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Midway Blemished VMax 110g Problems / Details...report here

8618 Views 70 Replies 21 Participants Last post by  joshuades, 
owenslee
OK...There are several members on the forum who bought Midway Blemished 110g VMax bullets when they were on sale.

At least three members have reported loading and shooting these bullets.
Two reports ... with terrible results of 4-12" groups and one report with "OK" groups of under 2".

In an effort to get a handle on which of the bullet configurations are the culprit and to what degree the problem exists, I would ask that those who have shot these bullets or will be shooting these bullets... report their data here.

First, there are two part numbers involved...but at least three if not four different configurations.

Configuration 1 is Midway's part number 972987 WITH cannelure.
The boxes also have the manufacturer's number of 22720(C) and a third number on the box of 102308.
The examples I received all have a red polymer tip.

Configuration 2 is Midways' part number 295995 WITHOUT cannelure.
The boxes have a manufacturer's number of 22720(B) and the third number of 102308.
The examples I have received also have a red polymer tip.

Because both configuration boxes are marked with the same 102308 number...I suspect this is a vendor number that perhaps identifies Hornady...but that is speculation on my part. It may be an internal purchase order number being referenced.

The reason I refer to more than two configurations is due to the reports of some receiving green tip polymer bullets. If you have such green tipped bullet...please provide the box ID numbers to see how or if they differ from those above with red tips.

Finally, for those who have shot any configuration of these bullets... please provide the box numbers and accuracy you observed.

Hopefully, we can determine if the poor accuracy issue is limited to a specific bullet / tip color or presence of / lack of a cannelure.

Thanks.

Kerry
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owenslee
HTR said:
I just fired ONE group of my reloads ( 5 rounds) with Blem bullets from Midway. They shot a 5 inch group. This is out of the same gun that produces one-hole groups with many other reloads.

The ones I have, were the red tip, no cannelure. I did not want to chance a baffle strike with my suppressor. They are all going back to Midway.
Click to expand...
Be prepared for Midway to refuse a return.

I just received this message from Midway customer service which is clearly contrary to their posted 100% customer satisfaction guarantee...



Thank you for your recent email. We apologize for the trouble that you are having with your blemished bullets. The blemished bullets we sell are factory seconds and not necessarily guaranteed to be accurate. We discount these bullets a great deal to provide our customers with a low-cost bullet to reload and plink with.

These bullets were advertised as blemished and we cannot accept returns on them. Due to high demand of reloading supplies, it is very likely that you would be able to sell or trade them at a local gun show even with the inaccuracy issues you encountered. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience.

If you have additional questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-243-3220. Our hours of operation are 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Friday and 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM on Saturday and Sunday (CT). You may also email us at [email protected]

Thanks for your business,

Christina G.
MidwayUSA Customer Service Associate

ALL of us who purchased these bullets and are having poor accuracy results need to inundate Midway with complaints and those of us in Missouri file complaints with the Missouri Attorney General.

In my own case I have over $1180 of defective bullets that they refuse to accept.

Kerry
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Mark21
owenslee said:
HTR said:
I just fired ONE group of my reloads ( 5 rounds) with Blem bullets from Midway. They shot a 5 inch group. This is out of the same gun that produces one-hole groups with many other reloads.

The ones I have, were the red tip, no cannelure. I did not want to chance a baffle strike with my suppressor. They are all going back to Midway.
Click to expand...
Be prepared for Midway to refuse a return.

I just received this message from Midway customer service which is clearly contrary to their posted 100% customer satisfaction guarantee...



Thank you for your recent email. We apologize for the trouble that you are having with your blemished bullets. The blemished bullets we sell are factory seconds and not necessarily guaranteed to be accurate. We discount these bullets a great deal to provide our customers with a low-cost bullet to reload and plink with.

These bullets were advertised as blemished and we cannot accept returns on them. Due to high demand of reloading supplies, it is very likely that you would be able to sell or trade them at a local gun show even with the inaccuracy issues you encountered. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience.

If you have additional questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-243-3220. Our hours of operation are 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Friday and 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM on Saturday and Sunday (CT). You may also email us at [email protected]

Thanks for your business,

Christina G.
MidwayUSA Customer Service Associate

ALL of us who purchased these bullets and are having poor accuracy results need to inundate Midway with complaints and those of us in Missouri file complaints with the Missouri Attorney General.

In my own case I have over $1180 of defective bullets that they refuse to accept.

Kerry
Click to expand...
Kerry,

I'm going to give them a call really soon and post my results. Didn't Harrison say he'd buy them up for $14/box? Not a bad way for you to go if you don't want to use them.

Has anyone shot the green w/ NO cannelure yet? I do want to know if I should keep those.
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Mark21
Well, that didn't take long. Talked to a Stephanie, who in the most happy and bright voice told me that those bullets are surplus and are for plinking. I complained that the word "cosmetic" was COMPLETLEY misleading, and she apologized but said no returns. "For next time, the company is aware of the issues and will post a better description".

She then suggested I throw them away, or sell them at a garage sale. "In this environment, you may even double your money".

Were do I begin... :shock: :evil: :evil:
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ron169
Midway had the blemished Vmaxs for sale the other day, but they were more expensive than the base Vmaxs. I just checked, and they were no longer there. Guess they took them down, because I doubt someone would pay more for blemished
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owenslee
Here is a thought...

We need to provide Midway with a little "payback"...

I would suggest that all of us who have had problems and have been refused a return go on every blemished bullet order page that Midway has advertised and in the "review" area explain to potential suckers what they are in for... 4-12" groups and NO RETURNS contrary to what Midway would have them believe.

It might have an effect toward more honest "blemished/defective" advertising and a more honest return policy.

I just looked at my past invoices and I spent over $4,300 with Midway in the past 12 months.

No More.

Kerry
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ron169
Excellent Idea Kerry, but I say keep it limited to the Hornady knock offs
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owenslee
I posted my comments but apparently Midway will review over a 14 day period and then decide if such a post is "acceptable" in their view.
I won't hold my breath...

Kerry
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Mark21
Here is a letter I just emailed off to the CEO of Midway. Let's see what happens... any businessman should know that losing a couple thousand dollars (at best -- they could prob be resold under the warning that they are damaged) is worth avoiding the enormous negative publicity.

Dear Mr. Potterfield,

I have been a very satisfied customer of Midway USA for three years now, and have praised your company to anyone who I know is a reloader. In December, I placed an order for five boxes of product # 972987 -- "Blemished Bullets 270 Caliber (277 Diameter) 110 Grain Polymer Tip Spitzer Boat Tail with Cannelure Box of 100 (Bulk Packaged)". It was pretty obvious they are Hornady V-Max rounds, and I was excited to get my hands on them.

This was Product # 972987. When I received my order, I noticed that four of the five boxes were in fact without cannelure, the first of two misrepresentations on your website. However, I put the boxes of bullets away for shooting when spring would come.

Meanwhile, many fellow members of one online rifle forum that I am part of also placed orders for these bullets, and some started shooting them in early Feb and throughout March.

On your website, the description stated "For most bullets, the blemish consists of slight discolorations in the jacket or the addition of a cannelure", strongly implying that these were cosmetic issues. But as members began reporting groups of 6" or even 10" at 100 yards out of 1MOA rifles, it was clearly obvious that these bullets had serious manufacturing defects that affected their flight in a drastic way.

When I called for a refund, I was told by a very cheerful saleswoman (Stephanie) that she's sorry, but there is nothing Midway could do for me. She stated that yes, it was misleading, and that the "unnamed manufacturer" and Midway would make it clearer next time in the advertisement that there may be more than just cosmetic defects. She then suggested that I throw my bullets out or sell them at a garage sale, chuckling that I may "double my money" given the current run on reloading components.

It turns out that I am not the first one that ordered these bullets to be turned away and told there is nothing that can be done. I wanted to refer this matter directly to you sir, because the forums I visit are very popular, with tens of thousands of users between them. I have already seen several long threads started about these bullets, and Midway's refusal to take a refund is causing a lot of negative publicity and people vowing to give their business to competitors like Wideners, Grafs, Midsouth, and so forth. I myself am very disappointed, as I felt I had been mislead and now the company that I have trusted has let me down. I'm hoping that by writing this email to you directly to see if a solution can be arrived at not only for me, but anyone else that has been affected by this particular product.

Feel free to call me on my cell at 847-XXX-XXXX, or email me at this address with your thoughts.

Sincerely,
Mark XXXXXXXXX
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owenslee
Very professional letter Mark.

I hope it has a positive effect.

Kerry
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O
When I called Midway last week, I spoke with a customer service lady and she said to ship them back, no problem. I shipped 8 boxes of the blemished VMax's the next day and had my MidwayUSA dollars (store credit) two days later. I'm really sorry that others are having a problem. I thought maybe when the customer service rep saw my purchasing record, she thought it better to keep me happy. However, it is WAY less than Kerry's purchasing history, so it is bad business they did not take care of him. I'm going to call Midway tomorrow and tell a customer rep that I don't think it is fair that they took mine back but will not take others, and it will effect my purchases in the future.

Steve
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bedlamite
Mark21 said:
I'm going to give them a call really soon and post my results. Didn't Harrison say he'd buy them up for $14/box? Not a bad way for you to go if you don't want to use them.
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I'll match that offer. if anyone wants to sell them, send me a PM.
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TackDriver68
I do believe the green tips are the PTS bullets that hornady made for S&B.My groups have been ok from both 16 and 18 inch baarrels. I use Benchmark and H322.
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owenslee
It appears that the reports of terrible performance has been limited (so far) to just the red tipped NON-cannulure bullets.
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O
I just got off the phone with a MidwayUSA customer service rep. I thanked her for accepting my return last week and told her that others that bought the same bullets were subsequently not allowed a return. I complained. She put me on hold for a moment and then said they will take back any box of blemished bullets from anyone as long as the boxes still have all 100 bullets in them.

Steve.
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owenslee
olemiss said:
I just got off the phone with a MidwayUSA customer service rep. She said they will take back any box of blemished bullets that still have all 100 bullets in them.

Steve.
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Steve.

Thanks for the update and your efforts.

Did you recall the reps name who you spoke with?
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owenslee
OK... For those considering a return, here are some observations to date that may influence your decision:

1. ALL reports to date of erratic bullet performance have been limited ONLY to boxes of red tipped Midway part number 295995 with mfg. number 22720(B). These are the red tipped bullets WITHOUT a cannelure. ALL reports to date have identified ONLY date code 112808 of ONLY these two part numbers as being the batch that has given problems.

2. NO reports of poor accuracy have been noted for ANY green tipped bullets of any configuration.

3. NO reports of poor accuracy have been noted for ANY red tipped bullets WITH cannelure. Even those bearing the 112808 date code.

These details are very preliminary as the sample size recorded is small and may obviously change as more reports are received...but...
-If you have bullets with green tips...
-If you have bullets with red tips AND a cannelure...
-If you have bullets with any manufacturing date OTHER than 112808...

...You MAY be OK.

If you have bullets with the part numbers 295995 / 22720(B) and date code 112808 described in point #1 above...you may want to return them to Midway for credit.

These details are just indicators...not hard fast rules. So use this information at your own descretion until we gain more feedback from those members who are shooting these bullets.

HTH

Kerry
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Mark21
Well, I am upset that after I wrote that letter on Tuesday, and the CEO states on his website to "please email him with any issues or comments", that here comes the weekend and not even an acknowledgment of having received it. I think I will just print up the invoice off their site and send them back as "defective".

Thanks Steve, and thanks Kerry for organizing this thread in a very thoughtful manner.

I'm greatly dissapointed in Midway. Their prices were always borderline, but now with this customer service cluster-f***, I'm done. There are too many alternative places to shop. I may be only a $1,500 per year customer, but it doesn't take too many of us to walk to make at least a noticeable difference.

I'll be sure to spread the word to all my friends as well.
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owenslee
Mark21 said:
Well, I am upset that after I wrote that letter on Tuesday, and the CEO states on his website to "please email him with any issues or comments", that here comes the weekend and not even an acknowledgment of having received it.
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Mark,

I wrote Mr. Potterfield a four page letter a few hours after you sent yours and a second message the following day.... and also have not received an acknowledgment of either letter.

Kerry
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T
My Midway blems are 110 gr HPBT with the following numbers: 513312 102708 on the top of the labels and 27200B (100) on the bottom. No plastic tips in these. At first I thought the BT was not symmetrical, but decided this was an optical illusion depending on the direction of the light. I did not measure the angles. After shooting some, I don't think it was an optical illusion - -groups of about 4" at 160 yards, which would be about 2.5" at 100 yards. 28 gr H322. See my post, Turkey Shoot - same day with Hornady V-Max - a nice group. Actually, for plinking these probably aren't bad.
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ga41
i have some of the 513312 as well, have not loaded or shot any, soon hopefully
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