[XD-40 Shooter]

I just got my latest Natchez catalog, the 155 grain Ranier bullets in 40 S&W are $120/1000 + shipping, good grief!:eek: Midway has them for $99/1000 + shipping, or the 2000 count bulk packs for $205 and free freight.

[loadedround]

I have seen a lot of Midway putdowns on their pricing. I buy the majority of my components from them and don't feel they are any more expensive than the next guy. Also being on their mailing list gives my a heads up on some good sales. JMHO. :)

[FullEffect1911]

Midway is fine for me. Not the cheapest not the most expensive but there is a huge stock of things so that I don't have to go to multiple places... works for me.

[Faret]

Try lockstock And Barrel

[Faret]

www.lockstock.com

[WayneConrad]

Midway isn't the cheapest, but the website is perfect: The categories are set up well, the wishlist works well, my ability to go through previous orders is great. Just about everything there works perfectly. Customer reviews are great for helping me figure out what's worth buying. It's that web site I'm paying extra for, as far as I'm concerned.

The only thing lacking is a way for me to specify which things should be shipped immediately, and which should be held until the back-ordered items get in. Sometimes I'd rather have one or two things go out now and the rest wait, sometimes I'd rather have everything wait until the entire order can ship in one package.

[GoGopher]

I have described this method of getting a "discount" at MidwayUsa on THR before. I say "discount," because saving money seems to make a person shoot, and thus, spend more. I realize this is a bit of a fire drill, but it has saved me quite a bit over the years. A person can obtain a Curio and Relics Federal Firearms License by applying for one with the BATF. For $30, and a bit of your time filling out forms; once approved by the BATF you can submit a copy of your FFL to various Websites- MidwayUsa included. This will qualify you for "Dealer Status." Being a dealer means getting a discount on nearly everything you buy. Sometimes the discount is only a few cents, other times the discount can be as much as $50.
Of course the original intent of the C&R FFL 03 is to allow you to purchase historical firearms, such as obsolete military weapons (SKS, Mosin Nagant, etc.) directly from online dealers.

[callgood]

I've been using Precision Delta in Mississippi lately. Check their prices. They use USPS flat rate shipping, about as cheap as shipping can get, and distance from shipper isn't a factor.

When I last ordered, they were cheaper than Midway. May not be the case now, but with shipping factored in, it's worth a look.

[strat81]

Rainier's prices have gotten stupid high lately. At first it was just Midway, but once other companies turned over their Rainier inventory, they eventually caught up.

[Heavy Metal Hero]

I'll add that for a C&R License you must be 21+.

[BackCountry]

My only complaint with Midway is that their shipping prices are a little on the high side. I do get my stuff in 2 days though, so I just try to make my orders large enough to justify the shipping.

[coyotehitman]

Regardless of when I go to place an order with Midway, they are always out of stock on one or more items. I do not mind paying a few $ more for something, but I wont wait 3 weeks and pay an additional shipping charge just b/c Midway cant maintain enough inventory.

[mjrodney]

+1 on the high shipping charges.

Minimum shipping is a few cents short of $10.

That high cost forces you to buy more product so you can spread the shipping cost over several items.

Often, I have to delay placing an order with Midway until the shopping list is long enough.

Priority Mail would be cheaper for small orders, but they don't offer that service.


+1 on the out of stock issue.

This is another annoying reason to have to delay or cancel a Midway order.

Midway's customer service is generally good, but these two issues are holes in their armor.

[coyotehitman]

I received an e-mail from Midway because they saw that I had a large order in my shopping cart and abandoned it. I explained to them that I did not mind items being on backorder, provided I did not have to pay additional shipping when they finally came in. They would not budge on the shipping issue, so I told them I could no longer do business with a company that penalizes me for their lack of inventory. The only way I buy from Midway now is if I cannot find it elsewhere.

[cracked butt]

Midway isn't the cheapest, but the website is perfect: The categories are set up well, the wishlist works well, my ability to go through previous orders is great. Just about everything there works perfectly. Customer reviews are great for helping me figure out what's worth buying. It's that web site I'm paying extra for, as far as I'm concerned.



Yes. I find that a lot of items sold by Midsouth shooters supply is priced cheaper than Midway, but their website is a nightmare to navigate.

[CatsEye]

My favorite aspect of MidSouth is that they have a distribution center here in Clarksville. I call in my order and pick it up later that day. Saves shipping costs and more importantly Hazmat fees if buying powder or primers. I still purchase some things from Midway though because they site is good and they have a wider selection to choose from.

[winchester243]

Yes. I find that a lot of items sold by Midsouth shooters supply is priced cheaper than Midway, but their website is a nightmare to navigate.

I ususally open midsouth in one tab and midway in another, use midways to find what I want, get the manufacturer's product number and use midsouth's search by product number to find it and add it to my cart.

Midsouth's website stinks compared to Midway's website, but their prices are as good or better in most cases and their shipping is reasonable.

I got burned on Midway's shipping once and won't order from them again unless it is something I really want and I can't find it elsewhere. I had ordered a bunch of ammo cans that Midway had listed in stock and on sale and one Lee case length guide, the cancelled the ammo can order because they were overwhelmed and sent out the case length guide. The shipping was more than the part was worth.

[WayneConrad]

How is it possible to get "burned" on shipping when they tell you what shipping is before you accept the order?

You either accept the deal, or you do not accept. It's not like it's a secret and you find out about it later when the credit card bill arrives.

"Burned?"

Edited to add: "Burned" does apply: See explanation below by winchester243

[Roccobro]

The only thing lacking is a way for me to specify which things should be shipped immediately, and which should be held until the back-ordered items get in. Sometimes I'd rather have one or two things go out now and the rest wait, sometimes I'd rather have everything wait until the entire order can ship in one package.

I called a few days ago and asked if they could do this. They explained almost verbatim when the website says on shipping, and then summarized with, "We don't do that."

Oh well, placed two orders as they have the stuff coming back in stock faster than the other 4 sites I have notification set for with the same items.

Justin

[winchester243]

How is it possible to get "burned" on shipping when they tell you what shipping is before you accept the order?

You either accept the deal, or you do not accept. It's not like it's a secret and you find out about it later when the credit card bill arrives.

"Burned?"

Actually in my case it was a "secret", they accepted and then later cancelled most of my order. They then shipped the one remaining $4.00 item that wasn't cancelled by them at a shipping cost of around $7-$8. The only reason I added the small part to my order in the first place was because it had no effect on the overall shipping charges of my original order. If the cancelled sale items had been listed as backordered in the first place, I would never have made the order. At the very least I should have been informed of the shipping charges for the remaining item and been given the choice to cancel the rest of my order if I so chose.

[WayneConrad]

winchester243, In that case, I agree. "Burned" does apply. I apologize for my harsh criticism of your... um... harsh criticism :)

[CBS220]

On that score, Grafs does exceptionally well. If they don't have a part or something in stock, they call you and tell you about it, and allow you the option of canceling your order (Considering they only charge $4 shipping, it's no big deal whether you do or not).

[winchester243]

winchester243, In that case, I agree. "Burned" does apply. I apologize for my harsh criticism of your... um... harsh criticism

That's ok, I will even admit it was a very unusual thing for Midway to do. I think all the online retailers have been struggling to a certain extent trying to deal with the recent upswing in business, high order volume and the constant out of stock problems. When these things happen and people get too busy just trying to deal with the day to day orders, they tend opt for the expedient decision which unfortunately is not always the best decision for a particular customer.

The good news is our hobby is growing. In the short term this is bad news as it means higher prices and out of stock stuff as everyone seems to have been caught off guard. In the long term I think it is good news for both us reloaders and the industry that supplies us.

[Soybomb]

I'm really spoiled by brownells and their free shipping on backordered items, I wish they'd start selling reloading supplies. I have a wish list on midway and maybe 1/4 of it is in stock.

[jhansman]

I find that a lot of items sold by Midsouth shooters supply is priced cheaper than Midway, but their website is a nightmare to navigate.

That's how they keep their costs down; web development can be expensive. :D

I shop Midsouth more often than any other vendor nowadays, as their prices are about the lowest, but they still charge what the others (like Midway) do for shipping.

[RustyFN]

How is it possible to get "burned" on shipping when they tell you what shipping is before you accept the order?
By paying twice what everybody else would charge for the same order. I have a C&R license and Midway only gives a 10 cent discount, some items no discount. I can never find everything I want in stock. I buy all of my powder and primers at Powder Valley or Graf's and bullets where ever I find a deal.
Rusty

[ForneyRider]

I use MidwayUSA for the most part.

I did get some Lee stuff from Lee directly because "out of stock" status from Midway.

Even with all the catalogs and online resources, Midway's website still provides good info to help make the right choice.

I prefer to buy local for most stuff to avoid Haz Mat fees, shipping and Handling. Plus the fact I can look at/handle the product before purchase.

[LightningMan]

I don't usually order a lot of stuff but I have found better prices on the same items in the Midway catalog than the Brownells catalog. My 2 cents, LM

[LotI]

I have a C&R license and Midway only gives a 10 cent discount, some items no discount.
Some products have a big discount. You win some you lose some. Midway will get my business unless they screw up big. They even have some favors leaning their way. I've had two occasions where things were damaged or missing and they just said "Another one is on the way!" No charge, don't send us the old one.

It's like a discount store or a full-service shop...you get what you pay for in the long run and you can't please all of the people all of the time.

[Kitchen_Duty]

I use midway when I have large orders. Everything else I shop around I love having tons and tons of bookmarks and at least 10 tabs open to all of the other websites :)

[Sagetown]

My last order was with Cabela's, as MidwayUSA was out of stock on all items I wanted.
Cabela's placed 2 items on backorder. They individually arrived one week apart, after the origional order was delivered. No extra shipping was charged, whereas MidwayUSA has charged me shipping costs for each backorder on top of the shipping for the origional order.

[dmftoy1]

Actually in my case it was a "secret", they accepted and then later cancelled most of my order. They then shipped the one remaining $4.00 item that wasn't cancelled by them at a shipping cost of around $7-$8. The only reason I added the small part to my order in the first place was because it had no effect on the overall shipping charges of my original order. If the cancelled sale items had been listed as backordered in the first place, I would never have made the order. At the very least I should have been informed of the shipping charges for the remaining item and been given the choice to cancel the rest of my order if I so chose.

I had almost exactly the same thing happen to me . ..when I ended up paying $15 for a shellholder due to the shipping/handling it really torqued me off. I still use Midway, but I find I keep Midway and Grafs open at the same time and if I can get it from Grafs and save money I use grafs. (last $300 order was $40 cheaper at Grafs than midway once s/h were figured in)

I really like Midway's website and customer service . . .

[Vitamin G]

Every time i've considered ordering something from Midway and went shopping on their website, items I want are either KILLING me on the high shipping charges (items which would easily fit into the $8 flat rate USPS box), or "Free Shipping! (out of stock, no backorder)

No point in free shipping if you can't order it!

[LiquidTension]

I've gotten a bit peeved with Midway recently as well. The only thing holding up my order was a Lee rifle charging die. Seriously? I mean, how difficult is it to get Lee dies? Every other website has them - including Midsouth who I just ordered from.

[04JRB]

Ive been waiting on some Lee collet neck sizing dies for a while now from Midway. Im also with most people that dont mind waiting, but the $8 for shipping is bothering me. Especially sice it was part of an original $100+ order. Backorders should ship free with an original order that big.

[jjohnson]

Oh, +1 on getting burned by Midway on the backorder. Lots of us order what we want, then look at the order and go... "oh, yeah, I DID lose a grip screw last week... let me order another screw while I'm at it....." And it's backordered, so ANOTHER SCREW is what you wind up with......

[Vitamin G]

Ha ha ha. forgot all about this thread, but you get 1 e-cool point for outstanding use of the pun.

[TexasSkyhawk]

winchester243, In that case, I agree. "Burned" does apply. I apologize for my harsh criticism of your... um... harsh criticism

The second time I had this happen to me with Midway, I wrote Larry Potterfield a scathing, furious letter and raised nine kinds of hell about it.

Asked him to look up my account, my order history over twenty years, how much money I'd spent with them . . . and then wave goodbye to it unless he could personally assure me that such BS would not happen again.

He apologized, but would not assure me that it "might not happen again, but if it does, bring it my personal attention."

Sounded nice, but at the end of the day I wasn't refunded one stinking dime on the overpriced BS shipping charges for backordered items, my backorder WAS NOT cancelled and instead charged and shipped some four weeks later.

If the OWNER and PRESIDENT of the company refuses to change the policy in regards to overcharging for shipping items that were backordered, and thus DID NOT SHIP, then I have zero use for the damned place.

Yeah, I'm glad our hobby is growing--it means there are more online retailers getting into the action and competition is a good thing. When Midway was basically it, they became the 800 pound gorilla.

Now they're just another 800 pound dumbass monkey lost in a jungle of their own making. They're relying upon advertising to get new customers who don't know anyone who reloads, because most of us who do--and who have for quite a while--have a hard time recommending Midway.

Sad, too, because I used to enjoy shopping with them. But they left me--I didn't leave them.

Jeff

[MMCSRET]

I have been shopping Midway since long before I had or even Knew about computers and internet buying and to this day I still have never ordered anything on the internet, I still do a lot of business with Midway and I still do it on the telephone after making my shopping list from the website. That way, no backorders.

[Roccobro]

Glad this thread came back up.

I recently ordered 4 spare small and large primer tubes for my LNL. Got around to cleaning them for use and found that ALL 8 of them were small primer tubes. Checked the labels, and yep, they were the Hornady part number for the smalls, but Midway had the WRONG part number labeling some as Large Tubes. Customer service offered a refund or swap- if I sent them back on my dime. $8 shipping on about $20 of product for their obvious mistake (I sent pictures of their labels)? Didn't make sense to me and the CS didn't argue that it was a stupid offer.

Justin

[dmftoy1]

I was just out shopping for a lasermax green laser sight and had it in my cart at Midway and it was $359 on my "special memorial day prices". Went to check the same item at Natchezss and it was $66 cheaper

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=359170&t=11082005

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=LVLMSUNIG&CFID=6048716&CFTOKEN=37991419

I'm really glad that people opened my eyes to this as I've not been ordering even 10% of the stuff from Midway that I was. ($66 buys alot of primers)