[Basic]

why do light pistols have the same accuracy as sniper rifles to me that makes no sense. Sniper rifles should have the highest accuracy in the game.

[Crunch]

Light pistols don't have the same accuracy as sniper rifles. Sniper rifles range from 7 to 8 (the 2 6s are a sporting rifle and the EBR "Battle Rifle") while light pistols range from 5 to 7. What may be confusing you is that some of the light pistols have built in smartguns or laser sights which raise accuracy. Also note that the Aim action also increases accuracy and can be taken up to half willpower times. As far as I can tell Sniper rifles are the most accurate weapons in the game when properly used and outfitted.

[Basic]

The Colt America L36 has 7 Acc
and the Ares Desert Strike which is a sniper rifle is 7 acc also.

[Crunch]

Yep, and the America is the most accurate light pistol, while the Desert strike is at the bottom of the range for actual sniper rifles. Small caliber pistols can be quite accurate even in real  life.

[PeterSmith]

The Colt America L36 has 7 Acc
and the Ares Desert Strike which is a sniper rifle is 7 acc also.

So you have a pistol that is accurate at short range and a sniper rifle that is accurate at long range. What's the problem again?

[Tzeentch]

So you have a pistol that is accurate at short range and a sniper rifle that is accurate at long range. What's the problem again?

Basically this. The Short range of a sniper rifle is at least as good as the Extreme range of the pistols (which then has a -6 dice pool modifier). The SR5 Acc rules let you have bespoke target shooting pistols as well as poorly made junk sniper rifles without treading on each other for overall combat role.

I come from a GURPS background, and this is more or less how Acc works there, too.

[All4BigGuns]

The Colt America L36 has 7 Acc
and the Ares Desert Strike which is a sniper rifle is 7 acc also.

So you have a pistol that is accurate at short range and a sniper rifle that is accurate at long range. What's the problem again?

If I am understanding him right, I believe that his belief that such a precision weapon as a sniper rifle should have an accuracy that can not be matched by a lesser firearm (no pistol is going to be as "precision oriented" as such a rifle).

Personally, I'm all right with all the Accuracy ratings and think the range is enough to support the precision of sniper rifles, but I do understand his thinking.

[ZeConster]

If you think about it, it makes sense, though. Snipers on the one hand, and cops in the shooting range on the other hand, both shoot at human-sized targets.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

If you think about it, it makes sense, though. Snipers on the one hand, and cops in the shooting range on the other hand, both shoot at human-sized targets.

If you take a sniper rifle to a firing range, you wouldn't be looking at a similar shot grouping.  You'd be trying to differentiate the slight alteration to the shape of the single hole that indicates bullets going through at a microscopically different spots.  No matter the range(except point blank), no pistol is as accurate as a sniper rifle.

[Vass654]

Because target pistols don't exist..? I think that's what they are trying to go for. Light pistols built from the ground up to be tack drivers. Pistols are as accurate as sniper rifles, at different ranges. It's doubtful to hit 1 MoA at 100 yards with a .22 pistol, but you can/should be able to do it with a sniper rifle pretty easy.

Range does not equal accuracy. Accuracy equals accuracy.

[RHat]

If you think about it, it makes sense, though. Snipers on the one hand, and cops in the shooting range on the other hand, both shoot at human-sized targets.

If you take a sniper rifle to a firing range, you wouldn't be looking at a similar shot grouping.  You'd be trying to differentiate the slight alteration to the shape of the single hole that indicates bullets going through at a microscopically different spots.  No matter the range(except point blank), no pistol is as accurate as a sniper rifle.

And 7 hits at sniper ranges represents a greater degree of small-a accuracy than 7 hits at pistol ranges - the longer the range you're firing from, the more important deviations in trajectory become.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

So you're saying the accuracy rating is subjective?

[Tzeentch]

Because target pistols don't exist..?

Competition target pistols most certainly exist.

Pistols are as accurate as sniper rifles, at different ranges. It's doubtful to hit 1 MoA at 100 yards with a .22 pistol, but you can/should be able to do it with a sniper rifle pretty easy.

Mechanically, the only range band in which an Accuracy X pistol and sniper rifle are the same is 0-5 meters. Accuracy in Shadowrun is not its bench MOA and is more about ergonomics (SR5, p. 168). The most Accurate pistol on the planet is outclassed in every single way by an Acc 1 sniper rifle beyond 50 meters.

Range does not equal accuracy. Accuracy equals accuracy.

If you want to model low MOA sniper rifles with match ammunition you can play with the Accuracy and also add dice pool bonuses.

[Mara]

Speaking of Sniper Rifles..I was not able to find this, so I might have missed it, but do Sniper Rifles still have the
"If you use them in anyway other then in proper sniping position, you can throw off the delicate calibration.." rule
from 4th?

[RHat]

So you're saying the accuracy rating is subjective?

Nope.  Just that it's more complex than just a flat value.