Yeah yeah, maybe I'm just nitpicking and bitching about ammo defects, as this is my second thread. However, I figured that Hornady would not have let things like this slip through, especially since I'm paying $1+ per round for it.

Anyway, should I be concerned with these defects in the bullets themselves?

My photography skills suck, but hopefully you're able to see what I'm talking about. One of the bullets had a slight gouge in it, more substantial than a regular scratch. The bullet on the right has a circular deformation in it, and the bullet is rough inside the circle.







Is this something I should worry about? I realize it won't affect the function of the rifle, but would something like that do anything to the interior of my barrel?

I guess my options are

a) email Hornady
b) toss out the rounds (and try to forget they cost $1 per)
c) STFU, load them in a mag and shoot the fuckers.

What say you?

A few of my rounds have the same 'issues' ... don't know if they are indicative of bad rounds or not, so I just loaded the good looking ones at the top




Also, a few of mine have a green copper discoloration around the neck/bullet base.

First post on AR-15.  I have recently purchased several hundred rounds of Hornady T2 from several suppliers and have examined every round, including using a chamber gauge from my JP-15.  I have found no defects of any kind.  Disclaimer: I have no professional or personal association with anything Hornady.  As an engineer I check everything. - it's my nature.

1. The Red Box Tap is supposed to be sold to LE agencies etc. This is by no means a law and it's just against what Hornady's official customer policy is. Be careful of emailing them is all I'm saying.

2. I'd just shoot the hell out of them. Probably a bad lot.

3. I don't know where you got them from but they should not be $1 per round. Dealer cost on that box is about $12. Even at a 50% markup you're getting ripped off.

good luck.

The TAP T2 is hard to come by, and when you do find them, they are indeed $1 a rnd if not a touch more.......at least now.

Last time I ordered direct from Hornady in February 2009 it was $153.60 per case of 200 so it's actually about $.75 per round.  Your $12 per box price is good for 2005 but not at this time.

To the OP, from the looks of your rounds I believe these issues have been pointed out before and determined to be nothing more than aesthetic blemishes.  If it still concerns you, which for as much as you paid you have the right to entertain any concern you care to, just use those as your zeroing rounds.....and STFU (I kid, I kid).

FWIW,
Scott

On a side note, with shipping included, they are over $1 per round at ATG... it's just the only place I could find to buy them... so a box was worth it.

Is it really a defect with the bullet or is it excess sealant? Hornady uses anaerobic adhesive to seal the casemouth instead of tar, some extra may have dripped onto the bullet and picked up a bit of powder residue.

Try scraping at it and see what happens. I bet it comes off.

1. That part of the bullet does cannnot hurt the barrel.  Copper and lead are soft.
2. THE MOST important thing for accuracy in a bullet is that it is concentric and well balanced.

I would not shoot it in a situation that required accuracy.  Put it in a pile for function testing.

I have some rounds with a little excess sealant here and there and some rounds with powder stuck to the bullet or stuck between the case neck and bullet.

You could send the back to Hornady and ask for a replacement, who knows, they may send you back a full box for your trouble. Or just use them for blasting or function test as DevL said.

I believe I may have to apologize for stating you were incorrect on your price.  I checked with a wholesaler today who has the .223 75 grain version in-stock and their price is very close to what you claim to be dealer price.  This wholesaler doesn't carry the 5.56 version but all the LE price lists I've ever received have listed 80265 and 8126N at the same price.  I just figured this wholesaler hadn't updated their catalog prices due to not having any in-stock.  

If you're correct on the price then I offer my apologies.  

Real good then,
Scott