- 01: Introduction
- 02: History
- 03: Propellants, Firearms, and Ammunition Development
- 04: Modern Firearms Manufacture
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Evidence Handling Procedures
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
- Resources
Accuracy and Custom Specifications
Home > Small Arms Ammunition > Ballistic Testing > Accuracy and Custom Specifications
Accuracy testing is the last major test for all except shotshell ammunition. Accuracy testing is performed in fixed mount barrels to reduce the human factors that can contribute to poor accuracy. A typical accuracy test for handgun ammunition is measured at a distance of twenty-five yards or twenty-five meters, depending on the country. Centerfire rifle ammunition and a considerable amount of rimfire ammunition is tested at one hundred yards (or one hundred meters).
It is group size, not proximity to point-of-aim that is measured. Generally, four or five five-shot groups are fired and the results are analyzed statistically.
Custom Specifications
Testing against customized specifications is performed when a particular lot of ammunition is assembled for a customer with specific needs. Their needs may include a slightly different velocity specification or a tighter accuracy specification. For example, a large police department might request performance testing according to their custom specifications using only the firearm issued by that agency.
Click here to watch a video on accuracy in the manufacturing plant provided by Federal Cartridge Company.
