Measuring Accuracy As Opposed To Precision

[mcb]

I do agree with what others have said in that for hunting rifles the only shot that matters is the cold bore shot.
That shot is the one that needs to be accurate and dependable.

For most big game hunting you might be right but not all hunting is a single shots on one animal, IE a prairie-dog or feral pig hunter would disagree with you that the cold bore shot is the only one that matters. If the accuracy goes bad after as the barrel starts to warm up in the first few shots a potential good hunt will go bad real quick for those type of hunters.

 

[Varminterror]

A side note to remember is we have specialized rifles and equipment where others are referring to hunting rifles and minute of deer.

The rhetorical question, often asked:

“Does the bullet know how thick is the barrel?”

Hunting rifles do have the known disadvantage of decreased shootability, but if a guy is holding sub-moa with a hunting rifle (an easily attained hurdle these days), why would a single digit SD, 3/4” @ 100yrd hunting rifle be more apt to fall apart at range than a single digit SD, 1/2” @ 100yrd specialty rifle?

 

[Varminterror]

I do agree with what others have said in that for hunting rifles the only shot that matters is the cold bore shot.
That shot is the one that needs to be accurate and dependable.

So you shoot a cold bore shot, wait for cold bore again, and shoot again. You’re doing the same thing - we shoot sufficient volume of shots to determine the “dependable” or “repeatable” impact radius, aka, the precision of the rifle. Cold bore versus hot bore is simply a condition of timing, and the application of precision and accuracy therefore are exactly the same when gauging cold or hot bore. One simply takes longer - no cracked cheek, squinty eyed 1000yrd stare necessary...

 

[Turkeytider]

So you shoot a cold bore shot, wait for cold bore again, and shoot again. You’re doing the same thing - we shoot sufficient volume of shots to determine the “dependable” or “repeatable” impact radius, aka, the precision of the rifle. Cold bore versus hot bore is simply a condition of timing, and the application of precision and accuracy therefore are exactly the same when gauging cold or hot bore. One simply takes longer - no cracked cheek, squinty eyed 1000yrd stare necessary...

I shoot a slow 3 shot group ( I know, 5+ is superior ), wait 4-5 minutes depending on air temp with the barrel up, then shoot my next group. I`ve read enough about heat being the real wearer of a barrel, so that figures in too.

 

[Walkalong]

Accuracy? Or Precision? Yes, I called it.

 

[JFrank]

I shoot a slow 3 shot group ( I know, 5+ is superior ), wait 4-5 minutes depending on air temp with the barrel up, then shoot my next group. I`ve read enough about heat being the real wearer of a barrel, so that figures in too.

You may learn more by shooting a two or three round test at a steady not fast pace, in a round robin and stager the firing order format therefore all your rounds share the same conditions.

 

[Turkeytider]

You may learn more by shooting a two or three round test at a steady not fast pace, in a round robin and stager the firing order format therefore all your rounds share the same conditions.

Thanks. Appreciate it.

 

[Bill M.]

My thought is that you cannot have "accuracy" without first having "precision". I do not care how well centered a 3" group is on a 100 yard target. I am still not going to call it "accurate" or an "accurate" rifle. Accuracy only exists in relation to precision.

 

[Turkeytider]

My thought is that you cannot have "accuracy" without first having "precision". I do not care how well centered a 3" group is on a 100 yard target. I am still not going to call it "accurate" or an "accurate" rifle. Accuracy only exists in relation to precision.

If you`re talking about having sufficient precision to set a zero, then I would agree. Otherwise, by definition, you can have accuracy without precision and vice versa. As to a 3" group ( 3 MOA ?) at 100 yards being " accurate ", I suppose it might be accurate enough for some, depending upon their goals. If that 3" group was in the lethal area of a game animal, that might be good enough for that shooter, for example. We`re into personal opinions, I guess.