Empirical Precision

Welcome to Empirical Precision

This web application is a comprehensive tool designed for shooting enthusiasts, competitive marksmen, and handloaders. Our goal is to provide a single, powerful platform to manage every aspect of your shooting hobby, from the components on your reloading bench to the final analysis of your performance on the range.

Key Features:

• Component Management: Keep a detailed inventory of your reloading components, including bullets, powders, primers, and brass.
• Load Data Management: Develop, save, and manage your specific handload recipes.
• Target Management: Upload images of your targets to create a digital library for analysis.
• Impact Marking & Analysis: Load a saved target, mark your aim and impact points, and instantly calculate critical statistics like group size, mean radius, and standard deviation.
• Statistical Tools: Compare different shooting sessions and use statistical tests to determine if changes in your load have a significant impact on precision.

Recommended Workflow:

For the best experience, we recommend following this workflow:

1. Firearms Tab: Start by adding the firearms you'll be using.
2. Load Data Tab: Create your load recipes, linking them to your components.
3. Targets Tab: Upload images of the paper targets you've shot.
4. Marking Tab: Select a firearm, load, and target. Then, mark your point-of-aim and impacts on the canvas to save a new session.
5. Analysis Tab: Load your saved sessions to view detailed statistics, compare performance against other sessions, and export your findings.

A Note on Group Size & Statistical Significance

When evaluating the precision of a load, it's tempting to rely on small, 3 or 5-shot groups. They are quick to shoot and easy to measure. However, the results from such small sample sizes can often be misleading. A tight 3-shot group might be a statistical fluke rather than a true representation of your load's potential, just as a surprisingly wide group might be the result of a single random flyer.

The power of statistical analysis, and a core principle of this application, lies in using larger data sets. As you increase the number of shots in your sample—from 5 to 10, and ideally to 20 or 30—the calculated metrics like Mean Radius and Radial Standard Deviation (RSD) become far more reliable. These larger groups smooth out the randomness of individual shots, giving you a much clearer picture of the load's true capabilities.

This becomes critically important when comparing two different loads. Is your new handload really more precise than the old one? Comparing two 5-shot groups might not provide a definitive answer, as the difference you see could easily be due to chance. However, by comparing a 20-shot composite group against another 20-shot group using the F-Test in our Analysis tab, you can determine with much greater confidence whether the observed difference in precision is statistically significant or just random noise. The more data you collect, the more confident you can be in your conclusions.

All your data is stored securely and privately in your local browser database. Nothing is uploaded to a server, ensuring you have full control over your information and can even use the application offline.