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We aren't talking about sub-MOA long range accuracy here... we're talking about short-range pistol work. A muzzle-style bore sighter that will get a bolt-action rifle on paper at 100-yds will get a handgun well within minute-of-bad-guy (or minute-of-assassin-target) across the room. That was the goal.
If we are talking pistols only, I typically "trust but verify". I have yet to find a factory pistol that I can't tear the center of the target out of at 7-10 yards. Even the little bitty Ruger LCP .380 that some girl let me shoot at the range a while back, the first magazine of 6, I put 3 on a piece of typing paper at 25 yards from the standing. I was pretty impressed! If you've ever shot one, you will be too, lol.
This is with a tiny little uber-compact nubbin-sighted derringer of a semi-auto pistol.
Using a proper pistol, a 6-8" or better group standing shooting maybe 1 round per 1/2-1 second is very do-able at 25 yards with every factory pistol I've shot.
If we are talking pistols only, I typically "trust but verify". I have yet to find a factory pistol that I can't tear the center of the target out of at 7-10 yards. Even the little bitty Ruger LCP .380 that some girl let me shoot at the range a while back, the first magazine of 6, I put 3 on a piece of typing paper at 25 yards from the standing. I was pretty impressed! If you've ever shot one, you will be too, lol.
I completely agree with you, and other than exactly one pistol (a Walther PK380, surprisingly), I've had the same experience. The Walther's sights were quite off.
On the other hand, the OP's scenario was where someone obtains a handgun from a questionable source and needs to verify absolute accuracy without being able to test-fire. A laser boresighter would be the only option.
I would think that "employer" would zero the gun for the ammunition to be used on its own range beforehand, and probably for the anticipated distance (0 at 200 yrds maybe). The pro would do the rest while taking the shot. IMHO, no brainer
You can only get on paper with out shooting the gun. You can not finish the job by any kind of bore site laser or otherwise. I bought one of the bore sites and they are junk IMO. The only time I would use them is if I wanted to get on paper at 50yds to start and could not look down the barrel of my gun from the breach. Take your bolt out, BCG ect and if you can like in the AR15 look down the barrel from the breach on a mount then look off to the distance and put an object in the center of the bore. without moving the gun adjust the sight so it is on the same object. Other than that start off at 50 yards or less and sight it in and move out to 100. Shoot once and then hold the site to the bullet impact and adjust to the center of target.
You can only get on paper with out shooting the gun. You can not finish the job by any kind of bore site laser or otherwise. I bought one of the bore sites and they are junk IMO. The only time I would use them is if I wanted to get on paper at 50yds to start and could not look down the barrel of my gun from the breach. Take your bolt out, BCG ect and if you can like in the AR15 look down the barrel from the breach on a mount then look off to the distance and put an object in the center of the bore. without moving the gun adjust the sight so it is on the same object. Other than that start off at 50 yards or less and sight it in and move out to 100. Shoot once and then hold the site to the bullet impact and adjust to the center of target.
You should be able to remove the bolt and look through the bore of most rifles, but not a revolver nor a pistol. I could be wrong, but the OP was probably referring to handguns.
Anyway, as JWG223 mentioned above, at close range indoors any pistol or revolver would not require the use of the sights to hit the chest of a human size target, so a good quality laser bore-sighter would get you close to center.
But you are correct that the only way to make certain the gun shoots straight is by firing it. When I replace the scope of my rifle, or just buy another rifle, I sight it at the range the way you do at 50 yards. Once the scope and the bore are inline at 50 yards, I move the target to 100 yards and complete sighting it as I look through the scope only. That method works quite well, and saves a lot of time and ammo.
You should be able to remove the bolt and look through the bore of most rifles, but not a revolver nor a pistol. I could be wrong, but the OP was probably referring to handguns.
Anyway, as JWG223 mentioned above, at close range indoors any pistol or revolver would not require the use of the sights to hit the chest of a human size target, so a good quality laser bore-sighter would get you close to center.
But you are correct that the only way to make certain the gun shoots straight is by firing it. When I replace the scope of my rifle, or just buy another rifle, I sight it at the range the way you do at 50 yards. Once the scope and the bore are inline at 50 yards, I move the target to 100 yards and complete sighting it as I look through the scope only. That method works quite well, and saves a lot of time and ammo.
M1a, Garand, Mini 14, remington 7400, most semi autos don't work like bolt actions. The ak I believe you can do this to but not sure as I have never tried it. The only time I would use the site in by looking through the bore is if I wanted to start off at 100 yards. That gets me on paper. As far as handguns go I never pre site in anything, they are usually on enough to hit paper at 20 yards out of the box.
M1a, Garand, Mini 14, remington 7400, most semi autos don't work like bolt actions. The ak I believe you can do this to but not sure as I have never tried it. The only time I would use the site in by looking through the bore is if I wanted to start off at 100 yards. That gets me on paper. As far as handguns go I never pre site in anything, they are usually on enough to hit paper at 20 yards out of the box.
Add the Marlin lever action to your list. And you are right about handguns and pistols, specially within 25 yards on a humanlike target. It would be very difficult to miss the target
Also, there are guns that right out of the box shoot very straight without having to use the sights. But I shot a Walter 9mm P99 that was a bear to shoot. I just had to use the sights to hit anything with it, while a 1911 Remington R1 was dead on at 30 yards with hardly using the sights. Point it in the right direction, and that was all. Some guns are just easy to point.
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