I am curious. Could you post the picture of key-holed target?
On a previous thread last year, target paper tearing due to lack of hard cardboard backing was mistakenly considered key-holing.
Will post photos and dimensions after work today.
I hear you about a lack of backing on the targets bds, but this is clearly not that in my opinion. When a RN or TC bullet pushes through paper, there is a normally a circular dark spot left on the paper. I have targets where I'll see 1 or 2 circular dark spots, and the others are perfect profiles of the bullets with the dark spot all around the profile on the paper. That's telling me it isn't just a tear, but a tumble.
noylj - I've got some longer ones loaded and ready for the range tomorrow, also dropped down to 4.1 gr W231 at 1.108 COL. Some are loaded all the way out to 1.14", which barely covers the blue lube groove. There is an awful lot of straight body showing on these rounds. They chamber and eject, so we'll see what happens.
Retrieving the bullets is not an option as I shoot at an indoor range.
I don't have a slower powder than W231, but I do have WST, Titegroup, and Bullseye. The Titegroup experiment noted above wasn't successful, but it was also at a short COl. May try some WST next.
No leading issues noted, I may have a very small amount at the breach end that is easily removed with solvent and wire brush. The chore boy treatment removes the very fine pieces that I see on my cleaning mat. No strips or anything like that. This is happening in my Ruger SR9, and the barrel is cleaned after each weekly range session that consists of about 200 rounds.
I have been shooting exclusively FMJ and plated bullets through the SR9 until now, and I didn't do anything to try to remove any and all traces of copper before shooting the lead. As I keep the barrel clean after each session, and am not experiencing problems with leading, I'm thinking this is not a probable cause.