When is it "good enough?"
 

I was just wondering what level of accuracy and at what range most of you are satisfied with when getting ready for deer hunting? I know some people live in open country and some in dense cover but I guess what I'm getting at is, does it make sense to spend the time getting a 1.375" group down to a 1/2" group shooting off a bench when you could be working on snap shooting and follow up shots at moving targets? I don't think that 7/8" difference is enough to worry about at practical ranges when you take the sandbags away. What do you all think?

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

For deer, I would have to say you have reached your limit when you can't keep three shots in six inches, from a "field position". Groups from the bench are meaningless. Try sitting, offhand, et al, and you know your yardage limit when you can't group six inches.

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

If I can get 1 1/4" groups at 100 yards with my rifle and the ammo I intend to use I'm a happy camper and ready to go hunting

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

Personally...............I LOVE to see those holes touching each other. :D

However, for all practical purposes, when hunting an animal as big as deer...................as long as you can put all of your shots on a 9" paper plate at your intended hunting distance and from you hunting "hold" - you stand at least a 95% chance of making a good clean kill.

Drop that to a consistent 6" circle and you're gonna be known as "killer" back at camp :)

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

Since I hunt from ambush spots, all of my shots are off the bench type shots. That is I have a good rest ready before the deer even come out on the wheat fields. Many times I am laying down where I can get both elbows on the ground. The worst rest I would have would be a log or post to rest on. 90 percent of my shots are lying down. There for if my rifle will hit within 2 inches of the point of aim at 200 yards then I am all set. I try to have everything shooting 1 1/2 inches or better at 100 yards

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

Ya I hunt with my rifles/handguns for about 4-5 weekends a year, the rest of the year I use them at the range, they don't get much rest.
I will practice off hand/field positions for month or two prior to the season and if I can get them in 3-6" I'm 'good enough' to go.

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

I concur completely, Hardhitn06.... just how much accuracy is enough ? As for me, I consider that if my rifles will do 1" at 100 yds (1 MOA).... that is good enough for benchrest practice. Obviously, I try to shoot better than that... and it happens that my current rifles will both do better than that. My adopted "standard" for hunting practice (which I do as much as possible) is: all shots within a 6" ring at 100 yds....8" ring at 200 yds.... while allowing myself 10 seconds per shot, maximum. I don't hunt anywhere (as of yet, anyway) where shots of more than 150 yds are possible. I have achieved 80-90 % success on this, rather consistently. (I'm working to raise that standard to near 100%... if my old eyes will allow it.) I do my "field practice" from a variety of positions, mostly off-hand (standing)... and kneeling or sitting, with elbow on knee. Like most people, I have the greatest difficulty being consistent from the standing, off-hand position. I prefer
to rapidly go into a crouch, with one knee down. (I practice this regularly.) I also enjoy "snap-shooting" at higher rates of fire than 10 sec. per shot, but I am not 80-90% yet on that (I'm not at all sure that I'll ever achieve this.) Practice, practice, practice. Since I enjoy shooting so much, practice for me is a pleasure.
Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to practice on moving targets - though I would very much like to.....

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

I reload for my BAR 30-06 and first I like to find the right load combo that gives me real tight groups from the bench. I want to know that if the shot is off, it's my fault. Got this .35" CTC from bench using Nosler 180 grn Ballistic Tips on top of IMR 4350.



Once I get the rifle shooting tight groups from the bench, I practice shooting off-hand, and from a sitting position. Also practice follow up shots. For this type of practice I use the same 5 1/2" shoot-n-see targets as pictured above with the objective of keeping all shots in the black.

When I can consistently keep them all in the black......I'm ready to go hunting!

firstshot

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

Thanks for the replies and by all means keep 'em coming!
I was just noticing how obsessed I was becoming with trying to get "the best group possible consistently". Meanwhile I need to work on such skills like field shooting, judging yardage and actually tracking deer. After all, you can't lug that bench along with you!:D

RE: When is it "good enough?"
 

Well for me accuracy is part of this hobbie we have. I am alway trying to get better groups. I have many hunting rifles grouping near 1/2" but will accept 1". I have a rem 597 set up with the same trigger pull and scope as most of my hunting rifles so I can practice shooting. A thousand rounds through it a few hundred through the hunting rifles and I fell quite confident I'm more than ready. Have you ever gone rabbit hunting with a .300 wim mag? After a few dozen rabbit a deer looks like a barn door.