Rant, MidwayUSA sucks.

Have yet to find any human that is perfect and doesn't make an error now and then. have used Midway for decade and never had issues at all. They've gone above and beyond in a couple cases.
Now maybe it;s just me but were I do to any sort of custom gripframe/grip project, I'd want to see the actual grips prior to ordering so as to know exactly what I was getting.

The thing that gets me is this has happened both times I ordered a grip frame and grips. So two for two. The other times I have ordered things were fine. I am pretty new to Midway so may be just starting out on the wrong foot so quick to be pissed. With that said the e-mail deal did work but each time I replied I got a new person e-mailing back so maybe calling would be better in the future.

The last e-mail I got told me they were sending out a new set of grips no charge. So they stepped up this time a lot better than last time.

As for seeing the grips before ordering, they are just factory Ruger grips. I figure you get what you get from Ruger. They aren't custom grips and not a ton of money. If custom or expensive. 1. I'm too cheap to do that but 2. I would definitely want to see up front.

So it seems as if it all worked out in the end. The new grips should be here next week.

An example of Midway and free shipping...

I ordered 4 sets of Burris Signature rings recently. Midway's price with free shipping was $39.99 each. Went to another place I frequently order from , SWFA , and they were 32.95 each plus shipping of $12.34.

For the same order...

Midway - $159.96 free shipping
SWFA - $144.14 total with shipping

That comes out to Midway charging $15.82 more for their supposed free shipping. No thanks.

I have used Midway for a very long time. Have never had any packaging issues. Sorry to hear your experience was a bad one. Hope the make it right for you.
As far as pricing, they aren't the best, but, I recently got a great deal on a Wild West large loop for my Marlin guide gun. Birthday pricing, which saved me over $50 when compared to anyone else.

I still like 'em, especially for the obscure, hard to find stuff. But, they sure don't seem to have much muscle with the ammo companies when it comes to getting us any 22's. Especially magnums.

I buy only if I have a significant coupon code. I buy often though. Sometimes they screw up.

The thing that gets me is this has happened both times I ordered a grip frame and grips.

Click to expand...

Maybe you should have asked for separate shipping of the grips. If you knew you had a problem with the first attempt.

I've used Midway for an estimated 25 yrs with no problems whatsoever. I'd call them about the problem rather than trash them here on the site. Rod

I have been using Midway for years. They are not as good as they were and the shipping has gotten worse, but that is a product of the USPS and the companies. I live where I have to travel 50 miles to find a decent gun shop and most of them are high priced or will not have what you are looking for so it is simpler to use the internet for most things. Midway has the easiest to use web site for me. I have several other sites I order from but most of my money goes to Midway.

I don't think I "trashed" them. Common sense tells me not to put wood grips in a bag with sharp metal objects. If I asked for two shipments I would get two freight bills. A little effort in packaging could have fixed this too.

My complaint was sent to the shipping department or at least I was told that is what happened. It should all work out in the end.

I have spent 5 figure money with Midway over the last 20 years and have always got what I ordered. I always order over the phone and speak with a live person. I've received broken plastic ammo boxes, usually Frankford Arsenal, no MTM, due to a combination of not enough padding and UPS rough handling. Occasionally, 99 brass instead of 100. I do find my self using promotions and discount codes more often than not, nowadays. Midway is an excellent reference tool to see what's available from manufacturers, such as holsters, bullets, brass, etc. They also carry the complete Lee line with a lot of special order products not available anywhere else. I do agree that grips and metal objects need to be well protected if shipped together. Bob!!

I like the fact that their site shows if the item is in stock or not.
Those pocket knifes I bought from them the other day will be here Saturday.
They had the Trapper in stock when all the other dealers were on B. O. .
The best price from any other dealer was $4.00 less but not with free standard shipping. The price was a wash and Midway had it. I did get the last one though. When I went back to the Item listing it showed on B.O. An hour later an e-mail from Midway said they were shipped.

Note: The Case Trapper I ordered Monday came in today's mail. Three days! What a nice knife. Made in the USA and very well finished.
I ordered one knife Monday and one on Tuesday. Can't wait to see if the other one shows up on Friday. Midway said expected delivery was next Monday.
Other company's I order knifes from take up to two weeks.

Some of those Online company's don't stock anything. They just take orders and then order from the factory and re ship to the customer. How manufacturers allow that is beyond me.

The only shipping problem I've had with Midway turned out favorably, for me. I had ordered and received, a loading press. Two days later my wife walks in the side door, at home, with a long, narrow box. Inside is a Gamo Whisper pellet rifle, complete with scope. We checked the package again and saw a label addressed to me on one side and another to someone in Texas, on the other. After a series of emails, they had UPS come and pick it up ( it was around Christmas so I figured someone was waiting for it) and said they'd put some Midway bucks on my account. When I went to place my next order they were not there. I really didn't expect anything to begin with, but they offered so... Another email. Larry Potterfield himself replied and said, Your loading press charge has been refunded. Thank you from Midway. Good People. :mrgreen:

Edit: Larry Potterfield, not Larry Pratt. :roll:

I have been very happy with the stuff I have ordered from them. Maybe a Ruger SA thing.

I've been doing business with Midway since it was a gunshop on Old Hwy 40 and Larry Potterfield was behind the counter. Considering the current size of his operation, he must have done something right.

I don't order a lot, but I've never had a problem. As for shipping, I either order just before I travel to Columbia MO and pick it up on the way in, or have my brother drive 10 miles west from his home in Columbia and pick it up. Then I get it the next time I visit. He did complain about the weight of a case of OO buckshot. :wink:

I have made a lot of purchases from Midway over the years. That came to a screeching halt last year with their new shipping policies. Living in Alaska shipping is always costly and something of consideration when making a mail order purchase. USPS Flat Rate is most often the most logical approach. Sometime last year Midway decided that anything coming to Alaska would be charged an additional $10 tax above the regular shipping rates, even when using USPS Flat Rate. USPS Flat Rate is the same regardless where it is shipped too. I really couldn't believe they would do that so I made a purchase and had it shipped. Then I made pictures of the Flat Rate Box with the shipping price and the invoice and emailed it to Midway customer service with an explanation why I would not be shopping with them anymore.

Dan

I like Midway, I do not order from them very often because their shipping rates are just way overboard. So most of the time I pass on them and order from other places.

I ordered a RCBS neck-sizing set of 7x64mm dies from them, took about 4 months to come in. No biggie as the gun was still being built. They charged me $7.59 to ship the dies in a thinly padded envelope. Of course, the dies were rattling around in the envelope, lid was busted off of the box. I called them, told them what happened, and that the box was broken. Reply was to mail the entire set of dies in and they would send me a replacement. Told them it was a set they didnt normally stock and it took 4 months to come in, I just wanted a new box. Was told again to mail them in. After 1 more call and an email, I never did get a box to replace the one that was broken. I am done with them. I emailed Larry Potterfield and explained why I would not use them anymore after using them almost exclusively for 20 years. I would rather go without something than order from them again.

Got my grips this morning on the way to work. They were delivered Sat but I don't get mail at home. They are what they are, factory Ruger grips. So it worked out in the end. I will probably order from Midway again as I don't order much so not sure of other sources. Factory direct has always been the best for me though and I do try to give Ruger the business.

Thanks to all,

Hawk Driver, I feel your pain on your special order dies. Next time try Huntington out in California, they're next door to the RCBS plant. I suspect if you called RCBS customer service, they'd send you a replacement box complete with label. Bob!!

Well, I'm also a long time Midway customer. I've had very, very few issues over the years & if I did, a polite phone call got it taken care of quite well.
Just in the last few days, I've ordered a few things from both Midway & Ruger.
Let's see, I ordered 6 items from Midway, nothing too heavy or big. Shipping was $10.00 for my order of $119.00.
From Ruger, an item shown as "in stock" was later changed to "back ordered" and required me to call them to get them to send the other stuff & send the one item when it arrived.
My items from Ruger totaled 4 items, with one being back ordered. My total bill was $67.61. Of that, I was charged shipping, handling AND sales tax for a total of $13.64.
The items ordered from both were not overly big or anything, and both were shipped USPS.

My point is that Midway is no different in the costs of shipping than most other companies.

If you order from Amazon, you'll get "free" shipping IF you spend over X amount, OR have a prime account (that you pay for.)
It's just business.

Now, I will admit I prefer to shop for items only when they are on sale, or if not, add them to another order to combine things. I never make an order for just one or two items. I just make a list, then order when I get a need for something & get other stuff at the same time.