Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/05/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In my 45 or so years of target rifle shooting (off and on) in the US I've not heard the term "precise" used as Malcolm uses it. Perhaps it's an artillery term. For target shooting, the "accuracy" of an individual weapon is the measure of how close to a single point it will deliver multiple shots. Where those shots fall with respect to a specific target is controlled by adjustment of the sights, which are usually assumed to be adjustable to move the actual center of group to the intended target (not always a correct assumption, but that's a different point.) When you say a rifle will hold the 8 ring it means that it will consistently keep its shots within a circle the size of the 8 ring (if the shooter does his part) but will NOT shoot consistently into any smaller circle no matter how good the shooter. The more accurate gun is the one that will shoot the smallest groups consistently, and it's up to the shooter to get the groups onto the target. In this sense, "accuracy" is the same as Malcolm's "precise." BTW, the target air rifle and pistol I've bought over the years both came with a target demonstrating the inherent accuracy of the piece at 10 meters, the standard international competition distance. These are fired from machine rests at the factory, so there are no variables except for the individual weapon. In both cases, 5 shots went through a hole that was not visibly larger than a single pellet (0.177"/4.5mm.) I've read somewhere that for pure inherent accuracy, the top level air rifles lead the list. Cheers, Kip Malcolm McCullough wrote: > > Henry wrote: > >>> Its like comparing target rifles. One is capable of putting all its shots > >>> in the X ring (the very center), the other capable of putting all its > >>> shots in the 8 ring. Which one would you pick to shoot in a match? > > Dante replied: > >>How close together are the shots in the 8-ring?! You asked a trick > >>question! If they're any closer together than the size of the X-ring, > >>I'll take the 8-ring rifle and adjust the sights. > >> > > Then Henry replied to that: > >Only a trick if you never shot! > >Imagine concentric circles larger and larger. > >The X is in the middle, then the 10 then 9, then 8 and so on. > >I want a rifle that will hold the X ring. > >(the more accurate one) > > > >Henry > > I understand what Dante meant - and I think he knows about shooting! > He was referring to what I know as 'grouping' - ie how close the shots fall > with respect to one another, not with respect to the target. > If the spread of shots is closer with the rifle that hits the 8 ring than > the one that hits the X ring, > then the 8-ring rifle is more precise. It just needs its sights adjusting to > become accurate as well. > The X-ring rifle may be more accurate to begin with, but it is less precise > and adjustment may not help. > > Rule 303 applies. > > Regards, > Captain Outrageous, Royal Artillery (Retd)