Are revolvers more accurate than semi autos?

V

Varmint Eviscerator

New member
I have a little bet with a friend, hope you answer this question, I beleive that a semi has to "throw" the bullet from the mag into the chamber while a wheel gun has it already lined up. My inquiry is due to the fact that I recently shot a pistol that was the most innacurate piece of junk in existance,9mm glock I beleive, then I shot a 38 special revolver and it produced a nice 1.9" group at 50 feet
Chase
 
As a general rule, yes. There are exceptions on both sides of course, but I believe that as a rule, revolvers are slightly more accurate. Someone who knows more than I do will have to tell you why. However, I don't think it would have much to do with the whole "throwing" issue. The cartridge is pushed, not thrown, into the chamber.

What kind of groups were you getting with the 9mm?
 
thats why lugers seem to do so well, or d they also have moving barrels. glock groups were worse at 50ft then my old hopkins allen side by side unchocked at 50 yrds 00.
Chase
btw they were about 2 feet ctc:eek: , off an improvised rest.
 
btw they were about 2 feet ctc , off an improvised rest.
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There's a BIG problem there--either with the ammunition or the gun. Virtually any properly functioning autopistol should be able shoot group sizes of around 1" at 50 feet .

Whatever the problem is, it's not anything that relates to autopistol design vs revolver design. There's something else going on.
 
No and no -

Substantially all blowback semiautomatics have a relatively fixed barrel - takedown considerations aside in e.g. the High Standard or the S&W Model 41. Consider the Sig 210 or Sig 240 or the various Hammerli target semiautomatics both centerfire and rimfire, Pardini, Morini and so forth and so on - these are the supreme accuracy guns on today's market.

Then again the Freedom Arms or the various custom modifications with custom bored lineup in a custom revolver are pretty good. In general best accuracy with a factory revolver is achieved by testing individual chambers and marking the best as one will often align better than another.

Semiautomatics rule bullseye for a reason. For pure accuracy in a tunnel at gallery ranges most people have found the low-powered semiautomatic delivers from the Ransom Rest and on the range. Be happy to welcome you to the line with a revolver of course.

Dan Wesson revolvers are still the choice for taking down steel so if you need the power of an X-frame S&W you probably won't find it in a semiautomatic. Elmer Keith never shot a deer at hundreds of yards with a semiautomatic.
 
Which has more power? If I may hijack the thread slightly... I've always wondered if you had a revolver and semi-auto for the same exact cartridge load and barrel length, which would produce more power. It seems to me that a semi-auto looses some energy in sending the projectile down range by also sending the slide back against the springs. There has got to be some energy that would have been used on the bullet used here instead. On the other hand, the revolver has a pressure leak at the forcing cone. No matter how tight the gun there will be some pressure escape at this area. So is there any definitive evidence on how much less powerful either of these guns is compared to say a single shot?
 
There are big enough velocity differences found from one "identical" firearm to another that the differences you're talking about would be negligible.
 
Bronicadave, By the time the semi auto unlocks and starts the sequence of events that leads up to launching another round downrange the bullet is long gone.
 
On this topic, would caliber make any difference in accuracy because of the recoil? (LET'S ASSUME THE SHOOTER IS EXPERIENCED WITH ALL CALIBERS AND DOESN'T HAVE FLINCH, LIMP WRIST, etc).

EXAMPLE: If I shoot a 5 inch tactical SA XD-9 versus a Taurus Raging Bull .44 magnum 6 inch, and I have roughly the same experience, comfort, and proficiency level with both, would the increased kickback from the .44 magnum affect my accuracy to where it would be worse than with the softer 9mm round?
 
seb5 - That's true the by the time the barrel unlocks the round is down range, but doesn't the barrel start to move as soon as the pressure begins to build? If the pressure loss at the forcing cone of a revolver or the energy spent in a semi-auto to cycle doesn't effect the velocity of the round, then why does a compensator at the other end of the barrel make a difference?
 
Semiautomatics rule bullseye for a reason. For pure accuracy in a tunnel at gallery ranges most people have found the low-powered semiautomatic delivers from the Ransom Rest and on the range. Be happy to welcome you to the line with a revolver of course.

It is immensely less difficult to shoot timed and rapid with a self cocking autoloader as opposed to thumb cocking a revolver for each shot - I think that has more to do with the dominance of semi autos rather than an overwhelming accuracy advantage , at least in the centerfire stages.

But I agree that the high end competition centerfire semi autos are quite accurate. I owned a Clark 45 bullseye gun built on a Springfield 1911. The test target that came with it was under 2" for 10 shots at 50 yards. Some builders guarantee 1.5" for 10 shots.

This is only six shots @ 50 yards from my stock 686 but I would say it was more accurate than most semi-autos I have ever fired.
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Are you guys reading the part where says his groups with the autopistol were 2 FEET in size at 50 feet?

That's about 150 MOA!

I agree that a high quality revolver generally has an accuracy edge on a similar quality autopistol WHEN SHOT FROM A REST, but the accuracy difference isn't between 2 FOOT groups and 2 INCH groups at 50 feet. It's probably only a fraction of an inch difference in group size at that distance.
 
Most accurate?:confused: I believe that what you are up against is the difference in systems. Does a stick drive better than an automatic? Same difference. You have to learn how to run whatever system you want to use.

Lots of choices in handguns, single actions, double actions in revolvers and striker fired,double action only, single action or choice of single or double in same gun. To say in general are revolvers more accurate than auto doesn't quite ask the right question.

I have a Kimber 1911 that shoots just the same as my model 25 Smith for accuracy but then I have spent alot of money learning to shoot both guns. Dollar for dollar autos or revolvers in the same price catagory seem to shoot about the same for me at least.

25
 
If you are talking about pure accuracy then all things being equal the semi-auto should give the best accuracy because every round is fired thru a barrel that the chamber is a part of. A revolver has different chambers which could vary slightly and each has to line up with the bore exactly the same each time. That is asking a lot of any mechanical device.
 
A centerfire revolver is likely to be inherently more accurate than an autoloader of comparable quality.

The reason is because the SIGHTS are in a fixed relationship to the BARREL. The barrel on an autoloader (other than a straight blowback like a .22 or maybe a .380) jumps around in relation to the sights.

Bullseye is ruled by autoloaders because of the rapid-fire segment, period. A 1911 is much easier to get off quick aimed shots than a revo which must either be cocked or fired DA to manage rapid strings. The reason high-end bullseye guns cost so much is because it's necessary to spend lots of time and attention minimizing the amount the barrel wiggles in relation to the sights, while not making the gun so tight it won't function reliably.
 
There are lots of different reasons the two may or may not compare well for accuracy. But there is no inherent quality to either.

.22 semiautos are MORE accurate than the equivalent revolver. Not having 6 or 9 different chambers helps matters. Something like a Ruger MKII is closer to a single shot Contender than a revolver when it comes to pro accuracy features.


For the money, centerfire revolvers are going to be more accurate than centerfire autos. That is because there are more moving parts involved in sight/bore alignment in an auto, and because revolver prices are somewhat depressed (something like a S&W M10 should cost alot more than it does).

I'm surprised this myth persists with all the .22 autos, Sig 210s, bullseye 1911s, Desert Eagles and the like out there.
 
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