tumbling bullet 9mm

[JTecalo]

I was at the range today, shot 100 rnds with my Browning Hi-power 9mm.

ammo = American Eagle 115gr fmj. @ 10 yards outdoors, no noticable wind. Bought from Miwall @ Cow Palace Gun show a year ago.

Out of the 100 rnds about 6-7 went thru the target sideways, the rest were ok. Is it common to have a few tumblers out of a 100?

I haven't seen this when shooting the same gun/ammo at an indoor range.

I have seen tumbling before with my llama .380 and going to a heavier weight bullet solved it, but all the lighter weight .380's tumbled not just a few like these.

Browning hasn't been shot much at all (under 500rnds including today), but is a 1971 model.

Hope these are just a few flukes, I've got 2k of them.

[tonelar]

pics? were they all keyholing in the same direction?

[BamBam-31]

Not normal at all, and American Eagle is usually pretty good quality ammo. How's the barrel on the BHP?

[HCz]

+1 on checking barrel.

[tonelar]

also- I've seen some paper targets that tear along a bias.

Kinda like the papers grain... But people have mistaken this for key holing.

[JTecalo]

pics? were they all keyholing in the same direction?

My son retrieved the target while I put our stuff in the car, he tossed it. But IIRC they were point to the left, tail to the right. Also they were all on the left hand side of the paper target in one general area.

Not normal at all, and American Eagle is usually pretty good quality ammo. How's the barrel on the BHP?

Same thought here, the A/E ammo has been fine.

The whole pistol was gone over by a guy that has grown up using hi-powers and he said it looked like a safe queen to him, possibly never shot. He inspected the barrel and told me if it had been used it was very little. He's not a smith but has caring and feeding his guns since the 60's.

He would have advised against buying if he saw anything, and has in the past.

I have shot 400+ rds thru it and never seen this before at all, and like I said only 6 or so were like this. All the rest were clean round holes.

also- I've seen some paper targets that tear along a bias.

Kinda like the papers grain... But people have mistaken this for key holing.

This might be what's happening, the "keyholes" were on the left side of the target that was stapled to a sheet of tar paper held up by 2 wood stakes, standard for Field Sports Park in San Jose.

When I shoot at Markley's indoors the targets are just top suspended and all I see are nice little round paper punches.

Sorry no pics but when I get my new grips I'll post a pic of the pistol.

Thanks to all

[bohoki]

yea i think its just paper bias tearing cause keyholes are unmistakable the bottom of the bullet really tears the paper clean

[JTecalo]

yea i think its just paper bias tearing cause keyholes are unmistakable the bottom of the bullet really tears the paper clean

Although I haven't heard of paper bias before now, I'm pretty sure this was from all the above comments.

[tonelar]

if your bullets are tumbling- its gonna be generally all over the place. If the tears happen its usually thin paper targets and mostly following in a uniform direction.

[JTecalo]

if your bullets are tumbling- its gonna be generally all over the place. If the tears happen its usually thin paper targets and mostly following in a uniform direction.

That what I have then, thin paper target, uniform direction, localized to one area on the target.

Man ain't Calguns great!! learn something new everyday.

thanks guys,

Jim

[fairfaxjim]

That gun is NO GOOD, you should give it to me!

Man ain't Calguns great!! learn something new everyday.

Yeah, it isn't every day that you learn you gotta give your gun away.

Actually, it is amazing how much knowledge is shared on Calguns.net.

[JTecalo]

That gun is NO GOOD, you should give it to me!

Yeah, it isn't every day that you learn you gotta give your gun away.

Actually, it is amazing how much knowledge is shared on Calguns.net.

I'm thinking about it.... tell you what, hold your breath until I get back to you

It really is great to have access to the helpful people & info on Calguns

[oghl888]

The only times I had tumbling bullets is when using Miwall reloads in a glock. I think the projectile diameter is slightly smaller than spec, therefore the rifling is not grabbinb and spinning it for stablization. The same reloads work find in regular rifling like my Sig/CZ/etc.

Never happened with AE9mm though, and that's what I use majority of the time.

[weekend_plinker]

If you don't want the ammo. I will take it