Accuracy: Revolvers vs. Semi-autos

[flycaster]

I have to agree with the above posts. Semi-autos are inherently more accurate than revolvers because there can be minor variations in each chamber of a revolver. A revolver is generally easier to shoot well because of the superior single action trigger, a 1911 is about the only semi-auto that can compare.

But an autoloader depends on repeatability of lock-up for accuracy. It's one of the factors that 1911 fans can spend a ton on to improve. An out of the box autoloader versus the same in a revolver? I'll take the wheelie any day. After each is crafted by a talented smith? Take your pick.

Chuck

 

[logictox]

It comes down to the weapon, there are some auto's that by design have loose tolerances and don't shoot as tight of groups. If you want an auto that is a tack driver try something like a Hi Power.

 

[Shooting4life]

Freedom arms makes the most accurate handguns. I had a 252 that I shot a witnessed 5 shot group at 100 yards of 1 inch with a Burris 3-12 pistol scope. The only more accurate handguns are single shot falling blocks or bolt actions.

 

[BobR1]

I have been shooting handguns for 40 some odd years. I have also been on the Board of our Sportsman's Club for the last 31 years. I am around lots of shooters.

With centerfire handguns a revolver with good cylinder alignment will normally out shoot any stock semi auto, with a couple exceptions. With that said you can do some work on select semi auto handguns like the 1911 Colt, and make them pretty accurate also. Then we have a couple centerfire factory target guns like the S&W 38 Wadcutter gun. Forgot the model number of it. Not a gunfight gun, but a tack driver never the less.

With rimfires this is not true. We have several semi auto rimfire handguns that are plenty accurate out of the box. Ruger MK I, II, III, Colt Woodsman, Buckmark, Hi Standard, S&W 41, etc.

Accuracy is subjective. For the job at hand, how accurate does a handgun need to be. When handgun hunting I want my 480 Ruger Super RedHawk to be very accurate. I am reasonably sure I can hit your hat off sandbags at 100 yards with it.
Now at ranges of 5 feet to 25 yards, Gun Fight distance. Our main concern is getting rounds on target. Most all fullsize modern semiauto handguns are plenty accurate enough to make good body hits on silhouette targets at 25 yards. Some more accurate than others.
If I were in a hostage situation where I had to make one good shot count with a handgun, I would much rather have a revolver to attempt to make that one well placed shot.

Bob

 

[Sportsterguy]

I'm no expert, just a shooter. I have only been shooting for 35 years so I'm still sorta new at it. I have yet to find any semi automatic in the same price range as my used K38 masterpiece than can come close to to shooting as well. Yes there are a few super tuned race guns, custom built jobs that can keep up with my lowly stock out of the box S&W, but then they cost six to ten times as much. How much is a good shooter grade Model 14 these days? $4-500 ???, I dare you to find a $4-500 semi automatic that can keep up with a Model 14. Or how well could a revolver shoot if I were to drop 2-3k in custom gunsmithing for a pure purpose built hole puncher. The only out of the box semi I have shot that equals or possibly surpasses my M14 is a model 52, they are only double to triple the cost of a revolver.

I believe I have better accuracy with a firearm that has a barrel and sights fixed to the frame rather than a floating barrels and moving sights that may change position buy a half a thousandth between shots.

I agree. My 17-3 is a bit more accurate them my model 41, which is a true target pistol. Had my Colt Comander worked over with a 4.25 lb. trigger job, new barrel, Mepro sights and it shoots much better now but it can't keep up with the 17 or 41 using target grade LSWC's. Really shouldn't compare it as I didn't have it accuraized with a tight slide which could cause a jam.

I've shot a model 52 and was impressed with it's groups, when it wasn't jamming up. Too much money IMO when a 6" model 17 or model 14 will keep up or surpass most semi's out there for the money. JMO

 

[Smith357]

With rimfires this is not true. We have several semi auto rimfire handguns that are plenty accurate out of the box. Ruger MK I, II, III, Colt Woodsman, Buckmark, Hi Standard, S&W 41, etc.

+1

.22 rimfires are a whole different ball of wax. A K22 generally cost more than a Buckmark or Ruger Mk xxx. My guess is, and this is only a guess, I have no scientific proof, the .22 semi automatics are very accurate due to the fact the barrels and sights are anchored to the frame and do no move under recoil.

 

[Mule88]

Ive shot alot of revolvers and semi auto's and always on the average shoot the revolvers better than auto's. The nice thing about the revolvers is you can shoot any reasonable load in them, not true of all autos. The thing about auto's is you get more shots before reloading.

 

[arc2x4]

I have to agree with the above posts. Semi-autos are inherently more accurate than revolvers because there can be minor variations in each chamber of a revolver. A revolver is generally easier to shoot well because of the superior single action trigger, a 1911 is about the only semi-auto that can compare.

I have found that once I could shoot my revolvers well in DA I can pick up most any gun and shoot pretty well.

Revolvers have consistant alignment of the barrel, Grip, and sights, that never moves or changes. Semi autos have a fixed barrel and chamber but most like a 1911 have a moving slide that has the sights and a moving barrel. Semi Autos have some paly in that system so they can function. That means unlike a revolver the barrel, sight and grip alignment changes with each shot, Unless the gun is a Fixed barrel blow back like a model 41. Unless there is something wrong with it an unSmithed revolver in the $500-700 price range, is going to out shoot a $500-700 factory stock semi auto.

 

[ldhunter1959]

accuracy can be such a subjective subject. For some of you guys/gals anything outside the bulls-eye is probably irksome. For others, just keeping it on target is fine. Most of my guns have been far more accurate than I. I am not a "precision" shooter, but would be called more of a plinker.
I do know that when I picked up and shot my first full-sized S&W revolver (which was only last week with my K-frame), my accuracy was as good or better than with practically all of my semi autos after shooting with them for a period of time. However, my Colt Agent revolver, is no where near as accurate for me as my Bersa Thunder or even my Beretta Tomcat. And it won't compare at any range with my 1911s. But it looks like the Model 13 will definitely be able to stay up with them - perhaps surpass them.

 

[stantheman86]

Truth is the majority of shooters won't notice a difference........for self defense or combat shooting it is largely irrelevant.

Even though handgun 25 yard Bullseye shooting is pretty much dead, toward the end tricked out 1911's took over, where guns like the S&W 14 and Colt Officer Target used to dominate.

 

[fyimo]

There are always exception to every rule and ZI owned (gave to my somn) a Ruger Mark II Target with bull barrel that would cut one hole in the paper all day long. Like I sadi eariler I shoor most revolvers better then most semi's but I have some of each where it is a toss up and yest my 1911's have been accurized but the main difference is the SA trigger that is smooth and breaks like glass.

 

[M3Stuart]

accuracy can be such a subjective subject.

+1 on that!

I am completely happy if I can keep the group tight at POA;
2" barrel at 7yds
2.5" - 3" at 10 yds, maybe 50'
4" at 50'+

If I can hit any kind of pattern on a paper plate at 75' I start doing that "UH HUH" gyrating thing like a football player who scored a touchdown (but I put the gun down first).

I do a lot better than that with my Mark II and III. But I'm no more accurate with my Beretta 92 at 75' than I am with my 686.

 

[MajorD]

FWIW, my skinny barrel model 10- just your joe average used cop beater- will shoot 5 inch groups at 50 YARDS. the only autos I have ever owned that could beat it were a smith 41 and my les baer premier II. based on what I paid for these you could buy 7 model 10's for the price of one les baer- so as far as I am concerned revolvers ARE more inherently accurate and at least for me easier to shoot well, although I can hold my own with an auto as well.

 

[JackGordon]

Went to the range saturday with my buddy who brought several revolvers. I brought my Sig P250 that I'm still getting used to.

I realized that I'm much more accurate shooting revolvers than I am semi-autos. I would pick up a revolver I haven't fired before and get some really nice groups. My P250, I enjoy, but I have to get used to the trigger.

I'm just curious, but do y'all feel like you have better accuracy with revolvers or semi-autos. I was taking my time, making sure I was aiming properly. Just seemed like it was much easier to shoot a "new" revolver than a "new" semi-auto.

Curious to see what the group thinks,

Thanks for your time,:confused

Well, I went to the range today with my first revolver, a S&W 643 (snub). I have a SIG P-250, just as you do. With the SIG, I can put round after round on a target with little effort. With the S&W, though.... not so good. I think I'll have to practice A LOT with the Smith to get used to it. I like it --convenient to carry, light, etc.-- but today at the range, it was frankly embarrassing. I'm a practiced shooter and pretty good normally, but this morning I couldn't hit the paper! Lot's of recoil from this light firearm and I haven't figured out where to hold exactly.

 

[g-dad]

Lots of practice. I generally shoot revolvers better. Btw, the guy you replied to hasn't been on the forum since 2013. This is an old thread. Don't feel bad tho, I've done the same thing!

 

[M1A]

Makes no difference to me.
I will say that Webley's and Enfield's are more accurate single action.
A good pistol only requires practice.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Zombie thread . . .

 

[C J]

Wow this is an old thread but I see some stuff that makes me want to comment anyway. There was lots of discussion about shooting revolvers in single action mode. Uh - semi-autos sometimes have SA triggers too.

I've seen (and own) some very accurate revolvers. But the best shooters I've seen are semi-auto. I have a bone stock Sig P220 (one of the "Made In W. Germany" models) that will shoot very well. I even have a Taurus that shoots accurate. My buddy set up 3 empty 45 casings with 2 at 20 yards and one at 25 yards. I hit the 2 at 20 yards on the first try with that Taurus. I missed the one at 25 yards by about a quarter of an inch. It loses accuracy after about that distance but the Sig doesn't.

The type of gun and the condition of the gun matters more than the design. I don't buy autos that aren't SA or actually SA/DA. They are way more accurate.

BTW the most accurate handgun I ever shot was a Ruger MkII with a 10" barrel on it. It will shoot 1" groups at 50 yards all day.

 

[OLDSTER]

accuracy

I have a lot of hand guns, don't exactly know how many at this moment, but the two guns I shoot the best and are most accurate for me are:

#1) Colt Gold Cup National Match Series 70 45 acp - A TRUE TACK DRIVER

#2) S&W Combat Masterpiece (pre M15) - ONE HOLE GROUPS AT 50 ft

There are guns in my collection that are suppose to be more accurate than the Combat Masterpiece like the M14, M19, M27. M586,etc. but for some reason I just shoot the 4" S&W better than I do the rest. Don't really know why, but it is what it is. I shoot the two guns listed above even better than my .22 - M41 Target Gun or the .22 High Standard for that matter as well.

Chief38

I agree re; the Model 15. One of my favorite range guns is a Model 15-4 that I shoot better than any other handgun I own with the exception of my "tricked out" Ruger MKIII.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I prefer revolvers because there is less to think about under pressure. Accuracy is not a revolver/Semi auto issue IMHO.