Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire BLEM BULLETS

I have picked up some blem bullets from Nosler and Hornady. Are these usable to hunt with or too unreliable? I know they can be used for barrel break in and plinking. Do they need to be weighed and measured then sorted for use? Just asking for some real life experience with them. TIA
Have a great day.
Jim

Make sure they are of proper weight and diameter and shoot away. Usually cosmetic blems if anything at all.

I struggle to find what makes them “blems” and I think they’re most often a production overrun and not usually blemished but either way they are perfectly fine for anything that you’d use their non-blemished brethren for. 👍🏼

Hornady and sierra tipped bullets match blem are typically good to go

Man I’ve got some funky sierra gamekings and sst.. acceptable for fouling barrels, rough zeros and the like.

^^^That^^^

I can’t tell a difference other than being sold in baggies rather than boxes.

I’ve bought a few BCM blem lowers and can’t see a difference there either besides the roll marks.

I've hunted with blems from Midway (a variety of makers, generally GMX for hunting projectiles) for over 10 years and they have always been as good as the un-blemed projectiles.

The only time I've had a problem with any projectiles has been a recent experience with "pulled" 7mm 160 gr Partitions that I bought from American Reloading. Can't get those things to shoot consistently in my 7 mag even though I used to load new 160 gr Partitions for this rifle when the new ones were available.

Only problem with Midway blems nowadays is that you're not really saving much money by going for them over the un-blemed projectiles.

Even if the deers innards make fun of them it won't do the deer much good.

I haven't ever noticed a difference in accuracy or effectiveness using the Nosler "seconds" from SPS. Sometimes tough to get depending on caliber/bullet you might be looking for, but usually a pretty good deal when you can get them.

I have shot a lot of them cant tell them from standard production

^^^My experience mirrors this.^^^

I sometimes wonder if the inspector was dicking off and just threw a bunch in the blem pile just to be safe.That, or overruns.

Jim,
I can only speak for the Nosler blems, but I’ve shot thousands of them on targets and for hunting with no issues whatsoever. I’ve found some lots were +/- a grain more often than the firsts but I’m not good enough to tell in my shooting. 😊

I've heard they will just bounce off a deer! :^)

Worked up an elk load using SPS 165 Accubond blems in a 30-06. Shot slightly under MOA to 300 yds. Took a nice elk in WYO at 330 yds - worked just fine for me.

I've used nothing but Nosler and Sierra blems for the past 3 years

I shoot the 154 gr SST in my 280. I found some 154 SST "Blems" at Midway and good while back. At the time they were 15 dollars per 100 so I bought 4-5 hundred. The only thing I found wrong was a few stains. I loaded a few up the same way as the factory 1st bullets and they shot identical to the others.

I have had very good luck with them on paper and game.

Have shot a lot of them in different calibers and can not tell they have any issues.

Also shot some Speer bullets and have had no problems.

They might have a different color tip or a tip if lead that has a ring on it.

Pigs and deer have not noticed they have been shot with an inferior bullet.

Had some good groups on paper when working up loads as well.

Anybody order them from GI Loan Shop, which Hornady shows as their authorized factory outlet? Any difference between Hornady blems bought there and elsewhere?

I have picked up Nosler blems in the past. The only ones that had and obvious blems had the cannelure in different places on the bullets. They shoot great though.

I’m in the camp that suspects SPS seconds are excess 1sts, overruns are bullets intended for another brands factory ammo where they made too many or put the cannelure in the wrong spot. Then they have grade c which is a real blem.