Matt M: I bought a PM 1340GT last July. With the "upgraded" package and several post purchase upgrades. I have no problem being objective about it.
I bought mine specifically for gunsmithing work. I use it for other stuff but chambering barrels was the main use case.
Off the top I would say it sits somewhere between the "green" and other mainland machines and some higher end Taiwanese machines like Sharp etc. The price is right in the middle too. I have gunsmithing buddies, some professional and some hobbyists like me who own both of those ends of that spectrum.
David Best's machine is a work of art. I didn't go that far but I did add a custom VFD control board equipped with a micrometer proximity stop that is a HUGE improvement. Check out Mark Jacobs here on this forum and if he is still doing it I highly recommend it. You can see one on David's machine. With the VFD I leave the belt in high range and even with the stock motor I can dial it down to 70rpm for doing parting or drilling without the motor seeming to complain at all. I am very happy with this setup and I think it puts the whole machine into another class. Threading is an absolute joy with the proximity stop.
I went with the Easson DRO and had PM install it. This is where my first gripe is. They didn't check the clearance on the Y sensor bracket and the bracket rubs the casting near the head and tail stock. Have to take off and grind the bracket down. Otherwise the install is fine. The Eason DRO itself is very nice. Really like the display. I just bought PMs lower end DRO to install on my BP mill but it's not up and running yet. I may post a comparison at some point between the two if the Easson is worth the money. I can say it has been rock solid.
Next gripe is the quality of the "precision" 4-jaw chuck. I'm not thrilled with it. I know 4-jaw chucks are prone to vibration but this thing shakes the machine more than I think it should. It's not very smooth to adjust either even though I totally broke it down and cleaned out all the shipping goo. Wish I'd just forked out the $ for a Bison if I was going to upgrade. Sure it would have been 3 times the cost but now I'm considering buying it anyway and I'll be out the money I paid.
Speaking of vibration the base is the next gripe. Is it horrible? No. But I wish the base was cast iron. I like the base David built too. I am sure either a cast base or something like that would help with some of the vibration I see from time to time with that chuck or when I'm doing a muzzle brake job and I've got the receiver end in the spider off center. To be fair I haven't seen it be an issue with my finishes or holding a cut. The machine does very well. But when you see the DRO and the lamp shaking around at certain resonances it's annoying. The good thing is a touch of the speed on the VFD can often dampen that out. At the end of the day this isn't a massive machine, I think it weighs about 1300 with the base? This is why my professional gunsmith buddy is better off with his Sharp. Very similar machines in many regards but his is much heavier. Since he is in it for production he needs to run harder and faster. So expectations need to be adjusted accordingly. I am fairly cautious with my DOC. I don't go at things real aggressive and tend to go a bit slower. That may be more a factor of me than the machine though.
The last gripe is the open gear box. It is a big pain in the butt to oil. Now this is a factor of any open gear box design. So not fair to put on PM or any manufacturer. However I bet there could have been a better design put into the oiling system. The way it comes from the factory is a terrible design IMO. I very much like what David did for his by replacing that crappy plate that sits above the gears and probably will do something just like it now that my mill is up and running.
The belt that comes with it is junk. Not sure why they are still shipping with it. Upgrade to the Gates.
But gripes aside I would say this is a very nice machine and I'm glad I stepped up from the mainland machines and got it. I was on the fence for that and would say I landed on the right side. Am I biased because I own it? That's a fair question. Maybe a little. But I'd say most of what I'm griping about is minor stuff and rectifiable while the main points of the machine are good. The spindle is true to spec, I'm able to dial the machine in to hold very good tolerances and it runs and cuts well. So far the barrels I'm chambering are shooting like lasers. So I'm happy. Like any machine you will want to add things to fit your preferences like making a cross slide stop since the factory one is covered by the DRO scale. Get a QC-TP! There are a lot of PM owners here and plenty of posts on this forum about customizations. Haven't really engaged PM service for anything but I read they're good.
Hope that's fair and objective feedback.
I bought mine specifically for gunsmithing work. I use it for other stuff but chambering barrels was the main use case.
Off the top I would say it sits somewhere between the "green" and other mainland machines and some higher end Taiwanese machines like Sharp etc. The price is right in the middle too. I have gunsmithing buddies, some professional and some hobbyists like me who own both of those ends of that spectrum.
David Best's machine is a work of art. I didn't go that far but I did add a custom VFD control board equipped with a micrometer proximity stop that is a HUGE improvement. Check out Mark Jacobs here on this forum and if he is still doing it I highly recommend it. You can see one on David's machine. With the VFD I leave the belt in high range and even with the stock motor I can dial it down to 70rpm for doing parting or drilling without the motor seeming to complain at all. I am very happy with this setup and I think it puts the whole machine into another class. Threading is an absolute joy with the proximity stop.
I went with the Easson DRO and had PM install it. This is where my first gripe is. They didn't check the clearance on the Y sensor bracket and the bracket rubs the casting near the head and tail stock. Have to take off and grind the bracket down. Otherwise the install is fine. The Eason DRO itself is very nice. Really like the display. I just bought PMs lower end DRO to install on my BP mill but it's not up and running yet. I may post a comparison at some point between the two if the Easson is worth the money. I can say it has been rock solid.
Next gripe is the quality of the "precision" 4-jaw chuck. I'm not thrilled with it. I know 4-jaw chucks are prone to vibration but this thing shakes the machine more than I think it should. It's not very smooth to adjust either even though I totally broke it down and cleaned out all the shipping goo. Wish I'd just forked out the $ for a Bison if I was going to upgrade. Sure it would have been 3 times the cost but now I'm considering buying it anyway and I'll be out the money I paid.
Speaking of vibration the base is the next gripe. Is it horrible? No. But I wish the base was cast iron. I like the base David built too. I am sure either a cast base or something like that would help with some of the vibration I see from time to time with that chuck or when I'm doing a muzzle brake job and I've got the receiver end in the spider off center. To be fair I haven't seen it be an issue with my finishes or holding a cut. The machine does very well. But when you see the DRO and the lamp shaking around at certain resonances it's annoying. The good thing is a touch of the speed on the VFD can often dampen that out. At the end of the day this isn't a massive machine, I think it weighs about 1300 with the base? This is why my professional gunsmith buddy is better off with his Sharp. Very similar machines in many regards but his is much heavier. Since he is in it for production he needs to run harder and faster. So expectations need to be adjusted accordingly. I am fairly cautious with my DOC. I don't go at things real aggressive and tend to go a bit slower. That may be more a factor of me than the machine though.
The last gripe is the open gear box. It is a big pain in the butt to oil. Now this is a factor of any open gear box design. So not fair to put on PM or any manufacturer. However I bet there could have been a better design put into the oiling system. The way it comes from the factory is a terrible design IMO. I very much like what David did for his by replacing that crappy plate that sits above the gears and probably will do something just like it now that my mill is up and running.
The belt that comes with it is junk. Not sure why they are still shipping with it. Upgrade to the Gates.
But gripes aside I would say this is a very nice machine and I'm glad I stepped up from the mainland machines and got it. I was on the fence for that and would say I landed on the right side. Am I biased because I own it? That's a fair question. Maybe a little. But I'd say most of what I'm griping about is minor stuff and rectifiable while the main points of the machine are good. The spindle is true to spec, I'm able to dial the machine in to hold very good tolerances and it runs and cuts well. So far the barrels I'm chambering are shooting like lasers. So I'm happy. Like any machine you will want to add things to fit your preferences like making a cross slide stop since the factory one is covered by the DRO scale. Get a QC-TP! There are a lot of PM owners here and plenty of posts on this forum about customizations. Haven't really engaged PM service for anything but I read they're good.
Hope that's fair and objective feedback.