Why five shot groups?

[Booger]

Why do people do a five shot groups? I can see a five shot group when trying to find a pellet that works, but I feel like to find the real worth of a gun and a shooter the groups should at least be 10 shots. I also understand that everyone is not as lucky as me and can not shoot at longer distances and have to shoot in their basements. It is of my personal opinion that shot groups should be shot between 30 & 70 yards. If you have a very accurate rifle and you are a decent shot 100 yard groups are really cool.

I am waiting on the day someone says "Look at my 3 shot group at 10 yards". I hope this post does not offend anyone, and some insight will make me a better person.

[cnjl3]

Most likely a 5 shot group is to keep the group size "small" since the inevitable fliers are usually over 5 shots? I agree that a 10 shot group gives you more information.

[robtmc]

I was thinking the typical magazine capacity of bolt action hunting rifles.

[starlingassassin]

im the MASTER of 1 shot groups lol


but really, its whatever i feel like throwing downrange,1-3-5-7-10-16-21-30.

[Nikoman]

It's a waste of pellets for me to keep going through the same hole so I stop after 5

[Booger]

It's a waste of pellets for me to keep going through the same hole so I stop after 5

I resemble that remark. LOL

[s10gto]

Because on the sixth shot I screw up a perfect group... 

[s10gto]

It's a waste of pellets for me to keep going through the same hole so I stop after 5

Seriously I feel the same was as Niko. I know my rifles and after shot three I have a good idea if the pellet is going to work out or not.

[daemon2525]

10 is too many. It clutters the target too much.  Also, my concentration goes south with that many shots.

[aack73]

because statistically its easier to shoot better 5 shot groups than 10 or 20+ shot groups. i prefer to shoot a full clip so i know what i can  do with every shot in the clip.

[Rex]

Statistically, more shots mean better center point location.  The "Drunkard's Walk" physics principle ensures that the group size will spread as the shot count increases.  The real world says that after awhile a ragged hole is just a ragged hole.  I suppose that's why most of us stop after three to five shots.   

In his book "American Air Rifles" (Feb 2002) James E. House provides an alternative - one shot per bull multiple times.  The vertical and horizontal distances are measured and treated statistically to give the group center, group size, and the statistical deviation for each shot.  I worked up a spreadsheet to make the calculations and it really works to determine the precision of pellets.  A plus is the ability to recognize fliers and to calculate effective ranges (I use a half inch group as the maximum effective range of a rifle/pellet combo).

[Bullit]

I'll throw this out there, as a bit of History or Lore, told to me about 5 shots.  Now don't shoot me, as I'm just the piano player!
The six-shooter revolver shooters of old...single action guns mind you....carried on an empty chamber, (for most users).
This meant 5 shots, and they'd bet/brag, on accuracy by emptying the gun. 

[oldrock]

I think 5 shots is a reasonable number. I've done 10 shot groups but when shooting .22cal, 10 shots ends up just tearing big hole in the target so you really can't see individual shots that well. On the other hand, 3 shots just isn't enough to really be sure where the group is centering. So I like 5 shots as a good number and think it works for me to show group size and center point. Oh and added plus is 5 shot groups give me several groups between pumping up the rifle. If I did 10 shot groups... I'd only be able to do 2 groups before I had to pump again. With 5 shot groups... I get 5 groups before I have to re-pump the discovery. I do my groups at 50yards btw not 10

[Bullit]

I Don't know about 3 shots being too little...
If you have a good shooter in your herd, and just sit down and blow 3 shots that group together, I think it shows it's colors.

[Geoff]

For me, if the first three are nicely shot, the last two are a real heart thumper to try and keep a nice grouping.  adding more shots to it would likely cause me to twitch as i shot since i am more worried about keeping a tight group than on concentrating on the individual shot. 

Also, with fliers very likely, after 5 good shots I hate to ruin a good thing (on the RARE occasion I can get a good grouping)  ;- )

[needmorebacon]

For me, if the first three are nicely shot, the last two are a real heart thumper to try and keep a nice grouping.  adding more shots to it would likely cause me to twitch as i shot since i am more worried about keeping a tight group than on concentrating on the individual shot. 

Also, with fliers very likely, after 5 good shots I hate to ruin a good thing (on the RARE occasion I can get a good grouping)  ;- )

+1 on this Geoff...I feel the same way get 3 good ones and the 4th and 5th are heart pumpers for me!

[Nikoman]

Here's 20 shots from my Sig556 at 100 yards. I don't know why I didn't stop after 5, it literally was a single hole but this rifle is so accurate I can cut rebar with it at that distance.
I also didn't stop shooting because it's a long walk to go and change targets.
I think people turn 5 shots groups into 10 because the fiver isn't very good and the ten ties it together better (at least that's how I do it).

[sperho]

From an earlier post that I made:

From a statistical perspective, I usually choose a 95% confidence interval for significance. Anything less than an N of 5 (5 shots) and I feel that there isn't quite enough of a sample population to give a good prediction of variance. N = 10 is commonly accepted as a reasonable proxy for an infinite population size. I. E. t = 3.182 at N=3, 2.571 at N=5, 2.228 at N=10, and 1.96 at infinity at the 95% confidence interval.

[AHCampbell]

Just throwing my opinion in.  What I do is shoot ten pellets, then throw out the two farthest from the center.  Because you do inevitably get fliers.  This not only gets me better groups , but also ensures that I have pretty precise information.  Essentially, I get 8 shots centered around my target.  And if they're too close together to tell which two should be thrown out, then I know those pellets are pretty accurate.

For sighting in, however, I only do 2 or 3 shot groups, as it's a waste of pellets after that.

Just my opinion.  Agree, disagree, or ignore it.

[pappa]

I learned years ago that if I get a decent 5 shot group, that is what the rifle will reliably do. I have quite a few ARs in different configurations, brands and calibers and this philosophy has always proven itself. I will put my rifles up against anyone's for accuracy and repeatability!!!