RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

Unless a person is going to shoot from a benchrest, I would say be able to hit a 6" circle at any time at any reasonable distance from a sitting, standing, or kneeling position... after doing 25 jumping jacks to warm up abit. Too much emphasis is placed on benchrest results- I know people that can keep all of there shots on a matchbook at 100 yards from sandbags that cannot reliably hit a target the size of a deer's vitals at 50 yards standing.

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

For me the range and ulitmately accuracy is more of a confidence booster, one less factor to contend with if you will. If I know my gun/scope and load are on all I have to worry about is getting the shot opportunity and making good on that opportunity. By practicing it makes you more proficient, familar with equipment/mechanics and set limitations appropriately, which are all very important things when the live target comes strolling into your scope. I have seen guys who can shoot the daylights out of paper but when it comes to game completely different story and vice versa, however these fellas that can shoot still practice just not on paper targets but rather racoons, coyotes, foxes, rabbits, ground squirrels, etc.

Going to the range keeps me involved, challenged and striving for improvements. The size of the group really doesn't matter as long as it provides you with the tools, practice and confidence you need come hunting season. Like other said if you can keep them in 6" circle it should result in game but when you factor in excitment, maybe a bit of fever, elements and not always knowing the exact distance one should try to be as accurate as possible and stay within their limits based on ability. Shooting a 6-8" group off a bench at 300 yards IMO does not make you a 300 yard field shooter, you have to factor in other elements and be realistic, the only way to do this is through practice. Sure you may get lucky but that is leaving a lot to chance. "Lead in the air, hope in the heart" doesn't usually result in meat on the pole or horns on the wall...hail mary's work only 1% of the time, the rest are incomplete passes! ;)

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

I don't think you can ever shoot too much. Its good fun, and our hobby. I hear alot of people say things so "matter of fact on these pages", but fact is, there is no right answer, contrary to what is written. If getting clover leafes makes you happy, keep trying for that. If nice groups gets your confidense up, then keep shooting off the bench. Do what ever makes you happy. And in the end, did you bring home the bacon? This is a gun page, and one of the values of a gun, is accuracy. Worrying about jumping jacks or whatever craziness, if that makes you happy, do it. I know I bring home the meat for my family and even have enough left over for the dog. And thats what matters. You guys don't want to make this work. You want to make it fun.

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

Yea I like to see what my rifles will do within reason from the bench, but once that is done I just practice shooting like I would hunt. I almost never take a totally unsupported off hand shot, and if soo it will be close. I'm usually leaning on a tree, or dropping to a knee. From those types of positions it is fairly easy to hit a 4" circle all the time.

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

Some good points there.

Probably best to have a combination of range shooting (for fun) and "hunting" type shooting practice (for work). But if it comes down to just doing one or the other, I'll go for the latter, especially with today's scoped rifles.

Ultimately, my favorite is a group of 1, hitting within 4 inches of where I aimed (not placed) on the live critter. For hunting purposes, I am loathe to take off-hand shots over 60 yards. A jerry-rigged (field technique) rest of any sort enhances accuracy dramaticaly.

EKM

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

I think if a gun has repeatable accuracy and consistent groups for most of the big game hunting done and at yardages not exceeding 400 yards.

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

i shot my ruger M77 .223 yesterday at 350 yards and i was surprised to see that about all 20 shots hit the 6 inch circle:). i missed 2 times[>:]. i dont ever plan on taking a 350 yard shot with a.223 but im the kind of person that if i know there are limits out there, i must find them.;)

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

a good rest and 1 1/2 inches at 100 yards will kill a deer at 300!

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

People don't like to shoot offhand, because they don't practice it!!

Take a .22 rifle, sight it in at 100 yards, and shoot at reactive targets such as bleachbottles until you can hit it everytime, then progress to smaller targets, such as large sunnydelight bottles, then 20 oz coke bottles, and finally soda cans. a decent .22 should be plenty accurate enough to hit a 20 oz coke bottle at 100 yards every time. If you can do it with a .22, you can do it with a deer rifle. It takes alot fo practice and noone likes to do it because it doesn't look impressive when you are starting out, and is a long steep learning curve. Shoot one at a time, don't get the urge to rapid fire if you have a semiauto. Your offhand shooting should improve dramatically after as few as 500 rds, shooting 2000-3000 rds in practice like this per year- it only takes a few hours per month should make you very proficient if you work hard at it.

I shoot highpower rifle, and can nt only keep all of my shots inthe bull at 200 yards, but can call my shots before they are marked as to where they hit. I shoot the same scores offhand as guys shooting in master classification.

That being said, my worst position is sitting- I don't like shooting from that position, I feel very uncomfortable shooting and don't have a great amount of flexibility. I rarely practice this at the range, but do work on dryfiring at home. Its the one position that keeps me from advancing beyond sharpshoter classification[:@]

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

If I can get 1-1/2” groups at 100 yards then I know my equipment is good enough. The rest is up to me.;)