How do y'all test for accuracy

[292]

5 shot groups, 3 shot groups, 10 shots. Do you throw out a flier or maybe one that you know you pulled. I know group size should be measured center to center, just curious about your methods. Been testing whitetail loads for my 44.

[imashooter2]

10 shots. Sometimes I throw out a called pull, but "fliers" are part of the accuracy of your load.

[Hickory]

Some would disagree, but I'd first sight-in your gun, clean it real good.
Then put up a fresh target. Fire one shot at it and see where it hits.

With out taking down the target, (this is assuming you have your own range)
the next day fire another round at the target, from your clean gun.

Do this for five (5) days and you will have a more accurate idea of
"Hunting gun accuracy."

This is also assuming that you are a one shot - one kill sort of person.

[Boerrancher]

If I am target shooting for accuracy, I shoot 5 shot groups. I keep track of my brass, the order it is fired in and mark the pieces of brass I get unexplained fliers with. If that piece of brass gives me a flier for a second time it is discarded. If I am looking for a good hunting load I generally shoot 3 shot groups, and let the gun cool completely down to ambient temp before shooting another 3 shots.

Best wishes,

Joe

[dragon813gt]

For hunting whitetail it's an 8" kill zone. If you can put "x" number of shots in that zone at "x" range you're good. I care about the first two shots for hunting. If I have to take more than one I did something wrong. More than two and I really did something wrong.

I worked up a hunting load for my 1894C this year. I'm content w/ all shots being within a 4" area while shooting offhand unsupported at 50 yards as fast as I can. This is a completely unrealistic scenario. I will never do that in the field.

I'm of the opinion that people focus on sub moa groups to much. Countless game has been taken with firearms that weren't capable of shooting anywhere close to 1 moa groups. But I also understand the better your firearm shoots to better your chances of cleanly taking game. There is a balance and people seem to take it to the extremes when it comes to accuracy.


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[RobS]

I put a cylinder full down the barrel to see what's going on.

[375RUGER]

In development I shot 3s. Then I go to 5s to nail down the load I think is it. Then I shoot 200 and 300 yards. After that I go longer (depending on the gun and use case) and/or put more holes in the paper. That's for rifle.

for handgun I shoot a cylinder or magazine full to develop and then go to 2 cylinders or mags to nail it down.

In wheelguns, I keep track if a particular chamber shoots out of the group and earmark it so I know where that shot will go.

[popper]

A few off the bull, then 50 -100 for a load test@ the same target. 10 for fun, 3 to see if I can best my SIL. Biggest prob is keeping track of called flyers.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Right now, I am more interested in developing my unsupported shooting skills than my loads. I'll shoot a load from prone or off a bench enough to know that it is not spraying patterns and as long as I get around 3 inches at 25 yards with a pistol and around 3 inches at 100 yards with a rifle with sustained fire, I call it good. Once I know the load can do, I stand up and see what I can do. My goal is to be able to hit a 8 inch bull every time, off hand, at 50 yards with a pistol and 100 with a rifle.

[RU shooter]

For rifle it depends , In my match shooting rifle a few 10 Rd groups without cleaning , for my hunting rifle I shoot a 5 Rd group, quick clean with with a bristle brush and shoot another 5 rds, that's with cast with jacketed I don't clean between groups

[Goatwhiskers]

Old Indian saying: one shot, meat, two shot maybe, three shot heap big pile dung. GW

[Larry Gibson]

If testing loads for accuracy I mostly use 10 shot groups anymore, sometimes 7 - 8. A 3 shot group can easily fool you and lead you down a wrong path. A 5 shot group gives an idea but still can be misleading. Statistical validity calls for a minimm of 7 shots for a 90% or so assurance that the group would be valid (applies to velocity and pressure readings also). SAAMI standard is a minimum of a 10 shot group but we see most magazine tests being three or four 5 shot groups for an "average". For intitial load development I use 3 shots if just chronographing or pressure testing and then switch to 7 - 10 shots for group, velocity and pressure testing.

For handguns I use mag capacity or 10 shots if capacity is greater. For revolvers I use "twice around the cylinder" and single shots are done the same as rifles.

"Flyers" are counted in the group, "called shots" out of the group are not counted.

I also use the largest group size as the "potential" accuracy claim not the "average" group size.

For hunting accuracy I measure it pretty much the same as Hickory does.

Larry Gibson

[1bluehorse]

I put a cylinder full down the barrel to see what's going on.

Pretty much my method also...gun holds six, I shoot six. :Fire: Then I go look at the target and count the holes..sometimes they're all there, sometimes they ain't. :roll: I continue this regimen until I'm out...then I go make some more..:drinks:

[felix]

The rule to follow is the one that suits the REAL purpose of the gun. If the gun is a charging beer can jobbie, like most guns are used on this board for real, so be it. Does it shoot beer cans at the distance contemplated when the gun was purchased? If so, it's a done deal. Folks tend to put extraordinary demands on a gun after its purchasing date. That boils down into a disservice to oneself and will cause, in time, unnecessary subconscious grief. Fun guns for just about all folks on this board are NOT bench guns. ... felix

[44man]

Working revolver loads I shoot 3 to 5 of each at 50 yards. Then prove the load that works best from 50 to 100 and maybe 200 for fun. I NEVER shoot 25. I can not work a load so close because even a bad load will look good.
Working loads, it does not matter where they hit the paper, you can sight in later.
I never clean the gun and might go a few years not touching the bore, just the pin and cylinder to keep it lubed.
I am one of those that will forever believe in accuracy over power. My rejection point is anything over 1" at 50 yards no matter the sights. I feel hunting demands accuracy and a hundred FPS more is just folly to make you feel good.
Never, ever hunt with any clean gun---PERIOD. Do not clean between different loads either. The gun will take care of itself.
The best post is Boerrancher, brass tension should be sorted out if you have fliers. Rarely will you have a bad chamber, chances are it was brass.
I might be the original revolver accuracy nut, no idea, too many here also do the same. We have the best cast shooters on earth. But to knock down a deer at a little over 100 yards off hand with a revolver means only accuracy. Most of my revolvers will do 1" or less at 100. On a day when the old age shakes are gone I can hold 6" off hand at 100. One day I was steady and shot 3 shots at my steel plate at 100 yards off hand, this is what I got with my old Ruger .44.
I have no problem busting a water bottle at 100 off hand with the .475 BFR, 45-70 BFR or .500 JRH BFR because they are accurate.
My premise is that you will never get to be a good shot if your loads suck.
Get the best with a rest, then and only then should you work off hand or from field positions. If you shoot 3" or more at 25 yards, do not expect to hit at 50 or more. Forget the pie plate stuff.
Any animal demands the best. In my opinion there is no "good enough" unless you stay in your comfort zone. That is extended with accuracy, never power.
How fast or how hot really gripes me.

[44man]

Larry and Felix have good insights. Fliers can be eliminated but called shots are just you, discount them. It takes much work to "call" a shot to the sights. Most do not know what they did to miss.
If you shoot at a beer can at 100 off hand and you tell me it was a little right and I seen the hit, you are golden. You need do nothing more as you are where you need to be. Misses are just fine, don't worry as long as you know where the sights were.
I suppose a miss can make you feel bad but not so, we can not hold that steady and it is your control you need to fall back on. Where were the sights when the gun went off? Does not matter if the boolit went there.
Say you were perfect! The boolit was called to the right 1" but it hit 2' left? GET OFF YOUR BUTT and back to the loading bench, your gun and load is failing you.
Say you have a big scope on your revolver and it is going crazy so you pull the trigger fast as the cross hairs pass through the target---HEY, it is a MISS every single time and is as bad as a large flinch. The good thing about a flinch is I can plant taters! :bigsmyl2:
To put a large power scope on any handgun is asking for trouble unless you bench shoot your deer. The best is 1X or red dot.
If you say you hit small targets at 100 yards with a 6X or higher scope off hand, I know where you come from. [smilie=p: 2X is just crazy stupid off hand. You need your body cast in concrete.
There is only a few years in age from capable to failure. Us old goats know how fast it is lost. But will you fool with an old goat? :bigsmyl2:

[Love Life]

For rifle I use the ladder method from bags or a pack to find the load. Then I practice from the prone, sitting, and standing as much as I can with "The load" so I know what it does in as many conditions as possible.

For handgun I shoot at the distances I plan to be hunting at from the sitting, kneeling, and standing.

I don't use benches or leadsleads and the like unless I am going to shoot from one of those for the majority of the life of the firearm.

[Doc Highwall]

I start off with 5 shot groups with one varriable just the powder charge.

If I do not like the first powder I try another powder. After that I play with bullet seating depth. Then I go to 10 shot groups and then to twenty shot groups at longer distances. This lets me fine tune my sight settings, and make sure you keep good notes about everything you did.

[white eagle]

how I test my accuracy has no bearing for anyone else but me
I am the one who has to live with the shot and I can't put a number on that value

[geargnasher]

I use pieces of paper with an aiming point marked on them placed at known and appropriate distances from the muzzle.......:kidding:

Seriously though, posts 14 and 15 share my sentiments exactly.

Gear

[Artful]

after getting sighted in at 100.
I will fire 20 shots.
one target stays up for all 20 shots.
on top of that target is another target that's changed after 10 shots.
on top of those two targets is another that's changed every 5 shots.
(think stack of pancakes)

this gives a cooling break every 5 shots fired to change target(s)

this results in
4 - 5 round group targets
2 -10 round group targets
1 -20 round group target

I do fire these from rested postion - bags or bipod whatever the gun is set up with either off the ground or off a bench.

http://www.the-long-family.com/group_size_analysis.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Fuller_group_diagnosis.htm

http://www.bmotsoft.com/grpsz_p1.html#grpsz_p1_top

http://www.targetshooting.ca/docs/grp-analysis.pdf

[canyon-ghost]

Five shot groups unless it's a six shooter then, six.

[292]

Thanks to all, I've got a long way to go.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

how I test my accuracy has no bearing for anyone else but me
I am the one who has to live with the shot and I can't put a number on that value

What he said...

[44man]

What he said...
Much truth!
To take a long shot on an animal if your gun, you or your load is "JUST GOOD ENOUGH" at 25 yards, is at the far extremes of ethics.
I make many long shots but if there is a single question, I do not shoot. I know my guns and have confidence in them. Then I judge myself with hold. Not good, the animal walks, plain and simple.
Comfort at 25 with good enough means you never shoot farther.
To hold 8" at 50 yards would make me back up to less distance.

[Blammer]

a sample of what I do.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/003.jpg

I just shoot 'some'.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/File0160.jpg

[Awsar]

i load different powder charges fire 5 shot grps see what looks good