What do you consider accurate?

[erock]

For me, accuracy is my wife reminding me how much I told her I paid for a rifle I bought 10yrs ago (with shipping), and the correct date it was purchased on. Now that's danged accurate fellas. AND.....she's consistent !

 

[Bcre8iv]

There seems to be a wide definition of the term "accurate". Mine was generally able to shoot what I was aiming at. That was good enough. That might explain why I missed as much as I did. Then I started my project and now it means anything from shooting a 12" target in a "run and gun" application to precision shooting a dime at 100 yards to precision shooting a fly at 2 yards. What are your definitions of accurate? How does your targeting change according to your target? This should be a good conversation based on how and what you are using your sight for.

My idea of accuracy is at 25 yards consistently hitting the head of a nail. And the problem I'm having is that the gun doesn't stay zeroed in. I want to have a air rifle that is under $500 that whenever you pick it up it will be true for years . I have a 10/22 ruger that I got when I was 14 and I'm 61 now. I had to replace the scope twice from scope death, but whenever I take it hunting I know I can drive tacks with it.

 

[nervoustrig]

I'm more concerned about precision and have the gun shoot at the same POI day in and day out regardless of conditions and misstreatment

Just FYI, an absence of POI shift describes accuracy more so than precision.

 

[qball]

IMHO a gun by itself shouldn't really be call accurate, accurate/accuracy in my point of view is hitting what the shooter intent to shoot at which is far more than just a gun that can print small groups. An "accurate" gun in the wrong hands might not even hit the target let along hitting the bullseye on the first shot. Case in point is I shot only 72% on last Sunday's FT match while my gun can print 1/4 MOA groups at zero range of 20 yards all day.


When talking about how consistency a gun's POI is:
When a gun is printing MOA groups in reasonable condition and distance based on power level then it's "accurate" or more accurately consistent.

When a gun is printing 1/2 MOA groups or better in reasonable condition and distance based on power level then it's very consistent.

 

[MRaccurate]

Since posting this question, I have learned a lot about the various meanings that shooters have. This sometimes explains why people's opinions differ. I haven't seen much from the "run & gun" air pistol people. Are more pistol shooters focused on precision versus bigger targets and speed?

 

[SteveP-52]

5 shots in a quarter at 25-30 yards. Also happens to be the size of the kill zone on a squirrels head and why I've always used that size group for deciding accuracy of my guns.

 

[Bcre8iv]

IMHO a gun by itself shouldn't really be call accurate, accurate/accuracy in my point of view is hitting what the shooter intent to shoot at which is far more than just a gun that can print small groups. An "accurate" gun in the wrong hands might not even hit the target let along hitting the bullseye on the first shot. Case in point is I shot only 72% on last Sunday's FT match while my gun can print 1/4 MOA groups at zero range of 20 yards all day.


When talking about how consistency a gun's POI is:
When a gun is printing MOA groups in reasonable condition and distance based on power level then it's "accurate" or more accurately consistent.

When a gun is printing 1/2 MOA groups or better in reasonable condition and distance based on power level then it's very consistent.

what I'm saying is that just sitting till the next shot it will not be zero the next time (day or 2 later) I can zero in scope with lead sled and have 5 to 10 consistent tack size targets then just letting it sit the next time I go to use on a sparrow or target it won't be true no more..

 

[HogKiller]

1/2 inch groups at 50 yards atleast 10 shots

pends on what im shootin, sometimes missing the aim point works out lol ... no, but my own personal standard is a chicken egg at 80 .. if 'anything' hits that every time its a shooter .. of course if it can stretch it out further 'every time' mind you, its getting into god-like territory lol ..

You must not be gettin' eggs at the market or at least not in the long left coast state.

 

[Bcre8iv]

You must not be gettin' eggs at the market or at least not in the long left coast state.

I just think my accurancy doesn't stay perfect is because of having break barrel and using scope with that... Good Hawke scope with excellent Hawke rings its just that my eyes aren't good enough for open sights anymore Beeman R9 177 cal with open sights I'm sure the accuracy would be better... 61 yr old eyes suck

 

[UCChris]

You must not be gettin' eggs at the market or at least not in the long left coast state.

Or Chicago. $5.50/dozen is unfathomable.

 

[L.Leon]

I’m not a target shooter, other than to establish a zero and confirming the gun can group at POA. After that accuracy for me? First round hits on targets no bigger than a chipmunks head out to 60 yards, most shots from 15 to 50 yards. Chewed up black walnut husks, emulate a chipper’s head nicely… I love to plink at various distances. All my PCPs can group or perform more accurately than I can shoot them. And then there’s the wind…

 

[MileHighAirGunner]

Accuracy is measured by how close your point of impacts are to your point of aim. Precise is measured by how close your point of impacts are in relationship to the other point of impacts within a group. So in other words you can print a 4" ctc group at 20 yards and still be considered "accurate". Shooting requires a degree of accuracy to hit your target and depending on what your target is and what type of shooting you’re doing will determine how accurate and precise your shoots need to be.

Here's a chart that explains what I’m trying to say better than I am with words.

 

[drpietrzak]

Accuracy is measured by how close your point of impacts are to your point of aim. Precise is measured by how close your point of impacts are in relationship to the other point of impacts within a group. So in other words you can print a 4" ctc group at 20 yards and still be considered "accurate". Shooting requires a degree of accuracy to hit your target and depending on what your target is and what type of shooting you’re doing will determine how accurate and precise your shoots need to be.

Here's a chart that explains what I’m trying to say better than I am with words.

View attachment 315685

In psychometrics we would say a.) reliable and valid, b.) reliable invalid, c.) weak reliable and weak valid, d. weak reliable not valid. There is only one vaid here.

 

[rcs9250]

To me, this is precision. I did my job, the gun did its job. 30 yards, I aimed at it, I hit it.

 

[rcs9250]

With my air rifles I only care about good enough to hit what I want decently at the max range I use that particular air rifle. With my PB's, MOA is just ok but not accurate really, I have lots of rifles that aren't that good. As I get older, all my groups with anything I shoot is getting a little bigger and I only have 3 rifles left that I know will always be no worse than 3/4 MOA, with one no worse than 1/2 MOA all day everyday including cold bore shot in my hands. If you ever get the chance to shoot with someone that competes successfully on a national level you may be shocked at how well one of your accurate firearms shoots in the hands of someone whose life is shooting successfully in competition. From 2003-2008 I hunted with one of those people fairly often, and went to shoot a little with him several times. First time he was just fire forming brass for his new unlimited class 1,000 yard rifle and gathering minimal information, just prepping brass. He had his old worn out centerfire .22 wildcat from when he shot 100 yard benchrest and was having me shoot it. I was happy shooting .3 inch 10 shot 100 yard groups like clockwork with it, and his benchrest setup. He took a break and watched me, walked downrange and pulled targets, and told me I sucked and was doing so many things wrong I could never hit the broadside of a barn. He took the 22 and not taking any time at all fired 10 rounds into a .2 inch group. That is a shot out barrel that cannot compete any longer on 100 yard benchrest. He then took my Gre'Tan custom 7mm-08 hunting rifle, which is his favorite hunting caliber, and using his hand loads for his rifle on just a front bag, clicked my scope for his dope and fired a 5 round group at 500 yards, 0.8 inches. He offered to buy my rifle, it is the last firearm I would ever let go. His group was about what I shoot at 200 yards with my factory hunting ammo. He let me shoot his ammo in it at 500 and I shot a 1.7 inch group that I was damn happy with. So much is the shooter and not the gun/ammo. Everything he told me to improve I already knew, I just don't care enough to put the time and effort into becoming perfectly consistent and correct on everything every shot. I went down that rabbit hole for several years in my early to mid 20's when I shot a minimum of 1000 rounds of 308 every month(usually a lot more), 4 new barrels, and competed in local and regional military matches(free supply of match ammo allowed me to do that). I got noticeably better, but it wasn't worth the time and effort to me knowing I would never get good enough to satisfy myself if I continued. You stop practicing all the time and even when you know what you should do, it just doesn't work as well any longer, and then you care less about it and you deterioate more. Kind of like my pool game, in the 90's I was good enough I qualified for the US Open 9 ball tournament. I didn't enter but went with a friend that also qualified and was generally just a tick better than me on average. After that I stopped playing/practicing almost every day of the week and a couple years later my game had gone down hill enough I had no pleasure shooting any longer, haven't touched my cue in well over 10 years now.

Yep, to be really good is a total personal commitment. Some natural ability really helps too.

 

[ontargetnow!]

I’m not a target shooter, other than to establish a zero and confirming the gun can group at POA. After that accuracy for me? First round hits on targets no bigger than a chipmunks head out to 60 yards, most shots from 15 to 50 yards. Chewed up black walnut husks, emulate a chipper’s head nicely… I love to plink at various distances. All my PCPs can group or perform more accurately than I can shoot them. And then there’s the wind…

 

[sasquatch]

It's accurate if I can get minute of skwirrel at 75 yards

 

[ontargetnow!]

I find it quite satisfying to shoot at various yardages out to 100 yards, figuring the holdover. Agreed, my rifles shoot better than I can hold them. I see we are neighbors, (
L.Leon ) , we should shoot some time.

 

[rcs9250]

For my hunting of squirrels and chipmunks, I set thumb nail sized acorns from 10 to 50 yards and must hit them with one shot.