In YOUR experience, which has the better accuracy...

[Colt-SL]

...A revolver or semi-auto? I understand this is an age old question but since I heavily rely on the opinions of the Colt Forum members I wondered about your viewpoint.

All things equal; barrel length, caliber, what is your choice?

[porsche]

I shoot Bullseye in competition at our club. Every single member uses an auto (22cal) of various makes.

[Peter M. Eick]

I would tend to agree. For best accuracy in terms of pure target shooting, it is hard to beat a medium to high end 22 lr semi-auto.

While I like my S&W 41's. For pure accuracy a good Hammerli or Walther would put it to shame. Years ago I shot a Hammerli 100 or 150 (hard to remember now) and it was a lot better than the 41's.

In terms of centerfire, my sig 210-5 is probably the most accurate pistol I own. While I love my revolvers, even my Pre-25 are not in the same caliber (pardon the pun).

[USMC Snakedriver]

Auto, no question. Quicker lock time, triggers being equal.

[WIL TERRY]

ON AVERAGE....it is the revolver which is the most accurate until/unless you are speaking of the most high end EXPENSIVE autoloaders or those which have had thousands of dollars put into them to make them now as accurate as just your average sixgun/revolver.
Autoloading 22 pistols are usually highly accurate as-is but then again my 1958 K22 will shoot under a half inch at 25 yards, Judy's K22 will shoot right at 3/4" at 25 yards, and the 10-shot K22 will put ten shots in an inch at 25 yards. ALL, and I do mean ALL, of my RUGER SINGLE SIXES will shoot around .70" for six shots at 25 yards with their favored ammo.
On the other hand i have owned three S&W M41 22 target pistols NONE OF WHICH could shoot 10-shot 25 yard groups into one-hole groups with any 22LR ammunition of which I tested 32 different 22LR loads. ALL of my current RUGER MKII TARGET pistols will shoot 10-shot one hole groups at 25 yards. I used to own a RUGER MKII COMPETITION model that would shoot ten-shot groups at 25 yards under .20" with CCI STINGERS !! Whoda thunk it !!??
DO NOT be all enamored of your 22 autoloading pistol being the MOST accurate. ALL bullseye shooters are using one ONLY for convenience and EASE of use. And the fact most bullseye shooters are now too lazy to shoot revolvers in competition. SO WAS I after a few years of trying !!!
And so it goes...

[Colt-SL]

ON AVERAGE....it is the revolver which is the most accurate until/unless you are speaking of the most high end EXPENSIVE autoloaders or those which have had thousands of dollars put into them to make them now as accurate as just your average sixgun/revolver.
Autoloading 22 pistols are usually highly accurate as-is but then again my 1958 K22 will shoot under a half inch at 25 yards, Judy's K22 will shoot right at 3/4" at 25 yards, and the 10-shot K22 will put ten shots in an inch at 25 yards. ALL, and I do mean ALL, of my RUGER SINGLE SIXES will shoot around .70" for six shots at 25 yards with their favored ammo.
On the other hand i have owned three S&W M41 22 target pistols NONE OF WHICH could shoot 10-shot 25 yard groups into one-hole groups with any 22LR ammunition of which I tested 32 different 22LR loads. ALL of my current RUGER MKII TARGET pistols will shoot 10-shot one hole groups at 25 yards. I used to own a RUGER MKII COMPETITION model that would shoot ten-shot groups at 25 yards under .20" with CCI STINGERS !! Whoda thunk it !!??
DO NOT be all enamored of your 22 autoloading pistol being the MOST accurate. ALL bullseye shooters are using one ONLY for convenience and EASE of use. And the fact most bullseye shooters are now too lazy to shoot revolvers in competition. SO WAS I after a few years of trying !!!
And so it goes...

OK, this may get things started - HA! Appreciate everyone's input here, each person's experience is obviously different. Keep 'em coming.

[BuckeyeBlast]

The most accurate handgun I have ever fired with iron sights has been my STI Spartan 9. I own a Mk II, Mk III, Mk III 22/45, and a Browning Buckmark. Still, the STI Spartan 9 makes me look better than I really am. For me, it's an auto 9mm based on a 1911.

[porsche]

From Wil Terry "I used to own a RUGER MKII COMPETITION model that would shoot ten-shot groups at 25 yards under .20" with CCI STINGERS !! Whoda thunk it !!??" Kind of answered the question right here didn't you?

[capstan]

My Ruger mark II bull barrel .22, old Officers model match( that has had a lot of use), and Smith and Wesson model 17,all shoot very close to the same group size ,but the Colt officers model match has the edge. I only shoot the revolvers in single action and the Colt has the sweetest trigger pull followed by the Smith and Wesson and then the Ruger semi auto. I like them all, but I find myself shooting the Colt the most.

[Oyeboten]

I think a lot of this in practice ends up being which hand Gun an individual Shooter is most comfortable and natural with.


Most Arms are already beyond the accuracy of most Shooters, without being per se Target Grade Arms.


With this in mind, for me, I was always most accurate with my 1914 Colt Government Model just as it was...even if in theory, some of my old Target Revolvers ( Colts and S & Ws ) should have been the most accurate Arms I own.