[Paul R.]

I’m curious as to what the inherent accuracy (precision?) of the weapon is. If it is clamped for sighting and fired 10 times at a target 40 yards away, what will the grouping be?

My guess is that Providence AND skill played a role in the first shot at least, then Dicken was able to move in closer to the perp.

[Myrddin]

If he braced against a pillar to steady the initial shot, that would have improved the odds of a good hit. The first bullet strike would have disoriented the shooter allowing an opportunity to close the gap for follow-up shots.

In a static range test, the common device used is a "Ransom Rest". It clamps the handgun tightly. Align the sights and pull the trigger. The degree of precision of fit in the slide/barrel and consistency of ammo components (bullet weight, charge weight, crimping force) all play into the "bench rest" shooting repeatability. In reality, the shooter is almost always the lowest precision element. Most modern firearms are far more consistent than their users.