A Serious Question

[pavementends]

I know that it's hard to believe that I "can" be serious. This will possibly stir-up some large differences of opinion…..hopefully no hard feelings among any!

Obviously, we all want the best accuracy that be had …..within reason! My qualification list should explain.

The question……What should the maximum, repeatable group size be @ 100 yards for this rifle/cartridge/hunter?

First a few qualifiers:

* The rifle used will be of a very practical hunting carry weight….for normal humans. Assuming, some elevation and steep country and up to several miles per day on foot. I'm placing that weight at 9 pounds….scoped, loaded, slung.

* The rifle will not be a "full-blown" custom job…..it can be a factory rifle or semi-custom that is affordable by the average hunter/shooter that may have a family, bills, ect.

This may help the potential LRH what his/her expectations should be!

* The ammunition can be factory or hand loads

* 600 yards will be the maximum yardage that this will be used on a game animal

Let the debate begin! Thanks in advance memtb

To stir the pot, glad you included hunter in the list. After establishing the rifle\cartridge capability I would add the hunter capability. On demand from field positions. I have seen far more 3/4" rifles than 3/4" hunters.

 

[AussieWriter]

Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. The one with the nicest wood will shoot the best.

 

[quandary]

It's interesting that everybody wants a sub 1 MOA lightweight hunting rifle. Go out and shoot 20 or 30 rounds at a single point of aim with that rifle. Under 10%, generously, will be sub 1 MOA over that 20 or 30 rounds. I have plenty of .2 MOA 3 shot groups with all my rifles, none of them are are better than 1ish MOA over a large sample shot at a single point of aim. I know this because I have done it with every rifle I have. We are not talking 25lbs F Class or bench rest rifles in this post.

 

[Teri Anne]

I know that it's hard to believe that I "can" be serious. This will possibly stir-up some large differences of opinion…..hopefully no hard feelings among any!

Obviously, we all want the best accuracy that be had …..within reason! My qualification list should explain.

The question……What should the maximum, repeatable group size be @ 100 yards for this rifle/cartridge/hunter?

First a few qualifiers:

* The rifle used will be of a very practical hunting carry weight….for normal humans. Assuming, some elevation and steep country and up to several miles per day on foot. I'm placing that weight at 9 pounds….scoped, loaded, slung.

* The rifle will not be a "full-blown" custom job…..it can be a factory rifle or semi-custom that is affordable by the average hunter/shooter that may have a family, bills, ect.

This may help the potential LRH what his/her expectations should be!

* The ammunition can be factory or hand loads

* 600 yards will be the maximum yardage that this will be used on a game animal

Let the debate begin! Thanks in advance memt

 

[Teri Anne]

I know that it's hard to believe that I "can" be serious. This will possibly stir-up some large differences of opinion…..hopefully no hard feelings among any!

Obviously, we all want the best accuracy that be had …..within reason! My qualification list should explain.

The question……What should the maximum, repeatable group size be @ 100 yards for this rifle/cartridge/hunter?

First a few qualifiers:

* The rifle used will be of a very practical hunting carry weight….for normal humans. Assuming, some elevation and steep country and up to several miles per day on foot. I'm placing that weight at 9 pounds….scoped, loaded, slung.

* The rifle will not be a "full-blown" custom job…..it can be a factory rifle or semi-custom that is affordable by the average hunter/shooter that may have a family, bills, ect.

This may help the potential LRH what his/her expectations should be!

* The ammunition can be factory or hand loads

* 600 yards will be the maximum yardage that this will be used on a game animal

Let the debate begin! Thanks in advance memtb

Out of the box rifles are more or less my specialty. I have owned and shot most of the popular rifles in a lot of calibers using both factory and hand loaded ammo. Some have been very accurate and others made the ultimate sacrifice and were tossed to the side as useless junk. Yes, they could have been fixed, new custom barrels etc, but why? That is not what I am look for. You want out of the box accuracy, a cartridge that is readily available, and usable out to 600 yards on antelope, deer and up to Elk size game there are two choices in my humble opinion. First is a Tikka T3x in 7mm-08 or 270. My 270 shoots Federal Premium 140 gr out to 300 (haven't shot at longer ranges due to range limitations) with a repeatable group size of 2.10 MOA. I also have a Winchester XPR in 6.8 Western that shoots 0.6 MOA at 100 and 1.3 MOA at 200 shooting Winchester 165 gr factory ammo. (photos from yesterday 11/18 verifying the sighting of the previously sighted in rifle) The photos below is the XPR at 100 yards shooting Winchester 165 gr factory ammo. The 6.8 has a light recoil which I have made even lighter with a target style muzzle brake. Recoil is close to that of a 243. The availability of the heavier bullets makes it a very good all around rifle from antelope to brown bear.

 

[memtb]

The 6.8 has a light recoil which I have made even lighter with a target style muzzle brake. Recoil is close to that of a 243. The availability of the heavier bullets makes it a very good all around rifle from antelope to brown

Teri Anne, we were walking "lockstep" "arm in arm"……until that last sentence. Unless you're talking about a typical sized "brown color phase" Black Bear!

I too believe that the 6.8 is a really good cartridge, except for the metric designation! But, Brown Bear may be just a bit above it's "pay grade"! I'll forgive you for that slight transgression! memtb

 

[GUNNNN]

I know that it's hard to believe that I "can" be serious. This will possibly stir-up some large differences of opinion…..hopefully no hard feelings among any!

Obviously, we all want the best accuracy that be had …..within reason! My qualification list should explain.

The question……What should the maximum, repeatable group size be @ 100 yards for this rifle/cartridge/hunter?

First a few qualifiers:

* The rifle used will be of a very practical hunting carry weight….for normal humans. Assuming, some elevation and steep country and up to several miles per day on foot. I'm placing that weight at 9 pounds….scoped, loaded, slung.

* The rifle will not be a "full-blown" custom job…..it can be a factory rifle or semi-custom that is affordable by the average hunter/shooter that may have a family, bills, ect.

This may help the potential LRH what his/her expectations should be!

* The ammunition can be factory or hand loads

* 600 yards will be the maximum yardage that this will be used on a game animal

Let the debate begin! Thanks in advance memtb

For my part I like my 6.5 prc, your first cold bore shot has to be spot on because you're not going to get a practice shot. I can shoot well enough to go further but I limit myself to 600yds at any animal that's not a varmit. Or a varmint that's shooting at me LOL