Is guaranteed accuracy just a sales gimmick?

[3212]

My rifles are more accurate than I am and I know it.Many deer kills allow me to tell myself I'm a decent shot.But reading the standards on this thread tells me otherwise.

 

[shootniron]

Yes...it is just for those that are concerned with hitting the target.

Seriously, ALL advertising is gimmicky.

 

[Gtscotty]

Macgrumpy was mostly correct on his definitions of accuracy and precision but erred in his final interpretation of what exactly companies are guaranteeing. Accuracy and Precision are very often conflated, but have concrete scientific definitions.

Accuracy: Describes the closeness of measurements of a quantity to the quantities true value (e.g. in shooting, the average closeness of all your shots to the aiming point.)

Precision: The degree to which several measurements of the same quantity provide values close to each other. (e.g. in shooting how close the shots in a group are to each other, regardless of proximity to the bullseye)

If accuracy is measured by the distance between a bullet's impact point to where the sights were aimed. then a rifle shooting a 10-shot group measuring 1 inch diameter centered in the middle of the target at the aiming point is more accurate than another rifle shooting a 10-shot group measuring 1/4 inch that's two inches below the aiming point. Right?

Exactly, technically the rifle shooting the 1" group is more accurate, while the rifle shooting the 1/4" group is more precise.

Here is one of the many illustrations of accuracy vs precision online (not mine):


When rifle manufacturers give an "Accuracy Guarantee" they are actually giving a mechanical precision guarantee, only if they called it what it really is, most people would not know what they are talking about. They are telling you that with a certain ammunition their rifle is mechanically capable of placing 3 or 5 shots within a certain angular projection. It would be impossible for rifle manufacturers to actually guarantee accuracy, as that would involve regulating many variables that are not within their control. They can however tell you that their rifle is capable of a certain level of precision, which is why accuracy guarantees arent a gimmick, but they also arent really accuracy guarantees.

 

[greyghost01]

I think an accuracy guarantee would have to depend on how accurate the shooter was, Ive had a lot of rifles that I shot very accurate, But in the hands of another shooter the rifle would not be considered that accurate, The savage I just bought is very accurate, But my SIG 716 DMR a 308 semi is just as accurate, I have a 357 that I'm very accurate with, other people cant hit crap with it, That doesn't mean the guns in accurate, The shooter is

 

[cdb1]

The only rifles I have with accuracy guarantees are Vanguard S2's. Out of five in the family only one did not shoot sub-MOA from a Caldwell full length fire control rest. I don't expect sub-MOA with field conditions. Sent the rifle in and it came back shooting .75 which is good enough for me. They played around with the torque on the action screws and got it going, which is less than what the manual states.

Don't know about other makers but I believe Weatherby.

 

[Art Eatman]

The guarantee is for the tight-group capability of the rifle. There is no factory guarantee for the skill of a particular owner of that rifle.

 

[Takem406]

Or be like Gunwerks and charge a huge price for a rifle, scope and ammo package and only garuntee it can shoot 1MOA. Shoot a Ruger American or most budget rifles will do 1MOA with cheap factory ammo... But half the price you can get a Cooper that will shoot a single hole.