Factory seconds

[Mallardhammer]

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?

 

[whirlwindjml]

I personally believe it has to do with the companies reputation. I'm sure they would verbalize otherwise but I wouldn't believe them.

I bought some " cosmetic blemished" 147 grain bullets for the 6.5 prc. Half of them exploded in the air before hitting the paper. The whole run should have been trashed and not sold.

On the other hand I've killed an elk with a 143 "blemished" bullet and had no problem with those. It seems they have more reasons to get rid of bullet runs than the just looks of them though....

 

[MagnumManiac]

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?

Companies that make bullets do not sell bullets out of spec…they cannot sell bullets that are too large or small legally.
Weight varies a smidge between forging dies and even tips may vary in size a little.
Blems are simply bullets of correct size and weight with aesthetically blemished colour and polishing. Have personally used 100's of blems from Nosler and Sierra, never had a problem with them. The HBN coating even stuck to them just fine.

Cheers.

 

[FEENIX]

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?

No, because, as you noted, it is not hard to figure out. Most of the blemishes I have are some discoloration.

 

[xsn10s]

I've shot thousands of Nosler 2nds. They're just cosmetic blemishes. I recently bought some ELDM "blems". I haven't tried them yet.

 

[Hydra6]

Love them. Just got in three 500 count boxes of 77, 107, 140s - not hard to figure out "who". I have fired thousands of Nosler blems in my 223 and 65CM for practice.

 

[cabelasken]

I once had a box of partitions that exploded on impact on two game animals, a mouflon ram and an axis buck. No parts of the bullets passed through, but the biggest pieces I could find were 4 to 5 grain chunks of copper and they were scattered throughout the body cavity. Apparently there was a manufacturing flaw with this lot number that was caught by Nosler but somehow I obtained a box of them.
I also had an issue with some of the first Barnes bullets, and a call to their customer service confirmed that they had an issue with the olgive being inconsistent. This was about 25 years ago and they offered to replace all the bullets that I had of theirs, but I just used them as break in bullets.
I must say both Nosler and Barnes have improved their machinery and quality control so that this never happens nowadays. Although seconds offer a bit of a discount for the volume shooter, after seeing and having issues in the past, I will respectfully pass in purchasing them.

 

[Upsidedownjack]

Using "Blem's" that are mainly just Finish, is like polishing your Brass till it look'S BRAND NEW! And with NO real difference in Killing Game! They Just look pretty!

 

[Hydra6]

I will add that so far with Nosler, Sierra, and Hornady blems - most issues have been cosmetic. I suspect that as they set up for long runs, the first "X" projectiles are pulled and sold as blems until machinery is settled and running "perfect". With the Nosler target bullets I see some issue with length/ogive variation - I just seat the blems slightly deeper (jump more) but the steel targets do not seem to care.

I bought the 500 107s (suspect Sierra) for future 6mm target barrel breakin. No use expending "best" target projectiles for first 100-150 rounds on target barrel breakin.

Bought the 500 77s to build bulk AR ammo (cheap Mk262 clone).

 

[Magnum44270]

Figuring out which bullet it is isnt too hard, a little google is all it takes...most of the times its in the reviews as well.

sometimes companies like hornady will make bullets for other companies that are just slightly different from their normal product...

 

[buckbrush]

I bought some " cosmetic blemished" 147 grain bullets for the 6.5 prc. Half of them exploded in the air before hitting the paper. The whole run should have been trashed and not sold.

Even the "firsts" are good at that.

 

[baldhunter]

I've shot thousands of Nosler and Hornady seconds without any problems.The only ones that were pure junk was some Remington Accutips that I got from Midway.The cannelure was so deep I think it squashed the bullet.I never could figure out where the bullet was going when I sent them down range.I've only found one bullet that was an obvious screw up from SPS.It was a ballistic tip inserted backwards

 

[chadjamesr]

Interesting theories on blem bullets here. From a manufacturing point of view, if blem bullets were just discolored, then they would just clean them and sell them for full price. You have to ask yourself how did they get discolored if they go through the same manufacturing process as all of the other bullets?

I watched a video I believe on Sierra Bullets talking about their manufacturing process and quality control. In manufacturing there are always tolerances when setting up tooling and making a first run. Sierra tests a set amount of bullets after every manufacturing run, including loading and shooting the bullets, to confirm that they perform to their standards. If a manufacturing run doesn't shoot right, then they sell the bullets as blems. This doesn't mean that all of the bullets are bad, just that in the test they did the bullets didn't shoot to their standards (group size, CD, etc).

I don't know if this is the case for all blem bullets, but I still buy them for blasting rounds or non critical practice rounds if the price is right. I don't expect them to be as precise or to expand realizably, but as mentioned 450 out of 500 might perform 100% to spec.

 

[Magnum44270]

I shoot nosler seconds primarily, no issues... have also bought seconds from midway and use them for barrel break in and fireforming. So far have come across mostly hornady; sst, gmx and some hornady made Rem accutips.. all shoot just fine for me for my use