Revolver Accuracy

[OneFreeTexan]

How do you measure your revolver’s accuracy. for a true picture I shoot from sand bags, or a pistol rest. for example a Dan Wesson (early) with a 12” barrel is bullseye accurate at 50 yds. A 38 Special snubbie, with 3” barrel from bags or a rest is reasonably accurate, at 5 yds. Both of these guns will be a lot less accurate shot freehand........amiright?

So when a guy says his revolver shoots 6” low, and 3” to the right at 50 feet, shot freehand with one hand. Is his revolver really off that much, or is it his shooting technique,

What do you think?

 

[tightgroup tiger]

The short barreled pistols are just as accurate as the longer barreled ones. They are just harder to shoot because of the shorter sighting plain.
I shoot my 3" SP101 at 25yds off hand, standing, and unsupported and get about 8" groups at 25yds. It shoots better than that, I don't.

The best way to check the actual accuracy of any kind of pistol is with a Ransom's Rest where the pistol is clamped into a jig and the trigger is pulled mechanically by the devise when you push the actuator

The accuracy you can get with a particular handgun depends on a lot of things. The quality of the handgun, whether it fits your hands correctly, your shooting skills, you eyesight, the trigger quality, your shooting technique, and so on.

Your question is a hard one to answer.

With revolvers I prefer larger framed more powerful revolvers, someone with smaller, weaker hands may prefer a smaller frame and lighter caliber.

When you find a particular handgun you shoot really well you will think it is the most accurate handgun you have. But truthfully, it's the one you shoot the best.

Don't know if this helps or not but it's my take on it.

.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

So when a guy says his revolver shoots 6” low, and 3” to the right at 50 feet, shot freehand with one hand. Is his revolver really off that much, or is it his shooting technique,

It could be his sights or his technique either one. If the gun is sighted in it's probably his technique. Poor trigger control can make it shoot all over the place.
There is a pie chart on trigger control around here someplace, I'll try to find it.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

http://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/shooting-correction-charts-the-big-lie/
It could be one of these problems or
http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/lounge/114172-trigger-control-chart.html
one of these.

 

[OneFreeTexan]

Thank you, Tiger.. I do use a Ransom rest, it’s loads of fun to shoot as accurate as it will do. My Dan Wesson is incredibly accurate, however my snubbie isn’t as accurate,, even both shooting from the rest. At least at 50 yds. At 7 yards, both are equal

It’s just that I see many guys post that their gun is ‘off this way,, by 6 or that way by 4””. Of whatever, so the claim the gun isn’t as good as it should... Seems very few will admit it’s their technique that is at fault.

 

[Dave T]

I suspect I am in the minority in this opinion but I don't think it matters all that much how inherently accurate a handgun is (this is in a self-defense context). What counts is how accurately the individual can shoot a particular gun. For that reason, after years of chasing the elusive "2 inch group at XX yards" I now concern myself with how the gun groups at 7, 10, 15 or 20 yards, shot the way I will be likely to shoot it. Because of my training and experience that will most always be two handed, standing in two or three shot strings. If the gun will hold the A-zone of an IPSC silhouette it is more than accurate enough for my purposes.

Dave

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Thank you, Tiger.. I do use a Ransom rest, it’s loads of fun to shoot as accurate as it will do. My Dan Wesson is incredibly accurate, however my snubbie isn’t as accurate,, even both shooting from the rest. At least at 50 yds. At 7 yards, both are equal

I wish I had a Ransom's Rest. It would tell me a lot about my own shooting ability, unwrap some mysteries.

Dave, I don't think your in a minority.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

The best way to check the actual accuracy of any kind of pistol is with a Ransom's Rest where the pistol is clamped into a jig and the trigger is pulled mechanically by the devise when you push the actuator

+1

Shooing free hand injects the shooter's ability to hold the gun steady. I don't own a Ransom rest, but when I want to see how inherently accurate and handgun is I shoot it off of sandbags.

 

[RecoilRob]

Most handguns will begin moving before the bullet leaves the barrel, so how you hold it does matter with respect to where the bullet will end up hitting. It is entirely possible to have the sights regulated to POA with one hand but be off significantly with the weak hand due to the grip being reversed. It's just the way things are and we must learn how they hit in our hands and adjust accordingly. I'd adjust the sights for a normal two handed grip...then just apply Kentucky Windage when firing one handed.

 

[JeffG]

I casually (compared to some) test my revolver loads from sandbags out to 15 yards. Once the load hits like I want, I don't experiment further. As long as I can hit a bear in the face at 5 yards, or ring more steel than my brother, I'm good.

 

[Danoobie]

How do you measure your revolver’s accuracy. for a true picture I shoot from sand bags, or a pistol rest. for example a Dan Wesson (early) with a 12” barrel is bullseye accurate at 50 yds. A 38 Special snubbie, with 3” barrel from bags or a rest is reasonably accurate, at 5 yds. Both of these guns will be a lot less accurate shot freehand........amiright?

So when a guy says his revolver shoots 6” low, and 3” to the right at 50 feet, shot freehand with one hand. Is his revolver really off that much, or is it his shooting technique,

What do you think?

What I think is the shooter is being very up-front about how his gun shoots for him, a certain way. Pretty much any sandbagged gun is going to shoot
straight, tight groups, so that's not much of an indicator of what your shooting the gun will be like.

"So when a guy says his revolver shoots 6" low, and 3" to the right at 50 feet" see if it performs in the same manner, when you shoot it.

 

[Jonesy814]

A lot of factors could lead to a revolver being off. If it has adjustable sights, were they in fact correctly adjusted and is the same ammo being shot as was used to adjust the sights? If you set the sights for 158gr ammo and are now shooting 125gr ammo it will affect the point of impact. If the gun has fixed sights, most are calibrated for 158gr ammo so, again if you are shooting 125gr ammo it may shoot low

 

[Tirod]

Accuracy of a load depends on powder burn rate, quantity, and how the bullet moves forward to engage the rifling without tipping the nose off axis. With a revolver that is the purpose of the forcing cone - the bullet literally has to pass thru an open space of .002-005" to get to the barrel. Once engaging the lands it's given enough spin to maintain flight stability.

The muzzle rising from recoil has an effect, as does the shooters perception of being on target. This is why many test guns in a rigid rest to eliminate all the shooter variables as much as possible. What it does show is that most are more accurate than the shooter and it's very much dependent on their ability to consistently get the same sight on target. Some free rifle competitors increase their sighting plane with an extended front sight, consider if you had the front blade on a seven yard stick how much more accurate it would be. You could literally touch the target knowing the bullet would be on it's ballistic path and the only variable would be the consistency of the actual lot of ammo.

Of course, engineering a seven yard sight and mounting it on a snubbie would result in the sight weighing more than the gun. So what we use is a laser. There is the obvious issue that you could wind up shooting a longer barreled gun vs shorter with the same load and discovering the snub could be MORE accurate. The odds are against it in real life with shooter error and intended use. How many competitions are held scoring snubs at 50 yards?

And yet we see videos of them hitting steel at 400. That is a demonstration of shooter ability and their skill. Once again barrel length really has little to do with accuracy, a discussion that frequently comes up on rifle boards. What you do get with a longer barrel is increased fps which keeps the bullet above the sound barrier and increases it's length of flight before arcing down too much for effective fire, ie a point blank range.

Match your need for a hit at a specific distance with the caliber and load, there you go.

 

[Armored farmer]

How do you measure your revolver’s accuracy. for a true picture I shoot from sand bags, or a pistol rest. for example a Dan Wesson (early) with a 12” barrel is bullseye accurate at 50 yds. A 38 Special snubbie, with 3” barrel from bags or a rest is reasonably accurate, at 5 yds. Both of these guns will be a lot less accurate shot freehand........amiright?

So when a guy says his revolver shoots 6” low, and 3” to the right at 50 feet, shot freehand with one hand. Is his revolver really off that much, or is it his shooting technique,

What do you think?

Technique

 

[OneFreeTexan]

Thanks to all of you,,,,,,Your comments certainly make sense.. I shooot some of my revolvers for fun, and most of them for accuracy, so love the Ransom Rest.

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

I always shoot standing/unsupported because for me the point is to see how accurately I can shoot the gun. I take it as given that the gun is more accurate than I can shoot it, so knowing the gun's absolute accuracy is irrelevant to me. Nothing wrong with using a rest and tuning guns and loads for the greatest possible accuracy, it's just a different hobby than mine.

 

[Jonesy814]

Just got a 3 inch model 60 Pro. I shot 10 shots and a friend shot 5. This was from a standing unsupported position at 25 feet, but shooting in single action to get the best accuracy. We both agreed it was shooting low. I adjusted the rear sight 3 clicks and my next 5 shots are pictured here. I don't think barrel length has much to do with a guns accuracy

 

[Danoobie]

When I shoot a gun at the range, it's practicing so I can shoot it offhand, in the field, for pest control, or hunting. Shooting from a sandbag or
rest is not only telling me what I don't need to know, it's not helping me simulate conditions in the field, where I won't have that rest to rely upon.

IME, rifle technique is far easier than a pistol. Technique with a pistol, well, find a good bulk supplier, or start reloading.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I don't think barrel length has much to do with a guns accuracy
View attachment 785628

I think barrel length has more to do with an individual's ability to shoot it. The longer sight plane of longer barrels helps most people.
However I've heard of folks who are getting older and their eyesight is diminishing, shoot the shorter barrels better because they can see the sights better.

That's what I read anyway. I'm not a good enough shot to tell much difference.

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

However I've heard of folks who are getting older and their eyesight is diminishing, shoot the shorter barrels better because they can see the sights better.

I couldn't say if this is generally true, but it seems to be working that way for me.

 

[bikerdoc]

Be 70 next birthday, Good glasses have kept my accuracy in tact, now I wish I could walk further, never mind run.

 

[graying wolf]

Super red hawk 44 mag, double sand bag rest.
Different powder, bullets and different loads.
If they shoot like this for me at 25 yards I consider them good to go.
Just the way I do it

 

[Armored farmer]

I like to put one cartridge in the cylinder, and give it a spin. Sight and squeeze the trigger. See if your sights stay aligned.

 

[340PD]

I suspect I am in the minority in this opinion but I don't think it matters all that much how inherently accurate a handgun is (this is in a self-defense context). What counts is how accurately the individual can shoot a particular gun. For that reason, after years of chasing the elusive "2 inch group at XX yards" I now concern myself with how the gun groups at 7, 10, 15 or 20 yards, shot the way I will be likely to shoot it. Because of my training and experience that will most always be two handed, standing in two or three shot strings. If the gun will hold the A-zone of an IPSC silhouette it is more than accurate enough for my purposes.

Dave

^^^^^ Winner, winner, chicken dinner^^^^^^
Each shooter will more than likely have different result as any distance 50' or more. When a customer asks me for a screwdriver to adjust his/her sights, I usually ask if I can shoot that gun followed by another RSO on duty. If we all three are in the same vicinity I may concur that the sights need moving. 99% of the time it is the shooter asking for the screwdriver that is at fault.
As for snubbies at distance, I have a customer that loves to shoot his 360PD at 50yds. indoors offhand at a standard 50' bullseye target on a 18"x 36" clean cardboard sheet. We challenge each other with two shot groups . Interesting how much your shooting improves when the target is moves up to 75'.

 

[BobWright]

The "bench" at my range is not rigid enough to use sandbags or other rests, so I do my shooting using a two-handed hold. After making sure I'm on target and getting good groups, then shoot casually. But this is a good load for me from this two-hand hold:



And, yes, I do adjust my sights:




What is good enough for me is the ability to cut strings. I want the best accuracy I can wring out of a gun/load.

Bob Wright