Factory Seconds

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wvcardsfan

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I see "Factory Seconds" advertised here and there. I assume most often these are bullets, but are other components also advertised that way and what is the feeling of experienced reloaders about using them?
 
Bought some seconds from Berry’s. That shoot just fine. They might have a small blemish but otherwise just fine.
 
I've shot lots of them. I haven't noticed a difference with handgun bullets. I've had mixed results with rifle ammo. For blasting with the 5.56 AR-15, they'll do. For working up loads in other cartridges, I try to get a feel for how they shoot before I'll trust their consistency.
 
For awhile, I shot a lot of Nosler 168 grain .308 match bullets that I purchased as seconds, with excellent results, then about 8 years ago I got not-so-good results. Now, I will happily shoot them for practice only.
 
NuJudge and I have the exact same experience with Nosler seconds. They truly are the rejects. Now, it seems, they shoot so poorly, I quit buying them.
 
I got some nossler 185 grain 45acp bullets from rmr and there great. I dont know if they were blems or clearenced for a factory overrun. I would not use anything but first rate bullets in rifle due to the longer ranges I shoot. If your banging steel with friends inside 200 it may be ok.
 
I live in central OR so I have had access to Nosler seconds for 30 some years, I haven't tried any in recent months but have had good luck with them. Well with one exception, I bought some 158gr .357 that had inconsistent cannelures. Most of the issues I could see were blemishes.
 
I bought a thousand .277 130gr Hornady ballistic tips that were factory seconds. Only thing I could find wrong was some tarnishing in the cups. They shot very well and I have looked for more ever since I loaded the last 300 or so. I have bought the factory bullets, but haven’t found the seconds again. Same scenario with some 25 caliber 75?gr from Sierra. Seems the seconds have a good reputation and when they get listed they sell out quickly.
 
I'm all about factory seconds in pistol bullets. I'll buy them for any amount of savings over the equivalent non-second bullet.

For rifle bullets, I will take the same attitude toward blasting ammo in 223. If I'm expecting accuracy out of them, I am fine with bullets that are polymer tipped, but not exposed lead tip bullets. Some exposed lead tip bullets I've bought look like someone threw them out the window of high-rise building. They shot bad in more than one rifle too.
 
I got burned with some handgun bullet seconds that were undersized in diameter, so I am leery of seconds now. On the other hand, I have had some good experiences with factory seconds rifle bullets.

If it is just cosmetic, no worries, but if it is something else, I'm not interested.
 
Living about 20 miles from the Hornady plant I use a fair amount of bullet 'seconds'. They are primarily cosmetic problems, and some that have a mark indicating they "...won't group ..." well. The slight discolorations have no impact on me and I really do not grasp their criteria for not 'grouping'. The ones I get are just fine.
The first 'run' of bullets (can't remember exact number, but thousands) of bullets after the machinery is set up or re-adjusted are sold off as 'seconds'.
I have no idea how other companies make the 'selection'.

Pretty sure gun powder has to act within certain parameters to be marketed as XXX (name or number here). Pretty sure cases have to be able to handle proof level pressures. Consider the lawsuit ramifications of selling powder marked with a label that indicates it will burn with about half the rate of expected. Consider the lawsuit ramifications of selling cases in which the primers won't stay or seriously leak pressure (and gas) on the first firing. Sell a bunch of dud primers as if they were 'good'? Not good PR.
 
I've had good luck with seconds.
Only bad experience was with some 125 grain jhp 38/357 bullets. They had been crimped so hard they were undersized except for 3/16 of an inch near the bullet base. Still shot well enough for plinking.
I was shocked. Almost didn't even load them.
 
I buy a lot of seconds and even pulled bullets in 9, 40 and 45. All the "seconds" I ever bought had only cosmetic blemishes and shoot very well.
I bought 1K of blemished 175 Sierra Match 30's a couple years ago but have not used any yet.
 
Blem rifle bullets may vary in length, placement of the canelure, and/or weight. This may affect the seating depth and/or accuracy, but make good blasting ammo.
I have not experienced any that were of the wrong diameter.
They make for a good savings of money. ( how do you spell canelure? my spell checker is having fits!)
 
H&R Glock said:
( how do you spell canelure? my spell checker is having fits!)
Click to expand...
Two “n”s.:) Mine doesn’t know it either, and will let me make up words...:fire:


I like tarnished bullets, but not skinny ones.
I like pulled bullets, but not 69 and 62 grain together.

I like inexpensive bullets, but I like available bullets better!:D
 
I have had great success shooting pulled or blem 30 cal bullets in my milsurps.

It's really all I use.
 
Regarding the OP's question:

wvcardsfan said:
are other components also advertised that way
Click to expand...

Can't say I've ever seen any components other than bullets advertised as seconds.
(A while back, Midway had some 'blemished' primers, and I have also seen some Lapua brass sold as 'blemished'.)
 
Last edited:
Archie said:
have a mark indicating they "...won't group ..." well. The slight discolorations have no impact on me and I really do not grasp their criteria for not 'grouping'.
Click to expand...
Recommend you tour the plant as I have. Interesting, and free!
Samples from their 'Match Ammo' are tested to meet a certain MOA spec (Don't quote me, but I believe it's 1/2 MOA) while their Hunting ammo is tested to meet another (Reasonably sure it's 1 MOA)
 
NuJudge said:
For awhile, I shot a lot of Nosler 168 grain .308 match bullets that I purchased as seconds, with excellent results,
Click to expand...

I have some of those, too. I've shot them side by side with SMK's... and the SMK's shot noticeably better. I don't know if that's because of the bullet, or because they were seconds. What I've decided, since, is that I'm buying bullets like the Nosler CC or SMK's to be as accurate as possible... not plinking ammos, so I don't buy seconds for that bullet anymore... but like many others, I'll gladly buy handgun seconds, or cheapo 55grn .223 bullets, etc... because I don't have the expectation of accuracy as I do with a match type bullet.
 
I bought some .224 dia bullets for reloading plinking ammo for my ARs about a year ago for 3 cents ea. They shoot just as good as the high priced bullets. I have also bought some .308s from Midway that were advertised as 2nds, they look just as good as the ones I have been loading.
.223.jpg .223s
 
I buy them when the prices are right. Mainly rifle bullets sold by Midway as factory seconds. Some have minor flaws but most look like new bullets. I've also bought some pull down match bullets that shoot well .175 SMK's recently and 168 SMK's in the past. Over all a largely positive experience for me.

Sometimes the asking price is close to the new product and then its time to say no thanks.
 
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