The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Terminology: "Accuracy" vs. "Precision" vs. "Consistency" vs. other

FirstFreedom · December 2, 2005, 12:19 PM

OK, my buddy who is a big hunter but not really that into guns in and of themselves, and I each use different terms to express the same concept.

Specifically, I refer to group size as the gun & shooter's "Accuracy" and refer to how close the group is to the bullseye as "Precision" or just "being zeroed", but technically, I believe the proper word for being zeroed refers to the rifle's 'precision'.

But what I call "precision" (how close to the bullseye), he calls "accuracy", and what I call "Accuracy" (group size), he calls "Consistency".

Now he thinks that this difference in terminology is just 6 of one, half dozen of the other, whatever floats your boat. But I, OTOH, seem to recall that my terms are actually the *correct* use of the terms in referring to accuracy & precision. Am I recalling correctly?

December 2, 2005, 12:19 PM	#1
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	Terminology: "Accuracy" vs. "Precision" vs. "Consistency" vs. other OK, my buddy who is a big hunter but not really that into guns in and of themselves, and I each use different terms to express the same concept. Specifically, I refer to group size as the gun & shooter's "Accuracy" and refer to how close the group is to the bullseye as "Precision" or just "being zeroed", but technically, I believe the proper word for being zeroed refers to the rifle's 'precision'. But what I call "precision" (how close to the bullseye), he calls "accuracy", and what I call "Accuracy" (group size), he calls "Consistency". Now he thinks that this difference in terminology is just 6 of one, half dozen of the other, whatever floats your boat. But I, OTOH, seem to recall that my terms are actually the correct use of the terms in referring to accuracy & precision. Am I recalling correctly?