How accurate are you looking for a given big game round? and why?

Question:
who when they find a given bullet and powder combo under 1 inch consistently. Improves upon what they have found for a big game hunting round?

Choices:
Yes
no
depends?

 

I don't even understand the question.

I do continue to try and improve the acuracy performance of my hunting rifles, even after I find a load where they reach MOA dependably.

That ASBSOLUTELY, DEFINITELY is not because they need more accuracy than that. They don't. I can't think of any big game animal on earth I wouldn't feel confident of hunting with a 2+ MOA rifle, so long as it had sufficient down-range performance to be appropriate for the game and distances I was shooting with it.

It's just that as I have been retired for over 20 years, I have plenty of time to putz with my rifles, and I like to see how accurately I can make them (and I) each shoot.

I will not give up better terminal performance for a slight edge in accuracy. So a SMK or NBT shooting sub MOA isn't getting the nod over a Nosler partition @ MOA for hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
I do continue to try and improve the acuracy performance of my hunting rifles, even after I find a load where they reach MOA dependably.

That ASBSOLUTELY, DEFINITELY is not because they need more accuracy than that. They don't. I can't think of any big game animal on earth I wouldn't feel confident of hunting with a 2+ MOA rifle, so long as it had sufficient down-range performance to be appropriate for the game and distances I was shooting with it.

It's just that as I have been retired for over 20 years, I have plenty of time to putz with my rifles, and I like to see how accurately I can make them (and I) each shoot.

Me too.

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
I will not give up better terminal performance for a slight edge in accuracy. So a SMK or NBT shooting sub MOA isn't getting the nod over a Nosler partition @ MOA for hunting.

Precisely......when I have a no-bull five shot group at 1.25" or less with my hunting bullet my load development is done as I can find no real reason to improve it.....there's no benchrests where I hunt!

quote:

I do continue to try and improve the acuracy performance of my hunting rifles, even after I find a load where they reach MOA dependably.

My Hunting Load Criteria:

1. 100% Reliability (surpisingly to many; they're no where CLOSE to the lands!). Including a firm grip/crimp on the bullet that functions in/out of the chamber, through a magazine and in/out of an ammo wallet & cartridge box throughout the season(s)with no concerns.

2. The best Terminal Perfomance I can obtain w/the cartridge at hand.

3. VERY keen accuracy; yes, the more the better - it instills confidence.

4. Economy of Scale; yes, Martha TDC (Total Delivered Cost) is important as well when you do the amount of hunting/shooting I do (cartridge/rifle dependant).

No with the understanding I am using a suitable bullet in design and weight for the game I want to hunt.

I went with Depends(like Beemans Diapers ) because - it Depends.

For me there is a point where there is nothing left to be gained.

When doing load development for my 300wm, I shot 4 different charge weights at 100yrds with that rifle which has been with me forever. The groups went between 1.3"-.8" I have hunted with loads grouping worse than that when I was stuck on factory ammo, and I was pleased with the performance of the rifle with all of those loads. I duplicated the .8" load, and shot roughly 1" consistanly. I'm done.

I could chase my tail, but in a hunting rifle, what is more accuracy going to accomplish? Nothing, imo. If I want to shoot 300+yrds, I will, if I want to head shoot to 150yds, I will. There is nothing left to do to make the rifle and load more effective on the types of shots I would take anyway.

I wouldn't take a farther shot or push any limits just because the rifle was printing .25" groups instead of 1" groups. There is nothing for me to gain with this rifle and its intended purpose.

If I were wanting to shoot crows in the eye at distance, then yes I could go farther, but for big game, there isn't that need.

I'd be better off training myself to shoot better in the field, than in making the loads shoot 1/2" better on the bench.

In my old age, I really don't shoot at anything beyond 300 yards ... and 1 moa is well within "minute of big game" at 300 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by dave-t:
I'd be better off training myself to shoot better in the field, than in making the loads shoot 1/2" better on the bench.

Here's a guy that probably has venison in the freezer!

At the range,offthe bench,using bags I want all the accuracy I can get because of all of the variables that come into play in the field.
Extreme accuracy increases my margin for error
in the face of these variables i.e. in a tree stand a shooter buck walks out at 230yds. and comes straight at me. At about 110yds he makes a hard left turn and moves toward cover. My only shot opportunity is left-handed( I'm right handed and right eyed) without a rest. Knowing that my rifle shoots sub-moa gives me the confidence to take the off-hand shot.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

I expect moa accuracy out of any of my scoped bolt actions and I will continue to tweak the rifle/load until it gets there and don't see any reason to continue once that goal is achieved. With iron sights it's a whole nuther ball game so I limit my shots to about 100 yards.
But as stated previously, if you aren't practicing field positions, you are wasting your time.

Depends upon many things; caliber, normal expected distance to game, games vital zone, not so easy... You can never have enough reliable accuracy.

If you want great accuracy and great terminal performance, try a Barnes TSX.

I will, but not for the hunting aspect. I like to play with loads and rifles and the hunting is just another use.

I took a lot of big game with a Ruger .270 that would struggle to get under 2.0". I was a young husband/father and had to make it work as there were no funds to buy another rifle.

All of my current big game rifles shoot as accurately as I can make them and usually that is under or at 1.00" for a 5 shot group at 100 yards. If I can't make that work I will sell that shooter and move on to a new one.

Once I've done all that I can and the rifle is a jim dandy, then about the only bench shooting time it gets is to check the scope settings periodically. From then on I will almost always only shoot the rifle in long distance random shooting at a 18"x18" H beam I have that is painted white. It can be seen at long ranges and you can hear the bullet hit. We will run that thing out to 300-600 yards and try to hit it a couple of time. If you screw up a trigger pull at that distance your bullet impact is way off and it makes shooting at 200-300 yards seem easier.