On the Subject of Statistics

Today we're going to tackle the task of explaining why statistical sampling of properly sized groups is necessary for meaningful evaluation during load development. Statisticians and ballisticians rely on large populations of data...so large that they consume a barrel testing. Handloaders cannot afford to sacrifice a barrel in order to find a decent load. So somewhere between the ammunition factory and the handloader's bench, statistically valid group sizes must be lowered to a reasonable level. We'll look at a few of the reasons why what happens at the factory doesn't work on the handloader's bench. Small shot populations don't work for the factory, but that's all the handloader has available to him. Special thanks to the Hornady Podcast guys for bringing these issues up...the guys we jokingly refer to as the Statisticians' Guild.