Spraying lead, not in a good way...

[Dano the Pirate]

I have been shooting a SIG 226 for a couple of years. 400- 600 rounds per week , you can double that on weeks when I compete in Bulls-eye and Combat Competitions.

I have noticed in my recent practice sessions, that there are small holes on the paper outside the target area.

I am shooting 25 yard targets at a distance of 25 yards and using 9mm premium ammo. I have sent the weapon back to SIG for an overhaul, cleaning and new barrel that has been tapered for accuracy.

I am stumped, does anyone have any ideas?

[GURU1911]

50 years in the shooting sports & never heard of a problem like this---no explanation.

However, so long as your pistol functions properly in all aspects & puts the bullets where you want them to go upon demand, i would not sweat in the least what is causing the "mystery holes".

Guru1911

[Bill DeShivs]

Is there a snickering guy in the next lane with a .22?
Seriously, it could just be splash back from the backstop.

[mete]

I'd agree with Bill. You should be able to tell if the paper was punctured from the back or front .

[kraigwy]

Are you sure its lead or little pieces of lube. I get that even when I use Lee's tumble lube.

[Unclenick]

Dano:

Point of confusion. Are you shooting only the premium ammo (jacketed) that you mentioned or also shooting actual lead? Could you detail the load or the brand and bullet types involved?

Are you sure this is from your gun and not a shooter on an adjacent firing point? Do the holes form a ring around the bullseye? Is a steel plate being hit? Very odd.

[Vt.birdhunter]

We get that at one range I go to with steel target holders. Could be splatter from you or another shooter in a nearby lane.

Irregular shaped holes?

[saands]

I had a halo of tiny little holes show up around the primary holes in my target one day at the range ... but that was from pushing 55gr JSP's beyond 4000 fps ... I figured that my lead tips were melting. But out of a pistol, the only thing I've ever seen is when you push plated bullets WAY too hard (>>1350 fps) and the plating shears off ... if you are using plated bullets and the barrel is stressing them somehow (rough or too tight???) then maybe that is the cause ... personally, if this is happening regularly, I'd be very concerned that something very wrong was happening.

Be safe,

Saands

[Gunn Smithy]

Is there a snickering guy in the next lane with a .22?
Seriously, it could just be splash back from the backstop.

I have to chuckle at this a bit. When my buddy and I were qualifying for our California State Gun Cards to work in security, many, many years ago; I was on the end of the line then my buddy both shooting revolvers then a poor ol woman whom had chosen to double qualify both with revolvers and automatics. The reason I say poor ol woman is because even in practice when we went down to the kneeling position to shoot, she needed the help of two to three large men to help her back up. She was a large, no scratch that, a huge woman and her belt barely stayed up. We started at 7 yards and shot our six rounds and like you folk, my friend noticed hits on the perimeter of the target. Knowing he was a better shot than that, he looked closer and realized he had 12 holes in his target. Yep, that poor ol woman had been dumping rounds into his target. she was corrected and shot an additional 6 at her own target. But later on she started dumping rounds on my friends target again. You could tell because those were the foul out of the black hits. My friend had cut a nice ragged hole in the ten ring and for usual scoring, holes that couldn't be found would have been granted a 10X for him, but not with the missy's help. He not only got her bad scores, but lost his good ones as well. Smithy.