Blemished bullets for load development?

[offthebeatenpath]

Are blemished bullets worth buying for load development?
Or am I introducing an unneeded variable?

Tikka .243 1:8 load development in progress, and I’d like to try some 109 ELD-M’s. Don’t really want to buy 500 of them, but can’t seem to find them available in 100 count.

Unless someone here is willing to sell me a box?

 

[waspocrew]

Here are new 109s:

Hornady 6mm 109 gr ELD-M Bullets | G.A. Precision

Hornady 6mm 109 gr ELD-M Bullets Bullet Weight: 109 grains Quantity options: 100, 500 and 1000ct (handpacked); 2500ct (single-lot, factory packed bulk case) Cost per bullet: about 0.42 each Hornady part number / SKU: 24530B 6mm / .243" diameter Bal

www.gaprecision.net

 

[offthebeatenpath]

Here are new 109s:

Hornady 6mm 109 gr ELD-M Bullets | G.A. Precision

Hornady 6mm 109 gr ELD-M Bullets Bullet Weight: 109 grains Quantity options: 100, 500 and 1000ct (handpacked); 2500ct (single-lot, factory packed bulk case) Cost per bullet: about 0.42 each Hornady part number / SKU: 24530B 6mm / .243" diameter Bal

www.gaprecision.net

I did see that.
The first time I tried to check out, shipping was $38 for a $45 box of bullets.

 

[waspocrew]

I did see that.
The first time I tried to check out, shipping was $38 for a $45 box of bullets.

Ooof. That’s some ridiculous shipping. I wonder if they’d explain that over the phone.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I've shot a lot of seconds. Both just shooting and hunted with them as well. No issues

That said. Watch it. Handfull of places are good at sneaking out seconds for more than the normal stuff sells for

 

[Andouille]

Just shot through a box of "seconds" 143 ELD-X and I ordered another 400 because they shot so well. No visible defects and I weight sorted into "light, medium, and heavy" because of my slight OCD tendencies. Maybe 1 gr extreme spread in weight at most. I've seen some folks report a backwards or missing tip (toss or use as foulers) or inconsequential surface discoloration, but never poor shooting from Hornady seconds/blems.

 

[Leaf Litter]

I have a few boxes of various 6.5 and 270 blems (140 Match Burners and 165 ABLR respectively) and love using them for plinking and load development. I bought a couple hundred of each at steep discount vs retail l, talking 50% or less of normal cost. I've never found an issue with them.

The 140s shoot tiny groups in my target gun, wish I had bought a thousand of them.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I use seconds for fire forming in my improved chambering and they shot fine.

 

[hoooogan]

We have a "used" market for a reason.

B

Sold Thread '109 eldm seconds'

Dec 27, 2025

570 seconds 109 eld (one box not pictured)
$old Tyd
Am willing to sell 100 if you wish.

Pending

• Bowfinn
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Rokslide Classifieds

 

[offthebeatenpath]

We have a "used" market for a reason.

B

Sold Thread '109 eldm seconds'

Dec 27, 2025

570 seconds 109 eld (one box not pictured)
$old Tyd
Am willing to sell 100 if you wish.

Pending

• Bowfinn
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Rokslide Classifieds

Yep, that's why I asked. I just wasn't sure what other guys used blem's for, and what reasonable expectations would be.
The only other time I've used them it was a batch of soft point anyway, so my expectations weren't high.

 

[hoooogan]

Yep, that's why I asked. I just wasn't sure what other guys used blem's for, and what reasonable expectations would be.
The only other time I've used them it was a batch of soft point anyway, so my expectations weren't high.

From what i've seen and experienced, Seconds will shoot anywhere from decent to just as good as Firsts. Don't see many reports of "these are hot garbage". Hell, I've had Firsts that shoot worse than Seconds.

I'll typically only buy seconds if I have a good Firsts load already done, so I can plink more cost effectively. But I'm not buying bulk bullets of anything to start. See if that guy will sell you a package or two to try out.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Many, many years ago I lived in southern California and Sierra Bullets was less than 5 miles away. I used to go there and buy seconds priced by the pound. When I got them home, I would do the following:
-sort looking for cosmetic problems.
- weigh and sort by weight
- roll them looking for out of round problems
The ones that made the "cut" were used for anything I needed bullets for,.
Never had a problem.

 

[bhylton]

Killed deer with both 108 and 73 eldm blems this year. 147eldm blems seem to be shooting well in a friends 6.5prc so far… I will buy more, especially for volume shooting

 

[tx_shooter]

I have used blems from Midsouth for years for range / plinking ammo. I saved a lot of money with the 123gr blems in my 6.5 Grendel and 6.5 CM when I was getting my wife trigger time. I still use the blems for testing ideas because they have proven to be sub-moa without premium prices.

I still reload for hunts and long distance with Barnes and Nosler bullets; but this keeps the cost-per-shot down.

 

[Chris in TN]

My fear with seconds is that there'd be some issue I didn't notice with 10 or 50 bullets then I'd shoot a deer with the one out of 100 that had a jacket imbalance or they'd shoot great but they were made with the wrong core material and they'd pencil on a deer or....

It's just a risk I haven't been willing to take. If you buy them and a new rifle/load doesn't shoot well, using seconds just gives you an unexplained variable.

Would I buy them strictly for use in plinking/practice? Yes. For load development or hunting? No.

 

[tx_shooter]

My fear with seconds is that there'd be some issue I didn't notice with 10 or 50 bullets then I'd shoot a deer with the one out of 100 that had a jacket imbalance or they'd shoot great but they were made with the wrong core material and they'd pencil on a deer or....

It's just a risk I haven't been willing to take. If you buy them and a new rifle/load doesn't shoot well, using seconds just gives you an unexplained variable.

Would I buy them strictly for use in plinking/practice? Yes. For load development or hunting? No.

That last part is exactly the point. Know when to use seconds. I am not going to risk a hunt's cost (lease, guided, or self guided) for $1 of a bullet. Why buy the best scope you can and then go cheap with the actual item that drops the intended game animal.

Blems are great for range and plinking. When the hunt is on the line use the best you can.

 

[BigGrinner]

Are blemished bullets worth buying for load development?
Or am I introducing an unneeded variable?

Tikka .243 1:8 load development in progress, and I’d like to try some 109 ELD-M’s. Don’t really want to buy 500 of them, but can’t seem to find them available in 100 count.

Unless someone here is willing to sell me a box?

I use them for working up loads but you need to weigh each bullet. Some times they are seconds due to weight variances. I had some 308 seconds that were as much as 9 grains off...