Factory second Bullets
- Thread starter Boriqua
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I’ve used seconds from Nosler. It used to be a less expensive way to get trigger time in with their accubond/partition bullets in hunting rifles. Besides one broken tip in an ABLR, I never saw any difference between the seconds and firsts. The shortage has run up the price on seconds and it’s just not worth it for me anymore, but if the price is right I wouldn’t hesitate to buy seconds from any well-known manufacturer.
brandyspaw
Member
I knew a guy who ran an optics company back where I lived. He had plenty of connections in the shooting industry and was a hard core shooter and hunter. So he was always buying massive amounts of bullets directly from the manufacturers.
I'd get boxes from him from time to time and noticed occasionally a few were marked blems on the boxes. He never hesitated to use them and always stated blems were usually cosmetic issues like bullet jackets with spots or not polished enough. I don't recall noting much difference with accuracy anyway. Of course, perhaps it could depend on the bullet maker? Mostly, I recall those were Hornadys.
I'd get boxes from him from time to time and noticed occasionally a few were marked blems on the boxes. He never hesitated to use them and always stated blems were usually cosmetic issues like bullet jackets with spots or not polished enough. I don't recall noting much difference with accuracy anyway. Of course, perhaps it could depend on the bullet maker? Mostly, I recall those were Hornadys.
knockonit said:
Could be a number of issues that are minor. Could be a scratch on the bullet or even the jacket is slightly off color. Could be the bullets are not consistent on weight. I have seen plated bullets that looked like orange peeled paint and they shot fine. If they are available and the price is right sometimes I will buy the entire lot of them. I had one lot of 9mm bullets once that were at .358 so I resized them to .355 and shot them all. I have bought brass that is discolored as well and loaded and shot them.
I've used blems - most were just cosmetic and functioned fine. I've also used pulled projectiles that had some scoring marks on the jacket from the puller. Some of those were a bit out of round so I ran them through the bullet sizer. I'm not at all concerned about them for range ammo but I wouldn't use the pulled projectiles for more serious target shooting.
After you buy, care to share your deal? I could use more 175gr SMKs and can never have enough 147gr 9mm.
After you buy, care to share your deal? I could use more 175gr SMKs and can never have enough 147gr 9mm.
I had heard from Midsouth and Midway .. Midsouth seems to have sold out but midway still has a nice selection
https://www.midwayusa.com/s?promotionid=1654027&utm_source=hot-buy&utm_medium=email&utm_content=main-image-link&utm_campaign=factory-second-bullets-brass
https://www.midwayusa.com/s?promotionid=1654027&utm_source=hot-buy&utm_medium=email&utm_content=main-image-link&utm_campaign=factory-second-bullets-brass
Unless I understood why they were 2nds - I'd have a hard time trusting them. If it were something stupid like "they printed the wrong stuff on the box - but the bullets were fine" or even "unacceptable mass variance of 123gr - 125gr for 124gr bullets" I'd be fine - but not knowing what caused them to be a 2nd would make me really uncomfortable.
needsmostuff
Member
Hey , It make a 10x ring all the more special and provides a great excuse for an 8 ring hit.
Many years ago I worked down the street from Sierra Bullets when they were located in Santa Fe Springs, California. I would make it a habit to walk in and check out the factory seconds many of which I bought and some of which I still have! None of them had any flaws that would impact loading or accuracy and all of them were a great deal.
Crippledtrigger
Member
Weight or color/appearance.
Also QC batching may mean a whole batch was marked as blem based on a few of the bullets pulled for qc.
Also QC batching may mean a whole batch was marked as blem based on a few of the bullets pulled for qc.
Kinked_Chrome
Member
Ive had really good luck with the Hornady 22cal Eldm seconds that midways has sometimes. Both 73gr and 75gr have shot sub moa from my good rifles.
Firewhenready7
Member
I have shot a lot of seconds and never had a problem. I wouldn't reload seconds for hunting but for pinking, absolutely.
pcmacd
Member
Boriqua said:
Years ago I purchased 3,000 240 grn and 2,000 300 grn JHPs from one of the larger internet supply houses. Seconds, clearly Hornady but not marked as such. They looked normal to me and shoot like a house afire in my Deagle.
condition_0ne
Member
Boriqua said:
If you're just doing practice ammo or anything that doesn't require real precision then I wouldn't worry about it.That said, I've tried multiple calibers of Nosler 2nds- 6.5mm, .308, .5.56mm etc. and they usually shoot about 4 MOA vs 1/2 MOA for my usual loads, all brass, powder, primer and appropriate seating depth being comparable. Personally I think there are minute differences in the jacket thickness/concentricity or similar that leads to this.
If you're loading 5.56 to do short range practice at 50 yards, no big deal. If you're wanting to hit steel at 1-1.5km I'd think twice.
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