OK, so normally I am a big fan of Model 1 Sales. Every one of my rifle builds using their kits has worked out great. However, I just ordered some small AR parts (a few pins, springs and washers), at a total value of only $13. I placed my order on-line, and their web page doesn't calculate shipping (they say they will use the most economical and calculate charge at time of shipping), and I specifically asked them to use the most economical shipping method. This is what they sent:



You can't see it too clearly here, but the box is HUGE. I almost threw the parts out (they were wrapped in one of the many pieces of packing paper). It came by UPS Ground (at least they didn't use Next Day Air), and so the box size factors in - the shipping cost me $10 which almost doubled the order value. Frankly, I was expecting them to use a Jiffy bag via first class post (say $3-4, inc handling fees).

Obviously, paying $6-7 more than expected is not hugely important in the grand scheme of things. It just pisses me off that whoever packed the stuff was so inconsiderate. In future, I will call them for an actual shipping charge before ordering, or take my small parts business elsewhere.

On the bright side, though, they did throw in a charming set of black plastic "Model 1 Sales" earrings for my wife.

thats a good one

had to make enough room for their giant catalog!

The more I read about them, the less likely I am to use them for a build.

That's funny! It happens all the time. I order stuff at work like a couple of pens and paper clips from our office supply place and get boxes big enough to sleep in. It's a conspiracy with the shipping company to screw the consumer.

i ordered a kit with a collapsable stock from them and instead i got an A2 stock. so i had to mail the damn A2 stock back and i'm waiting for the collapsable one to come.

on the good side, i ordered the kit 2 day shipping and it came quickly. the quality is also very good from what i can tell.  

Exactly the same thing happed to me this week. Ordered $25 of screws and pins that would fit in a business envelope (.37).  Asked for small package shipping and got a $8.75 UPS charge.  Sent a email asking if there had been a mistake......no reply.  Model1 won't get another penny from me and I'll try to convince others to do the same. The shipping was sluggish and the product quality is average to below average on the barrels and receiver parts I have bought lately from them.   I'll keep my business with the good guys like ADCO, RB Precision, Pete, Denny's et.  

update: my g/f called me earlier and said that the post office guy tried to drop off a package from model 1 sales. reckon i will get it tomorrow.

exact same thing happen to me... Order samll parts worth $12, shipping was $10....

Came in a huge box as well...

I think they are trying to make money from "Shipping and Handling"  With that, they are no longer competitive with their parts price.

One thing you might not have thought about, those small padded envelopes have a bad habit of getting lost or smashed.

I'm not a big fan of the US (we lost your) MAIL, but frankly Express Mail does a pretty good job on those padded envelopes.

Why anybody would deal with them is beyond me.  They are hostile towards customer and pull answers out of their ass.  I experienced them at the Dallas Market Hall gun show and that was more than enough.

A quick update: I emailed sales@M1 and they replied TODAY. Holy crap, I can't remember the last time I got that kind of response from any customer service department (other than automated replies). They won some of my trust back right there.

They said that they always ship UPS which is automatically insured and trackable. Apparently, if I had specifically requested USPS first-class without insurance/delivery confirmation, then they would do it but if it got lost it would be my risk. This seems reasonable, I guess.

On balance, I'm not going to allow my blood pressure to rise too much about this, as M1 have never let me down on the quality or service when it came to the big stuff. In future I think I'll try to tack parts orders on bigger purchases (hey, now I have an excuse to do a few more builds ).

Quoted: There are (obviously) better places to order small parts-hell DPMS ships free! Georgia Precision charges a flat $ 4 or something like that and Del Ton has low shipping costs to0.

Unfortunately, DPMS did not have many of the parts I needed listed on their web site (and only on-line orders get free shipping). I was going to use Georgia Precision, but it seems like that ship could be sinking fast from other threads here.

Unfortunately, a lot of companies try to make money from shipping charges and those that don't, just don't realize how expensive UPS is apparently.  Everybody on ebay wants to send stuff to you expensive Priority Mail, which isn't exactly cheap either, but something like you bought would have cost about the minimum of $3.85 or so, and you would have gotten in about the same time.  The jiffy pack would have been what to do, but they probably try to deal with only one shipper (understandable, I guess).  The Post Office has to get it's tracking act together, before a lot of companies will use them.

Yah, they mailed me 1.5 oz of small parts in a box about as big as yours.  Two catalogs and a keychain too, (ooooh, aaaah!) raised a $16 order to $25.  I checked the prices in the catalog and was not impressed.  My first experience with Georgia Precision wasn't too good but since then they've been great- and they are cheaper.  Website's easier to order off of, too.
Guess I'll just delete 'M1Sales' from my favorites list.

1911fan

for those small parts they should be using usps priority with delivery confirmation.  there is one usps envelope that is a flat rate meaning whatever you can fit in it will be 3.85 and if they print the label out via the click-n-ship website, they get delivery confirmation for free.  also, the usps supplies you with the shipping supplies.

Do you need a roll pin.... I am sure they have a bigger box for that!

Good thing you didn't order a barrel and handguards...they'd have probably packed it in a refrigerator box.

I ordered a part from Midway USA about the size of a shotgun shell.  It cost $13.00 to ship and came in a box big enough to ship a football.  (again, it's the FREE catalog they had to fit in)
The way I see it that "free" catalog cost me about $8.00

To be honest, Bushmaster just pull'd the same crap on me, I got a Forward asst, and a ejection port cover  ($20,00 worth of stuff) and they charged me $10.50 in shipping, The sad part is I also orderd a BBl, Bolt and carry handle....Im still waiting for the rest...I wonder if they are going to charge me again, when they could have just sent me a E-mail saying they were waiting on my bbl. and do I want to have the small parts sent with the rest of the bigger items...


If I see a charge for shipping again I will send it all back and go somewhere else, I have been waiting long enough, I can wait a little longer!

I think Bushy ships backorders for free, don't they?  Also +1 for the Priority Mail boxes. I ordered a collapsible stock from ADCO, and got it in 2 days.  The only thing about it, should have had a warning on it.  The spring and buffer were in the tube and collapsed in the box.  When I opened it, the buffer went flying across the room.  Oppps...

Quoted: To be honest, Bushmaster just pull'd the same crap on me, I got a Forward asst, and a ejection port cover  ($20,00 worth of stuff) and they charged me $10.50 in shipping, The sad part is I also orderd a BBl, Bolt and carry handle....Im still waiting for the rest...I wonder if they are going to charge me again, when they could have just sent me a E-mail saying they were waiting on my bbl. and do I want to have the small parts sent with the rest of the bigger items... If I see a charge for shipping again I will send it all back and go somewhere else, I have been waiting long enough, I can wait a little longer!

Why don't you call them and cut this off at the pass?

business bashing is not allowed.if you have a problem with a company please do it by phone, email or  letter.thx