What is a group measure - When you go, one thing you need to be armed with is the

knowledge of how to measure shot groups. Group size is the main measurement of our shooting
abilities because it allows us to judge our personal performance or our gun’s capabilities.
The easiest and most commonly used method of measuring shot groups is the “center-to-
center” method.
This is simply finding the distance between the centers of the bullet holes farthest apart on the
target. Finding the center-to-center measurement is done best with a caliper. Since we don’t
usually require an ultra-precise, ten-thousandths-of-an-inch measurement for group size, an
inexpensive caliper like the Lyman dial caliper (#539-832-212) is more than adequate for the
job. If you don’t have a caliper though, a ruler that measures down to at least 1/16th of an inch
will work just fine.
Find the Bullet Diameter – To begin finding group sizes, you must first know the diameter of the
bullet you’re shooting. If you’re shooting a bullet designated in inches, like the .308 Winchester
or .45 ACP, you’re already in business since the caliber is the diameter.

If you’re shooting a metric bullet, like a 6mm or 9mm, you’ll need to do a little converting: 1
mm equals approximately 0.039″. So, for example, a 9mm bullet is about 0.35″ in diameter.
Measure Your Bullet Hole Group – Once you know bullet size, measure your group from the
edges of the bullet holes farthest apart on your target, as shown:

The calipers read 1.818″.

Subtract Bullet Diameter from Bullet Hole Group Size – This four shot group was made by a .
308, so the next step is to subtract the bullet diameter from the group diameter. In this case we
have 1.818 minus 0.308, which equals a group size of 1.51″, from the center of each of the
farthest holes.
Here’s the example formula and another example:
Bullet Diameter – Bullet Hole Group Size = Group Size or .308 – 1.818 = 1.51
Measuring your groups will help you evaluate your own shooting for the day, but to take the
most advantage of group sizes, you should keep track of them over time to see if you’re getting
better or if you need to change something – or to track a gun’s accuracy. To do that, you can use
a log book, like one of the Brownells Modular Data Books. During each range session, simply
write down the group sizes you shoot, along with the firearm and cartridge information, and your
distance from the target.
The Brownells data book even has a place to draw a sketch of the group as it appears on your
target so you can track points of impact versus points of aim in various conditions. Collected
over time, this data can help you measure your performance, the accuracy of your firearms and
cartridges, the life of your barrels, and it can even help you diagnose problems – a topic for a
future article.