which style of rifle will fire more accurate than the other

[bryangullickson]

Which style of rifle (civil war or current) Will fire more accurate?

what do you think?

[Craig_Bridge]

Which style of rifle (civil war or current) Will fire more accurate? what do you think?

In science,it really doesn't matter what anybody thinks. What matters is what can be proven in a manner such that the majority of the scientific community will accept the proof.

The skill of the marksman has always been a significant factor in accuracy. Some revolutionary war era riffles were very accurate because they were used to hunt game for food. In those days, if you missed your target, you went hungry! Even today, if you just wounded your prey, you have to track it for miles to find it. Those were and are strong incentives to adjusting the sights and considering accuracy with your choice of shots.

While materials used have changed making some of today's riffles much lighter than civil war era versions, the basic bolt action riffle design hasn't really changed. I doubt there is much difference in accuracy among the better made riffles as long as they have been maintained and are being used by highly skilled marksmen.

[OneBriiguy]

I think that there are a number of experiments that could be performed to compare different ages and styles of rifles. Accuracy, as Craig correctly points out, has the human factor involved. It would be an interesting experiment to mount the rifles in some way and test their repeatability. In other words, under various conditions and using different styles of rifles, measure how close together the cluster of shots strike the target. My hypothesis would be that modern machining techniques would produce a smaller cluster when fired from a fixed position.

[Craig_Bridge]

My hypothesis would be that modern machining techniques would produce a smaller cluster when fired from a fixed position.

The actual metal cutting processes and techniques between the Civil War era and today have changed very little. A highly skilled machinest can turn out equivalent riffle parts on Civil War era machines today, just not as fast and not as consistently. What has changed is todays machines have more automated controls so that the repeatability of the end result does not rely entirely on the skill of the machinist as it once did. Once todays machines are setup, almost anybody off the street that is willing to take direction and work can be taught to turn out these parts in a few hours.

The Civil War era riffles were made from heavier materials that were easier to machine and the parts did not have to be 100% interchangable. A gunsmith did the final fitting of parts and was able to adjust the critical fits. To me, it isn't clear where the manufacturing quality advantages really lie. What is clear is the cost of production today goes down quickly as the quantitiy increases unlike in the Civil War era where acquiring enough highly trained gunsmiths and machinists and maintaining the machines to maintain a high quality level was extremely expensive.

If you ask the question of which is more accurate, the repeatability of 100 Springfield Civil War era riffles compared to 100 of a modern bolt action hunting riffle model that utilize the same ammunition based on tests run today, the likely result would be that the modern riffles would be more repeatable, but what does that really mean?

Finding 100 Springfield Civil War era riffles that have been properly cared for would prove difficult.

If you go back to tests done back in the Civil War era to qualify for the army purchase requirements, you run into a situation where the repeatability of the Civil War era ammunition can be questioned as a possible difference.

If you compare riffles that shoot different ammunition over long distances, then you have aerodynamic differences.

I'm not sure that one can actually get a scientific answer to these kinds of questions. These questions are more like fanasy football questions of matching up some early super bowl winner with last years super bowl winner. Not something that science can answer.

[yasinrahman]

current style will of course fire more accurately because during the civil war the guns were not as sophisticated that the bullets, barrels and parts of the rifle are made with such care. In the civil war technology weren't available that much. If you want some physics behind this idea please check the following links.

http://www.physicsforums.com/archive/in ... 56540.html
http://www.nielsonbrothersarms.com/22%2 ... ricity.htm
http://www.futurefirepower.com/category/rifles
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 731AAoDdnV
http://www.nfa.ca/content/view/61/197/
http://www.the-long-family.com/optimal% ... 20time.htm
http://www.civilwarhome.com/civilwarweapons.htm
http://www.physicsforums.com/archive/in ... 59415.html

Now we have sniper technology which is more powerful and accurate than that of civil war rifles.


Any questions feel free to ask.


Thanks,
Yasin Rahaman

[fredwetzler]

Dear Bryan.......

Your project question "which rifle style,etc......." is ambiguous , namely what riflle should be compared with what rifle??? A wide choice indeed.

I worked in the barrel shop at Winchester Repeating Arms Co where shot guns and WWII .30 calibre carbines were made. Barrels are drilled, and then lands and grooves are reamed. After that, barrels must be straightened using the eyes of a technician operating a straightening machine. A good amount of accuracy can be lost due to misaligned barrels. Many of these barrels were rejected by the Army Ordnance. Adjustable sight mounting systems added some accuracy. Thus, every carbine required sighting corrections before use against the enemy,

Perhaps this insight may help you complet e your project

...Fred We tzler