There was a discussion recently about the impact of various shot strings sizes for groups when testing projectiles etc. I thought I would do some testing of this myself as I have largly moved to 10-shot strings these days. Now, I have no issue with 5-shot groups, mind you, but to me they do not provide comparable group sizes. Nor does the information provided by each prove perfectly equivalent. Each gives good information but different information. A consistently just sub 1 inch 5-shot rig is not typically going to be sub 1 inch for 10-shot groups in my experience. I shot video so I will post a videp on this later on.
For this test I shot three 5-shot groups then six 10-shot groups with a final set of three 5-shot groups to end. I was trying to balance concentration and fatigue out a bit. There is no perfect solution.
The results saw both approaches having 2 groups with flyers. One flyer was me, while the other is unknown in the 5-shot strings. Both flyers in the 10-shot strings were unknown cause. The 5-shot group sizes (without flyers) were .70, .59, .76, .84, .96, and 1.25. The 10-shot group sizes (without flyers) were 1.76, 1.21, 1.33, 1.19, 1.13 and 1.24.
My experience with 5-shot verses 10-shot group is that 10-shot groups typically are 50% to 75% again larger, with most about 60% larger, than 5-shot groups. So 5-shot groups of .50 will typically be 1.0 to 1.75 in size. This is what I saw here.
As a reference a quarter will touch all shots in each group in all but 1 of the 5-shot groups. A quarter will cover all but 2 shots in the groups in 4 of the 6 10-shot groups.
Each seems to provide useful information but comparing outcomes from 5-shot groups assuming equivalency to 10-shot groups doesn't seem to work.
For this test I shot three 5-shot groups then six 10-shot groups with a final set of three 5-shot groups to end. I was trying to balance concentration and fatigue out a bit. There is no perfect solution.
The results saw both approaches having 2 groups with flyers. One flyer was me, while the other is unknown in the 5-shot strings. Both flyers in the 10-shot strings were unknown cause. The 5-shot group sizes (without flyers) were .70, .59, .76, .84, .96, and 1.25. The 10-shot group sizes (without flyers) were 1.76, 1.21, 1.33, 1.19, 1.13 and 1.24.
My experience with 5-shot verses 10-shot group is that 10-shot groups typically are 50% to 75% again larger, with most about 60% larger, than 5-shot groups. So 5-shot groups of .50 will typically be 1.0 to 1.75 in size. This is what I saw here.
As a reference a quarter will touch all shots in each group in all but 1 of the 5-shot groups. A quarter will cover all but 2 shots in the groups in 4 of the 6 10-shot groups.
Each seems to provide useful information but comparing outcomes from 5-shot groups assuming equivalency to 10-shot groups doesn't seem to work.
