Thread: Short-Range MOA
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Old September 26, 2013, 12:03 PM   #14
44 AMP
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Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,846
MOA and bullet accuracy

Welcome to TFL!

Let me help you with a couple of things, which may lead to you adjusting the parameters of your experiment.

First, MOA (minute of angle) is two things. It is a mathematic term, as others have described, and it is a slang term in the shooting sports.

When used as a descriptor of accuracy in shooting (in casual conversation) we drop the numbers after the decimal point, rounding it off to whole numbers (inches). 1 MOA is 1 inch at 100 yards. 1 MOA is 2 inches at 200 yards (group size), 10 inches at 1,000 yards, etc.

Second, Bullet Mass does affect accuracy (group size), in two different ways, both of which can be very subtle.

Increases in bullet mass increase the length of the bullet. Since the outside diameter of the bullet is fixed (bore size) as bullets get heavier, they must get longer.

There is a point where the twist rate of the rifling will not stabilize longer heavier bullets. This is most easily seen in rifles, only rarely being able to be recognized in typical handguns and their ranges.

Each barrel's rifling twist rate will stabilize a range of bullet weights (lengths of bullet). Bullets outside that range will be less accurate, being either under or over spun to fly "true".

The other effect of mass on accuracy is that bullets, being basically cylinders with pointed ends, longer (heavier) bullets, properly spun (rifling twist) are less affected by wind. More mass means a given amount of wind does not push the bullet as far off target.

Again, something most easily shown in rifles, and at rifle distances.

Your question is a good one, your experiment shows a sound reasoning basis.

BUT, with a handgun, at short range, I think you would find that the effect mass on accuracy will be so small as to be hidden within your margin of error. It is quite possible that, to someone outside the firearms field of interest, lack of clear significant results might be considered a failure to prove your theory.

Let me suggest a different experiment, but one that also involves the relationship between bullet mass and performance. And one that is easily shown and tested with a typical handgun...

Did you know that with handguns, lighter bullets will generally strike the target lower than heavier ones, with the same point of aim?

This would seem to be the opposite of what one expects to happen, but I assure you it is true. Heavier bullets move slower than lighter ones, so they ought to hit lower, but that is not the observed result. Why?

A lot of experienced pistol shooters know the answer, but your physics teacher may not. I'm not going to tell you the answer (not yet, anyway) but it does involve the mass of the bullet, along with other factors. It is an application of physics, and ought to satisfy your school project requirements about that.

And it is something with a clearly visible difference, that a non-shooter can see, and possibly understand. And it can be shown with the resources (handgun) that you have available.

Just a thought for you to consider.

Welcome to TFL! The folks here have, collectively, literally thousands of years experience covering virtually all aspects of shooting, and we really like helping out folks who are just beginning to learn about firearms and all their different aspects.

Come back and ask questions, whenever you have one.
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