Sub-MOA .38 Special

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sub-MOA groups out of a conventional centerfire handgun are unlikely.

A sub-MOA group would be under 0.1" at 10 yards, under 0.25" at 25 yards, and under 0.5" at 50 yards.

Generally speaking, 4MOA accuracy (1" at 25 yards) is considered exceptionally good from a conventional centerfire handgun. In fact, it wouldn't be unusual to hear praise for a centerfire handgun gun that consistently shoots under 3" (12 MOA) at 25 yards. Sub-quarter-inch groups at 25 yards (sub-MOA) are almost unheard of from conventional centerfire handguns.

Single-shot pistols typically used for hunting are in a different class, as are high-quality fixed barrel rimfire pistols; sub-MOA accuracy might be possible (but still impressive) from handguns like those.

I have an old book on handgun reloading and one of the articles was about an extensive accuracy test of centerfire handguns.

The test consisted of firing six shot groups from 30 handguns (mostly revolvers) from a machine rest at 25 yards. Each handgun was fired with 20-30 different loads.

The smallest 25 yard group with any handgun and any loading was 0.47" which translates to about 1.8MOA. It was, by the way, shot with a revolver.
 
An NRA 50 yard bullseye target has a 10 ring diameter of 3.33", basically 6.7 MOA. In 2700 not many will shoot 2600 and that's after many years of serious practice.

For NRA Bullseye shooting, the best ever, National record for shooting at least a 3.3" group, 20 shots total, (the size of the NRA 50 yd 10 ring) has only been recorded once in National competition. Military shooter Bonnie Harmon, fired a perfect 200 at 50 yards, and according the the NRA records, is the only man to have accomplished this feat. He did this in 1982. This means he fired two consecutive 10 shot groups of at least 3.3" or better.
 
Last edited:
I was trolling. :P I very carefully selected the phrase "claims to shoot." The .38 Special we manufacture at our shop in Draper is very much sub-MOA, but only out of a lever action or other rifle.

Either way, I'm sure we'll get an individual or two in here claiming to have pulled it off. That's the fun I'm waiting for.
 
Back in the days when I was seriously shooting conventional bulleye, I managed a 93 on one of my slow 50 yard fire targets using my 4" Smith square butt L frame 586 unmodified except for custom target grips.

I Should never have sold it.
 
I had two guns built by Bill Davis in .357mag. Each gun was as state of the art as possible and built by a gunsmith considered to be the best in their game with revolvers. His guns off a Ransom rest would shoot ten shots into an inch at fifty yards and that's still well over 1 moa. I'm not aware of any revolver ever made that would do sub 1moa and I've seen the best of the best all over the country. I don't think that animal exists or ever will. Just too many variables.
 
Last edited:
I was trolling. :P I very carefully selected the phrase "claims to shoot." The .38 Special we manufacture at our shop in Draper is very much sub-MOA, but only out of a lever action or other rifle.

Either way, I'm sure we'll get an individual or two in here claiming to have pulled it off. That's the fun I'm waiting for.

Cute :rolleyes: And I call BS.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top