This is one of the most fundamental issues of our current science.....accuracy VS performance and the answer is ......as always..... It depends...

If I' m shooting prairie dogs I want accuracy...almost any bullet will do the job if I can hit him and the distances range a VEEEEERRRy long ways. If I' m hunting White Tails in the woods, I would prefer performance....even 3" groups at 100 yards is acceptable for this task. gFor prairieland and mountain hunting of mule deer and pronghorns the issue might turn back to accuracy again.

Here' s the rub......only you can say what the issues are.....but you must think to yourself what the accuracy requirements are. You must decide what performance requirements and accuracy requirements are minimal.

Example: Rocky mountain sheep.....potential longest shot you' re willing to take is 400 yards. You might assess that the worst accuracy you' d be willing to accept from your rifle/ammo combination is 1.25" .....then find what you consider a competent bullet for that accuracy requirement.

You' ll read a lot about 1/2" groups from hunting rifles.....I only ever saw one in my life...and it was a fluke from a M-70 featherweight .270 If you can actually shoot 1.25" groups...(5 Shots) you have a " keeper" and I' d be willing to hunt about anything short of Dangerous game with that rig as long as a suitable bullet was used.....and it just might be a Remington Core Lokt.

On the other hand, if I had a Champlin Thumbhorst .470 nitro double rifle and was after Rhino, and I could muster a 6" 4-shot group at 100 yards, I' d be a hunting Rhino.

Generally speaking, you should expect your bolt action rifle to shoot groups of roughly 1 1/4" at 100 yards with a decent bullet before you go huntying...but in the end, only you can judge the rifle.