Yes the secant ogive bullets are more "picky" than tangent ogive bullets in my experience.
blemished bullets worth the money?
- Thread starter LCazador
- Start date
Right now, bullets we need are available. If retailers have a healthy supply of bullets, there’s a good chance manufacturers have shelved inventory on hand ready to ship.
Supposing that the employees want regular work, bullets, like cars or clothes may start to stack up, for no reason involving a defect.
For us, a best case scenario regarding “blems” is that at least some of these bullets were liquidated to stabilize cash flow because a healthy supply of expensively packaged bullets sits, slowly browning, at a different price point, and perhaps reorders are slower than needed.
The worst case scenario for us would be that they don’t shoot because they really are problematic. The factory had some doubts about a run of bullets, and it blew them out as blems.
One thing is relatively clear, blems don’t get sold in small quantities, probably never less than 10,000 averaging triple that. If they are all alike, but a smidge off one spec on the cheat sheet taped to the press, then in my opinion, we may still be getting a deal, depends what the spec was, but, for example I’m not too concerned about all the bullets being a bit longer or a grain heavier than they were supposed to be (assuming heavies).
If they are old stock, or overexposed to air and developed a tinge, again that doesn’t really bother me, either, but it may be ample cause for segregation into the blems category.
Could I be disappointed in a blems order, even at the basement price, yes, but it hasn’t happened, while the same is not true of all the main run bullets I have used.
Not that I need them to disappear, but I’ll say that I’m either lucky in what I pick, or they just aren’t worse than the good end of main run, and they are better than the low end, which honestly, is why I’m very ok with prices I have paid overall.
Supposing that the employees want regular work, bullets, like cars or clothes may start to stack up, for no reason involving a defect.
For us, a best case scenario regarding “blems” is that at least some of these bullets were liquidated to stabilize cash flow because a healthy supply of expensively packaged bullets sits, slowly browning, at a different price point, and perhaps reorders are slower than needed.
The worst case scenario for us would be that they don’t shoot because they really are problematic. The factory had some doubts about a run of bullets, and it blew them out as blems.
One thing is relatively clear, blems don’t get sold in small quantities, probably never less than 10,000 averaging triple that. If they are all alike, but a smidge off one spec on the cheat sheet taped to the press, then in my opinion, we may still be getting a deal, depends what the spec was, but, for example I’m not too concerned about all the bullets being a bit longer or a grain heavier than they were supposed to be (assuming heavies).
If they are old stock, or overexposed to air and developed a tinge, again that doesn’t really bother me, either, but it may be ample cause for segregation into the blems category.
Could I be disappointed in a blems order, even at the basement price, yes, but it hasn’t happened, while the same is not true of all the main run bullets I have used.
Not that I need them to disappear, but I’ll say that I’m either lucky in what I pick, or they just aren’t worse than the good end of main run, and they are better than the low end, which honestly, is why I’m very ok with prices I have paid overall.
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The 107 and 183SMK’s do quite well.
I shoot a lot 80ELDM blems as well
I used to make a trip out west for prairie dogs every year but the governments out that way have begun to poison them and it isn't worth the trip out there, plus cost of gas, food, and every thing else that comes up. I bought blems at the Sierra factory, I live about 70 miles from the plant and make a trip to the home city of the Sierra plant. When there I always stop by the Sierra plant and replenish what ever bullets that I need at the time. I have never had a problem with blems. Most of the time I use poly tipped bullets and if the tip is missing it just makes a heck of a hollow point. For those trips out west I always used the blems and the prairie dogs didn't care if it was a first line bullet or a blem, I have had really good luck whit blems.
I've bought some Nosler "blems", but when the bullets have absolutely no blemishes you have to wonder why they aren't being sold as 1st run bullets. Some of the blems that I bought shot fine, and others had a variety of inconsistencies. I stopped buying "blems" or "seconds" altogether.
Would the answer to the thread title question be "depends on how big the discount"?
I bought 500 HPBT and 500 tipped bullets last year either sold as Blems or 2nds, I forget which. I weighed a bunch of them and found no significant variation. I inspected all 5 boxes of the tipped bullets and none of them were missing tips or were distorted. They appeared to be Hornady bullets but they may have been Noslers also. They shoot just fine for me. I'll buy more when I need more.
Before the pandemic I had bought a bunch of Midways' Dog Town 55gr .224 bullets for my bolt action Rem 788 in 223 Rem. Those things shot great, and better than some of the name brand bullets I have tried. If they get some in I will buy some more.
BountyHunter
Gold $$ Contributor
Sierra changed that. Now one machine, one operator and bullets stay in his lot. I caused a stir in 90s when I sent Rich Mahelich who worked at sierra a box of bullets with .020 variance in that one box. We had both shot 1k together. Rich invited me to tour their plant in Sedalia after they changed the process to one machine, one operator.
SSL
Gold $$ Contributor
Good point. The Noslers I referred to in my post were listed as "blemished" and ordered through Nosler. As you said, could make a big difference.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
53's are not picky in three different 12 twists, 223, 223 AI, and 22/204, with the first two having zero freebore and the 22-204 having .020 freebore.
I have shot a lot of Nosler blems, never had a problem. If I did not know any better, I would think that Nosler uses the blem sales for cash flow.
I have shot a lot of Nosler blems, never had a problem. If I did not know any better, I would think that Nosler uses the blem sales for cash flow.
I had a bunch of Sierra Match King seconds. They shot pretty good for just fooling around, but their overall consistency was not that great for shooting competitions. I found a lot of variations in their weights, that lent them to fliers. Sometimes they would group great, then sometimes the next five looked like a scattergun shot.
Back in the 80's we used to stop at Sierra whenever in the area and load up on seconds. At that time they had a newspaper article posted that someone had won the California state BR championship with Sierra seconds. I cannot remember the date or the fellows name. This was before the wide use of plastic tips. I have had good success with both Sierra and Nosler seconds. I am not a BR competitor and steel does not seem to mind the seconds.
I have bought 2 times
some blems or seconds
1 was some 50 gr varmint stuff from Midsouth
The core shot out of the jacket and the jacket stuck halfway down the bore
the 2nd bullet out the bore hit the jacket and did damage
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2nd time was some 110 6mm SMK - only because the standard ones were so hard to find at the time
the base to ogive was all over the place
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So for the extra few dollars to get regular bullets, I would not for myself anyway
maybe only for AR plinking or fireforming
and theyd have to be like $15 - 100
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bobm
Silver $$ Contributor
For me? most definitely!
Midway bought a half million of these bullets from Federal. They were made by Speer for Fed. loaded ammo. I have no idea why they were sold off by Fed. Original price was $18.59 per 100. The reviews were nothing but positive about accuracy. I tried two boxes in my 7-08's and was pleased with the accuracy, too.
The price kept decreasing and eventually hit $11.79 per 100. Over time I bought 160 boxes as funds allowed. Don't let the nasty looking tips or uneven cannelures worry you. I can land them on a 14" gong at 700 meters almost every time in good conditions. I fire about 100 per week and have half of them left. That's a cheap trigger pull.
Midway bought a half million of these bullets from Federal. They were made by Speer for Fed. loaded ammo. I have no idea why they were sold off by Fed. Original price was $18.59 per 100. The reviews were nothing but positive about accuracy. I tried two boxes in my 7-08's and was pleased with the accuracy, too.
The price kept decreasing and eventually hit $11.79 per 100. Over time I bought 160 boxes as funds allowed. Don't let the nasty looking tips or uneven cannelures worry you. I can land them on a 14" gong at 700 meters almost every time in good conditions. I fire about 100 per week and have half of them left. That's a cheap trigger pull.
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