NCJ Number
213237
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 30 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2006 Pages: 20-22,24
Date Published
February 2006
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This description of a procedure for evaluating a police service gun or a gun for off-duty carrying focuses on accuracy, ammunition selection, and reliability.
Abstract
For full-size handguns, the author tests mechanical accuracy at 25 yards. A good-quality, full-size gun should be able to hold a five-shot grouping under 4 inches at this distance. When testing a semiautomatic handgun for accuracy, the author loads six rounds into the magazine, seats the magazine, and chambers a round. He then fires the first round into the backstop before shooting the next five at the target. This is done because the first round is hand-cycled and will often shoot to a slightly different point of impact than the subsequent rounds. Ammunition selection will have an important role in accuracy. The accuracy of various types of ammunition in a given gun type should be documented in a notebook when conducting the accuracy evaluation. Other than bullet placement, notes should be recorded on heavy recoil, bright muzzle flash, or any jamming or other type of malfunction. If jamming occurs, the cause should be determined and eliminated, if possible. Two or more jammings per magazine suggests that the ammunition being used is not appropriate for the gun. When testing the gun for reliability, each of the magazines used in the testing should be loaded to full capacity and tested with rapid fire. Electronic timers can measure the time between shots, The faster a shooter can put two shots on the target, the more "controllable" is the gun. The goal of the testing is to select a gun that shoots fast and accurately, using ammunition that does not jam the gun.