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acceptable results and group size??
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hey guys!
beginner here looking for thoughts and opinions on what an acceptable group size is considered. i shoot 5 shot groups and some are better than others and in some of them, i have 3 shots that are really tight and then have a couple of flyers. should i look at those three or go for the five? also, to what extent should i be looking for in group size seeing as how every gun is different. i shoot a carl gustaf 6.5x55 swedish mauser (date of 1902 on the receiver) with a 22" barrel (original). i am using IMR 4895 and have been working loads with speer's 85 grain varminter and the 140 grain game king. the best i have done is about 5/8" x 3/8" for 3 shots in a group of 5 that shot 1" x 1" with the 85 gr and 1.125 x 3/8" for 3 in a group of 5 that measured 2.5". i realize that with reloading you can fine tune to the Nth degree, but at what point should i say i have a good enough load? thanks in advance.
 
Posts: 770 | Registered: 09 June 2005Reply With Quote
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In a hunting rifle if I can get a nice consistant sub MOA from a quick 3 shot group I go with it. Hard to remember needing the 3rd much less 4 & 5.


As usual just my $.02
Paul K
 
Posts: 12881 | Location: Mexico, MO | Registered: 02 April 2001Reply With Quote
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quote:
i am using IMR 4895 and have been working loads with speer's 85 grain varminter and the 140 grain game king. the best i have done is about 5/8" x 3/8" for 3 shots in a group of 5 that shot 1" x 1"


If you are doing that with open sights that's just short of wonderful. If you are using a scope you are only just fine. clap


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Posts: 10226 | Location: Temple City CA | Registered: 29 April 2003Reply With Quote
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My goal is 5-shots, 200-yards, less than 1".
 
Posts: 3282 | Location: Saint Marie, Montana | Registered: 22 May 2002Reply With Quote
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Steves Goal is nice BUT, you will not find very many rifles that are capable of doing this consistently.

My Goal is 3 in a 1/2" at 100 and 3 at 1" or less at 200.

Everyone's goals are in their own minds, just set one and go for it.

I know several folks that are more than happy to shot a 2" roup at 100 yards. If that is their goal, I'm glad they've reached it.

Sounds like your rifle is shooting quite well.

You may want to consider shooting 3 shot groups, 5 shot groups are meaningless unless you intend on competition shooting.

Good Luck!

Reloader
 
Posts: 4146 | Location: North Louisiana | Registered: 18 February 2004Reply With Quote
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With my three comercial Mausers bought used and one Twede, all costing less than $400 I expect three shot groups better than 1.5". Anything better than that, and with some loads I get it, is gravey. In hunting situations, IMHO, one will never know the difference between a .75" group and a 1.5" group. capt david troll


"It's not how hard you hit 'em, it's where you hit 'em." The 30-06 will, with the right bullet, successfully take any game animal in North America up to 300yds. Get closer!
 
Posts: 655 | Location: South Texas | Registered: 11 January 2004Reply With Quote
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For big game loads, once I get velocity where I want it, I generally am happy with 3 shot groups 1" center to center at 100 yards, that's when I quit playing with the load.


Browningguy
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Posts: 1242 | Location: Houston, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2002Reply With Quote
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SmilerSounds like you are shooting pretty good. The groups size everyone likes varies quite abit and depends on several things. Mostly it depends on what you call a "good group". While this may sound trivial, it is quite true. Some want to shoot 0.125 at 100 yards others say 2" groups are ok. Some say 1" at 300 yards others say 4" is ok at 300 yards. It depends on what you your self wants to shoot. If you think you are doing ok then stop experminting and go with what you have. If you want to shoot the tail off a nat at 500 yards go for it!
 
Posts: 671 | Location: none | Registered: 14 February 2005Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by Reloader:
Steves Goal is nice BUT, you will not find very many rifles that are capable of doing this consistently.
Reloader


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Posts: 3282 | Location: Saint Marie, Montana | Registered: 22 May 2002Reply With Quote
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It depends a bit if you are shooting "picket pins" (gophers) at 300 yards, or dark timber elk at 50 yards or less.

I have a 223 that I keep around .7 moa or less for gophers. I have a 358 that will do almost 2 moa on a good day, if I hold my mouth just right. Both do the job just fine.

Horses for courses, and all that. JMO, Dutch.


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Posts: 4564 | Location: Idaho Falls, ID, USA | Registered: 21 September 2000Reply With Quote
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5 shots under 1" at 100 yds. is what I'm looking for in a hunting rifle with premium bullets as a starting point for a keeper load. I am also looking for small standard deviation and extreme spread numbers from the chronograph, consistent velocity and acceptable pressure at various temperature levels, etc.

Then it's time to shoot at 200 & 300 yds., and this is where the true keeper loads show themselves for what they really are. Group size at 100 is only the beginning, and it can be a very misleading indicator of the quality of a given load........

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You may want to consider shooting 3 shot groups, 5 shot groups are meaningless unless you intend on competition shooting.


Why not just shoot one shot and call it a group? As long as it's to your point of aim.
Then you can claim you always shoot one hole groups.
 
Posts: 4799 | Location: Lehigh county, PA | Registered: 17 October 2002Reply With Quote
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I like to get under 3" at300yds. for big game rifles(3 shot groups). Son just shot the 06 into a group that measured 2.75", 6mm puts them around 2.5", as does the 708, best was 1.55" with 150BTs and 39.5grs. Varget. For my VS223 I use 10 shot groups at200yds. to judge accuracy, that rifle gets 1.25"-1.50" with RE10x and Benchmark under 55VMAXs. Jay
 
Posts: 1745 | Location: WI. | Registered: 19 May 2003Reply With Quote
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Are you looking for bench accuracy or field accuracy? My best load, off of sand bags, will shoot .4’s or .5’s at 100 yds. The real eye opener is how consistent can you shoot your pet load from the prone, sitting and kneeling positions. I don't shoot sub MOA from any of those positions. I'd certainly kill whatever I would be shooting at but nice little clusters only come, for me, off the bags.
 
Posts: 149 | Location: NW Oregon | Registered: 05 November 2003Reply With Quote
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Steve, if you are posting these charts to let guys know what they might expect with a little effort, you are indeed the most optimistic of dreamers. I would be careful to let the guys that are truly looking for what they might expect from the guns that you have listed, that these are groups that can not be expected in less then one in many, many, groups, and then not without being very lucky. Without having the records in front of me, I would venture to say that a few of your groups approach world records in both the I.B.S. and N.B.R.S.A. if they do not exceed them.


Bob
 
Posts: 529 | Location: Harrison, Maine - Pensacola, Fl. | Registered: 18 January 2005Reply With Quote
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Steve has just got to be the luckiest guy in the World when it comes to Ruger rifles. I've never seen a Ruger that would do that at 25 yards much less 200 Eeker.

Congrats!

Reloader
 
Posts: 4146 | Location: North Louisiana | Registered: 18 February 2004Reply With Quote
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Like some of the others have said, depends on what you are using the rifle for. In a big game rifle, I am happy w/ 3 shot groups & I strive for the 1" mark. It's really more important to me that my 1st shot alwyas hits POA. In a varminter, I want 5 shot groups to be half that. Extreme accuracy is nice but under field conditions, most can't shoot as well as the rifle or never shoot beyond 300yds so it becomes quest for confidence more than anything else. beer


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Posts: 7752 | Location: kalif.,usa | Registered: 08 March 2001Reply With Quote
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It's all relative to our past experience and of course our personal abilities. I have never judged myself on others b/c what I may find good others may find needs work or vv. As far as hunting accuracy I know factory ammo only shooters who are overwhelmed shooting 1.5-2" groups at 100 and I also know reloaders who will not get happy unless they can cover the group with a coin...however both groups get there animals if they do their part in the field.

For me sub 1" @ 100 is what I am looking for in my big game rifles. More important to me is finding the right bullet for the job then just selecting a bullet baised on absolute accuracy alone. Simply meaning my NBT loads may shoot the best at all ranges but I certainly wouldn't consider them for my moose and elk hunts. I will easily give up(if need be) the 1/4 or 1/2" accuracy in lieu of a bullet that will perform better on the game end for a specific purpose. I am sure an experienced reloader may be able to find how to trim that 1/4" back but well that is not me! Once I find the best I can get out of the bullet combo I want to use I just go with it and have never had a problem when it comes to the field. Once again this based on my own past experiences alone and of course I know my abilities both as a reloader and shooter!
 
Posts: 130 | Registered: 12 May 2004Reply With Quote
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b beyer and reloader:

Like the page says, "What You Can do With A Little Effort, Time and Patience"

These were all "out-of-the-box" Rugers. The only thing I did was float the barrel of each and every one from the receiver all the way down so that there is around 1/4" clearance between the barrel and the stock. Secondly, since they are all the original 77's (except the 7mm Mag.), the trigger was very workable.

Oh, and none were worked-up in a day or two. the .25-06 took my 6 years to finally find a load that shoots that well.

I currently have three more Ruger 77's (all original models) sitting in the vault, and have some initial loadings put together for them. All I have to do is wait for good range weather, which has become my biggest problem in recent years.

As another aside note, the .22-250 with the Sierra 55 grain bullets was bought from a guy who claimed the gun wouldn't shoot worth a damn. the best he said he could get was 3-shot, 2-1/2" groups at 100 yards. (Seems he tried one bullet (the wrong one) and one powder (the wrong one) and gave up.)

Again, "Effort, Time and Patience"
 
Posts: 3282 | Location: Saint Marie, Montana | Registered: 22 May 2002Reply With Quote
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My rifles all group fine with hot barrels but at least in Europe what you need for hunting is one very accurate shot out of a cold barrel. So at least for me it makes a difference wether I load and sight in for hunting or for target shooting. My hunting rifles are sighted in with cold barrels and at least 15 minutes between shots. For my targets rifles I heat the barrel with at least ten shots, before I start sighting in.
 
Posts: 79 | Location: Vienna, Austria, Europe | Registered: 06 March 2005Reply With Quote
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just wanted to thank all of you for your experience and opinions. it's much appreciated!
dan
 
Posts: 770 | Registered: 09 June 2005Reply With Quote
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You have to set your own standards as to what constitutes acceptable group size. Read and learn what is acceptable for your rifle. The reason you're getting split groups in your rifle is probably due to excessive barrel heat. Most sporter barrels simply get too hot for accurate shooting after 3 shots. You have to allow sufficient time for the barrel to cool to maintain accuracy. There's a lot that goes into accurate rifle shooting, and you don't learn it all overnight.
Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal


Cal Sibley
 
Posts: 1866 | Location: Montreal, Canada | Registered: 01 May 2003Reply With Quote
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My only complaint is with the way a lot of guys shoot one 1/4 inch group in 1000 and tell some poor guy trying to learn what to expect for accuracy from a factory gun that he has just purchased, that it should shoot 1/4 inch groups. The groups that were on that list that someone put on here are not reasonable to expect from the guns that he said he shot them with. A couple of them are not reasonable to expect from a bench gun. If you took 100 Rugers and did nothing other than float the barrels and tune them, there would more than likely not be one that would shoot groups like that. It is a disservice to a young shooter trying to learn the game, any game, to tell him or her that is what you can expect if you put some effort into them. IT JUST ISN"T GOING TO HAPPEN. Before I started shooting BR I had a couple of Rugers and I put a hell of a lot of effort into them, a very occasional 1/2 inch group was the best you could expect from either of them. They averaged a lot closer to 1 inch, and they were no worse then any of the other guns in the same class. If, and I say if, someone shot a .250 group with a stock Ruger 22-250 at 200 yards the wind was blowing like hell and blew the 5 shots into the group. Like I say it just don't happen, and to claim to have a number of Rugers that shoot as well is inconcievable. Give the poor guys that are trying their best a true idea of what to expect. Discouraging them with B.S. stories is no way to get them interested in a great sport.


Bob
 
Posts: 529 | Location: Harrison, Maine - Pensacola, Fl. | Registered: 18 January 2005Reply With Quote
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A one inch five shot group at 100 yds is outstanding for a sporter. Such a rifle is nice but not necessary for most hunting of big game. Whats far more important is that the rifle put the first shot from a cold barrel right on. That's what really counts.

Now some shoot a truck load of kangaroos in one night but just one big game animal at at time is what I do. For that I test these rifles to hit right on and fire two or three shot groups. I have not fired over two shots at the same big game animal since back in the 50's when I started out.

I bring about five rifles at a time to the range and a pistol. I fire two or three shots and get up and write down what happened as to the point of impact out of the cold barrel and then the group and any unusual information such as pressure signs.

Be happy if your rifle stays sighted in as it groups very well. Hunting and aiming at game is way harder and more important than groups anyway.

Here is what happened last week from some rifles. I usually only bring the ones that need work so bear with me.

8X57 carbine. Three in 2" at 100 yds. Hand held.

7mm WSM two in 3/4" at 200 yds. Impact 1" high and 1" to the right. This is one of my best big game rifles.

270 Win Ruger Express three in 2" at 100 yds. First two in 1"

7X57 carbine two in 1" 100 yds. Hand held.

On and on it goes. I fire thousands of shots a year out of dozens of rifles much like many of us do. This is what I like to do.


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Posts: 5543 | Registered: 09 December 2002Reply With Quote
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This may not answer your question entirely or even partially, but I think that you need to have different expectations from different guns.

Sako 270 if I don't shoot within 3/4" that is a bad load. Have one bullet and one load that will consistently shoot inside 1/2" (at 100 yds)

Beretta Mato 300 will shoot inside 1" rarely inside 1/2"

Sauer lightweight 22" barrel 30-06 will only shoot 1 1/2" groups, but it's a walking gun shooting 200 grain Accubonds so that's good enough.

At the range I shoot 4 shots in each load, that is load 2 in the mag (helps to check mag feed), shoot one deliberately and shoot the second within 10 to 15 seconds (like I would in the field) so I can see if the POI is different for the second shot. Set that gun in the rack to cool and shoot the next gun. Also if I have different loads for each gun I will shoot 2 from one load then cycle through the other loads 2 at a time so I don't shoot one load with an exceptionally dirty barrel.

Just my way of doing it.


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Posts: 2750 | Location: Houston, Tx | Registered: 17 January 2005Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by b beyer:
The groups that were on that list that someone put on here are not reasonable to expect from the guns that he said he shot them with. A couple of them are not reasonable to expect from a bench gun. If you took 100 Rugers and did nothing other than float the barrels and tune them, there would more than likely not be one that would shoot groups like that. It is a disservice to a young shooter trying to learn the game, any game, to tell him or her that is what you can expect if you put some effort into them. IT JUST ISN"T GOING TO HAPPEN. Before I started shooting BR I had a couple of Rugers and I put a hell of a lot of effort into them, a very occasional 1/2 inch group was the best you could expect from either of them. They averaged a lot closer to 1 inch, and they were no worse then any of the other guns in the same class. If, and I say if, someone shot a .250 group with a stock Ruger 22-250 at 200 yards the wind was blowing like hell and blew the 5 shots into the group. Like I say it just don't happen, and to claim to have a number of Rugers that shoot as well is inconcievable. Give the poor guys that are trying their best a true idea of what to expect. Discouraging them with B.S. stories is no way to get them interested in a great sport.


BS?

KMA!!
 
Posts: 3282 | Location: Saint Marie, Montana | Registered: 22 May 2002Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by Savage99:


Now some shoot a truck load of kangaroos in one night.



If anyone is wondering, our roos seem to be in plague proportions most places. Highways out west are litted with road kill, and sneeking up on ferals is difficult with hundreds of roos hopping along in front.
Their protected, and landholders need permits to cull them, and they must be left to rot.

So most are probably shot by pro's who have a license, and the meat and/or skins are used.

But don't wear your roo skin boots in Kalifornia.

John.
 
Posts: 2355 | Location: Australia | Registered: 14 November 2004Reply With Quote
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I just grabbed the top copy of P.S. magazine from my bookcase and found it to contain the results of the 2003 I.B.S. nationals. As an example, with 134 shooters, the best in the country if not the world, shooting guns built by the best accuracy gunsmiths in the country, the results of the top ten at 200 yds. are from the winner at .2346 to the number 10 place at .2835. Now go ahead and tell the new kids that are looking to you for advice, that you have a number of stock Rugers that will shoot .2600 anytime you do not pull a shot. Better yet, offer to show a few of them how it is done.
As far as the KMA remark, that is something that one might expect from somebody with no other explination of such an incredable claim, but I don't think that I will take you up on it as I am not really into love stories. I know of noone that I shoot with that will not go out of their way to try and help out a new shooter, I have mailed everything from rests to guns all over the country to guys that I have never met, to get them set up properly, only to find that they have read a post on one of these sites by a guy trying to impress everyone, with impossible claims, that they can not come close to living up to, and are discouraged to the point of quiting the game alltogether.
If your claims are even close to being true, you should get into some competetive shooting. There is always room for more shooters at any one of hundreds of B.R. matches in this country, and you would hard pressed to loose with the guns that you have.


Bob
 
Posts: 529 | Location: Harrison, Maine - Pensacola, Fl. | Registered: 18 January 2005Reply With Quote
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b beyer ----- I can certainly identify with what ricciardelli is saying about shooting small groups with the tweaking of rifles and loads. What it takes is loading-shooting, shooting and more shooting. It does not matter what brand the rifle is, granted some may be easier than others, but in the end good results can be had unless something very fundamental is wrong with the rifle or scope. I shoot my rifles and many others rifles of all brands, and find that with enough loading and shooting very small groups can be achieved, once again unless some very basic flaw is not present in the rifle or scope. I have a buddy who is a BR shooter, another that shot Military competition for years, and another buddy that is a rifle builder and shoots with me three days a week, all have taught me many tricks of the trade. I have no desire to compete with rifles, I only shoot to obtain the best hunting load possible but do appreciate those tiny groups. I figure is the rifle is near perfect it might make up for my shooting under all field conditions, good, bad or ugly. I used to talk about one hole groups, but some asshole would always start pissing and moaning about that, so now I normaly talk about pin point accuracy. By one hole groups I am refering to five shots all touching each other with standard chamberings and three shots touching with magnum chamberings. Obviously a one hole group with a .257 Wby is smaller than a one hole group with a .416 Rigby. If I get a one hole group five times with a load I call it finished, and I like my son or grandson to repeat it with the same load, these are all at 100 yards. Let me say this also, I have to be having a good day pulling the trigger in order to shoot a one hole group, some days the crosshair dances too much for whatever reason, I certainly cannot drink a lot of caffaine and shoot them. I shoot from .22 mag up to .416 Rigby and everything in between mostly magnums. Some loads may take me years to perfect, some come quick. I have shot every brand rifle known to man, some are easier than others. Personaly I am a Model 70 Winchester nut, but own and shoot many others. I Elk hunt Colorado every year and have hunted Alaska, and Alberta with one trip to Africa under my belt, with many more hopefully in the future. Very simply I like to shoot rifles and will go through 3000 plus rounds per year with many getting considerably more. Some people play golf or tennis or enjoy the water, I like to shoot. One example, a buddy bought a Sako .338 Lapua, put a good scope on it, had a gunsmith tweak, spent a fortune on a muzzle brake and gave it to me to shoot. I got .5 groups but no better, gave it back to him and he could get no better than 2 inchs. He sold me the rifle after many critical remarks about it, I put my choice of scopes on it and today it shoots one holers consistently and is one of my better hunting rifles. My 14 year old grandson taking his first Elk with it. ----- Bottom line, listen to ricciardelli, with someone like him who lives and breaths rifles, powders, loads, shooting, and much hard work, it can be done. wave Good shooting


phurley
 
Posts: 2354 | Location: KY | Registered: 22 September 2004Reply With Quote
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Phurley, All I can say to you is the same thing that I have said already. When the best benchrest shooters in the world, with the best equipment in the world shoot over .250 groups on the average at 200 yards then noone is going to beat it woth a Ruger, remington, winchester or any other factory gun.
Do you honestly believe that any Ruger 22-250 can be made to shoot .260 at 200 yards? Just for kicks, lets say that they can be made to, when a kid that is trying to learn what HE can expect, why doesn't a guy that seems to be looked up to by some people, tell him what he [the kid] can actually expect, instead of trying to tell everyone just how skilled he is.
If you have a friend that is a BR shooter, ask him if it would be possible for you to shoot one of his bench guns, and if you can say that any factory gun can be made to shoot that well by floating the barrel, I will say the same thing to you that I said to Ricadelli, BS.
I do not mean to be argumentative, but face the facts, BR shooters are not spending on the average3000 bucks for a rifle scope combo, that can not outshoot by a great margin, a gun that can be purchased at your local gun shop for 5 or 6 hundred dollars.


Bob
 
Posts: 529 | Location: Harrison, Maine - Pensacola, Fl. | Registered: 18 January 2005Reply With Quote
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The only thing I worry about in my big game hunting rifles is that the first and second rounds don't disperse more than 1 to 1.5 MOA. I figure one is all I'm usually going to need and I really don't like shooting at running game so I try to avoid needing two or more.

That said, on the bench I play endless games with the same rifles trying to eek out the last .01 MOA because (1) it's fun and (b) it's a confidence builder.


"Experience" is the only class you take where the exam comes before the lesson.
 
Posts: 11137 | Location: Texas, USA | Registered: 22 September 2003Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by b beyer:
I do not mean to be argumentative, but face the facts, BR shooters are not spending on the average3000 bucks for a rifle scope combo, that can not outshoot by a great margin, a gun that can be purchased at your local gun shop for 5 or 6 hundred dollars.



Sure Bob, but you can't expect someone not to mention their good groups because newchums can't shoot as well with an average factory rifle with average ammo.

If these hotshots get a factory rifle that doesn't shoot they sell it off, get a match grade barrel or what ever it takes.

Another big difference with benchrest shooters is they turn up on a particular day, and they shoot no matter what.
On those wild & windy days or if I don't feel like it, I don't shoot for groups.

And I also get discouraged, when I was shooting with an 80 year old coot who could barely stand up and died not long after, he would routinely halve my groups with the same rifle/load/rest.

And we have to put up with all the exhibition shooters doing the impossible. Bugger.
John L.
 
Posts: 2355 | Location: Australia | Registered: 14 November 2004Reply With Quote
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b beyer ----- I shoot on my own private benchs, a 100 yard and a 200 yard. I have taught many a kid and many experienced hunters the tricks of the precision shooting trade. I have buddies who shoot a gallon jug of water at 100 yards, call it good, and for them it is good. They are good hunters and can get their Elk or Deer every year with that kind of shooting and their hunting skills, which in Kentucky means get as close as possible and place that bullet in a killing zone. My group of 15 Elk hunters are required to shoot on my bench to tell me what kind of shooter they are before they can hunt in the group. The group they shoot is not necessarily important, but their attitude is and their rifle and scope are. The make of the rifle means nothing to me, how they use it is the key. If they cannot do it on the bench they certainly can not do it in adverse conditions on that mountain. ----- What I tell the novice hunter is that the only way they can become better shooters is with practice, good equipment, and more practice. That placing of the crosshairs on the target, massaging the trigger, not yanking it, and repeating that until it becomes instinctive, is the key to good shooting. ----- You talk about the BR rifles, of which I have shot several, and enjoy it. However to me, drilling on hole all day with the same load, same brass, is boring as hell. I get much more kick out of perfecting that hunting load, knowing I will be using it this fall in a real hunt, with the possibility of bringing home the meat. ----- One more rifle story to relate. I have an old post 64 model 70 in .300 Winchester that has never seen a gunsmith, ever. I has a 3 X 9 Redfield scope (1973 model) mounted on it with, of all things, a see thru mount. That old rifle has taken countless Deer, Elk, a 91/2 ft. Brown Bear, and 14 Caribou. It has more dents, scratchs, dings, each telling a story of it's own, than any of my fancy custom rifles will ever have. Today it will shoot a one hole group with a 180 grain Nosler Partition or North Fork bullet at 3100 fps, if I do my part on the other end, and it will also do that for my son and one of my grandsons. The only thing it ever gets is a good thorough cleaning and tender loving care. It is dented but certainly not rusty. ----- I am not trying to be argumentive either, I am simply stating that an experienced shooter can shoot some fantastic groups with very basic equipment, given the time and expertise to complete the task. wave Good shootig.


phurley
 
Posts: 2354 | Location: KY | Registered: 22 September 2004Reply With Quote
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Phurley, I agree with the majority of what you say. I will repeat what I said in the first place, when someone is asked what a newcomer can expect for accuracy from a particular gun it certainly does no good to tell him that you have a gun just like that and it will shoot some fantastically small group and he should be able to do the same. Anyone that can say that it is entirely possible that a factory gun with nothing more then floating the barrel, can outshoot half of the top 10% of shooters in a national benchrest event, is dreaming. This thread originally had nothing to do with hunting or anything else other than what the title of the thread says, what is an acceptable group to expect from a particular factory gun. If you or anyone else thinks that it does any good to tell this gentleman that he should be able to shoot .260 groups at 200 yards, you are dreaming. Remember this would place this gun in the top 5 or 6% of the top BR shooters in the country, I really don't think so. Wouldn't it do a bit more good to encourage a young shooter, than to make him feel like he is going to have to be able to shoot unobtainable groups before he will be accepted into a particular group.
I have a number of guns that are strictly hunting guns, this thread originally had nothing to do with that aspect of the game. I agree that some great groups can be shot with such guns, but to claim to have a number of them that will consistantly shoot with the best BR guns and shooters in the world is pretty much of a stretch. If you can believe this gentlemans claims as to the groups that he shoots with the guns that he uses, I respect your optimism, I personally think that the results have been manipulated a bit, or that the pictured group is one of a great number shot to obtain the wanted results.


Bob
 
Posts: 529 | Location: Harrison, Maine - Pensacola, Fl. | Registered: 18 January 2005Reply With Quote
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b beyer ----- A little story from a hunter with a factory rifle. The location is the Farewell Burn of Alaska, the season is 1999, the day is the 15th of September. I am on the 6th day of a very hard horseback hunt (that the first four days were walking 5 miles daily on tough tundra terrain), I am armed with a cheap Weatherby Sporter model (I paid $849.00 for the rifle and mounted a 4 X 16 Burris Signature scope on it that set me back $400.00). The rifle would do one hole groups with 250 grain Nosler Partition Gold bullets at 100 yards at 2950 fps, when I ws having a good day. I got my opportunity for a shot at 175 yards on a very nice Boone and Crockett Bull as he was walking a medium fast pace with his nose stuck up the ass of a Cow in heat. My guide said we have to get closer, I had a good rest and had my crosshair on his shoulder, and said I could take him. The guide said go ahead, I shot and put him down with a slug to his neck bone where it adjoins his shoulder. He never moved another muscle. My guide said, hey boy you can shoot that old gun. I said that was the 619th shot through that rifle and I think I know what it and I are capable of. ----- My point is this, I shot the rifle enough to know what it would do with the load, it was not a $5,000 custom rifle, just one that was bought off the shelf and tweaked by a reloader who may have got lucky that day, but that same year also shot a very nice 5 X 5 Bull Elk and a 5 X 5 Mule Deer with that same load and rifle. The rifle will still do that and has a treasured place in my vault and always will. All my rifles except two are off the shelf models with good scopes. Yep I like to cut paper and do it a lot, in fact I just finished shooting today, but I do it to be ready for that shot of a lifetime that may come anytime I am in the field. I am not saying a .26 group at 200 yards you keep speaking of, just good shooting for a hunter of game. Just don't deride the guy who shoots for the love of shooting and gets a good group every now and then. wave Good shooting.


phurley
 
Posts: 2354 | Location: KY | Registered: 22 September 2004Reply With Quote
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Hey Pat, Were you born with your patience and good will, or did you develop it over time?

I'm old and still don't have that ability. (Green for envious.)
 
Posts: 9920 | Location: Carolinas, USA | Registered: 22 April 2001Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by ramrod340:
In a hunting rifle if I can get a nice consistant sub MOA from a quick 3 shot group I go with it. Hard to remember needing the 3rd much less 4 & 5.


Me too. I use 3-shot groups for testing hunting rifle ammo. However, the more rounds you fire into a given group, the better representation of a rifle's average accuracy that group becomes. So a five-shot group is better than a three shot group, and a ten-shot group is better still. It is a question of consistency. If you just shot an acceptable three-shot group from your hunting rifle with a given load, what happens the NEXT TIME you fire three shots of the same ammo from that rifle?


"Bitte, trinks du nicht das Wasser. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
 
Posts: 4386 | Location: New Woodstock, Madison County, Central NY | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by ricciardelli:
quote:
Originally posted by Reloader:
Steves Goal is nice BUT, you will not find very many rifles that are capable of doing this consistently.
Reloader


http://stevespages.com/targets.html
http://stevespages.com/table1.html


The reason you won't find many rifles that shoot up to Steve's standard is that Steve owns them all.......


"Bitte, trinks du nicht das Wasser. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
 
Posts: 4386 | Location: New Woodstock, Madison County, Central NY | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by Alan R:
Are you looking for bench accuracy or field accuracy? My best load, off of sand bags, will shoot .4’s or .5’s at 100 yds. The real eye opener is how consistent can you shoot your pet load from the prone, sitting and kneeling positions. I don't shoot sub MOA from any of those positions. I'd certainly kill whatever I would be shooting at but nice little clusters only come, for me, off the bags.


I really believe we are talking about two different critters here! It is DESIREABLE to have a load that will group as closely as possible before the human factor is considered. Of course a hunter should try to develop his ability to shoot well under field conditions (and a lot of us DON"T), but it is good to remove as much mechanical error as we can as well. Therefore, accuracy load development should be done with a bench rest, if you don't have a machine rest!


"Bitte, trinks du nicht das Wasser. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
 
Posts: 4386 | Location: New Woodstock, Madison County, Central NY | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by brainshot:
My rifles all group fine with hot barrels but at least in Europe what you need for hunting is one very accurate shot out of a cold barrel.


Agreed.

What I do is develop a hunting load which uses the right bullet, and will shoot close to 1" at 100 yards, 2" at 200. Then I zero the rifle for that load, and every year just before I go hunting, I fire 1 round of that ammo from the rifle with a clean, cold barrel through which I have pushed 1 dry clean patch to remove any oil, etc. Which ain't much these days, because I use Sheath for rust prevention. If that shot strikes where I want it, (+3" @ 100 yards), I leave everything as is, and go!

I had one Mannlicher/Schoenauer .270 carbine that I installed a Leupold M8 4X scope on in 1964, and zeroed it +4" @ 100 yards, with the 150-grain Nosler Partition in front of 53.5 grains of IMR 4350. Every year thereafter, when I was about to use this rifle, I'd shoot one shot at 100 yards to ensure that the zero had not changed. From 1964 to 1988 when I sold the rifle (stupid me!!), that rifle always put the first shot dead on for windage, and +4" @ 100 yards! Never changed zero.

I killed more game, from Alaska to Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Virginia with that rifle than any other I've owned since 1954, and never had to remove the scope adjustment knob caps again after I zeroed it in 1964!


"Bitte, trinks du nicht das Wasser. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
 
Posts: 4386 | Location: New Woodstock, Madison County, Central NY | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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