Over the years I have fired (three) 750 round cases of Silver Bear 5.45. The first two cases performed 100%, no complaints. The third case is when I found the defects.

I had a failure to fire, waited 10 seconds and ejected the round. Upon inspection I found the cartridge was missing a primer. I didn't think anything of it, QC doesn't catch everything. As I proceeded to open another 30 round box I heard loose powder inside the paper packet, that's when I found the second cartridge without a primer.

Lot number is 2008-09 H85.

Interesting . I have gotten a round of Winchester Ranger JHP missing the hollow point . I have gotten a Federal with a backwards primer . These things happen in mass production

I have been using Silver Bear in various calibers (5.45x39, .223, 7.62x39, 9mm, .380, .45) through many 1000s of rounds & never had any problem like that.
I checked the 5.45 case that I have open now but I have a different code number.

I have bought name brand ammo & had a few with the bullets in backwards, they still make the steel gongs go clang.

Different manufacturer at this point as well.

That said, my SGL31 really liked the older stuff.

Is new production Silver Bear 5.45 coming from a different manufacturer?

I remember the old days when you would find a 5.56 round in every case or so.  They have come a loooooong way.

I had a backwards primer in my SB 5.45 a few weeks ago. Only one in the 120rds fired so far, with the rest of the 1500 purchased to go.

Interesting.  I have a few thousand rounds of SB with one case purchased recently.  Looks like I'll be inspecting each round a little closer now while loading mags.  Thanks for the heads up!