As Seen on TV. Shooting a hanging rope with a rifle???

coker · Post by **coker** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:54 am

Hi all.
I've been shooting ( on and off) olympic pistol for the past 25 years, understand about accuracy, focus on the sight picture and the mental part of the game.
but,
Can somebody discuss the pure technical reasoning, on how a 4 inch ( group at 100 yards) rifle can snap a 1/4 inch cord ( or fishing line) as done by those exhibition shooter? . If it is pure mental, then, can the mind (brain) of the shooter really direct the bullet path?
If the mind controlls the bullet then, we might as well just train our brains, rather than searching for a more accurate pistol.
One posible explanation could be that a 4 inch group rifle at 100 yards equals a 0.4 inch group at 10 yards, or, 0.2 inches at 5 yards, but I will like to hear something different.
Technical anyone??
C.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 1:12 am

i have a feeling that the grouping size to target distance relationship is not linear.

this sorts of reminds me of the korean archer videos whereby they shoot peas or something.

Spencer · Post by **Spencer** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:42 am

Hint:
Like shooting a playing card edge-on - the larger the calibre the better

Spencer

Mike M. · Post by **Mike M.** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:10 am

All of the above. Most of these trick shots are done at close range. 10 yards is a long shot. A 4 MOA rifle is therefore shooting a .4 inch group at 10 yards...and I would concur that the dispersion is not entirely linear, it's probably closer to .3 inches. Then add the fact that you are shooting a .44 caliber bullet...meaning that if you are off by .2 inches, you still made the shot.

Walter Winans, who was one of the top competitive pistol shooters before World War 1, had a chapter in one of his books on exhibition shooting. Which he did frequently for charity events. He claimed that it was fairly easy. Like stage illusions, the real trick was in the showmanship.

Steve Swartz · Post by **Steve Swartz** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:15 pm

All good points.

Anyone know what a "negative" group size is?

Most trick shooters are relying on a "negative" (or at least zero) group size.

Some trick shooters can get very close to a zero group size under the conditions they use for the demonstration.