So I finally ran out of my nosler 150BT's. I stocked up last year, and shot a few thousand of them. I just ordered a thousand more last week.

Nosler number 30150. .308 150gr green ballistic tip.

I just sat down to start loading... and noticed an extreme variation in length to ogive. I pulled down one of my old bullets so I could measure the differences and verified exactly what I feared.

Old bullet:
OAL - 1.216
Ogive - 0.576

New bullet:
OAL - 1.206
Ogive - 0.592

This seems like a LOT of variation. My old batch of 5000 from various lots never had that much variation.

I loaded up 100 of them to the same length to ogive. Going to have to shoot them and see how they behave I guess.

That is strange, Nosler is usually pretty good with their quality control.

The more I got into reloading, and trying to be as precise as possible, I've found that there are subtle differences in even the most basic components. Last batch of .300 Win Mag loads I used my stand by 190 gr. Match Kings, but ended up with three piles of them because of different bullet weights out of the same box. They were all about 190 grains, but some were just a tad heaver and some a tad lighter.

You'll come to find that bearing surface can have even more of an impact than weight difference.

Especially if you are loading subsonic. Contact area is much more critical.

OK, I just got off the phone with nosler. Someone screwed up when they ran my stickers. Hence the confusion.

My lot numbers start with numbers, instead of letters.

So, here is how the lot number works.

First letter - Year
Second letter - Month
Numbers following - day
F# - press
last number - shift

So, if you had a lot number like this: HA25F3 1 That would mean it was made in 2010, in January, on the 25th, on press 3, on 1st shift.

However, on my boxes it is printed like this: 25HA F3 1 Someone screwed up.

I'm confused, does this explain the variance? is this standard run out between lots? (Can't imagine that much)

BTW just an FYI for the reloaders out there, not sure if it's ever been mentioned but Nosler does sell its seconds through Shooters Pro Shop (which is attached to the Nosler factory)

I've been shooting them for years, cost is 20 to 50% off retail. There's a little more information about their 2nds and in stock items and order info here:
http://www.shootersproshop.com/index.php?p=11&b=8&s=380

It explains it, but it doesn't excuse it. Bottom line is that if I really want to control it I will have to measure bearing surface of each bullet.

It explains the label, it doesn't explain the bullets. If they're varying a significant amount they should take them back.

My bet is they improved the newer ones with a longer ogive for better flight characteristics.

Bergers have about the longest ogive I have seen with SMK right in there with them.