Best groups W/O a rest
 

I often hear about everybody's best groups. Some are downright amazing as I've seen the targets posted.
But how good are you at 100 yards, when using nothing but your gun and the bench. You know, just your own body for support....crook of the elbow...whatever style you find that off the bench, with no other forms of support or rest, gives you the best accuracy...
And what is your best group, from what rifle, when going "naked" at the bench???

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

Average, iron sights:

Shooting position: standing, using the carrying strap as support, at 100 meters about 2".
Shooting position: Down on the ground, elbow and on side, at 100 meters about 1.75"


Rifle: Valmet 76, 7.62 x 39, Lapua made military ammunition.

Best group with a Sako 92 freehand down on the ground, .92 of an inch, 5 shot group.

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

Those groups, my friend, are exceptional.
I assume you are reporting your best groups ever. And with iron sights too? Wow. You must have a decent peep or other receiver sight. With a standard buckhorn or rear v-site (as in express sights) that would be even better.

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

Iron sights 2" at 100yds with no sand bags, STANDING? You're the man.

I'd say that with a scope and no bags I could probably shoot 3" groups pretty consistently with any of my deer rifles. Maybe some would spread out to 4", but that's OK. I won't shoot much over 100 yds at a deer, and as long as I can hit within that 8" kill zone, I'm happy.

The real test comes from shooting off hand. That'll separate the men from the boys in a hurray. LOL

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

8mm/06 yes, both my own 76 as well as the Sako sport very, very decent aparature sights, diopter type (a bit like the M1 but a bit more easy to work with and they provide a clearer view of the target) Too, I must admit my eyesight is perfect. Furthermore, I'm very familiar with the Valmet, have been shooting that rifle for about as long as I can remember.

Using a belt to steady a rifle is not any less stable sandbags, but it is a lot harder to learn to do it properly. Thus, shooting from a standing position isn't that much harder than from sandbags.

From a position on the ground, your bodymass becomes a stable platform, and using the belt, or carrying strap in the same way as standing up, almost locks the rifle in place.

Pro-line: haha... Sir, most here would consider me a boy...but thank you anyway.

oh, and 6 years of training for the junior biathlon team also helps I think...

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

I wish I could shoot off hand like I could in my youth. I used to be able to keep any of my rifles 2" or less at any given day at 100 yards using open sights. I'd take a typical 14-16 oz can placed at 50yards after the first shot keeping the can moving along the ground until the mag was empty on my old 740 woodmaster. I use to say I'd shoot the flea off a dog's tail at 100 yards and if were wag'n I'd use a scope.
The best hunting shots that come to mind was a crow at appoximately 450 yards ,just ploped down into a sitting position figured distance and took hold I need , one hole dead center of breast. That was with my 740 woodmaster with a 3x9 Redfield shooting 180gr roundnose. The other was an antelope off hand at 324 paces which for me works out to somewhere around 290 yards. Just wrapped sling on arm and shot. That was a Mark V 30 wby mag 180 nos part.
I still own the 740 , but my Weatherby is long gone.

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

Never measured any groups, but at 100, I can hit a 20 oz coke bottle all day long standing with my .22.

At 200, I have no problem hitting the bull 10 out of 10 times while shooting highpower matches with my Garand standing. Bull is approximately 12" in diameter. Shooting prone, at the same distance, my groups are probably 1/2 the size. Its hard to judge, as I'm shooting a 2-2.5 moa rifle nearly to its potential from prone. I'm still learning.;)

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

Thanks gentlemen (and ladies should you choose to join the discussion),
My point was to find out how many go to the range and enjoy the challenge of shooting other that nestled in a pile of sandbags, owl-ears etc. Sans stable rifle rests...ya know...shooting naked
I always like to use all the bags and stuff to see just how good the rifle shoots.
Then I like to lose all the equipment to see how good I shoot. I utilize my slings when standing or sitting, my skeleton when kneeling, and the crook of my arm when seated at the bench (after I'm done with the sand bags).
I'll often take a lean against one of the posts near the benches at my range just as I might do against a tree.
When I'm done with all that I know how good I am at shooting my rifles.....which shoot better than me every trip to the range!

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

Vesi, with those results you could almost be an olympic shooter.

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

Honestly, standing, about 6" at 100 yards. And thats a good day with a scope.
Sitting, with my knees as a rest, maybe 4" at 100 yards.

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

I dont have a rifle but with my 12 ga Mossberg rifled barrle open sights 100 yards I'd say about 6 inches and with my Traditions in-line Scope about 5 inches

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

Does a bipod count as a rest? I get 1.5MOA groups at 200yrds with my Ruger 77-II off a bipod kneeling, a little better if I put my butt in the dirt, prone off a short harris might as well be over a bench, I get .75" at 100yrds with it.

I got an SKS with a spike bayonet, sometimes I'll lay prone and stab that spike into the dirt, instant rest, about 1.25" groups at 100yrds with that set up! Not bad from a SKS and Remington in-accurates....I mean core-lokts!

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

I can keep all of my guns inside 4-5" at 100 yards. I never shoot off of a bench really, just don't enjoy it as much. My favorites are my 45/70's, and once you learn to play the rainbow with them, they are one of the most accurate guns out there short and long range. Very predictable round I would assert. I shoot off of the ground, sitting, off-hand, all the shots that I would take in the field. I like to think of myself as a Quigley in the making!!;). :eek::eek::eek:

RE: Best groups W/O a rest
 

About 2" sitting with a savage 99 300 savage peep sight at 100 yards, everything else i have a tendancy to shoot off the bench.