Out of Bulls-Eye Target Results

[Stoli&Cranberry]

I often seen pictures in magazines of target results made by shooters testing and shooting new guns. The results shown are small groups way outside the bulls-eye. Now even though the close grouping shows that the gun shoots and that the shooter shoots consistently in the same spot, shouldn't it be shown that the shots hit the bulls-eye?
Where is the shooter aiming at? Don't most shooters aim at the bulls-eye? Don't these shooters take time to adjust the gun's sights or scopes to hit the bulls-eye before they show results to the public of how well the gun shoots? And if the gun has fixed sights, I hope the results would show groups in or very near the bulls-eye, or else the gun is junk or the shooter is incompetent.
Yes, I see the tight groups, but they aren't in the bull. So how do I know if the gun is made good enough to shoot where I aim or if the shooter testing the gun is aiming outside the bulls-eye or even knows how to shoot at all?

 

[WilderBill]

Maybe they just didn't want to distract you from the neat, small groups with a bunch of unsightly printing.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Well.....(expert that I am)...when I test a new load, I go for groups, the tighter the better. Trying to zero the groups distracts from the task of trying to discover the best groups. Once that's found, moving the point of impact is the easiest part.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Monkeyleg got it.

Sam

 

[mickthenailer]

They do that on purpose so as not to destroy their aiming point.

 

[yankytrash]

They do that on purpose so as not to destroy their aiming point.

Eruuuhhh, ya.. that's it - I'm just trying to save the bullseye.

I'll have to use that one for today (BTW - I got a fence-sitter to come shootin with me today). That explanation sounds as good as any.

 

[David Scott]

Actually, they shoot the pistol without adjusting the sights. It may group tight, but not to point of aim. If you get a 1/2 inch cluster due west of the X, you know you can shove the rear sight sideways and be spot on.

 

[MADISON]

Unless you are shooting for QUALIFICATION or are IN A MATCH it really doesn't matter where the group is on the paper.

Whom ever you saw had fired the goup, without changing the sights. Most times when you try a new load and/or bullet weight the group are different than your sight adjustment.

 

[Bogie]

I shoot benchrest. It just has to be on the paper.

I like to impact at the bottom of the "9" ring, and use the "mothball" (the smallest ring) as the aiming point. When it gets torn up, it's harder to be precise.

Also, depending on load, your aiming point can move around quite a bit... I'll usually set my scope during the sight-in period during the first match of the day, and leave it at that.

 

[Mikul]

It's a good idea to show the gun as it came out of the box instead of after the sights have been fiddled with.