$100K 1/2 MOA rifle?

[Jon Bischof]

So while I agree rifles are not as accurate for 10 shot groups as they are for three. How many of you guys do two shot groups over the course of five days? I think this is more telling of a hunting rifle.

Day 1- cold/dirty and follow up.
Day 2- cold/dirty and follow up.
Day 3- cold/dirty and follow up.
Day 4- cold/dirty and follow up.
Day 5- cold/dirty and follow up.

Same target to me this is realistic hunting accuracy.

Ten shot groups say alot if it is a heavy tactical rifle or for competition.

My hunters with carbon barrels get bad mirage, stay hot waaay to long to shoot a ten shot group. Not to mention, it takes discipline to let a magnum rattle your teeth for ten shots over the course of five minutes.

I have done similar over the course of a few outings to map my cold bores. Just two shots. Same paper sheet, but different dots. Now I will try the same dot on the target over the course of five days with one two shots per day from said rifle.

This is a truly meaningful and more scientific way to test a hunting rifle. It correlates closer to what you can expect when hunting.
No one hunts big game with a warm barrel.

 

[L2land]

Ah, but some of us kill elk using those lowly creedmoors despite the sentiment here that bullets bounce off elk unless shot from magnums.

But no worry, not relevant for this conversation since mine shoots 10 shots into .8-1.1ish depending on the load. Sure, I could cherry pick 3 or 5 into sub .5 but I sure won't take your bet for on-demand.


Its interesting. I'm at the same point as you where I'm loading for buddies with really light magnums and I much prefer a heavier gun with lighter recoil, even for my backpack hunting. What's also interesting is watching some of these guys shoot. They buy a lightweight hunting rifle in XXX magnum, with an accuracy guarantee, but they cannot shoot them worth a ****. Especially once off the bench and practicing actual field conditions. But hey, clearly the rifle MFGs are doing something right to get guys to buy them like candy with those expectations you mention.

Spot on! A friend bought a savage 110 with the proof barrel and has been beside himself as to why he just can't get it to shoot much less than moa after going through various hand loads. I told him "because it's an 8lb 28 Nosler"

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I don't think lighter is less accurate. Heavy is more forgiving and you can get away with alot more, but not more accurate.

You really have to "shoot" your lightweights. Heavies darn near shoot themselves.

I love the lightweights, but 9-10 lbs is my go to for anything I am willing to carry for a ways.

 

[L2land]

How about we add a little Cactus into the mix to give it that Western USA "feel"! memtb

The flat ones that are nearly invisible until you flop down into an excited prone position? Those are game changers.

 

[Jon Bischof]

Lying on the ground to take a shot...not where I hunt. Long way from Montana!

 

[memtb]

Lying on the ground to take a shot...not where I hunt. Long way from Montana!

Maybe, just for the Southern boys, a "saw briar" thicket could be placed between the shooter and the needed shooting position…. and throw in a couple of Copper Heads just for some additional stimulus! memtb

 

[Jon Bischof]

Maybe, just for you, a "saw briar" thicket could be placed between the shooter and the needed shooting position…. and throw in a couple of Copper Heads just for some stimulus! memtb

No need to place them...they are already there. Ever heard of a "Devil's Walking Stick"? They are growing out behind my house right now. Every year I wage war on them and still can't keep them from coming back the next year.

 

[memtb]

No need to place them...they are already there. Ever heard of a "Devil's Walking Stick"? They are growing out behind my house right now. Every year I wage war on them and still can't keep them from coming back the next year.

Not familiar with the "Devil's Walking Stick"…..but growing up in Louisiana, I've been stuck, scratched, sound, or bitten by most things living there! memtb

 

[L2land]

Lying on the ground to take a shot...not where I hunt. Long way from Montana!

It's a small benefit of being in the high cold desert. No snakes that matter here. The only things that bite are usually bugs or bears.

 

[memtb]

It's a small benefit of being in the high cold desert. No snakes that matter here. The only things that bite are usually bugs or bears.

Down here in the "lowlands"…..you can add snakes to your list! memtb

 

[flyguy1]

Nope. I'd surly pull the 5th shot

Yep. Buddy handed me an APS in 7STW, thumbhole stock (never used one before or since), put 4 one on top of the other and the next 2 inches away.

 

[Hondo64d]

Can't tell you how many times I drove home from shooting with a big grin on my face while doing load development with a 3 shot group in the .3's only to load up 20 to verify and finding out that load was complete trash. 3 shot groups are liars! I'll take a 10 shot under 1" over a 3 shot in the .3's

This 100%. ^^^^

John

 

[Hondo64d]

Great article that brings reality to bear.

Precision & Group Size – Statistics for Shooters Part 3

This article is going to dive into the most effective ways to quantify the precision of a rifle and...

precisionrifleblog.com

I think I read recently that the average group size for 100 yard benchrest using cutting edge 6PPC rifles is in the .3s or .4s. Yes, the winning ags are probably in the .1s, but the average is MUCH bigger.

John

 

[Huntnful]

Spot on! A friend bought a savage 110 with the proof barrel and has been beside himself as to why he just can't get it to shoot much less than moa after going through various hand loads. I told him "because it's an 8lb 28 Nosler"

Hahaha that's just the honest reality of it. Sure SOME people have a light magnum that shoots a little better than 1 MOA. But they sure aren't chiming in haha. I think most of us that have shot lightweight magnums find out in a hurry that they aren't a consistently accurate platform to begin with. One .4 group, one .7 group, one 1 MOA group, another .5 group. That's just how they shoot most of the time lol.

I have a 8.4-8.5 28 nosler that shot really well. But i was shooting light bullets and had a killer brake on it. That makes a huge difference compared to a crappy brake and shooting 195's lol.