Firearm point rating system?

[Koshinn]

So on another forum I randomly created a point rating system for my recent purchase, a KAC SR-15E3 IWS Mod 1.

I wanted to make a less arbitrary system than "it's better because it is" or just comparing the chart specs. I weighted different values based on how important I felt they were.

Example:

Accuracy: 7/10 (it's not a stainless steel match barrel)
Reliability: 10/10 (E3 bolt, finely tuned gas system, CL CHF barrel, and a proven track record of reliability... It works with all my 223 and 556 ammo)
Durability: 9/10 (rail lacks anti-rotation and castle nut not staked, but neither are likely to come loose and according to KAC, they've never seen them come loose... But still have to remove a point. Nothing is flimsy, everything seems solid and durable)
Balance & Weight: 10/10 (it's amazing, you have to hold it to understand)
Ergonomics: 5/5 (almost 100% ambidextrous besides the bolt catch and charging handle, fantastic stock and rail)
Misc features: 2/3 (I'd replace the pistol grip with anything besides the A2 on it and the charging handle with a Raptor)
Backup Iron Sights: 3/3 (best buis on the market)
Price: 2/3 (good deal since it comes with so much, but still pricey)
Customer Support: 3/3
Fit and Finish: 3/3 (no wiggle whatsoever on any part of the rifle, looks great)

Total: 54/60

Does this look like a good system and a way we can rate our weapons/builds? What do you guys think should be added or removed or reweighted?

[SteyrAUG]

Problem isn't how you rate a firearm, the problem is that many of the factors are subjective to individual tastes and experience (or lack of) and that makes any truly objective evaluation almost impossible.

[Koshinn]

Problem isn't how you rate a firearm, the problem is that many of the factors are subjective to individual tastes and experience (or lack of) and that makes any truly objective evaluation almost impossible.

I concur. It could be expanded so each category has examples of weapons that would be marked down?

[Grand58742]

I concur. It could be expanded so each category has examples of weapons that would be marked down?

Still going to end up with subjective data. "I've never had a malfunction in [sixty rounds through] my Olympic Arms and it's dead nuts accurate putting everything in one hole [at 25 yards] and is equal to the Colt in all aspects except price!"

And generally applied to the entire brand as being "awesome." Too many vague areas for generic data. Maybe if you have a minimum round count through, but even that can (and often will) be fudged because someone likes their specific brand of weapon and cannot bear the thought of someone actually downgrading it. Just look at some of the comments on The Firearms Blog and other relatively neutral sites that do reviews when folks will defend their precious to the end even though having relatively low round counts through them.

Nice idea in concept, but you will have to stay on top of the reviews with verification of the data in some if not most cases.

[davidjinks]

Individually, it's a good system. Meaning for yourself.

If you get into having examples of other weapons, you're getting into "The Chart" domain.



I concur. It could be expanded so each category has examples of weapons that would be marked down?

[markm]

The problem is I'd whack peoples' guns for shit they'd score themselved high with.

LW barrels, Troy trash flip ups, QD sling attachments, etc. would all be fat ZEROs to me.... But the hipsters here are quite proud of those trinkets. :confused:

[Koshinn]

So what would a more objective rating system look like?

[markm]

So what would a more objective rating system look like?

I just need to be able to tell everyone how WRONG they are! :p

rob_s syndrome! :lol:

[justin_247]

It is impossible to create an "objective" firearms rating system. Just look at all of the reviews of various electronics out there to see just how impossible it is...

The closest thing you can do is measure a certain type of rifle against the specs published in the TDP... i.e., "the chart."

[T2C]

If you are going to develop a number rating system to grade firearms there are some things you might want to consider.

Consider how you would establish standards for a point rating system and have a particular category you are rating the rifle in, i.e. tactical, target, etc. You would need something to use as a standard to test the rifle against. You would also need to establish a standard for frequency of cleaning and other maintenance.

Consider how you would establish standards for each characteristic for which you grade the rifle or carbine. For example: reliability for 2,000 rounds of equal amounts of M193, M855, Q3131, etc. Accuracy compared to whatever standard an expert says would be satisfactory for tactical use, target use or whatever category rifle you are testing.

A number rating system might be a good way to grade the overall performance of a rifle, but you would have to take a lot of factors into account when grading each characteristic of the rifle.

How does the military grade each aspect of a weapon's performance when evaluating it before putting it into service? That might give you some guidance.

[davidjinks]

You would first have to decide what the "standard" is. Meaning would you base your point system on MIL-SPEC? Would you base it on a weapon that exceeds MIL-SPEC?

But again, in my opinion, you're getting back into "The Chart" domain.

T2C has made some really good points.



So what would a more objective rating system look like?

[SteyrAUG]

All you have to do is watch Top Ten Military Rifles on the Military Channel and see how the graded them 1-10 in various categories to understand why these ideas just don't work.

The existing military criteria are probably the best we can come up with and even they are vulnerable to outside influences.