Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Nosler's - Reason They Are Seconds

I was loading up some 140 gr AB blems for an upcoming elk hunt and had the OAL vary from 3.318 - 3.338 and about everywhere in between. Disappointed to say the least as I bought five bags of them.

Shoot some of them. I'll bet they will group just fine.

I intend to but just did not think they would sell such stuff, period.

I believe they are seconds only because of cosmetic flaws, tarnish spots, stains, etc.. When I worked in the gunsmithing shop of one of the major manufacturers we got all of our test fire ammo from Federal. They too were seconds due only to cosmetic issues and shot just fine. I am currently loading some Nosler seconds in my .257 Roberts, I can't tell any difference from first quality bullets, they shoot just as accurately.

Curious as to any weight variance.

A Hornady bullet comparator would help you setting your COL.it measures off the ogive like your seating die.It will sure save you a lot of flustration instead of measuring from base to tip.
http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-.224-.308-Comparator-Set-With-6-Bullet-Inserts/

My blems hold sub-MOA out to 400 yards. Maybe farther, I just don't try.

Kill stuff dead, too.





P

Please, whatever you guys do, don't buy anymore seconds based on edm's opinion. Don't buy any of the .375 260gr. partitions when they become available. They will be chit guaranteed and they won't kill anything. They suck, as with all of the nosler blems and over runs...

I pretty much gave away all the 286gr. partitions I had for my 9.3x62mm when I sold it. I had my doubts about the rifle and blemished bullets....



I don't know what the fu ck was going on. First shot was low, so I adjusted it up a bit. Fired 5 more shots:


Then right afterwards, I said fu ck it and fired 10 more since they were so damn cheap and crappy...:


I really don't see why any of you guys would want to buy these things..

That's what happens when you measure off the tip Ed. mtmuley

It's easy to obsess way too much….


Three of the most recent moose that went in our freezer…all between 200 and 300 yards…all SPS 2nds.

I bought some Nosler .30 168 Custom Comps and they truly are crap for accuracy. I've pulled my hair out with shooting them through two different barrels. I never could get them to group better than 1MOA...This with a needed, custom tube and trued action.

On a separate note, the Nosler 2nd Ballistic Tips have been excellent. I can't tell they shoot any worse than 1sts.

Seconds are the only Noslers I shoot. They shoot and kill stuff quite well.

Now if I could trade a dammed hat for reduced shipping!

I've got piles of Nosler 2nds on my bench and a full freezer. My last bull didn't seem to care about differences in bullet length.

If you decide you don't want those damn 140 Ab seconds, I will buy them if they are 7mm!

As someone said buy the hornady comparator it's the only tool to get to measure OAL. I also gurantee you what's causing it to be .020 off is the plastic tip. If you measured with bullet using the hornady comparator those bullets be just fine.

I measure off the ogive for seating my loads.

Works for me.

I'd also thoroughly clean my seating die. Muddy

Don't worry, I think they are just garbage bullets. I have some that aren't seconds and they do not shoot. I have to load well below SAAMI spec just to chamber them in a 300 WM ruger no1. 700p will barely get an inch with them. I gave up long ago with those. I have great results with the 338 accubonds, all weights.

Shm