I bought Nosler premium "blem" brass thru Shooter's Pro Shop (no longer exists) a few years ago too. My research produced the same supplier info "made by Norma for Nosler". Interestingly, my premium blem brass came in a carboard box just like off the shelf brass. Brass wrapped in plastic bag and placed inside a foam lined box, the brass was immaculate. I never did find what made it "blem".
The ongoing complaint about Nosler brass (like Remington brass) is that it tends to be softer than some of the other brands. It is quality brass that just doesn't last quite as long as premium brands like Lapua. There are a lot of guys that run their loads as fast as they reasonably can (and then some....) - and it is when brass is pushed to those higher-pressure limits that one tends to see the differences in brass much more quickly than if shooting "mid-range" loads. I have shot a lot of Nosler brass in various calibers and, when not pushed too hard, has always given me excellent results and pretty long life. I think what people really mean when putting down the brass is that the cost is typically significantly higher relative to life span. It isn't that its bad brass.
