For most big game other than Black Bear a 6 inch pie plate at 100 yards will do you fine.

The gun should be as accurate as possible... I currently have a Remington 700 bdl in .270 that shoots 3 shot groups about the size of a quarter, but I want to draw that shot grouping tighter... I would love to shoot dime sized groupings! These are from a bench. I dont have the confidence in myself to make a long range off hand shot... I shoot with a rest always as I seem to have steadiness of a building involved in an earthquake! so that is why i always use a rest as well as my sling... to bring steadiness! If i was to shoot at long range i would prefer to put together groups of 4 inches or less... that way i know that even if i miss a little in one direction or another I will still kill the animal with a single shot! That is the most important thing!

I've seen alot of good replies. From a bench I like the rifle to be as accurate as possible, most my centerfires are under 1.5" for 3 shots and my Safari Arms .50cal sidelock will do 2.5". After I find the load I am going to shoot I put the paper away and get out claypigeons (4" diameter) and place them at distances up to 200yds(I've gone farther but not an everyday occurance) on gravel banks of the pit I shoot in. I then walk around and shoot them from unknown distances..... if U are real close the exploding sand sometimes shatters the pigeon but u can tell upon closer inspection. If you can hit that clay pigeon than no deer is going to walk away. I have also used cans,2L pop bottles filled w/water and balloons
I don't shoot running game b/c I know my shots won't hit. I have been told that I should get a spare tire and fill the centre w/plywood, roll it down a hill and practice that way. Anyone else have any tips?

For all around hunting rifles, if I can hit the gong (10"metal plate at 220 yrds) consistentlyoff-hand or sitting then it is good enough. I don't mess around on the bench with hunting rifles unless I'm sighting them in. but with my .223 Sniper/Varmint rifle, I will shoot 3 shots inside a dime at 100 yrds off the bench.It just depends on the situation the gun will be used in.

8" at 100 yards FROM HUNTING POSITIONS (OR OFFHAND)

I guess some of the posters above did not read the underlined part. If you can shoot like that all the time, every deer you shoot at will be in the freezer. The guys who say they can hit a 4" circle at 100 yards offhand will not kill any more deer than you will. The guys that do lots of load development and lots of bench rest shooting but little or no "Field Hunting position" shooting, may not do as well as you when it comes to deer shooting.

You haven't told us what you and your rifle will do from a bench rest. And what type of action it is.

Robin down under

I used to be able to ping a pie tin from the stand position with an M16, open sights and sling, at 200 meters. Sigh. I am sure I am not that steady anymore at age 57. But I look to be able to pop a cottontail's head at 200 yards with a varmint round, and I want under 2" from the bench with my 45 70. I scope my rifles now so I am there. Happy camper.

Guys that say"Thats good enough for me",would NOT hunt or shoot with me....Bob

Just because a shooter can shoot under 1 inch groups off a bench does not mean much to me. Anybody can shoot good off a bench if they have a quality rifle. So yeah if I can hit a 10" target off-hand at 200 yards, then that if good enough, and probably better then most others could do.

If I can shoot an 8" target at 1000 yards I am happy. This is from a prone position and not off a bench. I know this is not a forum that supports this type of shooting, but I enjoy it.

Wow, I'm amazed this thread is still alive.

Marlin 1895 45/70 with a williams peep. From the bench I can get about 2-3" groups at 100 yards. It's not a lot of fun to shoot it from a bench, though.