Accuracy issues - who or what is to blame?

[ajkellerusmc]

Chasing groups tighter than 1/2" has been know to induce madness. Shoot enough rounds into the same paper and it becomes a bug hole

Im going to try this!

 

[WildRose]

What ever you do, DONT start checking you reloads for concentricity with a run out measuring device. It'll give you a good excuse for every rifle you own to shoot like crap.

That's something we understand here but most reloaders have never heard of and wouldn't know where to start. Same with neck tension. They think simply resizing a case, filling it with powder and sticking a bullet in it is the beat all end all of reloading.

It's easy to forget this is a rather elite crowd when it comes to reloading and shooting. We all had to learn too.

 

[WildRose]

A **** poor rifle with crappy ammo, a shooter standing up shooting with no rest, in the wind, and an unknown distance.....if the animal bolts at the last second it may very well run into the bullet. And behold, that shooter will proclaim all over the internet that he made a perfect shot at 900 yards!!

Accidents can and will happen with little or no notice....

It's luck until it becomes repeatable.

 

[Bob Wright]

I miss the paper plate thing at 100 paces. For me that was 120 something steps. All the hunters would take their turns at it. Good to go in 1980!

 

[PatriotHenry]

For "me" If I know the rifle and load are capable of 1/4-1/2" accuracy, then "I" need to work on proper form/technique not blame the rifle. In answer to the OPs question, IMHO "most" quality modern rifles/optics are capable of performing better than the driver, so hopefully us a shooters are being honest with ourselves concerning our abilities. My .02

257 hit the nail on the head there! All my rifles have proven capable of 1/4 type accuracy, can I shoot that good everyday? Not unless I do my part. The nice thing about getting your equipment/loads that fine tuned is it will eliminate a lot of the variables. If group size increases or I miss, I cannot blame anything but myself.

 

[FEENIX]

"It's the Indian, not the equipment!"

Correction, to the point, no pun intended, it is the Indian, not the Arrow.

As noted on my sig line, the "NUT" behind the trigger remains the biggest factor.

 

[Muddyboots]

If you really think about ALL the variables in reloading, rifle build and environmental conditions, how the heck do we hit a 55 gal drum at 100 yards?

 

[Ol' Red]

If you really think about ALL the variables in reloading, rifle build and environmental conditions, how the heck do we hit a 55 gal drum at 100 yards?

Heck, I've done that taking a leak. OK It was off of a cliff and the wind was just right.

 

[FEENIX]

Heck, I've done that taking a leak. OK It was off of a cliff and the wind was just right.

Did you have to adjust for the velocity or BC?

MT and WY have some bad arse winds; here's on one of my hunts ...

 

[Muddyboots]

Ed,
At least you knew where your scent was going!

 

[xsn10s]

I have been reading a lot of threads about guys chasing 1/4-1/2 MOA accuracy with their rifles. I know there are some legit marksman on here, but what are the chances that some of these folks just aren't 1/4-1/2 moa shooters and start blaming their equipment?

When I first got into loading and shooting for accuracy I chased after this. With the right rifle and equipment it's not that hard off the bench. But for hunting I didn't place as much importance on this as consistent POA/POI cold bore shot. For me that was more important for hunting. You'll find shooters blaming equipment when shooter error is at fault. It's pretty easy to rule out if you have a group of good shooting buddies.

 

[FEENIX]

Ed,
At least you knew where your scent was going!

Yessir!

 

[Joefrazell]

Hit statistics start to really open up at distance once the rifle is out of that 3/4-1 moa. Personally, if it won't shoot 1/2 min under "benchrest" conditions then im not happy

 

[Ol' Red]

Did you have to adjust for the velocity or BC?

MT and WY have some bad arse winds; here's on one of my hunts ...

By the time it got to the bottom of the cliff it was "spray and pray" with a striker shotgun. Would not take a chance if wind was in my face.