Testing
Eagle Eye Inspection and Testing
Consistency is accuracy. In the past, ensuring consistency from round to round meant shooters were forced painstakingly hand load every cartridge. Today, with other industries now able to precisely manufacture products and materials down to the nano level, isn’t it about time factory ammunition set the gold standard for consistency and accuracy? We think so. To ensure shooters the most accurate and consistent ammunition that will exceed the demands of world class marksmen, we have developed proprietary state of the art manufacturing processes and control systems which redefine how ammunition is manufactured. As a result, a number of world class shooters have stated that our ammunition is as consistent if not more consistent than anything they can hand load.
At Eagle Eye, consistency is not just about any one individual box but about how each individual box compares to every other box. For world record holding competition shooters and tier 1 military snipers accuracy alone is not enough. This is because precision shooting, especially at long range, requires absolute consistent performance from every single cartridge every time no matter what box the cartridge comes from. For example, consider having two boxes which both shoot tiny 1/2 minute of angle groups but which have 100 feet/second difference in muzzle velocity. For professional shooters this is unacceptable. The dramatically different trajectories of the two boxes will make it nearly impossible to effectively engage targets without re-chronographing the ammunition and recalculating range cards; a luxury not afforded in the middle of a world championship competition or combat deployment. As a result, in addition to accuracy testing we also velocity and trajectory match each lot. To minimize the effects of uncontrollable variables such as atmospherics, chamber cut or composition of a target, our engineers implement robust parameter design principles. Our powder blends offer among the lowest thermal variation available so shooters can make challenging hits in any environment. The consistent performance of our Precision Match ammunition round after round gives shooters the ability and confidence to rely on our ammunition when it matters most.
Eagle Eye Precision Match cartridges undergo constant testing throughout the manufacturing process. Modern statistical quality control methods have been implemented and are monitored by a Ph.D. statistician. Quality testing begins with extensive inspection to ensure conformity of all incoming raw materials and components before they are used in manufacturing. Advanced uni-variate and multi-variate control charting is used to monitor production in order to proactively prevent out of spec products at any step in manufacturing. Once the cartridges are completed they undergo dimensional screening, each lot is test fired to 1/2 minute of angle or better, the velocities and trajectory are verified for unrivaled consistency.
In addition to automated in-process inspection, every round of Eagle Eye Precision Match ammunition is given a final hand inspection while being hand packaged. All of our new 100 round boxes of Precision Match Ammunition will include a data/range card which will be hand signed by an Eagle Eye quality engineer certifying the cartridges have been inspected and meet the highest quality standards.
Eagle Eye Precision Signed Data/Range Card
Testing Q&A:
Q1: What is the Eagle Eye Precision 1/2 Minute of Angle Test Standard?
At Eagle Eye Precision every lot is tested to 1/2 minute of angle or better. A minute of angle or an arc minute is an angular unit of measure used in long distance shooting. In practical terms with the complex trigonometry aside, one minute of angle equates to approximately 1 inch at 100 yards and 1/2 minute of angle is approximately 1/2 inch at 100 yards. For comparison, the diameter of a dime is approximately 0.7 inches. Therefore, Eagle Eye Precision 1/2 minute of angle (0.5 inch) groups are smaller than a dime at 100 yards. Eagle Eye Precision ammunition is test fired with real rifles (not accuracy barrels bolted to a bench) at 100 yards. If the group size from the test exceeds 1/2 inch we reject and scrap the lot. If we are not absolutely certain a lot of ammunition can shoot 1/2 minute of angle we do not ship it to customers. Shooting 1/2 minute groups is difficult and takes skill. It requires lots of training, a good rifle, optic and reasonable atmospheric conditions. In the same way lacing up a pair of Air Jordan's does not mean you can suddenly dunk, loading a box of Eagle Eye does not immediately make you a US Army Marksmanship Unit and USA Shooting Hall of Fame member with 6 world records like Glenn Dubis. However, using the most consistent Eagle Eye Precision Match ammunition will give you an essential tool to maximize your ability to shoot the tightest groups and make the most challenging hits in clutch situations.
Eagle Eye Precision 308 Win 175gr OTM Factory Test Results
Q2: Why Doesn't Eagle Eye Precision Use Accuracy Test Barrels?
Accuracy barrel testing lacks external validity and is not generalizable to conditions consumers shoot in. When companies test with accuracy barrels, they are using highly specialized laboratory type equipment bolted down to a bench which in many cases are fired by the press of a button. Although accuracy barrels produce the smallest theoretically possible group sizes, this laboratory test is not the same as what real shooters do on the range or battlefield. It is often impossible to replicate accuracy results from laboratory tests in real world shooting conditions. In reality, accuracy barrel testing is meaningless to the consumer because it tells him/her nothing about what they can expect on the range.
Eagle Eye Precision has real live people use real rifles to test fire our ammunition. As a result of similar testing conditions, shooters with quality rifles and some training, can actually expect to consistently obtain 1/2 minute of angle groups with Eagle Eye Precision Match Ammunition in the real world.
Q3: How Consistent are Eagle Eye Precision Match Velocities?
MOTUS World Review Velocity Test
Eagle Eye Precision Ammunition offers some of the most consistent velocities and lowest velocity standard deviations available. More consistent velocities are correlated with more consistent group size and trajectories; especially at long range. More consistent velocities significantly improves hit probability at long ranges and the ability to keep more shots in the x-ring. In addition to many media tests such as the Truth About Guns which found our ammunition to have the lowest velocity standard deviations of any factory cartridges, shooters consistently find that the velocity standard deviations on our factory cartridges were considerably lower than many hand loads.
Q4: Why Isn't 1 Minute of Angle Good Enough
1 minute of angle will not allow marksmen to shoot hole in hole groups with. If you want to punch one solid hole out of the target with a few well placed shots you either need Eagle Eye Precision or lottery winning luck. The difference seems small at 100 yards but since a minute of angle is an angular unit of measure, as the distance increases, it gets larger. At 1,000 yards a minute of angle is 10 inches!
The x-ring of 1,000 yard F-Class competition target is 1/2 minute of angle. By shooting other ammunition that is not 1/2 minute of angle tested you lose the opportunity to be able to shoot a perfect score no matter how perfect everything else is.
Consider this analogy: If you are running a 100 yard dash against Usain Bolt, do you really want to let him start at the 50 yard mark or do you want to have a 50 yard head start? Eagle Eye Precision 1/2 minute of angle testing gives you a significant edge over the competition. You can choose lower quality ammunition than Eagle Eye but the question is, “How much do you want to handicap yourself by not shooting Eagle Eye Precision Match Ammunition?”
Q5: I Often Hear About "Sub Minute of Angle". Why Does Eagle Eye Precision Test to 1/2 Minute of Angle?
With older technology, 1 minute of angle is in many cases the best manufacturers can hope for. With modern engineering, manufacturing methods and statistical process control Eagle Eye Precision Match Ammunition is able to perform at least twice as good as the old standard. Smart phones are getting faster and cars are running quicker quarter miles so your ammunition should shoot tighter groups. Eagle Eye Precision 1/2 minute of angle sets the benchmark for precision ammunition. While many professionals find our cartridges to shoot tighter than 1/2 minute, we feel anything over 1/2 minute beings to unnecessarily handicap the shooter; especially at long distances. Can your current ammunition or hand loads shoot 1/2 minute of angle or better every time?