Under 2 inches at 100 yards makes me happy. All my rifles have scopes, no iron sights. My White is the shootingest dude I own, it will shoot under an inch if I do my part.

Right now the rifle is shooting better than 1" @ 100 yards off a bench with sandbags.
This is my 1st year shooting a muzzleloader, and that type of shooting makes me confident and ready to take my V1 Acurra hunting.

I've shot enough now, that on a good day I can shoot sub 1" @ 100yds, off the bench. After that for HUNTING PURPOSES, shooting from different positions is more practical!

I guess I look at it a bit differently than most guys. Personally I could care less what size group a rifle shoots. All I care about is where that first cold bore shot goes. I could care less where the second or third shot goes in an MZ.

Depending on what rifle I am shooting I want my rifle to hit where I aim. On my open sighted MZ's I want the projectile to hit about 1-1/2" to 2" high at 100 yards. And I want that first shot to touch the vertical line of the target. As long as that first shot cold bore bullet cuts that line then I am fully satisfied and ready to go hunting. I do not shot second dirty shots from a barrel at deer-so why do I care where it goes??

Most rifles will hit a bit different with a dirty barrel than it will a clean cold bore shot. Especially an MZ.

I completely clean my barrel between shots when preparing my rifle for hunting.

And when I practice shooting I don't waste my time shooting it off a bench. I take it in the woods, or I go to my rock chunkin spot and I practice in hunting condition environments.

IMO guys put too much emphasis on groups from a bench. I don't hunt from a bench. And I don't shoot groups at deer, I shoot a single shot. So just make sure you know exactly where that first clean cold bore shot is going to hit, then go practice in hunting conditions and I hope you kill a biggun this year. Tom.

I am the total opposite of you, I Hunt with a Fouled Barrel. As you stated you like to know where your first shot goes out of a Clean Barrel, but what of you need a follow up shot or get a chance at another Animal that same day? Your next shots wont be the same as the one from the Clean Barrel.
For me I found that My MLers will shoot better groups after the barrel is fouled, sure I may run a patch down it after I shoot it but it's still a fouled barrel. For me I'd rather know where most of my shots are going to hit insted of just the first.
Now you may say you only need one shot and the first one matters the most, that's true to an extent, but my first, second and third shots will all be the same, that's the way I like it.
And out of a clean Barrel you (may) get a Flyer, Im not going to chance that, I'd rather know that my first shot it's going to be right where I aimed.
Befor I go Hunting I will shoot a few times, patch after each shot and check my groups so I know there in there where I want them to be. Then after Im satisfied, I'll patch and run a slightly Oiled patch through and be ready. Sometimes I even check how it shoots after the patch and Oiled Patch just to be sure it still shoots where Im aiming, and it's still in there, so I redo the steps again and Im ready.
I found that each shot out of a Completely Clean Barrel does'nt always go in the exact same spot, it varies a-lot from shot to shot.
And then if you did it your way you'd have to completely clean the barrel after each shot, seems like too much work.
But if it works for you than that's all that matters.
Happy Hunting.
(BP)

Breechplug

With you on this one - my barrel is also fouled, well I should say semi fouled.

For me all of my ML's are far more consistent shooting of my fouled or semi fouled barrel than they are of a clean barrel.

I think I getting away this as I am shooting T7 not real BP or one of the Pyros.

after applying bore coat and walking away from oil, all 3 shots are dead on, including the first on a clean non fouled bore.

Im not a big fan of oiling my barrels to start off with but normally did while hunting to help prevent rusting.