Question About the Term Keyholing
- Thread starter HGM22
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Keyholing? Came across that term in IPSC matches, when a target that was supposed to have two rounds in it? but did not. But the one that was present, was in the eyes of this RO was only one! A classic keyhole.
Especially as other rounds, where two were present, displayed the same appearance!
Especially as other rounds, where two were present, displayed the same appearance!
GBExpat
Member
You are correct about the term keyholing and GRIZ22 is correct about the term stringing.
Carl N. Brown
Member
I have always heard "keyhole" in reference to an enlongated hole caused by an unstable bullet tumbling or wobbling on its axis when it hit the target.
While two close shots may leave an enlongated hole, if they were identified as seperate shots, they were never called "keyholes".
Last match I had what appeared to be a keyhole on the paper target, but the scorer and I looked at the back of the stiff cardboard in the frame and there were two distinct exit holes like a 8, snakeeyes (this may be local usage), that appeared in the thin paper target as a keyhole. (Serious ranges will have a scrolling paper behind the target advanced beteen shots to detect shots through a previous hole.)
On the other hand, when I tried reloading .310" '.32' bullets for a .32 that shot well with .311" and .312" bullets, the one-of-every-three keyhole matched the profile of the bullet perfectly. It sorta resembled the classic skeleton key hole in a door lock.
My experiment trying to stabilize looong 220gr .308" bullets in a .30-30 at black powder velocities gave me some really obvious keyhole targets.
While two close shots may leave an enlongated hole, if they were identified as seperate shots, they were never called "keyholes".
Last match I had what appeared to be a keyhole on the paper target, but the scorer and I looked at the back of the stiff cardboard in the frame and there were two distinct exit holes like a 8, snakeeyes (this may be local usage), that appeared in the thin paper target as a keyhole. (Serious ranges will have a scrolling paper behind the target advanced beteen shots to detect shots through a previous hole.)
On the other hand, when I tried reloading .310" '.32' bullets for a .32 that shot well with .311" and .312" bullets, the one-of-every-three keyhole matched the profile of the bullet perfectly. It sorta resembled the classic skeleton key hole in a door lock.
My experiment trying to stabilize looong 220gr .308" bullets in a .30-30 at black powder velocities gave me some really obvious keyhole targets.
Jim Watson
Member
The current technical term in target shooting for a small group is a "bughole."
Black Knight
Member
Jim when I started out in the late 1970s we called them rat holes. They looked like the holes a rat would make in a wall. Times and terms seem to change.
FL-NC
Member
I've always hear keyhole describing side-strikes, as in an unstable bullet from a shot-out barrel, or loss of stability from it hitting something else en-route. What the OP said.
Most of the posters nailed it, keyholes are from a bullet that is off-axis.
Different bullets impacting close together or touching in a line is simply a string/stringing.
The 60gr-labeled holes on the right of this target are classic keyholes, and then some
Different bullets impacting close together or touching in a line is simply a string/stringing.
The 60gr-labeled holes on the right of this target are classic keyholes, and then some
deadin
Member
Serious twist rate problem with those 60 grainers.....
Serious twist rate problem with those 60 grainers.....
I just googled .223 keyholing because I know you can get some pretty obvious examples with that bullet profile compared to handguns...but the problem with that one turned out to be that they bought it from PSA (PTAC), the twist was fast enough. I didn't read into it because I just wanted the photo, but that was the topic of the thread it was pulled from by Google.
Carl N. Brown
Member
The target on the left is marked 53 gr and 5.45x39mm (53 gr, 2900 fps, twist 1 in 10" is common in that caliber). If the right target was fired with same gun, the twist rate for 53 gr did produce a very good example of classic keyholes with 60gr bullets!
Something was way out of whack for that to happen for sure. It's a trail of breadcrumbs trying to actually find where that photo originated and what the story is, now that I look harder
win71
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from years ago
Here is an example. It was a while ago but I do remember Hornady had a max. speed for their sx bullets. I remember I pushed them several hundred fps past that looking for a fast coyote load. This wasn't it. Even though it was probably tumbling it shot right along with the others.
Here is an example. It was a while ago but I do remember Hornady had a max. speed for their sx bullets. I remember I pushed them several hundred fps past that looking for a fast coyote load. This wasn't it. Even though it was probably tumbling it shot right along with the others.
Jim Watson
Member
I no longer have the target or the pictures, but I had a combination that would BEND bullets. I set up a .223 with 6.5" twist for the 90 gr SMK. It shot very well up to the Sierra max load, but that was not fast enough to hold supersonic at 1000 yards. The Hodgdon max load would, but not all the bullets arrived at the target. The ones that did were accurate, I had one F class string that was nothing but Xs, 10s... and misses.
I kept tinkering until I finally caught a couple on a five foot backer at 100 yards. Almost perfect "C" shapes punched through target and plywood backer. No keyhole of an unstable bullet, no torn paper; bent.
With Sierra loads, they are accurate and do well at 600 yards.
I fixed the 1000 yard problem, JLK VLDs don't bend, nor do Bergers.
I briefly tried 75 gr A-max. They would visibly disintegrate in midair, my spotter could see the silver streak against the sky. Loaded down a bit, they are very accurate, fine for 300 yards.
I kept tinkering until I finally caught a couple on a five foot backer at 100 yards. Almost perfect "C" shapes punched through target and plywood backer. No keyhole of an unstable bullet, no torn paper; bent.
With Sierra loads, they are accurate and do well at 600 yards.
I fixed the 1000 yard problem, JLK VLDs don't bend, nor do Bergers.
I briefly tried 75 gr A-max. They would visibly disintegrate in midair, my spotter could see the silver streak against the sky. Loaded down a bit, they are very accurate, fine for 300 yards.
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