Total reload on that sailor is actually 2,801,931, that final part were you divided 966 by 989 isnt part of any sort of equation.

And wether you can reach the cap or not is not the point. With the potential to have 400 vets and 600 experts on a gunner, ability hardly matters, given time they will cap.

The point is, you can either (assuming elite reload with 100 vets and a good amount of experts) cap accuracy from lvl 80 and reload at lvl 83, or you can cap accuracy from lvl 62 and reload at lvl 120. I know which I would pick.

Actually thats the modifier for having less then total crew.

true ability = (4V+E)x/y*D

V=Vets
E=Experts
X=Total Sailors
Y=Maximum Sailors
D=Displayed ability

Ordinarily it would be 2167.2*(4*109 + 1*857)*(989/989)=TA but take off 23 crew and you must compensate for the loss of ability.

Sometimes it is. There are always other things to consider with sailors besides the main abilities. Especially with sailors that have stats that easily cap.

I realise that. However, due to delay classing, his total crew size is 966, not 989. So the number 989 doesnt enter the equation as regards crew size.

That is true, especially in the case of attempting something like repair gunners. But that isn't the case here I don't think. And even then, the most efficient gunner classing can not only reach harder caps but also prove more effective in WaW.