Match grade
Encyclopedia
Match grade frequently refers to firearm parts and ammunition that are suitable for a competitive match. Sometimes, it also refers to other devices and parts that are made with high precision in mind.
In firearm
s, the term is used to refer to ammunition
and gun
parts that are designed and manufactured in such a way that they have a relatively low tolerance and high level of accuracy. In addition to its use in shooting sports
, match grade equipment is often employed by military and law enforcement sharpshooters.
Manufacturing match grade ammunition and other parts requires extremely tight tolerances and quality control. It is not unusual for match-grade ammo and parts to cost ten times more than the comparable non "match" counter-parts, owing both to the increased labor expended in creation and much more rigorous testing. Match grade ammunition is often subjected to higher randomized testing to detect the statistical likelihood of a dud round. Match grade components are often selected by testing the performance of multiple, identically configured firearms and then eliminating those that don't perform to expectation.
In firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s, the term is used to refer to ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
and gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
parts that are designed and manufactured in such a way that they have a relatively low tolerance and high level of accuracy. In addition to its use in shooting sports
Shooting sports
A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
, match grade equipment is often employed by military and law enforcement sharpshooters.
Manufacturing match grade ammunition and other parts requires extremely tight tolerances and quality control. It is not unusual for match-grade ammo and parts to cost ten times more than the comparable non "match" counter-parts, owing both to the increased labor expended in creation and much more rigorous testing. Match grade ammunition is often subjected to higher randomized testing to detect the statistical likelihood of a dud round. Match grade components are often selected by testing the performance of multiple, identically configured firearms and then eliminating those that don't perform to expectation.