Factory seconds

[Pdyson]

Midway repacks blems in a plain box and won't tell who made them but it's not hard to figure out either by direct comparison or reading the customer comments on their website. I've only fired a few thousand across 4 calibers from 224 thru 308. I've found them cost effective and worth buying. I have used them for plinking, hog/ varmint hunting, and load development. I Switch to first run bullets when hunting for game animals. If 1st run bullets were not available, I would trust the blems sold with the makers name on the packag. I'm primarily referring to Nosler blems, usually I've been hard pressed to see or measure what made them a blem.

 

[Teri Anne]

Aside from a few exceptions like SPS and occasionally powder valley, why does it seem like an advertisement for a factory second or 'blem' is a big secret as to what it is? I know it's not hard to figure out once in hand, but it seems like it's just '500pcs X big around, that weigh X much'
I would think they could at least name the bullet for ease of data and safety sake?
Just something I've been wondering about, anybody dialed in on this?

I shoot blems whenever I can get them. I prefer Nosler or Sierra but one doesn't have much choice when ordering Blems. If you are familiar with the bullets you normally shoot figuring out the manufacturer is relatively easy by comparing the blem to the known quality bullet. I have on occasion been able to buy blems direct from the manufacturer but these days mostly from Midway. I have not had any issues with the blems being less accurate than the premium bullets. The lower price makes practice ammo more reasonable cost wise.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

I have shot hundreds if the Nosler .270, 150 ABLR;s both from Nosler and SPS. Examine them and weigh them. Cosmetically they look the same. Tips look the same , Standard deviation of bullet weight, very similar.( 149.8 very few) 149.9, 150.0 mostly 150,1 very few . Only Once did I order 180 Grn Partitions and they came in covered in a BLACK powder, and the tips all looked horrible. They were called Grade C Blemished. I guess there are cosmetic Blem, and really lousy Blems?? Never do that again!!

 

[Bobby-Long]

I have bought and used Nosler seconds for years. After buying and observing many different calibers and weights here are my observations. A majority of the bullets look and shoot well. Some had obvious problems beyond what I would consider blemishes. These include: hollow points whose holes were very jagged and filled with tumbling media. Ballistic tips had varying degrees of malformation. Missing Ballistic tips. Wrinkles in the bullet jacket. Tacoed copper tip where Ballistic tip is inserted (ABLR).
Once buying directly from the shooters pro shop in Bend, I observed many ballistic tip deformities, either too short, or with gaps around the base where they seat against the copper. I was surprised they were not selling some of these as grade C. I want to say that I have seen more issues with the factory second Noslers in the last 5 to 7 years than ever before. Most of the bullets for sale that's I examined looked fine, but you a rolling the dice if you don't pick them directly. With the cost of factory seconds being more than first we're just a couple years ago, I don't buy them now unless there is a Christmas sales or heavy discount.

 

[sw282]

I've seen that BT happen once before, those aren't supposed to be sent out of the factory. Same as set up bullets. They have a bullet crusher that destroys the bullets prior to sending them for recycling.

I TOO have several ''bullet crushers''. All are .20 or .22 caliber. They work best between 3400 and 4000fps. l crush them on PRAIRIE DOGS!!

Seriously speaking, l have been shooting blems 20+yrs. Blems strait from the makers are the best. Blems from MIDWAY are a shot in the dark. Better inspect and weigh each before loading

 

[isu600rr]

Here are the 2nds from PV as you can see the tips are

messed up. id

 

[Csbc4fun]

Little off topic but… some outlets will advertise blemish scopes. I think it is just a way to sell below a fixed MSRP from the manufacturer. I have called and questioned to find out they are mysteriously out of blems but will sell me a new one for the same reduced price. When I received the scope it was new and perfectly fine.

 

[Lucasraymond]

Here are the 2nds from PV as you can see the tips areView attachment 453703 messed up. idView attachment 453704

Yep that is what my 107 smks look like but i do most of my training at 300-400 yards with 1-1.5 MOA steel targets so BC isnt really an issue.

 

[isu600rr]

Out of all 500 id say 100 or so have the messed up tips, the others are either completely closed or are just pin ***** holes.

As for the bad ones. I'll use them for fire forming my new brass before I bump the shoulders back .002

 

[bubbaonpc]

I've purchased thousands of "Seconds". I'll weigh, measure length, measure Ogive and double check size and check hollow point opening... I've found the ones that match my regular shooting bullets, shoot great. I wouldn't trust em in a competition, but for warm up, break in and just pure fun, they are economically GREAT ! Perfect for developing loads... Then put in your number ones... And finalize your load.

 

[memtb]

Out of all 500 id say 100 or so have the messed up tips, the others are either completely closed or are just pin ***** holes.

As for the bad ones. I'll use them for fire forming my new brass before I bump the shoulders back .002

Before I went to monos…..the 3rd bullet down in my magazine looked "FAR" worse than any of those shown in the photos. If they were there through the firing of the 3 previous shots.….the tips were so flattened, I sometimes thought they they were on the verge of starting to open the jacket! They were hitting the inside of the magazine pretty darn hard! memtb

 

[ChrisInKY]

Half of them exploded in the air before hitting the paper. The whole run should have been trashed and not sold.

Exactly ... Caveat Emptor ... Buyer Beware

After I got burnt once on factory second bullets, it was, "Never again."

Same thing with brass. I'd trust once-fired brass from a machine gun before trusting factory second brass.

We're not talking about a non-critical thing like a blemish in a firearm's powder coat.

Some of these manufacturers know full-well the only thing 'blemished' ammo is good for is the melting pot. When it comes to business, it's all about business ... and not about being your friend.

 

[Murtfree]

I've bought a fair number of blem Nosler Accubonds over the years and always shot test groups of blems vs non blems and never found any difference. I bought 1000 Nosler .257 110 grain Accubonds that had cannelure which were supposedly Federal overruns; Federal apparently crimps all their factory ammo. I shot those against the non cannelure versions and they still shot the same .5 MOA or better out of my 25-06

 

[CrippledEagle]

I have a couple bags of Nosler "blems" that are only slightly off color. They shoot! Like his dad, Bob Nosler is a perfectionist.