It's probably also worth mentioning...

by Sarge , Central Misery, Monday, August 19, 2013, 09:51 (4119 days ago) @ Sarge
edited by Sarge, Monday, August 19, 2013, 09:56

that today's drop-in barrels are SO good that 90% of the time, 'fitting' in the classic sense isn't even needed. A Brown Wilson, Kart or Storm Lake drop-in will shoot so well that unless you're a Bullseye ace, you won't want for anything else.

My basic service pistol accuracy standard is 4" for 5 shots from a rest at 50 yards. I like 3-3 1/2 better, but 4" will make you head shots all day or murder the 10 ring of a B27 at that distance. The beauty is that you haven't over-tightened anything and the gun will run until you're sick of loading magazines.

True match guns will keep 10 shots in 2" at that distance from a Ransom rest. Now there is where fitting the barrel hood, lugs and slide to the frame make all the difference. Keep in mind that you can get 'half the 25%' mentioned in the chart by using a decent stock barrel*, a match slide stop and a busing fitted to 2-3 thousandths over muzzle diameter.

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*I avoid entry-level Springfield (two-piece) barrels like the plague. Had too many QC problems with them find it difficult to get them to shoot really well.