Woodsman wrote:BillyOblivion wrote:Either term is correct and "accurate" in that sentence, and if the OP knew the difference between those two terms then he wouldn't have asked the question, now would he?
Do any of you know the difference between accuracy and precision?
There is a difference.
There is a very important difference.
Yes, I know the difference.
Accuracy is hitting what you need to hit when you need to hit it.
Precision is missing EXACTLY the same way, and by the same amount every time.
If you have precision, the thinking goes, you can adjust to get accuracy. Ok. Fine. Whatever.
if you have accuracy you're there, you don't need anything but a platoon to keep the heat off you while you diddle around in your log book calculatin' the wind and the humidity so you can hit the guy right dead in his fucking eyeball.
Of course, by the time you've snugged your sling up tight, doped your sights, settled your breathing and got your body alignment adjusted, that crazy f'ing Gurkha from JITW's team snuck up behind the guy and split his skull with a kukri.
I don't claim to be a sniper. I know snipers, or at least "precision marksmen". I was a Marine once, and young. And I (relative to Marine Corps standards) am a mediocre shot.
And no, for *most* people--including the sort of person who just plain asks which one to buy with very little qualifier, there is no significant difference between the two.