Let me jump in here and summarize what I think I'm hearing. Strictly from the perspective of hitting your big game target, a rifle that can shoot between 1" and 2" from the bench at 100 yards can be relied on as a big game rifle. Where greater accuracy from the bench becomes important is in the confidence it gives the hunter. Even more abstract is the pride of ownership held by the owner of a superbly accurate rifle.

I know numerous hunters who have never fired their rifle from the bench, have no idea how accurate their gun is and seldom even clean it, yet year after year they are successful in getting their animal.

Not for me. I like my big game rifles to shoot 1" or less, although I wonder if it is really necessary for the hunt.

I don't want to break the discussion. Carry on boys!

This is always a real interesting subject and I think it frequently serves as a commentary on ones' accuracy in field shooting. IMO, the more accurate one can shoot, the more one can appreciate an accurate rifle in the field. I have a 22-250 that has, on many occasions, shot 5-shot groups under 1/2 moa, from a bipod, at ranges out to 650 yards. If my big-game rifles can't shoot at least 1 moa from the bench, they get a new barrel or sold. Why? I have had occasion to shoot elk at ranges out to 150 yds where all that was visible was their head above the grass. From a prone position it is quite possible to put a bullet into the base of the skull, but with a rifle that won't shoot consistently tight groups, I wouldn't have the confidence to take such a shot. It has been my experience that the average rifle is more accurate than the average shooter anyway.

1"-1.25"for a hunting gun and .5" for a varmint gun at 100 yards 3 shot groups I like to use.

Everyone loves to have a sub-MOA rifle, but for deer sized game or larger, for all practical purposes I'm quite confident in my bolt gun and load if it's around 1.5" at 100 for the conditions I hunt under. Now if I'm after something like Mtn Goat or antelope and know my shots will average 300 yds or more then it's a different story, but 95% of deer and elk taken each year are probably taken at less than 150 yards, so a 2" gun would do the job just fine in reality.

With my lever guns (they're both ghost-ring sighted) I am happy around 2" at 100, but actually 3" groups would probably be just fine in reality when you're talking about lever gun ranges of 50-125 yards on deer/hogs/elk.

I train under field conditions, not off the bench. The bench is just to work up a load and make sure it's up to par by eliminating the human factors. After that I never touch the bench again, but go afield and plink at 6"-8" rocks, jackrabbits, etc. I have a range set up on my little NW Arizona ranch with steel plates set up throughout the forest. I stroll along and shoot at the plates from various positions from different angles, through small openings in the trees, brush, etc. I learn my limitations and my rifle's and work within them. I know my rifles well and am confident in them. If a shot is too long I get closer or pass it up. It's rare that I cannot get closer if I need to.

I hunt right near my home, so I don't have thousands of dollars invested in my hunts. I get out fairly often when I want to and I practice on coyotes and jackrabbits throughout the year also, so I'm never too out of practice on things. I've narrowed my rifle battery way down in recent years and the handful of rifles I do have I know intimately. I stick with one load for each (usually a heavy-for-caliber bullet) and rarely changing loads on a rifle once I've established a good one that covers the purposes that I'm likely to use the rifle under. This works well for me. I know some fellas just love to tinker for the sake of tinkering and they never quit tinkering. That's great and it works for them... For me I'd rather shoot and hunt than tinker excessively.

Wooly ESS,

Well said, that summarizes the reality of things well...

It's amazing in fact how many week-end Bubbas (no offense intended to professional Bubbas) don't know their rifle's precise capabilities, yet they bring home venison every year. They're probably shooting at modest ranges in areas with a good deer population so it's not that difficult to bring something home with just a little effort.

I love to shoot and love to be outdoors. I'm not as cavalier about things as some guys are, but I'm not a fanatic either. To each his own, it's a wonderful sport and great therapy to be out there in the wilderness.

458, I agree completely with your comments. I like really accurate rifles and practice a lot, from the bench and in the field. I also find one load and stick with it in that rifle. But nearly all the big game I've shot has been within 150 yds. Heck, a 6 moa rifle would suffice. It is usually ones' hunting skills that determine success. When I was a kid we were taught to be good hunters, but not too much emphasis was placed on super fine accuracy. If you could hit a small paper plate at 100 yds-you're good to go. If you could consistently hit pop cans at 100 yds you were a hell of a shot. We , the one's who were really into hunting, learned to get something, a deer or an elk, every year with our model 94's and open sighted '06's. When I was in my early 20's I did some trading and ended up with a custom 6mm Rem built in a heavy varmint configuration. I was amazed at what one could do with a really, really accurate rifle. Things haven't been the same since.