btw, reamer rentals forwarded my request, i did NOT ask PTG for this directly.

Okay, someone tell me why in the heck PTG would try to charge me 147 bucks, for the EXACT some tools (from PTG) that I can buy from midway for 81.54 - 86 bucks?

I asked, for a quote of FIVE different reamers, expecting RR to honor the pricelist from reamer rentals (RR forwarded my email) and perhaps even get a discount for ordering 5 and headspace gauges.

these &*$*()#@*#$ sent me a pricelist, per item, mind you, of 156% HIGHER than the EXACT same items on midway.

I replied, asking them if they just didn't sell to customers at the same rate they advertise, or would not undercut their larger distributors.

yeah, I am annoyed with this crap.

btw, check for yourself on the LISTED prices for these
PTG quoted price for 458 Lott $147 and 27 each for gages

midway price, 85.64 and 25 ..
http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?TabID=4&CategoryID=9441&CategoryString=649+***+8829+***

reamerrentals... (for all ) 86 bucks
http://www.reamerrentals.com/shawnie_reamers.htm

500 asqaure, 416 taylor, and 376 steyr, all the same as above, or if different, midway had them for 81.54.

Sorry for the rant, but I don't like being treated as if MY hard earned money doesn't mean anything, or that I am a sap for asking for a quote

jeffe

Jeffe,

The only thing that I can figure is they quoted a floating pilot reamer?

Regards, Bill

PTG does not sell solid pilot reamers themselves. They make them for Midway so Midway can compete against Brownells and their clymer reamers. At least that's what dave told me. I just checked it even says so on their website here is the quote:

quote:

---

MIDWAY USA has a complete list of all Solid Pilot Reamers. Any Solid Pilot reamer listed with MIDWAY is only sold thru MIDWAY. Any solid not listed by MIDWAY may be purchased from us if we carry it on the shelf.

---

The $147 is for a piloted reamer not the solid that Midway is selling. FYI, Midway is now stocking a piloted reamer made by PTG. The only difference is that these use a "C" clip instead of a screw to retain the pilot. I used one this past weekend to chamber two barrels in .308 win. They were real nice. I paid $99.00.

-

nope... solid, just like reamerrentals says..

and the floating is 110 on midway... STILL cheaper than what ptg wanted to sell for me...

i give...

i hate larry pepperfield, as just 1 year after midway started cost shipping AND the small order fee (larry and I swapped emails for 6 months on that, in 2000) he AND his family went on what, a 30 days safari?

yeah, it was hurting profits, my butt

I don't mind being told "go to a distributor"... but i STARTED with one.

jeffe

Jeffe,

I hate Larry too.

I believe your anger is misdirected. Since you are getting the quote from Shawnee it is Shawnee that must be ripping you or they misquoted you. Anyway, Dave has an agreement with Midway and I can see how his selling solid pilot reamers direct would hurt that agreement. You can't fault him for adhering to that agreement. If you call Dave he will tell you to get the removable Pilot reamers and that he only started selling them fopr the reasons I stated above. And, according to that quote unless the reamer isn't list at Midway they can't sell em to you. I personally don't see where Dave and PTG are at fault? If anybody you should be upset with Shawnee.

The Midway piloted reamer is merely the solid reqround to accept a pilot it also has a c clip like I said and that clip is much more of a pain to change pilots on than a screw type. If I were doing lots of barrel work I would opt for the screw retained pilot over the clip. But I'm not and I'm broke so I make do.

zlr..

no, shawnie sent my request to ptg... and they responded...

ah, well.. i'll deal with it another day

jeffe

Jeffe,

I hear ya. Why not cut out the middleman and talk straight with Dave. I found him to be quite upfront and helpful and ALWAYS willing to talk. I just think there is too much room for miscommunication with more parties involved.

Good luck!

Jeffe,

There must have been some mix-up between PTG and RR. PTG quoated you a price for a custom groung live pilot reamer. I talked to Dave yesterday about the ECT removeable pilot reamers midway is selling. He said they were ground to SAAMI min. specs. the live pilot was held in place by a C clip instead of a scew, which he uses on PTG reamer, and they were only available in standard chamberings. He recomended that if I didn't mind the C clip, or didn't need a wildcat, to by the reamer from Midway that they were a great buy and he would stand behind it.

If I were you I would give Dave A call.

1-541-826-5808

Jeffeosso

You have touched on a sensitive area with me. When Midway published photos of Larry Potterfield AND his entire family on safari in Africa, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm sure he did it to say "look I'm a hunter and sportsman too". But to me it said "I'm making so much money off you that I can go on an expensive extended safari and take my whole family too."

Another beef I have with Midway is their dealer/gunsmith discount is not that great to start with. Then they run an item on sale for dealer price but do not offer the dealer any further discount. Lets say I have an A&B barrel in stock for $89.00 and Midway puts it on sale for $69.00. My customer orders it for $69.00, I lose a sale and the customer considers me greedy with too high prices.

Sorry for getting a little off topic but it felt good to get it off my chest.

Jeffe,

What burns me up is that it is cheaper to buy the solid pilot reamer from midway and send it to PTG to have it modified to take the live pilot than it is to order the live pilot version direct from PTG! What gives with that?

Tim

Guys, volume discounts and exclusive arrangements are a way of life in every business. I can't fault a guy giving a discount to a customer who probably buys more reamers in a month than everyone on this board does in their lives.

As to the owner of Midway, it's his money and if he wants to go on safari, OK. I've saved so much money in the last two years by buying from Midway vs Brownells that I don't care how much he makes. His profit is not my concern, only his prices. Sam Walton had the lowest prices in the US on the guns he sold and made $80 Billion dollars.

Jeffe, Have you tried Kenny Dickerson at 4D Products 1-912-264-5141? After a second screwup with Shawnee where she sent me an out of spec reamer and refused to make good by it I don't do business with her anymore. First time she sold me a reamer with the wrong caliber marked on it, when I sent it back for proper markings it came back covered in rust, explanation was "We didn't ship it that way". I can't remember but I think Kenny has a 7 or 10 day rental and is cheaper than Shawnee. He did relay the fact to me that he has had quite a few customers lately who have had problems with Shawnee. Maybe she is just having a bad time lately.
Steve E........

OKay,
it's obvious I am not getting through..

1: I sent reamerrentals a request for SOLID reamer (exactly like MIDWAY) this is a 1 to 1 comparisson

2: THEY forwarded to PTG, copying me

3: PTG answered with $147 each, when the request was for SOLID reamers.

4: I felt like i would be ripped off.

Period

jeffe

Hey Jeffe, go straight to Dave Kiff. Call him and explain your dilema. Dave is the best in the business and has a high reputation amoung us gun plumbers.

Dave tells me he does not sell solid pilot reamers to the general public. Hell, he will not sell me one, not that I would buy one.

The $147 is the price for a removable pilot bushing style reamer with the screw retainer. I know this for a fact, as I usually buy two or more reamers from Dave Kiff a month. Just received three and have three more on order.

A couple of things that experience has told me:

One: Never use a solid pilot reamer.

Two: Never buy from other than the reamer maker.

Three: Cheap is the highest price.

There are many reasons for using a pilot bushing type reamer with a screw retainer, some reasons are: Allows fitting a snug pilot to the bore (I have sets of pilots for all bore sizes), the screw makes changing the pilots easy (the dumb c-clip is a fumbling piece of junk and easy to mis place). And the way Dave makes the reamers with the bushings gives more coolant flow from the muzzle flush system. There are more reasons, I will save them for a later post.

John,
thanks...

you know what, I might be more aggrivated with reamerrentals than ptg...

i just wanna turn a couple chambers, mannnn

jeffe

Ever try Dave Manson reamers? In my limited experience I have been very happy with them. With his reamers I have received 3 custom rifles that will each shoot 3 shots touching at 100 yards.

Kiff still has the lowest price for customs/wildcats. Other than that, buy where things have the lowest price if it is what you want.
Going on safari-- some of the popular gunsmiths go on safari, very small operations compared to Midway.

Jeffe, if you went into it knowing the price difference and paid it anyway, you would only have yourself to blame. You did some price shopping and found some major differences, that is why you did it. If you want the cheapest price for the same item then go for it.

Chic,
I asked reamer rental for a price... i got a nearly double price back...

ah well.. live and learn

jeffe

I don't believe there is a more honest or honourable man in the business than Dave Kiff.

IF there was a mistake made on the quote, which I doubt, blame his clerk, not Dave. Dave has a full-time job in the back making reamers, range rods, and "tooling" for the trade. Everyone makes a mistake with paper work now and then, so his clerk could have done that in your case. It doesn't necessarily mean she, or he, or anyone at PPG thinks you're a live "sucker".

One nice thing about Dave...you CAN get to talk to him in person by just asking for him on the phone. Try that with some of the other outfits.

I always recommend talking with the owner of any of these outfits, before posting a perceived problem had with them. Saves embarrassment on both ends of the deal.

As for Potterfield...well, look at it like this...I don't hate income taxes. I hope to pay $10 million a year in income taxes some day. (Don't hold your breath waiting to see it!!). Soon after, I'd like to go to Africa again.

Maybe Potterfield affords Africa like I afford all my guns... I don't eat out, my newest car was built in 1985, I haven't bought a suit since 1989, and so on. Priorities are the main things which determine all of our spending, not an excess of money....

Best wishes,

AC

[ 12-07-2003, 01:26: Message edited by: Alberta Canuck ]