pocket pistol accuracy

[keithdog]

I guess I'm wrong on all counts, choice of gun be damned. An eight in Python or a mini mouse gun, it's all about who pulls the trigger.

[mavracer]

An eight in Python or a mini mouse gun, it's all about who pulls the trigger.

The vast majority of "practical" accuracy comes from the shooter, sure sight radius, weight/balance and trigger have some bearing but I assure you iffin you need a 8" Python to shoot COM at 25 yards there's a dang good chance I'll out shoot you even with a pocket gun

[Radny97]

Some of the assumptions here are inaccurate in my opinion. Certain guns ARE more accurate mechanically than others. A mouse gun cannot pull off a 2 inch group at 500 yards like a high-end bolt action tuned and scoped rifle can. Even in a Ransom Rest. Even with no human involvement or error. Fact of life. Sorry folks.
So are some handguns more mechanically accurate than others? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Are most shooters likely to notice the difference in mechanical accuracy? Most likely not. But I have certain handguns that I KNOW are more mechanically accurate than others. No amount of Internet squabbles can change the fact of what I know and have seen with my own two eyes and on my own life experience. Period.

[Individualist]

I'm about to bow out of this convo, but my point about the gun (and not just the shooter) making a difference is quite inarguable. If only the shooter mattered, you'd see competitive shooters competing and winning with pocket pistols, and snipers wouldn't care about their choice of equipment.

I'm a beginner guitarist, and I can tell you for sure that it's a whole lot easier for me to play a high-quality guitar than a crappy one. The fact that Paul Gilbert can sound great on either doesn't mean the guitar makes no difference.

And yes, of course some guns are inherently more accurate than others. I thought the point was that even pocket pistols could be quite accurate in the hands of a competent shooter.

[mavracer]

So are some handguns more mechanically accurate than others? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Of course however there is really little to no direct correlation between size of the handgun and the mechanical accuracy.

But I have certain handguns that I KNOW are more mechanically accurate than others.

As do I and I have smaller guns that are more mechanically accurate than larger ones, I have a Walther PP 32 ACP that when equipped with Crimson Trace grips and shot from a rest will shoot as good at 25 yards as any of my full sized guns and out shoot many of the full size guns that folks like to refer to as "combat" accurate.

[Radny97]

Mavracer sorry but you're just dead wrong on this one. Otherwise we would see rifles with two inch barrels. This thread has gotten absurd. I'm out.

[keithdog]

Mavracer sorry but you're just dead wrong on this one. Otherwise we would see rifles with two inch barrels. This thread has gotten absurd. I'm out.

Agreed!

[Bill DeShivs]

Mavracer is correct.
In general terms, barrel length has no effect on inherent accuracy as long as the bullet is stabilized.
Whether you take the time to learn to shoot a small gun accurately is up to you, but using the excuse that "small guns are only accurate up close" just shows how ignorant or lazy you are.

[OldMarksman]

Of course however there is really little to no direct correlation between size of the handgun and the mechanical accuracy.

That is true.

The key word is mechanical.

In practice, however, most individuals can shoot a pistol with a longer sighting radius with more precision than one with a shorter radius, all other things being equal.


But for most self defense situations, the difference is of very little importance.

[PlatinumCore16]

Agreed, that this is getting out there, my bad for adding to it.

At 25yds I don't think the mechanical accuracy of any gun will be that far different to make any difference unless you are attempting to put bullet holes on top of each other. At 50yds, I think the ability of the barrel to stabilize the bullet starts to come into play. However this is just speculation. Unless someone was to do a controlled experiment (aka exact same guns, bullets/powder/casing/sizing, material of the barrel, etc.) walking targets out to 100yds, in 5-10yd increments, this discussion is academic and has gotten pretty silly.

Practical accuracy is a completely different subject and depends more on the shooter. I think that past experience has shown us that a longer sight radius is easier to aim. Does that make it more accurate? No, but a new shooter would see better groups from a longer sight radius vs. a shorter one, statistically speaking. An experienced shooter with their favorite snubnose/pocketgun would more than likely shoot just as well as a 6" barrel up to a certain distance. However that goes back to the first point of my post which is where we have come to rest.

My apologies for making a blanket statement and adding to this spiral.

[MandolinMan]

Here's a great video on the subject from hickock45 that helped clear things up in my mind.

https://youtu.be/UVzSAm5VhfE

[grantman]

IMG_2884.JPG

here is the typical grouping with my g42 at 11y