Should I Be Concerned?

[MrDrummy]

I went shooting this weekend, and noticed something that I'm sure has not happened before, at least that I can remember.

As I was punching holes in some paper, using Monarch 230gr FMJ ammo out of my Kimber Ultra Carry, I noticed that the holes were a little irregularly-shaped. I used Photoshop below to illustrate what I was seeing.
A is the normal shape of my holes, and B is what most of them were looking like on Sunday.




So, should I be concerned? Is this even an issue?

[Crossfire]

Were you shooting outdoors? Was it windy?

[stevie_d_64]

Were you shooting outdoors? Was it windy?

I was thinking the same thing...I'm psychic remember???

Target flutter...Maybe it wasn't tacked (stapled) against the board very tight...

But at the range he might have been shooting at, and the caliber...I don't see a chance that this is a "keyhole" paper punch...

Maybe this is just one of those "scratch yer head" things...

Paper does tend to tear funny, sometimes...

Who knows...

[Diode]

Easy test....
The one on the Left is the sun
The one on the Right is a Comet...

Sorry I was feeling weird this morning..... I'll turn you back to our regular programming.

jim

[Popshot]

What you experienced happens often with slow and heavy rounds like .45 ACP. It happens more often when the target paper is loose and when the target paper is thin.

[packina45]

We even see that at the indoor range. Target flutter.

[MrDrummy]

Well, it doesn't seem like much is wrong then.

I was at an indoor range in Austin, it was humid, and the targets even seemed a little bit 'wet' from the humidity.

I guess that's all it was! I just hadn't ever noticed it before. Thanks for the replies!

[ShootingStar]

I've noticed the same thing with my Para .45. I loaned it to a student to qualify with and they commented how it made such "nice round holes" when using semi-wadcutters.

My next class, another student used the same gun/ammo combination and we had tears like you observed. It's likely due to the target backing or lack thereof. All of the indoor ranges I have used have no target backing to support the target. They usually just hang the target unsupported.

If you want to make sure this is correct, see if you can get a peice of cardboard to staple the target to and then hang it. That's what I'd do.

-SS

[stevie_d_64]

Easy test....
The one on the Left is the sun
The one on the Right is a Comet...

Sorry I was feeling weird this morning..... I'll turn you back to our regular programming.

jim

You too???

How weird is that!

[RPBrown]

Might be a bad gun. Better let me shoot a few thousand rounds through it to be sure.