:) We have our share of engineers on this forum as well. Sharpshooter comes to mind right away. Take a look at the following post and it may address some of your issues. It certainly shows that there is at least one person on this forum who tries to use a very serious and careful scientific method when attempting to determine what works better.
http://savageshooters.com/SavageForu...html#msg219952
Do you have a link or links to the other thread(s) you reference so we can take a look at "Clark's" posts?
Also, (this is neither meant as a cheap shot, nor a slam, but rather a more precise technical vocabulary lesson) FWIW, the "measuring instruments that have the old timey round gauge/scales for the readout" are more generically known as "analog" and specifically as "dial" instruments. For example: a dial caliper:
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A dial indicator:
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