During the 50's & 60's hunting rifle accuracy and bullet performance were both primarily measured by DEAD ANIMALS.

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During the 50's & 60's hunting rifle accuracy and bullet performance were both primarily measured by DEAD ANIMALS.

That is about as accurate as it gets. People used to be more concerned with makling lone shot kills and less concerned with placing 3 or 5 bullets into one hole or a very small area.

they did not have the free time that folks have become accustomed too. They had saturday and sunday off from work and they wanted to get out there and kill their deer/elk/bear/moose whatever and get back home.

Most or all of their shooting was 200 yards or less, usually 100 yards or less and they saw no profit in shooting something and then having to chase a wounded animal all over the country.

Minute of critter was the acceptable level in those days.

I remember my dad telling me that it was a good shooter if it was under 2-2.5" 3shot group at 100 yards.

That was usually followed up with "Any of those shots would kill game".

You are talking about a time period when rifle scopes were only used by a small percentage of shooters. Not many bothered to shoot groups with iron sights.

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Originally posted by SR4759:
You are talking about a time period when rifle scopes were only used by a small percentage of shooters. Not many bothered to shoot groups with iron sights.

Very true.

Who would contemplate load development with express sights or even a 21/2 power scope these days?

I've played with some very old rifles that with a modern scope with a nice fine crosshair and good home-loads have shot well under an inch for three. Barrel mounted swivels and all!

I have a 1951 Model 70 Winchester in 300 H&H and a 1957 Mod. 70 in 30-06 that are two of the most accurate rifles I own. Both are 1/2 inch rifles regularly. Oh, and I have quite a few rifles, custom, semi-custom and factory. I will admit they surprised me when I shot them. And I did not have to search for accurate loads either.