IMHO......you can buy the "bulk" no name stuff........but, you may not be as happy. Frankly, it may even be made in _______ (other than USA).

Buying the "named" brand stuff has the "theory" behind it, that it's first rate. Because, the mfn is willing to place his name on the box. Thus, saying something.

FWIW.......I once heard, that bulk bullets were from the beginning and ends of the production runs or when the machine was "adjusted." Or, from different machine production lines just thrown into a large hopper, to be counted out later.

The best, middle of the production run bullets, from a single machine were said to be used for the 100 bullet boxes.

Then again, there was a time when Match bulk bullets (from a certain mfn) were said to have come off the machine, one after another, only spitting into a larger 500 box package size.

How much of it or IF it's true at all........who knows?

Then, manufacturers differ on how they do things.  So, YMWV.