Keyhole?? Never seen a handgun keyhole before.

kymasabe

New member
First range trip with my new-to-me Kel-Tec P32. This is my third one, the other two don't do this...what's going on ?? Sorry about the poor picture.
Aprox 7 yards, PMC ammo, indoor range, target was not moving.
Just bought the gun at pawnshop, did quick disassembly and lube in the parking lot, bore was dirty but didn't have equipment to clean it. Got home afterwards, soaked and scrubbed the bore, lands and grooves look good.
keyhole.jpg
 
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Looks more like tears in an unbacked paper target.
Shoot it at a stiff cardboard target and see what kind of holes you get.
 
That doesn’t look like keyholing to me either. You get that in a hung paper target as Jim W said. A hollow point should cut a sharp hole.
 
That doesn’t look like keyholing to me either. You get that in a hung paper target as Jim W said. A hollow point should cut a sharp hole.
...just range ammo, PMC FMJ. Admittedly, I'm rarely at this range and never used these targets before so...I assumed it was keyholing and started to panic.
 
...just range ammo, PMC FMJ. Admittedly, I'm rarely at this range and never used these targets before so...I assumed it was keyholing and started to panic.

So did I the first time I saw that kind of target. I was using a new to me S&W 38 Masterpiece, and wadcutters I'd reloaded myself. I was about to go into a full bore, linear panic. Was it the gun? Was it the ammo?

Nope. Just needed a piece of cardboard. I've forgotten how I figured it out, but it stopped.
 
The slightest positive air pressure (which the indoor range must have) will make the paper move causing that. I always bring a cardboard backer just for that reason.
 
I have a rifle that keyholes, but its bore is very rusted. I'm talking perfect boat tail, side on, impacts at 12 inches......any range farther than that will miss the target entirely! :p
 
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