I've seen recommendations anywhere between 3 and 20. I usually feel comfortable with the Speer manual's suggestion to shoot 7 but if I have, say, only 15 once-fired cases and need to test three different increments of powder, I'm comfortable with 5.

When I want to see what the rifle will do as it warms and fouls I shoot 2 fouling shots and 10 to 15 rounds to target depending on the caliber and what the rifle will be used for.

Then I use the best 3 out of the 4 shots, I always seem to have a "flyer" in there, and the shooter is usually at fault.

Don't knock it until you have tried it.

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May I be half the man my dog thinks I am.

I next select the 3-4 best of those 3-shot groups and shoot a 9-shot group with each of them.

Normally that will determine for me what is the optimum Load. Then I run one more set of tests. This time I shoot nine "1-shot groups" into a single Target. By that, I mean each of those shots is from a clean, ambient temperature barrel. This best reflects what my Load's "potential" is for that "First Shot" on Game. And that is what is the most important to me.

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Good hunting and clean 1-shot kills, Hot Core

For a .22 - .338cal, I generally take 3 shots to foul the barrel and then shoot 5 shot groups. I then take the best 3 bullet, powder, primer combo and retest them against each other. Whichever comes out as the most accurate, that's my load.

For .35 - up, I shoot the same 3 fouling shots, but then shoot three shot groups. The only exception is the .50 BMG. I generally use 4 shot groups.

The way I figure it is that the smaller calibers are generally used for long range shooting at small targets and the larger bores (<.35) are for 200m or less, and often for around 50-100yds so 1/4" here or there isn't the end of the world.

Other than target or varmint rifles, I seen no logic in running groups of greater than three. How often does one need to place five or more "accurate" shots to bring down an animal?

Much has been said here regarding a fouled or clean barrel. Analyze your own habits and test accordingly. If you go into the field with a fouled barrel, then you should test with a fouled barrel, etc.

Personally, I go into the field with a cold clean barrel. I test accordingly and normally choose the group that places the first two shots top of each other, or as close as I can get them, with the third shot not too far off.

Steve

quote:

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Originally posted by holtz:
John,

Other than target or varmint rifles, I seen no logic in running groups of greater than three. How often does one need to place five or more "accurate" shots to bring down an animal?

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I would suggest it's the other way around.

I have to assume that I'm only going to get one shot at any given animal. Therefore, firing more shots when testing a load gives me greater statistical confidence that the load shoots consistently to the same point of aim.

(Otherwise, I could say that since I only fired one shot at my last elk, I really only need to fire one shot to zero, test ammo, etc. I could also do all this from a kneeling position at 40 yds. since that's what happened on the hunt.)

If I were going to get 5 or more shots, the accuracy of each shot would be less important.

The trade-off, of course, is that it takes more time and more components to shoot more shots in each group. Since I prefer to fire each group from a cool barrel, I also have to allow time for each rifle to cool between groups. (Even alternating between two rifles, this gives me some downtime on a hot day.)

I'm just trying to figure out where the break-even point is. Will probably go to 5 round groups at this point. (Which will also make a loading block full of prepped cases come out even.)

John