Degrees Of Rifle Accuracy by Ian McMurchy

[Greyfox]

I can sum this up in three words!

FACTORY RIFLES SUCK!!

I think at some point in our lives we will all observe that sometimes factory rifles suck, sometimes custom rifles suck, and sometimes the shooter sucks.

 

[FEENIX]

I think at some point in our lives we will all observe that sometimes factory rifles suck, sometimes custom rifles suck, and sometimes the shooter sucks.

True dat !!!

... and sometimes, the shooter will almost always blame it on the rifle. lightbulbgun)

 

[56Wrecker]

It has been quite a few years since I have done much shooting.
BUT...prior to that...I did MUCH shooting and reloading and making bullets..lead AND jacketed. ...and a LOT of Hunting in Colorado and Wyoming.

I've seen some QUITE ACCURATE "off-the-shelf" factory rifles.
NOT "Benchrest" accurate, mind you ...but certainly within 1 min./angle accuracy.

I had a HEAVY Barrelled (Varmint) 25-06 Ruger M77 bolt-action that would shoot with the BEST HUNTING RIFLES around. And I NEVER changed the factory trigger ! I killed a LOT of Deer and Pronghorn with THAT rifle!

(I did put Timney triggers on a few of my rifles...including a CUSTOM 280 Rem. Ackley Improved....1903 Springfield....also a favorite.....AND my FAVORITE ACTION.)

On long-range shooting....I more or less QUIT it....because I aimed for a Pronghorn's head once at about 700 yards....and shot his jaw off. Couldn't catch him. Figured he starved to death. So..I quit trying those uncertain shots.

I DID however...later...kill a prairie dog at 625 yards with a 220 Swift...(again a heavy-barrelled Ruger M77).

Those were FUN DAYS.....now that I'm old....I'm GLAD that I have those memories.....even IF the young-folks don't believe me. Ha-Ha !!!

I did it. THAT is what matters to me.

56 Wrecker

 

[Standbanger]

I am mostly a hunter that really likes accurate rifles. I pretty much shoot Remington Bolt Actions but all my rifles have had work done to them. Such as stocks, triggers, and 1 has been re-barreled. I am not a great shot but my rifles are not the reason for that. When I do make it to the range. I am amazed at how much better I am than most folks at the range. Some of these folks cannot shoot at all. I did however meet a guy shooting a Steyr that was busting clay targets at 200 yds standing free handed. The clays were lying on the burm not being thrown.

 

[ArtC]

I liked the article. You compared the TC Encores to a high end custom rig. I don't have any custom guns. However I have 4 Encores. Two of them are 15" pistols that shoot VERY good groups I feel for a pistol. The .223 Rem likes "cheap" Remington ammo and will shoot .350 groups all day at 100yds. One is in 7mm-08 and it does a little better than 1" with factory ammo if you do your part. The one that drives me crazy is the 28" pro hunter. I had high hopes for it. I was looking for a tack driver when I bought it. I cant seem to get it to shoot anything under 2" groups. Some of them are 3+. I have tried 30 different hand loads. My little model seven rem in 7mm-08 will out shoot it. (2" groups when breaking in the barrel with the 25lb factory trigger).I guess some of them just don't shoot out of the box! I said I had 4 encores. The last one is a 12" 454 Casull. I can't really tell how accurate it is because of the vicious recoilgun). I struggle to shoot it well because of that. The muzzle blast will make up for the missed shot ha ha......Jim

I realize these post are old, but recent or old, it seems the same rantings prevail. I'm 64 yrs old and have been shooting in rife comps for over 30yrs. " two 15" PISTOLS very good groups for a pistol .350 ALL DAY @ 100yds." Come on guy; our last year "shooter of the year" scores avg are as follows, using 3-4000.00 thousand dollar rigs. AR .544 fac bolt .444 custom .352 PLEASE: Art

 

[Wisconsin Big Foot]

After reading the original article and skimming over many postings, I don't see what I believe is the most important step in accuracy. Hand-loading a selected load with EXACTLY the same weight charge. I started hand loading for my fathers customized 1937 K98 Mauser he brought back from North Africa. I've done many tricks to this beauty like Cryo treating the barrel, bedding the action and free-floating the barrel, designing and making a custom muzzle brake that eliminates ALL recoil; but the final piece is measuring the powder so exactly that I add or take out one speck of powder. My loads chronograph within 10 FPS with several exactly the same out of ten shots. My best 3 shot group at 100 yds with 150 gr. Speer bullets @ 2900 fps is a 5/16 circle through the center of all three holes touching each other. A penny covers all the holes. I hunt deer across harvested corn fields @ 250 yards from a blind off a steady rest. I hand load the same way for my .308 AR-10 and my Mauser 66 in .243 and they all shoot within an inch of point of aim on that all important first shot. Since getting serious about accuracy I've never missed a one-shot-kill out of the last 20 plus deer.

 

[hybridfiat]

I hunt occationally with a semi-pro roo shooter.
He expects to get between 30 and 40 kangaroos every night he hunts and they all have to be in the head, clean one shot kills or he cant sell them.
He uses a Sako med action 22-250. Nice gun. He complained that it wasn't shooting well so I took it and piller bedded it just to see if it became consistent again.
Tested it, 1/2moa 5 shot groups with the ammo he gave me.
We went out and he had a go at 100m one night, result... not happy.
I took it and shot a cloverleaf. He took it and it shot beautifully for him.
I dont think it was the bedding or any of my ministrations to the rifle it was his confidence in it that was lacking.
I see that as a forgotten point in shooting, confidence and being secure in the knowledge that the rifle CAN perform really does improve the shot.gun)

 

[Farooq Ansari]

I have just got my new Blaser R-93 Professional in 3006 caliber with a FIber stock, using a 30 mm Zeiss adjustable Red dot with Blaser saddle mounts using a 180 grain Winchester Accua Bond I am getting my 4 shot groups under 1 inch, have done no adjustments its just straight out off the box.

 

[Farooq Ansari]

I would be highly obliged if some long range shooter would advise as to what would be the difference on point of impact if one is too use rifle on higher altitude and cold weather condition ( could be-20 degree), at present I am using a Blaser R-93 30/06 Professional in synthetic stock using a 180gr Winchester Acca Bond with Ziess 2x8-42 Duralit adjustable Red dot at present my rifle is sighted 1.50 inches high at 100yds which shoots around 4 inch below at 200 now do I need to adjust scope for this hight and cold weather conditions or use a lighter bullet. the are around where I am is around 2500 to 3000 ft above sea and the place where I am headed would be 10to12 the range would be 250 to 300 yds.

 

[benchracer]

First, you would be best served by starting your own thread in the appropriate sub forum:

Rifles, Bullets, Barrels and Ballistics - Long Range Hunting Online Magazine

Doing that will see to it that more people see your question, thus increasing the chance that you will receive the answer that you are looking for.

As to your question, use of a ballistics program would help you get the answers you are looking for. You can find an example of one online here:

JBM - Calculations - Trajectory (Simplified)

The information you obtain from the calculator is not likely to be exact, but it will be close. You will still need to verify the data and fine tune your zero by shooting at distance.