small caliber keyholes

[walter62]

New-ish Beretta Tomcat (32ACP) (2.4" ? barrel) using Federal Am. Eagle RedBox 71gn ammo.

Shot at 12-15yd at 8" paper plate.

I have about 200 rounds through the gun and do not recall seeing any of this at 7yds.

What's interesting is that they all have exactly the same angle of the keyhole (if that is what we're calling this)
at around the 2 o'clock position. I would have expected a more random distribution of angles. No real 'backing' of the
plate (no cardboard behind it)

Thoughts about what's happening?

 

[Tackdriver VillenTactical]

Maybe it’s the fibers in the plate and the way it is made, ripping it a certain way.

Try it on a different target , like a sheet of paper.

Dave

 

[Mountain]

Honestly, I think 32 ACP and the typical pistols that shoot it are good for 7 to 10 yards max. Intended use is more like 7 feet, not yards.

I have a Colt 1903 with a new-ish barrel. It is by far the least accurate firearm I own.

Edit- upon closer look I think Malodave is correct- those don't look like true keyholes but more like tearing of the paper. Probably the velocity is too slow for a RN shape bullet to punch a clean hole.

 

[enbloc]

I've seen this before with directional key-holing of .22 (or at least very similar.)
Try using a piece of heavy cardboard BEHIND the target (in my case NRA B-2 target) and tape or clip it down.
The paper was tearing as the projo hit it... directionally.
The support of the cardboard stopped it, and I got perfect "drill" holes after that...

Who knows though...?

 

[bdb]

I had the same thing on my Colt 1911 and my handloads which were on the lower end of the powder range. I thought it was key holing from an unstable bullet. I changed to a different target and didn't have the issue anymore so it was the target that was tearing a certain way. Originally it was just an 8.5x11" sheet of paper with no backing, just clipped to the target frame at the top and hanging free. As soon as I switched to a cardboard backing for the paper all was normal again. As others have said, that could be your issue as well.

 

[Dench]

Interesting. If the barrel is not the correct size it could be keyholing, otherwise as many here have suggested change up the target material...

I havent heard of inspec stuff keyholing that close unless it's a 32 ACP thing which is a odd ball caliber.

 

[Broc]

They look like little d*cks.

Sorry, I have nothing useful except for - Try different ammo and clean the barrel. Maybe this ammo lead the barrel.

 

[Asaltweapon]

Our pistol team captain had an older Model 41 that would do that. No idea why it key holed. No burr of any kind in the barrel and nothing wrong that anyone of us could see. Gun was in nice shape so it wasn’t like it being ready to join the hammers in the tool box.

 

[murf4321]

They look like little d*cks.

Sorry, I have nothing useful except for - Try different ammo and clean the barrel. Maybe this ammo lead the barrel.

Or stop throwing little dicks at the target.

 

[enbloc]

They look like little d*cks.

It's how they make adult confetti...