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Clips and Mags.

daddodaddo Member Posts: 3,408
edited January 2002 in Ask the Experts
I know I'm nagging, but I can't help but get irritated when someone misuses the two terms. A clip holds ammo to be loaded into a magazine of a rifle. A magazine holds the ammo to be fired directly from it. A clip loads the mag. A mag loads the gun. Thanks for letting me have my say- I feel much better now!!
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Comments

  • BlokeyBlokey Member Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    daddo, I agree about the misuse of terms. The same is true about accuracy and precision. I see gun review after gun review describing a gun's accuracy as the group size. That's incorrect. The group size is a description of precision. Accuracy is the quality of closeness to the intended target value (in the case of guns, the bullseye). If a gun hits the bullseye when it is aimed at the bullseye, then the gun is accurate. If it shoots a tight group, then it's precise.Let the firestorm begin...
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  • leeblackmanleeblackman Member Posts: 5,303 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    No kidding, It just tickles my nerve when someone says "How many clips does it have?" When they are refering to magazines. My revolver has moon clips, a garand has clips, I have M16 stripper clips for magazines, but I don't have any glock clips, just magazines...
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  • daddodaddo Member Posts: 3,408
    edited November -1
    Well now-- I must show "my" ignorance Blokey. I never thought of those two terms in that way. Not sure I get it. If you fasten a rifle down and fire 5 rounds- and get a 2" group @ 100 yds. then--- 1- the accuracy is that it hit the bullseye? 2- the precision is the 2" group? I think I got it now- presision is the consistancy. Right?
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    you got it daddo, accuracy describes how close to the point of aim the bullet hits. Precision describes the proximity of the holes in a group to one another, perfect precision being one hole for the whole group. Presumably what we all want is an accurate, precise rifle (well, some might want pistols).While I understand the distinction between magazines and clips and tend not to use them interchangably, it does not really bother me when others do. Seems like spliting hairs.
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  • Shootist3006Shootist3006 Member Posts: 4,171
    edited November -1
    He Dog, while I understand your use of the terms 'accuracy and precision', I don't think I can agree. An accurate firearm is one that will put ALL of the shots as close to the point of aim as possible. Therefor, it is impossible to have an accurate firearm that is not first precise.
    Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
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  • Mr. LoboMr. Lobo Member Posts: 538 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This is the way we look at the two words from a Land Surveying point of view. Maybe it will help you understand.Accuracy - Degree of conformity with a standard or accepted value. Accuracy relates to the quality of a result, and is distinguished from precision which relates to the quality of the operation by which the result is obtained.Precision - The degree of refinement in the performance of an operation, or the degree of perfection in the instruments and methods used when making the measurements. A measure of the uniformity or reproducibility of the result. Precision relates to the quality of the operation by which a result is obtained and is distinguished from accuracy which relates to the quality of the result.
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Shootist I do not disagree with you, I was trying to distinguish between the two terms, perhaps not with suficient precision. Perhaps I should have said "accuracy describes how close to the point of aim the bullets hit." Would that have been better? As a hunter I want an accurate rifle in your terms. I gather some of the benchrest guys (I don't do that kind of shooting) are much more concerned about precision and not accuracy. While you are correct that accuracy presupposes precision, I thought it was more clear to suggest both are desireable for those who are not clear on the distinction. [This message has been edited by He Dog (edited 01-09-2002).]
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  • 218Beekeep218Beekeep Member Posts: 3,033
    edited November -1
    If you look at daddo`s original post,line 3 says :"A magazine holds the ammo to be fired directly from it".This is more incorect than anything here yet,by far!!!A chamber holds the ammo to be fired directly from it!Some people don`t think a rifle is a gun,cause the military told them it a rifle ,and their dong is a gun..218
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  • BlokeyBlokey Member Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Shootist3006,Actually you can have a gun that is accurate but not precise.Say you aim for the bullseye and shoot 4 shots. If shot 1 hits 4" high, shot 2 is 4" low, shot 3 is 4" right and shot 4 is 4" left, the average (or center) of the four shots is the bullseye therefore the gun is accurate. The fact that each shot was no where near each other meant that the gun was not precise.[This message has been edited by Blokey (edited 01-09-2002).]
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  • BlokeyBlokey Member Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    daddo,Yes, your example is correct.
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