Thumblin Bullets & Ragged Holes

[waynewjw]

What causes ragged holes vs nice tiny clean holes? To much or to little powder? To light or heavy a bullet? Wrong twist?

What's the cure?

 

[Skinny 1950]

I am loading .45 Colt with round nose bullets which leave a ragged hole and flat point which cut a nice clean hole. Same results with .45ACP.

 

[scott585]

the shape of the bullet, pistol bullets come in wadcutter and semi wadcutter with a sharp shoulder to punch cleaner holes

 

[jeff270]

quality of the paper can also make a difference

 

[joe-nwt]

Target backer also makes a difference.

 

[just having some fun]

If you mean a hole like the bullet is going in side ways or at a angle
if you are shooting cast bullets ?
it could mean a undersize bullet
or not fast enough or too fast
a full wadcutter will punch a hole almost as sharp as a paper hole punch
a semi wadcutter will have a nice hole in the center with soft edges
a pointed bullet might have a small hole in the center and larger soft edges

 

[Dr.Lector]

quality of the paper can also make a difference

This.

Target backer also makes a difference.

And this.

Also, distance from the paper to the backer.
Also, if the paper is wet/dry.


But the biggest difference is the bullet velocity at the target.
If I am left alone to play around a little bit,
I can make a 223 (any type of bullet) leave a
very ragged hole, more ragged than, say, 22LR.

 

[waynewjw]

Shootin rifle - 243, 270 & 30-06. And I mean the bullet going in sideways.

 

[dead meat]

If your bullets are going in sideways they either aren`t stabilzed or your barrel is worn out. Those are the two reasons that come to mind first. If they aren`t stabilized your using the wrong bullets for the twist or need to look up some good load data.

 

[jeff270]

Sideways bullets indicate the bullet may be too long for the rifling twist,more velocity might help.
What bullets are you using?