FIX the 50 cal PLZ!!!

[Krusty]

I think you're really over-estimating how many rounds you are firing, and how many are hitting.

Are you seeing nonstop hitsprites? I doubt it. You don't see the hits, most likely you're not hitting. You will almost never "hit" a plane without a visual marker telling you "hey, this round hit, great shot!"

How many SECONDS are you seeing constant hit sprites? If you hit ANY fighter in the game for more than 2 seconds "steady" 50cal fire it is gone, period.

You really need to post a film, I think. Definitely pilot error. We're willing to help, but we need more to work on.

[THRASH99]

How good are you at shooting?  If only 10% of the rounds you fire in that theoretical bust of 150 hit the target, then only 15 bullets actually hit the target; 5 less than your stated 20 need to get a kill.

BTW, your hit% in fighters is a tad over 5%; thus you would need to fire about 398 rounds to get your 20 hits. 

Like Saxman said, check your convergence & fire at your convergence; also, practice in the offline arenas to get better at your gunnery.  :oak

I'm already a natural aimer, I can make good shots from 1K out with 50's(if anyone hasn't seen me aim before, don't say anything, people tell me I'm a natural aimer.) Every single time I look at the guns, I've seen hits all over the place and they don't do anything much, even though I'm 400yds out of them.

[THRASH99]

I think you're really over-estimating how many rounds you are firing, and how many are hitting.

Are you seeing nonstop hitsprites? I doubt it. You don't see the hits, most likely you're not hitting. You will almost never "hit" a plane without a visual marker telling you "hey, this round hit, great shot!"

How many SECONDS are you seeing constant hit sprites? If you hit ANY fighter in the game for more than 2 seconds "steady" 50cal fire it is gone, period.

You really need to post a film, I think. Definitely pilot error. We're willing to help, but we need more to work on.

Yeah, I look at my films and I see a crap load hitting the back of the plane and they really don't do anything till I finally look at my rounds left, which lots r gone

[Lusche]

I've seen hits all over the place

And there is your problem. Concentrate your fire.

people tell me I'm a natural aimer

I look at your hit% and it's not bad, but nothing special either.

[Steve]

I'm already a natural aimer, I can make good shots from 1K out with 50's(

At 6% you are slightly above average but no prodigy. From what you've described, you have convergence issues.  Films?

[Ack-Ack]

That's what I've been doing, I set and practice my shooting. I've been behind a 109 before, 400yds out, and it seriously wouldn't do anything to him, till about 200 rounds later he finally lost a wing.

Look at the sprites from your hits.  Are they all clustered in a close group or do you see the hit sprites spread out along the target plane?  If the sprites are relatively grouped then you're hitting at the convergence or close to it, which is what you want.  If you see the hit sprites all over the target plane, that means you're not hitting at convergence and that's not what you want as the hits are spread out and not localized for maximum damage to the target.

One of the tips I've always given to help with gunnery is to learn how to properly use your gunsight by forcing yourself to use it to lead your target as opposed to using the tracers.  That's why I've always been a big proponent of turning off tracers to force you to learn how to aim with the gunsight.  It takes about a week or so to get used to flying without tracers but after you get over the learning curve, you will notice an improvement.  Prior to doing this myself, I was averaging around 3-6 hit percentage and afterwards my gunnery improved and steadily climbed to the point where the last 7-6 years, I've been averaging 13-15 hit percentage each tour.  Of course as with all things in life, YMMV.


ack-ack

[DEEC0NX]

We can definitely rule out the gun being the problem, I just flew an F4F4 to get ready for the snapshot tonight, and the 50s on it knocked down a La7 and Hurr2c with two quick bursts, heck, if I stayed and the kept re-upping like that I probably could have gotten more kills and still have ammo to take home. We're not blaming you either, you just need to work you lead, you convergence and dont play like this guy  Just take your time, once you get on his 6, just wait for that perfect moment, and dont spray n pray, just quick easy bursts. Tap the trigger, dont lay into it. Hope you find your sweet spot with these guns, or just fly something without em and try that!

 

[Nemisis]

It sounds like he's not pulling enough lead IMO. I had that problem when I first started out. Try pulling about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 times the lead you think you need, and work backwards from there: its easier to give up lead than to get it.

[Kweassa]

 Socrates once said, "Know yourself"

 ... once you get to knowyourself in this game, you'll probably realize that the odds are "Okay, I admit it, I'm a sucky shooter" for most people.


 It's not a bad thing, since most people usually go through that phase. Consider it as something akin to being in the teens - aiming at all the wrong goals and thinking you're doing great 



 
 

[Noah17]

The .50 cal is modeled correctly IMO.

I have a real WWII Army Air Force aerial gunnery manual. It states that over 400 yards the .50 cal is considered to be innefective for air combat. Now...We've all gotten kills at greater distances but if you considere on average how many more hits you need for a kill at 600 yards compared w/ 400 yards it makes sense. The kinetic energy of the round has decreased significantly by that time/distance. I'm talking about damage to the plane and not a lucky pilot wound. You may be getting hits but how hard are they hitting?

According to the manual the .50 cal round has reached max velocity at 250 yards and of course will have the most penetrating/destructive power. I have tried setting my covergence all over the place and I have found that I've gotten more "one pass kills" at this distance than others. Anything less than 250 is too close and; 250 still lets me take shots at 400 which is the max you'd expect to do serious/immediate/quick damage anyway.

Now if I could just improve my gunnery percentage.......... But that's a whole different can O worms.........

 

[Masherbrum]

The problem isn't the guns, it's the shooter.  You're not hitting your target at the convergence point and I also wouldn't be surprised if you're just spraying and praying for a hit, which is just nothing but a waste of ammo.  Set your convergence a little closer (between 600 and 400yds) and learn how to lead the target with your gunsight and not with your tracers.

ack-ack

  but QFT.