sons. I calculate the amount I purchased and the amount shipping is and whatever is cheapest I go with. You can go through and calculate shipping at both midway and midsouth if I remember right. Most of the time lately it is graph.

Simple solution. Use Grafs

I've ordered 12k worth of merchandise from Midway in 2 years. My items along with a few other of my fellow cops -- we all ordered under my name and split the bill when the items arrived. So as far as Midway knows I order 6k worth from them a year.

I shied away from some orders due to the high shipping costs.

I never had an issue with damaged items until mid-year last year. First box arrived damaged stuff inside. They took care of it right away. A few shipment later another damaged box....UPS lady says check it -- we opened it and retaped it. So minor damage inside -- broken blue plastic box for Lapua brass and IIRC a small item missing.

This time they broke my balls! I sent a few emails and they didn't give a damn. So I say FUCK them! I hope these other companies hurt em hard in the wallet.

Since the summer we have ordered less than $600 worth of items from Midway. I hope more do the same.

I've ordered items on sale twice in the last 30 days from Midway and both packages came in flat rate boxes thru the post office. In fact come to think of it, several came in flat rate boxes last year.

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
I get really upset with Midway but they usually have what you need. I don't have a decent gun shop in the area and my local Sportsman's Warehouse closed so I'm screwed.

Geese, times have changed.

I bought my 1st Leupold 3-9 scope @ Sols in Homestead in 1968. Right across the street from the US Steel works where I worked.

There was also a great gun shop in Pittcairn.(sp?)

I bought my 1st M760 30/06 at a K Mart on Rt 30 west of Irwin the same year. I can't remember the name of the town.

In the late '60s the Pittsburgh area had well stocked gun store out the wazoo.

Sad how times have (aparently) changed there.

Pittsburgh, like many of the other union strongholds, is busy growing vacant lots and empty buildings.

quote:

...and on the 8th day God created filament tape, and solved this problem with room to spare...

I bought a good number of nosler 2nds a while back and offered em for sale on a classified at another site. I taped the crap out of them in some flat rate boxes and still didn't trust the quality. Bulllets are heavy...flat rate boxes (at least the ones I got) are junk and intended for lighter use.

They have to ship US postal service where we live in Alaska; but way higher than postal rates. I asked them about a future order once and didn't seem like they would work with me, so I spent the money at Sportsmans Warehouse & got a discount of about 9-10% on top of sale prices too.

I still order from Midway, I like that catalog and they always have it in stock; but know many who now don't.

Midway have a UK operation....


....that charges at least double the US price.

I shop with Natchez & others in consequence.

quote:

Originally posted by Ed Scarboro:
I've ordered items on sale twice in the last 30 days from Midway and both packages came in flat rate boxes thru the post office. In fact come to think of it, several came in flat rate boxes last year.

But, did they charge you the "flat rate" rate or an inflated rate. I sure haven't had any flat rate charges.

Come on guys. Give Potterfield a break. he needs to do another African safari which we the suckers pay for.
Paul B.

quote:

Originally posted by temmi:

quote:

PS: casting equipment purchased at Graf and sons.

I started using Graf and Sons for that very reason two years ago.

Me too, got tired of getting ripped off on shipping by Midway. Midway used to be a good place to buy until they started getting greedy and decided to milk the golden goose.

Paul B,

I'd pay, if he'd use the money to get his teeth fixed and that honkin' big schnoze downsized.

Last week ordered a set of Nightforce bases from Midway. They shipped USPS in a soft wrapped plastic bag, shipping charge $4.44.
Cabela's shipping charges are what I'm finding to be ridiculous. Even small items get put in boxes way bigger than necessary making for higher shipping charges.

Box of 100 Hornaday 40gr VMax .204 caliber:

Local, 22.99 + 1.90 tax = 24.89

Midway, 16.29 +8.11 shipping = 24.40

Another former Midway customer here. I usually buy from Grafs.
By the way, Sportsmans Warehouse now has a "live" Web site where you can order from about 40,000 items on-line. Can't say what the shipping policy is, as we have a SW here in town.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul B:
Come on guys. Give Potterfield a break. he needs to do another African safari which we the suckers pay for.
Paul B.

Is he suppose to lose money? I hope he goes on safari every year. Those statements are made by people who never had the balls to take a risk and be successful or possibly lose everything.

I like Midway. Shipping price is reasonable. Order on a Monday, at my door on Wednesday. Not a problem that I recall. I also will order from Brownells, Sinclair, Huntingtons, and Powder Valley for different items. Day in and day out Midway is still my favorite.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike70560:

I like Midway.

I do too. But I don't buy everything I need from Potterfield either, even though he honors my C&R FFL license with discount pricing.

He has a terrific website that offers more info for a product than any other, including customer reviews.

Nugman has every right to do business with whomever ships the way he prefers. I wonder if Graf shipped his bullets via the post office? He never said.

it's not just midway - last week i got a little piece from brownells that probably weighed 2 oz. they shipped it ups for $11. lots of places get used to shipping one way and it seems like you just can't change their minds

Cry about a few bucks extra in shipping but nary a word about your auto dealerships outrageous charges, your bankers outrageous charges, your brokers fee's, your gas pump ripoffs and the list goes on and on. Get a life people. Me? This is my hobby and love, so I don't care about a few extra bucks here and there. If it bothers your budget, give less to your wife!

Midway is a business and UPS offers a discount to Business's depending on Volume. You cannot compare a rate at UPS between the average Joe and a Business. Their discount could be 30%? So they are making more on shipping than you realize. Midway has better prices even with the shipping cost than I can get in my area. I use a discount coupon most the time and get 10 dollors or more off.

Midway's freight is extremely high. They don't have primers or powder on hand. That is all drop shipped from another distributor.

Midway may charge the exact amount you can calculate when you go to ups.com. But, I guarantee they are paying at least 30% less that what you can see.

I use Powder Valley. Their freight rates are very inexpensive. They carry powder and primers and ship them together.
Some of you guys are talking 30-35 for shipping. I have never paid more than 19.95 for shipping and always order at least $600 worth of product.

I just recieved one of those fancy RCBs 1500 electric powder measures. When I protested the high UPS shipping rate they suddenly discovered that they can ship it thru USPS for a quarter of the amount.

The Ak and HI guys will need to take note!

Count me in as another satisfied Midway customer. I love this hobby, and spend thousands on it. When I order from Midway I get E-Mails telling me when my order has been shipped, complete with tracking numbers so I know exactly when my shipment is coming. That's important to me. I've never had an issue with any product I have ever purchased from them.

I spent over $4,500.00 on a .50 BMG rifle. Well over another grand on a scope, rings, and mounts for it. Another C Note for a laser bore sighter for it so I don't have to waste too much ammo at $4.00 a shot sighting it in. Then, after all that, I'm supposed to start pissing and moaning because Midway charged me a lousy $16.00 bucks to ship it to me in a timely fashion?? Come on guys!

If you think Midway is bad, just try "Cheaper-than-Dirt". They ship from two warehouses and sometimes charge for both instead of transferring goods to the other warehouse and shipping the entire order in one package.

These guys really take the cake!

I agree. Midway used to say "free shipping" They just charged more for their products. I haven't found one thing I want to purchase cheaper at Midway yet.

The other catalog stores are much cheaper.

If you want to let LArry know, his email address is right on his sight. larrypotterfield@midwayusa.com

quote:

Originally posted by 33806whelen:
If you want to let LArry know, his email address is right on his sight. larrypotterfield@midwayusa.com

I really don't think 'ol Larry gives a shit. I'm sure he's heard it before.

quote:

Originally posted by 33806whelen:
I haven't found one thing I want to purchase cheaper at Midway yet. The other catalog stores are much cheaper.

Get a C&R License. Midway will honor it for dealer prices. I cannot find Leupold scopes cheaper anywhere than Midway has them with my dealer discount. Many places will only give a dealer discount with a Class 1 FFL plus a copy of your business license along with a tax #. Bill T.