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Blemished Bullets

nmkid

Gold $$ Contributor
OK, so I have used blemished bullets for many years. I honestly never thought about it but...What exactly, (to manufactures) constitutes a blemished bullet? I have shot them before with favorable results many, many times. Is it just how the bullet looks??
 
I use a lot of blems from Nosler . before I first bought any , I called and talked to one of the guys . he told me the blems are only cosmetic , they sold no faulty bullets . a blem could be stained copper from a wash .
one example is , nosler accubonds have a white plastic tip . Nosler made accubond bullets for another ammo maker , and this maker wanted red plastic tips . Nosler made a big overrun of these red tipped bullets , and sold the extra bullets as blems . I've been shooting these 7mm 160 grain red tipped accubonds for years .
another example is Nosler accubonds do not have a cannular . Nosler made accubonds for another ammo maker that wanted their bullets with a cannular . Nosler sold the overruns as blems , stating these have a cannular .
 
Use to be able to get a really good deal on "blems" from Sierra bullets, but i think that they replaced the Lady that used handle that and changed the policy about how you can get blems from them.. at least that is my understanding..
 
The sneaky side of me wonders if they're not just regular bullets marked as blemished and marked down as a way of price discrimination. Sort of like student discounts at the movie theater or outlet malls.
 
The sneaky side of me wonders if they're not just regular bullets marked as blemished and marked down as a way of price discrimination. Sort of like student discounts at the movie theater or outlet malls.
Na, ive toured the Sierra facility a couple times and bought their 2nds both times.. Several 55gr Blitzkings had no lead nor green tip, others had no lead but had the green tip, some had the green tip not formed. 77gr SMK missing lead or really large HP in them. .277 110gr Pro hunters that had lead tips .125" too long or missing lead.
I figure the machines have to be readjusted when they swap over to another bullet and the 2nds are when they are adjusting everything?


But on the Nosler Blemished/2nds ive never got a bad bullet from them.
 
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I know at Serria they are like color blemishes. I went on the tour and asked and purchased Bullets by the pound afterwards. I was told they test every so many rounds and if they do not shoot up to standard they do not sell them
 
I would weigh and measure each blem bullet. The Nosler 155 blems had a significant weight variation. And others had significant ogive differences.
 
I would weigh and measure each blem bullet. The Nosler 155 blems had a significant weight variation. And others had significant ogive differences.
I have the same findings with some Hornady "Factory Seconds" from midway. Now, a Blem vs Factory second may be a totally different animal. I accept that these bullets I buy will not be as good (but in my rifles, they're 95% as good), but for the significant discount on them, $0.09/rd for v-max's, I will NOT complain. The only things I will say are positive things, once my order clears, so I get what I want.
 

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