Match grade frequently refers to firearm parts and ammunition that are suitable for a competitive match. Sometimes, it also refers to other devices and parts that are made with high precision in mind.
In firearms, the term is used to refer to ammunition and gun parts that are designed and manufactured in such a way that they have a relatively low tolerance and high level of accuracy. In addition to its use in shooting sports, match grade equipment is often employed by military and law enforcement sharpshooters.
Manufacturing match grade ammunition and other parts requires extremely tight tolerances and quality control. It is not unusual for match-grade ammo and parts to cost ten times more than the comparable non "match" counter-parts, owing both to the increased labor expended in creation and much more rigorous testing. Match grade ammunition is often subjected to higher randomized testing to increase the statistical likelihood of detecting a dud round. Match grade components are often selected by testing the performance of multiple, identically configured firearms and then eliminating those that don't perform to expectation.
Famous quotes containing the words match and/or grade:
“The upbeat lawyer/negotiator of preadolescence has become a real pro by now—cynical, shrewd, a tough cookie. You’re constantly embroiled in a match of wits. You’re exhausted.”
—Ron Taffel (20th century)
“Life begins at six—at least in the minds of six-year-olds. . . . In kindergarten you are the baby. In first grade you put down the baby. . . . Every first grader knows in some osmotic way that this is real life. . . . First grade is the first step on the way to a place in the grown-up world.”
—Stella Chess (20th century)