Accuracy Guarantees Explained What They Actually Mean - And What They Don’t

“½ MOA Guaranteed.”

You’ve seen it everywhere.

It’s printed on rifle websites. Quoted at gun counters. Repeated online until it sounds like a universal truth.

But ask ten shooters what an “accuracy guarantee” actually means and you’ll get ten different answers.

That’s not an accident.

In the firearms industry, accuracy guarantees are one of the most misunderstood and most abused marketing tools. Not because accuracy isn’t real, but because the way it’s presented often leaves out the details that actually matter.

At Redleg, we believe precision deserves honesty. So this article exists to do one thing:

Explain accuracy guarantees clearly, completely, and truthfully without attacking anyone.

By the end, you’ll understand:

• How accuracy is commonly measured (and manipulated)

• Why many guarantees sound impressive but mean very little

• What actually determines real-world precision

• And exactly what Redleg guarantees with no fine print

What Accuracy Really Is (And Why This Matters)

Accuracy is not a single group. It’s not one target. It’s not a lucky string of shots.

Accuracy is repeatable mechanical precision under defined conditions.

That means accuracy depends on:

• The rifle’s mechanical alignment

• The ammunition

• The shooter

• The environment

• The number of shots fired

• The distance measured

• And how the data is selected and reported

Change any one of those, and the result changes.

That’s why any accuracy guarantee that doesn’t clearly define those variables is incomplete even if it’s not intentionally misleading.

Group Size Games: 3-Shot vs 5-Shot vs 10-Shot Groups

This is the biggest source of confusion.

3-Shot Groups

• Easy to shoot

• Easy to cherry-pick

• Highly vulnerable to statistical luck

Any rifle, even an average, one can occasionally produce an impressive 3-shot group.

5-Shot Groups

• Reduce luck dramatically

• Begin to show consistency

• Industry minimum for serious evaluation

10-Shot Groups

• Reveal heat effects, stress, alignment, and ammo consistency

• Show how the rifle actually behaves over time

Repeatability is precision. Single results are marketing.

A guarantee based on a 3-shot group tells you very little about what the rifle will do tomorrow, next month, or in the field.

Distance Matters More Than Most People Realize

Not all MOA is equal.

Some accuracy guarantees are tested at:

• 50 yards

• Reduced distances

• Or distances that aren’t clearly stated at all

A .25” group at 50 yards looks incredible but it’s equivalent to .5 MOA at 100 yards.

That doesn’t mean it’s “bad.” It means it’s not the same test.

At Redleg, accuracy means 100 yards minimum, because:

• Mechanical errors show up more clearly

• Alignment matters more

• Results translate better to real-world use

If distance isn’t stated clearly, assume the test favored the seller.

Ammo Cherry-Picking: The Quietest Variable

Most guarantees include language like:

“With quality match-grade ammunition”

That sounds reasonable until you understand what it allows.

It often means:

• One specific brand

• One specific bullet

• One specific lot

• Chosen after testing multiple options

• With poorer results quietly discarded

That doesn’t make the rifle inaccurate. But it does mean the guarantee reflects best-case performance, not typical behavior.

At Redleg, we tune rifles for consistency, not one perfect target. Because shooters don’t live in best-case scenarios they live in reality.

Shooter Influence: The Variable Nobody Can Eliminate

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Most rifles are more accurate than their owners.

Trigger control, follow-through, position, recoil management they all matter.

A slight flinch can add half an inch to a group. Poor fundamentals can double group size.

That’s why accuracy guarantees always assume a competent shooter, whether stated or not.

This doesn’t invalidate the rifle it simply means accuracy is always a system:

• Rifle

• Ammo

• Shooter

• Conditions

Remove one, and the system breaks.

Environmental Conditions: Precision’s Invisible Enemy

Wind doesn’t care about your guarantee.

• A 2–3 mph crosswind at 100 yards can move impact several tenths of an inch

• Temperature affects velocity and vertical spread

• Mirage can shift point of aim

If conditions aren’t documented, the group is incomplete data.

That’s why professional evaluation records conditions along with results not after the fact.

So Are Accuracy Guarantees Bad?

No.

Accuracy guarantees are not inherently dishonest.

They only become misleading when:

• Variables aren’t defined

• Best-case results are presented as typical

• Expectations aren’t managed

The problem isn’t the guarantee.

The problem is what people assume it means.

What a Real Accuracy Guarantee Looks Like

A legitimate accuracy guarantee clearly defines:

• Distance

• Shot count

• Ammunition

• Conditions

• Verification method

• And what happens if the standard isn’t met

That brings us to Redleg.

The Redleg Accuracy Guarantee

What We Guarantee Exactly

Every Redleg custom rifle is verified before it leaves our shop to meet the following standard:

Distance

• 100 yards minimum

• No reduced-distance testing

Shot Count

• 5-shot groups

• Accuracy judged on repeatability, not luck

Ammunition

• Tested with commercially available, premium factory ammunition

• Brand and bullet weight documented

• No undisclosed handloads or “secret” test ammo

Test Conditions

• Fired from a solid benchrest

• Environmental conditions recorded at time of testing

• Real-world conditions, not inflated lab results

Verification

• A physical test target accompanies the rifle

• Group size measured center-to-center

• Results documented as part of the rifle’s build record

What This Guarantee Means And What It Doesn’t

This guarantee means:

• The rifle is mechanically capable of the stated precision

• Chambering, alignment, bedding, and action fit are correct

• Performance is repeatable, not a fluke

It does not mean:

• Every shooter will instantly replicate the same group

• Every ammo brand will shoot identically

• Wind, temperature, or fundamentals don’t matter

We guarantee what we control and we control it completely.

If a Rifle Does Not Meet the Standard

If a rifle does not meet its documented accuracy standard during final verification:

• It does not ship

• The issue is diagnosed

• The rifle is corrected

• It is re-tested

Only once it meets the standard does it leave the shop.

No excuses. No disclaimers. No finger-pointing.

Why We Can Stand Behind This

Because accuracy is engineered long before the trigger is pulled.

Redleg rifles are built using processes specifically chosen to eliminate variables that destroy consistency:

• Bore-aligned chambering

• Verified bolt lug engagement

• Stress-free bedding

• Torque-controlled assembly

• System-level verification

Accuracy isn’t magic. It’s discipline.

Why We Publish This Publicly

Because clear expectations protect everyone.

They:

• Educate customers

• Prevent misunderstandings

• Save time

• Build trust

• Protect reputation

Most shops avoid defining accuracy clearly.

We don’t.

The Redleg Promise

When a Redleg rifle leaves our shop, it leaves with proof not hype.

It has been:

• Built with intention

• Tested with discipline

• Verified with documentation

• And backed by a craftsman willing to sign his name to the result

That’s what accuracy means at Redleg.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Want to See How We Engineer That Level of Precision?

Accuracy doesn’t start at the target it starts at the lathe. The way a chamber is cut, aligned, and finished directly determines how consistently a bullet enters the bore. If you’d like to understand the exact process Redleg uses to eliminate runout, reduce stress, and ensure perfect chamber-to-bore alignment, read our in-depth breakdown of

Extreme Precision Chambering. It explains why our rifles don’t rely on luck they’re built on geometry, alignment, and discipline from the very first cut.

👉 Read: Mastering Extreme Accuracy in Gunsmithing – A Detailed Approach to Precision Chambering Rifle Barrelshttps://www.redlegguns.com/post/mastering-extreme-accuracy-in-gunsmithing-a-detailed-approach-to-precision-chambering-rifle-barrels