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ALF,
I guess it's good to know how accurate the rifle is from a steady rest. Gives you something to base your rifles accuracy on. I have three rifles that I will only shoot off a rest. I doubt if I could hold them offhand.
I know what you mean I can take a sporter that will group around 11/2"@100yds and be damned lucky to hit a 9" pie plate @100yds with it shooting offhand.

Rem. 222

I will never say what my rifle does 30ft up on a platform because I never hunt from a platform.I hunt on the ground and usually have a solid rest.As far as having an accurate gun you must add the guns error to your own shooting error.If the gun is only capable of shooting 9" goups at 300 yards off a bench any shooting error you make could easily cause a miss or wounded animal.If the gun is capable of 2" groups at 300 yards you can still have an error of a few inches and still make a killing shot.

As stubblejumper said, what are we testing here? The gun, the shooter, or the "system", which consists of both? I have a lot of pretty accurate rifles, but I sure can't shoot them as well as I once could. Consequently, I have reduced my personal "MAX EFFECTIVE RANGE" considerably since the 1960's!!

Keep yore powder dry!!

Al F, theres a real good reason why folks dont want to talk about that. Its because most of them have never shot their hunting gun offhand enough to even make a guess about the level of accuracy they might could get. I think you already knew that though.

Al F, Why we worry about the grouping from the bench ? Like you have stated,on the second hanging shoot,if you still have a grip on the cannon,you still must drop it to the terra firma ! It is like a birth record for that gun,you know what i mean ? The,what I call the " IT USE TOO" factor .
I think I know what your point was,on the gun thing,and did think of it as a humorous thought !<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Mounting Man/in PA.

To take the gun/scope/load out of the equation. If I miss i know it's me not the equipment. It is funny though when somebody misses they automatically blame the equipment..they'll head to the range and see if shes still on! Maybe this is what you are saying.
I also believe in the get comfortable, practice and know my technique. I always shoot off hand when at the range and the gun is sighted in. I will shoot standing, kneeling and sitting...cause this is what I would do in the field.

Good point to bring up, we should include other factors in our range time, then groups off a vise or bags!!!!

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I agree with you, to a point, and stubblejumper and skeeter. I know that all of my hunting rifles will shoot well. I practice off the bench so I can take them out of the equation. After I have confidene in my load, I practice offhand and sitting as that is how I hunt. I know that they all shoot MOD, MOM, or MOB. Minute of deer, bear, or moose. That's up to me as I now have total faith in my equipment.