How do you judge accuracy of handgun reloads?

[Katitmail]

I guess I'm little confused by all the "very accurate load" posts that go along with some specific powder/load.

I don't have ransom rest. My personal accuracy with my guns is like 2 inch at 15 yards. Anything I loaded so far was "accurate" for me

I have chrono, I guess I can judge by fps how consistent load is. I guess it _might_ indicate consistent accuracy. What else?

I understand with rifles we shoot from bags, longer sight radius and it might be easier to judge. But with handgun I don't get it. How do you tell?

 

[JohnM]

When all the holes on the target are where I want them I figger it works.

 

[Katitmail]

When all the holes on the target are where I want them I figger it works.

Yeah, but in this case nothing works for me. Not sure if I need to blame my reloads

 

[Slamfire]

I shoot all handguns offhand. When I get groups like this at 25 yards, I am happy with the ammunition. There are people who can do this at 50 yards with their reloads.


32 rounds in a Baer M1911 Wadcutter



50 rounds with a M27 357




48 rounds with a Colt Combat Elite 45 ACP

 

[buck460XVR]

Accuracy is a relative term and for most of us, we measure the accuracy of our reloads not by comparing our targets to other folk's targets, but by comparin' how our different loads print when shot by us outta our own guns. Since it is generally acceptable for accuracy, I usually use factory ammo as a base for comparison. This comparison can be offhand, with bags or even a Ransom Rest as long as you compare apples to oranges.

If one is not sure of it's the ammo or the gun is when a good rest and/or having someone else shoot helps. 9 times outta ten, it's not the gun or ammo.

 

[silicosys4]

"I need an accurate gun to test my .38 reloads"
was my excuse to get this one. Eliminate as many mechanical factors as possible.

It actually did help me really fine tune my loads though. If I change something that gives me better results, its easier to see those results with this revolver than with any of my others because its so consistently accurate.

Off of a rest at 20 yards it can keep 10 shots in an inch if I don't have too much coffee that morning. Best I can get out of any other of my revolvers so far with the same ammo is about 2".

 

[Cosmoline]

The key is to test the loads with the same conditions. So if you shoot load A with the butt of the pistol on the bench squatting, then you should shoot loads B and C that way too. The more solid the rest, the fewer shots you need to establish your group. What you really want to avoid is to test load A with one setup and load B with another.

 

[CZ9shooter]

I was hitting an old laptop computer at 50 or 60 yards with 8 out of 10 rounds in with my latest 9mm reloads. Rested on a picnic table. I'm calling that good.

 

[LiveLife]

How do you judge accuracy of handgun reloads?

I agree with buck460XVR. Accurate loads should reproduce tight shot groups on consistent basis with minimal flyers.

 

[popper]

I use a padded 4x4" for a rest. Anything that lets you take the weight off your arm is good. Then you can concentrate on sight pic, trigger pull & grip. Repeatability is the key to good groups

 

[murf]

numbers off a chrony won't indicate accuracy (pressure, yes). "a bunch of holes real close together", denotes accuracy.

if you want to judge the accuracy of your handloads, use factory ammo groups as a baseline (takes the gun and shooter out of the equation if shot out of the same gun by the same shooter).

obviously, you have to use the same stance, grip, distance, etc. when comparing groups.

murf

 

[LiveLife]

if you want to judge the accuracy of your handloads, use factory ammo groups as a baseline (takes the gun and shooter out of the equation if shot out of the same gun by the same shooter).

I initially started shooting USPSA matches with various factory ammo (Federal, Winchester, Remington, S&B, PMC, etc.) and when I started reloading, shot group sizes from my reloads were about 40% smaller than factory ammo.

 

[Safetychain]

I reload to save money now. For my rifle, I wanted the most accurate because of bragging rights and to bring home more meat. Now its for plinking with pistols. For me there is no need for much in the way of anything but basic "hit the paper" accuracy. Generally, anything i reload for pistol is way more accurate than I am for off hand shooting. If one was in competition, reload for accuracy.

 

[0to60]

if you want to judge the accuracy of your handloads, use factory ammo groups as a baseline (takes the gun and shooter out of the equation if shot out of the same gun by the same shooter).

obviously, you have to use the same stance, grip, distance, etc. when comparing groups.

murf

This is completely unscientific. Shooting offhand is like bowling or throwing darts; the accuracy of each shot can vary quite a bit. In a given outing, you haven't shot some great groups and then some sucky ones?

The OP asks a great question, and from the answers I'm seeing here, my own suspicions are confirmed. Most people don't do an adequate test before concluding whether a given reload is accurate or not.

An accurate test would be a ransom rest and a fresh barrel. If you're not doing that, then you prolly shouldn't comment on the accuracy of your reloads.

This also could explain a lot of the "YMMV" stuff you see in threads where folks talk about the accuracy of this or that recipe...

 

[mdi]

Both reloading and shooting takes practice. My shooting/reloading improved to 1 1/2" average with my .44 magnum loads @ 50' (indoor range) from a Ruger SBH and a Dan Wesson 44H. I needed practice getting loads my guns liked, consistently, and practice shooting those loads in my guns. Nuttin' came overnight...

At this same time most factory ammo went 2"+, and some "bad" reloads went 3".

 

[Wil Terry]

IF ALL SIX REVOLVER SHOTS at 25 yards are touching it is a keeper load. With 22LR and any decent 22 pistol ,[ Ruger MKII etc ] it should put ten rounds right at 3/4"[ .75 "] or less at 25 yards or something is amiss.

 

[dagger dog]

I don't have a Ransom either, so I test my handguns bagged at 25 yards, with me doing the trigger work and the sighting with iron sights.

IF I can get groups of 3" I'm a happy camper.

That usually works out for me being able to keep a 4" steel target swinging off hand at about 25-30 yd. or if I'm shooting at meat I can put it where it counts if I'm shooting from a rest or sitting. About 40 yds. is as far as I can feel safe on a clean kill.

 

[JoeDaddy]

mboe794 "I was hitting an old laptop computer at 50 or 60 yards with 8 out of 10 rounds in with my latest 9mm reloads. Rested on a picnic table. I'm calling that good."

I'm calling that AWESOME!!! What a perfect use for a laptop.

 

[243winxb]

Testing Handgun Accuracy-10 Shots per Target

Use a 22lr target pistol as a base line. Use a standard Bullseye target for 25 yards slow fire. Keep a record of your scores. When the center fire score is as good as or better than the 22lr, you have good ammo. Shoot using 2 hands, from a rest or standing. Targets http://www.midwayusa.com/product/855218/nra-official-pistol-target-b-16-25-yard-slow-fire-paper-package-of-100 TABLE II - INDIVIDUAL %
High Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97.00 and above
Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95.00 to 96.99
Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90.00 to 94.99
Sharpshooter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85.00 to 89.99
Marksman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Below 85.00

 

[Grumulkin]

I guess I'm little confused by all the "very accurate load" posts that go along with some specific powder/load.

I don't have ransom rest. My personal accuracy with my guns is like 2 inch at 15 yards. Anything I loaded so far was "accurate" for me

I have chrono, I guess I can judge by fps how consistent load is. I guess it _might_ indicate consistent accuracy. What else?

I understand with rifles we shoot from bags, longer sight radius and it might be easier to judge. But with handgun I don't get it. How do you tell?

If someone claims accuracy and doesn't tell you the range, how many shots were taken and the kind of sights, the information is pretty worthless. Likewise excluding so called "flier" from accuracy data makes the conclusions worthless.

Les Baer gives an accuracy guarantee with their pistols; 3 inches at 50 yards or, for their extra special version, 1.5 inches at 50 yards. I presume that's for 3 shots and likely from a Ransom Rest though they don't say so. That gives you some sort of bench mark to go by.

 

[LiveLife]

Deleted, misunderstood the OP's question.

 

[Bovice]

If I can stack bullets on top of one another at 15 yards, that's good enough for me. Rarely do I shoot further than that. Even if I needed to, having that kind of accuracy at 15 should work at 25 too.

 

[mavracer]

If you want to judge the accuracy of your reloads then you must eliminate as much of the other variables as possible.
You're gonna need to shoot off bags or a rest if you really want to judge.
But ultimately if you're happy with X" group at Y yards then that's acceptable for you.

 

[Jitterbug]

Average 3-10 shot groups, record your averages for each load.

Obviously, each group needs to be fired from the exact same distance and position, I use a rest at 12.5, 15 or 25 yards with a handgun.

My makeshift "bench" is two coolers stacked on top of each other with a Lyman pistol perch while sitting on a lawn chair...it works.

 

[Katitmail]

What was your expected level of accuracy? Before we evaluate the accuracy of reloads, we should have some baseline reference for YOUR accuracy shot from YOUR pistol.

That was rhytorical answer. I don't have my own definition. Of course I'd like to make 2 inch groups at 25 yards.

You did some chrono work with factory ammo before you tested your reloads. What size shot groups did you get with factory ammo compared to your reloads? Not considering other factors, if your reloads produced smaller shot groups, I would consider them more accurate than factory ammo you tested.

Those rounds that I checked on paper were no different from factory.

Quote:
My personal accuracy with my guns is like 2 inch at 15 yards

Was that your best or average? And with factory or reloads?

Let's say every trip to range I make this group with 8 rounds. Usually from one of the first magazines. Then my eyes and arms get tired and I don't do as well. I start practicing shooting faster.

I am guessing you want accurate match load for IDPA to shoot with your Kimber Custom II.

Not really. I don't think accuracy of ammo affects my match shooting at all. When I aim long enough I get 0's and if I go too fast - I get misses. I don't even think about blaming ammo..