EddyBo: My point exactly. We are describing two completely independent events here if we consider each group as an event. First the 100 yd group and then a subsequent and totally independent 800 yd group fired under different condtions. What we really need to do is follow that 100 yard spread out and make a second measure when those same slugs reach 800. Conversely, we should have measured your 0.5 moa 800 yarder at 100. I very very strongly suspect it was a "one holer."
I've done all kinds of unexplained things with independent events. I've shot three of four 2.5 moa groups at 100, been unhappy with things, come back after a brief walk, and punched out a 0.5 moa cluster with the same rifle, ammo, weather conditions, and sight settings. Had I moved the target out to 800 after the intial rounds, I would have thought it a miracle. Most likely that was the shooter, and I just needed to grit my teeth and settle down.
Any number of things can affect 2 events. Most of us put more effort, a better trigger squeeze, and more concentration into long range tasks. Sight pictures may be different depending on target size, some barrels need a few fouling shots to iron out, parallax will come into play at varied ranges unless one can dial it out, and wind can be a factor at one or more ranges and not others.
In an absolutley controlled environment (a long draft free tunnel), a group of slugs that have dispersed to a 1 moa spread at 100 can not subsequently reduce that rate of spread at any multiple of 100 yards. Once a pattern has been expressed, it will at least sustain itself. More than likely there will other unforseen variables and things will probablyy disperse at a faster rate than we anticipate.
A single pass target system at both ranges would eliminate input from most of those variables.
I've read all kinds of speculation on convergence, but never ever seen a single piece of evidence that it actually occurs. When that evidence is produced and published, I'll be quite willing to step forward for the first helping of crow. My challenge then will be to find a physists that can explain why or how it happened and exploit their findings. That work will result in a complete revision of our physics text books at all levels.
At to applications, I'll go out and design a shotgun choke that will be "improved" at 25 yds for quail and converge to a "full" at 50 for geese, make a killing off of new fire hose nozzles and more focused lasers, and think up a 100 other ideas in my sleep.
Maybe we should suggest this to the myth busters???? I'm not sure they have a budget and the expertise to take it on, but I think we could find a believer out there that would loan them a rifle and some ammo.
I'd offer mine, but I don't think my units exhibit that behavior.
Last edited by 1minute; 05/05/08.
