Correction: Whitworth Accuracy and Figure of Merit vs MOA

Published on November 2, 2017
Duration: 7:18

This video, presented by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons, corrects previous assessments of Whitworth rifle accuracy by differentiating between 'Figure of Merit' and 'Minute of Angle' (MOA). It details the historical British military definition of Figure of Merit as mean radial dispersion and explains the statistical conversion to MOA. The corrected data shows the Whitworth's significant accuracy advantage over the standard Enfield musket in 1857, even at long ranges.

Quick Summary

Ian McCollum corrects historical firearms accuracy data by distinguishing between 'Figure of Merit' and 'Minute of Angle' (MOA). The video explains the British military's use of Figure of Merit (mean radial dispersion) for consistency assessment and details the statistical conversion to MOA, showing the Whitworth Rifle's superior 1857 performance over the Enfield Musket.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction and Correction Context
  2. 00:32The Error: MOA vs. Figure of Merit
  3. 01:18Defining Figure of Merit
  4. 02:10Consistency vs. Group Size
  5. 03:14Mathematical Conversion to MOA
  6. 04:48Whitworth vs. Enfield Comparison
  7. 06:38Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Figure of Merit and MOA?

In historical British military terms, Figure of Merit refers to mean radial dispersion, assessing shot consistency. Minute of Angle (MOA) represents the total group size. A statistical conversion factor is needed to relate these metrics accurately for historical data analysis.

How accurate was the Whitworth Rifle compared to the Enfield Musket in 1857?

Based on corrected 1857 trial data, the Whitworth Rifle achieved approximately 3.1 MOA at 500 yards and 20 MOA at 1100 yards. The standard Enfield Musket was significantly less accurate, measuring 18.7 MOA at 500 yards and 61 MOA at 1100 yards.

Why did the British military use 'Figure of Merit' for accuracy testing?

The British military used Figure of Merit (mean radial dispersion) to better assess a rifle's consistency. By averaging the distance of each shot from the group's center, this metric minimized the impact of single outlier shots compared to simply measuring extreme group spread.

How was historical Figure of Merit data converted to MOA?

For 20-shot groups from the 1857 trials, a statistical conversion factor of 3.643 was applied to the Figure of Merit to estimate the total group size. This estimated size was then converted into MOA based on the firing range.

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