On most of these gun forums, you'll hear this phrase "tack driver" when talking about accuracy. In case you couldn't tell, I think it's stupid and drives me crazy.

Recently someone posted that their M&P is a tack driver. Well, it's not. I don't need to even see a target because it's impossible. On it's best day, with the best barrel, fitted by the best gunsmith that ever lived, an M&P wouldn't put a bullet through the same hole every time. Sorry, it's just not happening. And, yes, that's what's required to drive a tack!

It's bad enough to hear the massive volume of guys that say, "I can shoot a 1" group, off hand, at 50 yards with my X." I'm not buying that either, but...oh never mind.

Pick another term because "tack driver" should only be used by Gale McMillan.

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Freedom isn't free.

A real tack driver
22 caliber nail driver...

The Powers P2201 .22 caliber single shot powder actuated gun drives 1/4" - 20 threaded studs, .300 head, 8mm head, and ballastic point drive pins from 1/2" to 3" in length. Uses .22 caliber single shot loads.

Yeah I just let those types of statement roll on by. People over use them, and really don't understand what it means.

And as far as accuracy goes, some folks really can do some crazy stuff. But it's an Internet message board...anonymous, at that. People exaggerate. Or can't do math. Or both.

I have seen old movies where men drove nails with their gun butts. I'd never do that.

I agree, 'tack driver' is a gross exaggeration. I don't understand why folks can't just be realistic. My M&P certainly isn't a tack driver by any stretch of the imagination. If it were, heck, I'd be shooting at tacks instead of the one inch targets I currently use.

Drives tacks, nails, even railroad spikes. It weighs about 3.5#'s.

How big is the tack and how far off is it?

I have seen beat up Colt single actions that appeared to have used to drive staples. The ranch foreman would pass out staples, and if you saw a fence down it was your responsibility to nail it back up.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

there are a few rifles that do fit the criteria of a "tack driver"
Not nearly as many as are claimed as such but the do exist.
Offhand 1" group at 50 ... yeah ... possible, its a fairly rare level of discipline though.

I think, between the two, were might be looking at a top 5% figure within the overall demographic.
since it is quantifiable, it must be accepted as possible .... that said .... I can easily give you the the 45% of the demographic that claim it without the ability to pony up the real goods.

those of us in the top 5%, however, do find it amusing when we occasionally squelch a member of that 45% with their own gun.

Hone your skills, it is attainable, and it is a blast to watch a blowhards pride crumble in the face of the real deal.

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it just needs more voltage

I wonder just how many of these 1 inch groups at 50 yards standing are really 20 or 30 shots where 3 or 4 have made a 1 inch "grouping".

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

"Tack-driver" don't bother me. This, however, bugs me to no end.

"My M&P" yada yada yada.

Which M&P?

The K-frame 38 revolver? The plastic-fantastic 9/40/45 bottom-feeder? Or the AR15 clone?

Be. More. Specific.

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I always take precautions

Some of my 22 cal pistols, wear a rugged dime sized hole in the target..As close to driving a tack as I will come..Distance 25 plus yards, free handed.. Using a 1x red dot...

It's hyperbole...I seriously doubt that anyone actually expects others to take it literally. It's just shorthand for saying "My gun is very accurate." Even that is a subjective statement, because while a given gun is capable of a certain degree of accuracy if all conditions are ideal, there are far too many variables that can affect actual performance.

When I read that expression, I don't take it literally.

Never drove a tack. But did hit a roofing nail three shots in a row at 50 feet with a low price boy's bolt action 22 rifle.

Many years ago when I lives in NW Arkansas I was asked to help with accuracy of a 22 rifle belonging to a friend's son.

Group was terrible. Barrel showed rub lines from the stock.
Bedding problem! Free floated the barrel. Reasonable group. Started adjusting the scope.

When satisfied with scope settings I hit the roofing nail holding target at 50 feet three shot in a row.
No bragging rights for my Anschutz, but pretty good for a low price single shot bolt action 22.
The little owner then shot a nice group and was very happy.

Bekeart

Exactly, just like a good looking woman isn't actually a "Goddess" any more than a fast car runs like a "raped ape".
I take that stuff with a grain of salt.

On the other hand I don't like seeing the spelling "Boolits".
Now that sticks in my craw a little.

Why? None of them are "tack drivers".

I'm hijacking my own thread...What kind of red dot do you have? I'd like to put one on my Mark III.

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Freedom isn't free.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

You boys don't believe in tack drivers. Ha!

Got a few 1911s that can hit a pin head at 60 yards while I'm running and jumping.

You boys just need more practice.

You guys always get a bit touchy when it rains in southern CA.

Don't worry it will clear up again.

Pete

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Don't tread on me

Eh... I bet that half the people who shoot at a 50ft indoor range probably think they are shooting at 50yrds. No idea whatsoever. Tack driver is just their way of saying they might have hit the paper target once before it caught fire from muzzle flash.

One of my friends has a 10/22 with a Volquartsen barrel, and THAT will put 5 rounds in a single hole all day long. M&P15? Don't think so.

I agree that people engage in hyperbole. Tack-driver does not bother me at all. But this "boolits" thing bothers me as it makes the poster look either seriously under-educated, or comes off as cutesy/silly. But when pointed out, they say it is "accepted speech" over on the cast projectiles board. Guess they feel all chummy with that silliness.

My wife's family has a lot of pinheads in it, and they don't like to be hit with anything...shots, bats, original thoughts, etc.

My favorite old Model 10 will consistently shoot one hole groups at 25 yards. When I fire the second shot, the group opens up a bit.

People that make their own 'boolits' are free to call them anything they want among themselves. I think they earned that. Until I get into casting though, I shoot BULLETS.

The only thing that bothers me about 'tack driver' is that it is overused.

well played sir

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it just needs more voltage

I had a friend who could fly an airplane through a key hole! Small plane and a "very large keyhole".

My gun is a pile driver.

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Forum consigliere

My thumb is a tack driver. Does that count?

I have one of those .22 nail stud driving guns, too! Goes through Schedule 40 pipe and most likely would keep going if it didn't have large heads on the nails.
I don't like using tack driver related to guns, either. I do know of a lot of guns I wouldn't want to be shot at with, though.

Best description I ever heard used was when Uncle Jedd was shooting the wings off of flies down by the wall from off the porch.

I ain't bragging bout my tack driver here...

Lol..see my above comment about folks not being able to do math. Same concept.

Yeah, it's not "boolits". It's BOWLUTS. Get it right.

This is my old H&R M12 .22 LR single shot rifle. It is shown with a Ken Viani scope mount and a ancient Tasco TR 4x-16x variable scope. Off a bench, using a one piece rest, shooting Federal ammo, I could put five shots into a dime size group when the weather cooperated. I gave the guy who bought the rifle from me four boxes of that ammo.

My guns are all pretty much tack obliterators. Every time I shoot tacks they end up destroyed. What kind of light loads are these guys using to just drive them?

Figures of speech are routine and common expressions and should not be taken as literal expressions of fact. That most 15-22's are not Olympic level competitive firearms is not in dispute. Very few commonly available .22 LR rifles can perform at that level of accuracy. Among common grade .22 LR semi-automatic rifles being fired w/ iron sights using common garden grade ammo, the 15-22 does just fine. One must understand it's idiosyncrasies. It is not a Win. 52. Those who insist on slinging up and holding hard with it will be disappointed. Used as an understudy to the AR-15, especially as a training rifle, the 15-22 is very effective/accurate and within it's class virtually beyond comparison.

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It seems that a lot of the people on this forum are easily bored and like to complain about minutiae, no more harm in that though than in most of the stuff that gets complained about.

With my mid 70's colt python with its 6" barrel I could hit small rocks on the berm at 100 yards that I could see. My CZ 85DB in 9mm luger using 3' of Kentucky windage could do the same thing. Tack driver I wouldn't say.

My dear grandmother, rest her soul, was a taxi driver for the last 10 years of wretched life. For you to insult taxi drivers, even if you're joking, makes me sick! I hope the moderators make your life a living Hell!!

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Why, I aughta.....

In another thread, about martial arts, you said something like "Anyone who devotes themself to studying something will excel in it". Does that not apply to pistol shooting as well?

These are all dbl action, full house 357 magnum loads. Draw from holster at the beep. Off hand. Weaver stance. 4" model 66 (my 38 year old duty gun).

1 1/2 inch group -




1 3/4 inch group -




2 1/2 inch group -



I suppose that's a little bigger than tack. But it impressed my students that were along for the fun.

Shoot a lot. Shoot for decades. You get tight groups. It's all about clearing the mind of extraneous stuff. My ability to shoot well has zero to do with anyone else's ability to shoot well or not shoot well. Lots of us aren't very good at that "clear the mind" concept, in any sport. We worry that "So-in-so will always be better than me" or "I'll never be as good as So-in-so".

It's not about the gun.

Coaching one of my "kids" on how to shoot quarters off the target frame -






Sgt Lumpy

Hell, I have a very abused Mossberg 500 12ga. which I got as a Christmas present from my dads when I was 11. ie, 1981. It has more shots thru it than I can even begin to account for.

That old thing will still drive 3 or 4 tacks at once with ease at 30 yards. Whoop dee.............

Rastoff:

Why so cranky? I'm going to take my tack driver rifle and go home.

Driving tacks is one thing
But driving nails really scratches up the butt and busts the stocks.
DO NOT DO IT

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In dog years I'm dead.

Jim, what you really saw was the advent of the Original nail gun

I have one of those, not so good for tacks, But with the right load you get good penetration.

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Carpriver.

I have a small hammer I use to for driving tacks. My guns no so much.

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Carpriver.

I have a couple of guns that it's real obvious the butt end was used to drive tacks. Does that qualify?

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Dennis
SWCA #2409, SWHF #353

Glock.

Thats the answer that bugs me to any and every question on forums.

Q - hey guys I'm trying to decide between a 586 or a 686. Any suggestions?

A- Get a Glock.

/wrist

You'ens got me so upset I think I'll go shoot a clip full of boolits with my tack driver and relieve some stress. Larry

I always wondered who had the cojones to rape the ape to make it run that fast?!

A couple of pistols that I own would probably qualify as "tack drivers". Not in my hands, though. I have fun & shoot as much as I can. I don't consider myself any kind of marksman. There's a lot of expressions I see used here that make me grit my teeth, but I wouldn't presume to tell anyone what terminology they need to use, but I guess that's just me.

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

My only guns strong enough to hammer nails and tacks with are my Ruger Revolvers.