JohnnyB
Member
Here's a question:
What handgun format do you think is more accurate? Revolver or pistol?
What handgun format do you think is more accurate? Revolver or pistol?
Most accurate? Revolver or pistol?
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Snowbandit
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Autos can often be made almost as accurate as a revolver but it's usually at the expense of reliability and lots of money. Inherent accuracy goes to the revolver.
bergmen
Member.
Well, here's an accuracy card that came with my Freedom Arms model 83 Premier in 454 Casull:
Five shots at 25 yards. I didn't reject the revolver.
Dan
Five shots at 25 yards. I didn't reject the revolver.
Dan
ArchAngelCD
Member.
IMO any revolver or semi-auto can be accurate and some people shoot one better than the other. I shoot a lot of revolvers so I'm better at shooting revolvers than semi-autos. someone who shoots a semi-auto all the time will be better with it than a revolver.
BCRider
Member
Unless you're able to hold any gun as stable as in a Ransom rest which is the most accurate means little. Instead it's how well you as a shooter works with the gun in terms of how it fits your hands and how well your grip and trigger pull mate with the gun itself.
Now having said that obviously there are some guns that just are able to shoot tighter groups. But you didn't ask which brand and model. You asked "revolver or semi". And with that in mind it's a wash as far as I'm concerned. I've shot some revolvers that produce consistently tighter groups than I thought I was capable of. Then someone hands me a really top line STI 1911 and I shoot as good a group with that as anything I've ever shot with a revolver.
You also need to consider that the top rank Olympic bullseye shooters are using semi autos that happen to have fixed barrels. A bit of a blend of features from both sides of the fence.
Now having said that obviously there are some guns that just are able to shoot tighter groups. But you didn't ask which brand and model. You asked "revolver or semi". And with that in mind it's a wash as far as I'm concerned. I've shot some revolvers that produce consistently tighter groups than I thought I was capable of. Then someone hands me a really top line STI 1911 and I shoot as good a group with that as anything I've ever shot with a revolver.
You also need to consider that the top rank Olympic bullseye shooters are using semi autos that happen to have fixed barrels. A bit of a blend of features from both sides of the fence.
AK_Maine_iac
Member
What ever you can shoot the best.
armsmaster270
Member
My most accurate is my 586 6"
JohnBT
Member
The factory standard for the SIG P210 was a group of 5 cm or less at 50 meters.
That's 1.97 inches or less at distance of more than 54 yards. Some of the target versions, all production guns, came with targets that measured under an inch at 50 meters.
That's pretty good for a production revolver or autoloader, isn't it. And they're reliable.
John
That's 1.97 inches or less at distance of more than 54 yards. Some of the target versions, all production guns, came with targets that measured under an inch at 50 meters.
That's pretty good for a production revolver or autoloader, isn't it. And they're reliable.
John
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Dollar for dollar, unless we're talking fixed barrel .22's, a revolver will always be more accurate on average. Good accuracy for a service auto would be 3"@25yds. This would be abysmal for a revolver that was not a bellygun. Many will shoot 1" with preferred loads. You'll have to spend at least twice as much for an auto to shoot as accurately.
And I've got at least three or four $500 revolvers that will do 2"@50yds as well.
Tallinar
Member
All out of the box revolvers I've fired have performed better for me than out of the box automatics.
Then again, I don't spend a lot of time with automatics, and I just tend to shoot revolvers better. YMMV, but my experience would have to lean toward revolver.
Then again, I don't spend a lot of time with automatics, and I just tend to shoot revolvers better. YMMV, but my experience would have to lean toward revolver.
I believe Clint Smith said the following. Substitute "reliable" for "accurate"
a.)The most reliable handgun in the world is the one you practice with the most.
b.)The handgun caliber with the greatest stopping power is the one you make headshots with.
c.) The best weapon for _____? See a. & b.
a.)The most reliable handgun in the world is the one you practice with the most.
b.)The handgun caliber with the greatest stopping power is the one you make headshots with.
c.) The best weapon for _____? See a. & b.
Unless something is wrong with the gun, or the shooter is an olympic-class target shooter, almost all handguns are more accurate than almost all handgun shooters. IOW, it doesn't matter. hickok45 has a great video about this on youtube. Check it out.
Most Accurate Format..?
Hi JohnnyB, The only way to tell is to do vice testing at the usually tested
distance of 50 yards. bench rested is pure folly. In 1972, I saw a long-slide
target 1911 shoot a .75" CTC ten shot group from a Ransom Rest at 50 yards.
Many tuned match 1911s will equal that today. My Morini mod 84E came with
a test target that measures 0.6'' CTC; it was shot at 50 meters, and it is a
falling block action. Match tuned revolvers have also grouped under an inch
at 50 yds.
My bottom line is : I don't know which type of action is inherently or actually
is the most accurate. I guess pgmrdan sums the situation up best..
Tony
Hi JohnnyB, The only way to tell is to do vice testing at the usually tested
distance of 50 yards. bench rested is pure folly. In 1972, I saw a long-slide
target 1911 shoot a .75" CTC ten shot group from a Ransom Rest at 50 yards.
Many tuned match 1911s will equal that today. My Morini mod 84E came with
a test target that measures 0.6'' CTC; it was shot at 50 meters, and it is a
falling block action. Match tuned revolvers have also grouped under an inch
at 50 yds.
My bottom line is : I don't know which type of action is inherently or actually
is the most accurate. I guess pgmrdan sums the situation up best..
Tony
Valkman
Member
I vote neither as I have both that shoot extremely well. For an auto I have a Kimber Compact CDP that is extremely accurate (and is my carry gun), and for revolvers I have 2 S&W that can hit anything. One's a 4" 66 and one's a 6.5" 629.
chris in va
Member
I see we have a problem here.
Most people commenting how accurate their revolvers are have these long barreled mini rifles that don't compare to any autoloaders on the market.
Let's do this. Take a semiauto with a TRUE 4" barrel, meaning the length from where the bullet sits in the chamber to the end, and compare it to a 4" revolver.
Then we can start comparing in a more fair way.
Most people commenting how accurate their revolvers are have these long barreled mini rifles that don't compare to any autoloaders on the market.
Let's do this. Take a semiauto with a TRUE 4" barrel, meaning the length from where the bullet sits in the chamber to the end, and compare it to a 4" revolver.
Then we can start comparing in a more fair way.
451 Detonics
Member
In centerfire factory guns* I would have to give the nod to the revolver, in rimfire factory guns I would give the nod to the semi-auto. In custom guns it is a toss-up.
Both of my Action Pistol guns will easily shoot under 1 1/2 inches at 50 yards.
*btw...I don't consider guns like the Les Baers to be factory.
Both of my Action Pistol guns will easily shoot under 1 1/2 inches at 50 yards.
*btw...I don't consider guns like the Les Baers to be factory.
JohnBT
Member
Wait a minute, let me run home and put a scope on my Sig P210. Scopes? We don't need no stinking scopes. 
"And I've got at least three or four $500 revolvers that will do 2"@50yds as well."
Every group? Open sights? Straight from the factory? That's really good. I think getting down to 2" at that distance is doable with a few guns and the right ammo selection, and then the fun begins when you try to shrink them beneath 2".
Overall, I agree that 25 yards isn't far enough to tell about accuracy; 50 is more like it.
I wonder what are the bullseye shooters using these days?
"And I've got at least three or four $500 revolvers that will do 2"@50yds as well."
Every group? Open sights? Straight from the factory? That's really good. I think getting down to 2" at that distance is doable with a few guns and the right ammo selection, and then the fun begins when you try to shrink them beneath 2".
Overall, I agree that 25 yards isn't far enough to tell about accuracy; 50 is more like it.
I wonder what are the bullseye shooters using these days?
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I don't know where you guys come up with this stuff. Many have obviously never done much bench testing with handguns and are going strictly by "seat of the pants" impressions.
This statement is pure folly.
It absolutely does matter. I see statements like this all the time and it makes zero sense. All things being equal, the shooter will always shoot more accurately with a more accurate weapon. Period. End of story. If one firearm is capable of 1" at 25yds and another is only capable of 3" at 25yds, you will definitely shoot more accurately with the former than the latter. Maybe a more correct statement would be that YOU can't see the difference in YOUR shooting.
Here's a 4" revolver, a 629MG to be exact. It shoots into 2"@50yds if I do my part. Now show me a $500 service auto that does the same.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I disagree. 25yds is plenty and is the standard for very good reasons. Unless the two guns you're comparing are capable of 1" at that distance, the difference will be clear.
Of course not every group but on average. Yes, factory guns. Although the above pictured 629 has an action job and two of the others have since been modified cosmetically.
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