Accuracy
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 538
Accuracy
It just kills me to read how accurate most shooters claim their rifles to be. As I read other threads, most claim to have "shooters" that are Sub-MOA. I believe most of this is pure BS. Most all current production rifles are accurate, but not consistentlt below 1" accurate. I have seen guys shoot 2 boxes of ammo, have 1 group below 1" (the rest in the 2" range), save that group and claim to have a "real shooter". BS! What about the guys claiming to have 1/2" guns? Most people I know do not have the skills to consistently shoot 1/2" even if the rifle can.
I am happy that my 3 rifles can consistently shoot below 2" with an occasional 1" group. If I had to guess, this type of shooting would be welcomed from most on this site so they could CLAIM they have an MOA gun.
I am happy that my 3 rifles can consistently shoot below 2" with an occasional 1" group. If I had to guess, this type of shooting would be welcomed from most on this site so they could CLAIM they have an MOA gun.
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Accuracy
Whats really fun is when you ask them to shoot with ya, and then hear the excuses rolling. I have one honest submoa rifle. I will take anybodies challege that I can pull off a submoa group 4 times out of 5. All the other ones, I would take a bet on them. I got some that will pull it off most of the time. But always get pesky flyers. But I would a bunch are honest 1.5MOA shooters.
But then again, you are on a gun forum. And that means most are more interested in rifles and such than the rest of the crowd. I bet there are a few on here I wouldn't want to bet gun to gun on a challenge
But then again, you are on a gun forum. And that means most are more interested in rifles and such than the rest of the crowd. I bet there are a few on here I wouldn't want to bet gun to gun on a challenge
#3
RE: Accuracy
Yea well all of my rifles shoot .11in groups at 300 yards.Not really. I have 2 that i know can shoot sub-moa. A 30-06 that is between 3/4in and 1in with the right ammo and a 17 HMR where there are ideal conditions. I think my 204 might be able to if i find better ammo but im happe with the 1 1/4in groups im getting with it. The rest of my rifles are between 1 1/2in and 3in except my 223 with is around 15in at 100 yards for some reason.
#4
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Tri Cities, Washington
Posts: 1,616
RE: Accuracy
ORIGINAL: Retaks
except my 223 with is around 15in at 100 yards for some reason.
except my 223 with is around 15in at 100 yards for some reason.
I have a friend that has a 1-8" twist in his 223. His groups were not good at 100 yards (3-4") if I remember right. When he gets to 200 yards and beyond, they tighten up.
Also, the faster twist is for shooting heavier bullets. So, possibly if you have a fast twist with a light bullet, or a slow twist with a heavy bullet, this could be your problem.
#5
RE: Accuracy
I had a different post on here about it. Ive tryed everything to get it right and it just dosnt shoot well. its a Rossi Single shot i got for $100 new just to have in the truck for when im up to mountains. Ive tryed every different type of ammo i could get. I have around 16 half boxes laying around and i know i shot up atleast 10 other full boxes. The best group ive ever got is the first 2 shots out of a cold barrel they will be around 1 in but they are anywhere in the 15in circle.
#6
RE: Accuracy
The better quality guns usually are and should be capable of sub MOA groups. Most sporter weight "afordable" rifles aren't. Although I expect more of my Tikkas, Sakos, etc., I'm happy if my "Remchester" deer rifle shoots 1 1/2" MOA with it's best ammo. Any worse and I sell it off.
I'm am amazed at the amount of rifles shooting 1/4" groups all day long on the internet. I've seen a number of shooters over the years shoot a dozen three shot groups, then pick out the best oneto show people what their rifle will shoot "all day long". I never knew there were so many world class target rifles and world class shooters until I learned about the world wide web
I'm am amazed at the amount of rifles shooting 1/4" groups all day long on the internet. I've seen a number of shooters over the years shoot a dozen three shot groups, then pick out the best oneto show people what their rifle will shoot "all day long". I never knew there were so many world class target rifles and world class shooters until I learned about the world wide web
#7
RE: Accuracy
Most people I know do not have the skills to consistently shoot 1/2" even if the rifle can.
Yes, there's a lot of truth to this. I happen to have had TWO rifles with which I once was able to "consistently" shoot groups of less than 1" @ 100 yards. I still have them, and they MAY still be able to shoot that well. I don't know, because I can't shoot that well any more!
Of course, there's a big question here too. As you noted, ONE .5" group does not make a half-inch rifle! How many tiny groups must a rifle shoot to qualify as a sub-MOA shooter? 2? 5? 25?
On the day I shot this (5-shot) group, I managed to shoot four other groups with that gunthat were similar, but this is the best one. I have not tested the accuracy of this rifle since that day, so can't swear it would do it again. (6mm/.284, 26" Douglas Med. Wgt. Premium Grade barrel, FN action, Leupold 7.5X fixed-power scope.)
Yes, there's a lot of truth to this. I happen to have had TWO rifles with which I once was able to "consistently" shoot groups of less than 1" @ 100 yards. I still have them, and they MAY still be able to shoot that well. I don't know, because I can't shoot that well any more!
Of course, there's a big question here too. As you noted, ONE .5" group does not make a half-inch rifle! How many tiny groups must a rifle shoot to qualify as a sub-MOA shooter? 2? 5? 25?
On the day I shot this (5-shot) group, I managed to shoot four other groups with that gunthat were similar, but this is the best one. I have not tested the accuracy of this rifle since that day, so can't swear it would do it again. (6mm/.284, 26" Douglas Med. Wgt. Premium Grade barrel, FN action, Leupold 7.5X fixed-power scope.)
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mtn. Hse. Alberta
Posts: 823
RE: Accuracy addiction
If I was a bench rest target shooter or if I shot woodchucks at 300 yards, I would be pretty fussy about "sub MOA" capability from my rifle.
But I am just a run of the mill hunter who shoots at moose, bearand elk, deer,pronghorn and coyotes. I consentrate on teying to get within my effective range of my game and making a killing shot into the chest cavity at around 100 yards or less. If I have to I can make a shot too 200 or 250. (If I am hunting with my Win. M70 in.264 win mag. I can really stretch that out to 300 yards I suppose).
I am not as rich and smart and handsome as I sometimes claim and my rifles do not shoot as accurately as I sometimes claim. But they do the job.
Robin in Rocky
But I am just a run of the mill hunter who shoots at moose, bearand elk, deer,pronghorn and coyotes. I consentrate on teying to get within my effective range of my game and making a killing shot into the chest cavity at around 100 yards or less. If I have to I can make a shot too 200 or 250. (If I am hunting with my Win. M70 in.264 win mag. I can really stretch that out to 300 yards I suppose).
I am not as rich and smart and handsome as I sometimes claim and my rifles do not shoot as accurately as I sometimes claim. But they do the job.
Robin in Rocky
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 1,284
RE: Accuracy addiction
Good post!, i agree it's fun to talk about the one holers but thats mostly what it is, talk!
I use to be real fussy about the accuracy of my rifles but i think there's alot of truth to the statement "with age comes wisdom". I use to beat myself up trying to get a rifle to shoot in the same hole, did i ever do that? NO!, will i ever do that?, of course not and neither will anyone else.
I use to be so caught up with the accuracy hype that it completely took the fun out of reloading for a while. It became more of a job than a hobby and it wasn't fun anymore. Seems i forgot why i started reloading to begin with and that was so i could shoot more myself and with the kids which IMO is where 99.9% of your accuracy will come from to begin with....shooting more!
Don't get me wrong here, everyone loves to shoot an accurate rifle at least i know i dobut how accurate does it need to be. Iguess that depends on each individual and what type hunting they intend to do. The best group i've ever shot was with a 25.06 that measured 0.325 but that surely didn't make that rifle a 1/2" shooter.Have i ever shot like that again?, another NO! I guess the stars must have been lined up right or something that day .I went around with a big head for a while saying yeah i got a 1/2" rifle but that wasuntil i got back on the bench and reality set inand i done good to get it to shoot 1".
Very seldom will i be presented with ashot that will be 300yds so i don't need that. Heck a 2" moa rifle will still be in a 6" kill zone at 300yds if you can put it there. My main two rifles are a 25.06 and a 30.06 and both will shoot consistently around1" at 100yds if i do my part and i'm pleased with that and the days they (I)shoot 1-1/4"-1-1/2" i'm pleased with that as well.
Idon't have the time or the patience anymoreto get caught up in the 1/2" moa, tack driving, one holerstuffsoi leave itto those who do.I spend my timethese days reloadingto shootwhich is why i started reloading to begin withandguess what?......thingsare so much simpler!
I use to be real fussy about the accuracy of my rifles but i think there's alot of truth to the statement "with age comes wisdom". I use to beat myself up trying to get a rifle to shoot in the same hole, did i ever do that? NO!, will i ever do that?, of course not and neither will anyone else.
I use to be so caught up with the accuracy hype that it completely took the fun out of reloading for a while. It became more of a job than a hobby and it wasn't fun anymore. Seems i forgot why i started reloading to begin with and that was so i could shoot more myself and with the kids which IMO is where 99.9% of your accuracy will come from to begin with....shooting more!
Don't get me wrong here, everyone loves to shoot an accurate rifle at least i know i dobut how accurate does it need to be. Iguess that depends on each individual and what type hunting they intend to do. The best group i've ever shot was with a 25.06 that measured 0.325 but that surely didn't make that rifle a 1/2" shooter.Have i ever shot like that again?, another NO! I guess the stars must have been lined up right or something that day .I went around with a big head for a while saying yeah i got a 1/2" rifle but that wasuntil i got back on the bench and reality set inand i done good to get it to shoot 1".
Very seldom will i be presented with ashot that will be 300yds so i don't need that. Heck a 2" moa rifle will still be in a 6" kill zone at 300yds if you can put it there. My main two rifles are a 25.06 and a 30.06 and both will shoot consistently around1" at 100yds if i do my part and i'm pleased with that and the days they (I)shoot 1-1/4"-1-1/2" i'm pleased with that as well.
Idon't have the time or the patience anymoreto get caught up in the 1/2" moa, tack driving, one holerstuffsoi leave itto those who do.I spend my timethese days reloadingto shootwhich is why i started reloading to begin withandguess what?......thingsare so much simpler!