How accurate are sporter weight barrels?

[Creedmoor shooter]

Thanks for the help guys, I think I'm going to go with the browning x-bolt eclipse hunter in a 7mm RM. This will be a hunting rifle so im trying to keep it lighter. Ive been impressed with every browning I've shot so far so I'm going to stick with what i like and am comfortable with.

 

[StrutNut]

For lighter I would also consider the Savage Bear Hunter in 300 Short Mag. It is about a pound lighter than the LRH. I have been looking at both rifles for some time and it looks like I am getting the Bear Hunter. I am opting for the 300 win mag myself. It is going to be my go to hunting rifle. I am thinking of putting a Nightforce SHV on it. I was really liking the LRH as well but that pound of savings was the difference to me.

 

[wbm]

Ive been impressed with every browning I've shot so far so I'm going to stick with what i like and am comfortable with.

+1. Good idea.

What he's learned all about is his cold bore accuracy.

This is exactly what Carlos Hathcock taught in sniper classes in Vietnam. His original 30-06 rifle was a Winchester 70 hunting rifle.
Not precision by any means but he used it to great advantage because he knew with high certainty where that first bullet from a cold bore was going to go. Bottom line? His initial cold bore shots were extremely accurate.

 

[StrutNut]

Exactly what us bowhunters go by. The only arrow that matters is that first one.

 

[wbm]

For sure. Takes a little work and sometimes a few days but once you adjust your hunting rifle/scope combination for that initial cold bore shot you won't miss unless you just blow the shot.

 

[Mikecr]

Cold bore load development takes huge efforts.
Months,, with at least one of them in the gun's season.

It isn't just adjusting scope zero from hot grouping..
If you're first shot, first day, is 3/4moa out from mark, are you gonna adjust your scope?
Then with your second shot(the next day), you hit 1/2moa out opposite your first shot. You gonna adjust your scope again?
By the third day, when POI doesn't follow efforts so far, you'll be lost as a nine eyed dog!
Start over..

But the good news is, once you've worked it out, and you're not burning ~40grs too much powder, or BR shooting a bunch, and you've logged every parameter carefully and taking meticulous care of the gun; you can successfully hunt with it(within proven capabilities) for the rest of your life.
No more work, all play.

 

[HNDLDR]

+1 on the Browning X Bolt. While our barrels aren't 26" my wife's 7mm-08 and my 25-06 are both 1/2 MOA sporter weight barrels.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Cold bore load development takes huge efforts.
Months,, with at least one of them in the gun's season.

It isn't just adjusting scope zero from hot grouping..
If you're first shot, first day, is 3/4moa out from mark, are you gonna adjust your scope?
Then with your second shot(the next day), you hit 1/2moa out opposite your first shot. You gonna adjust your scope again?
By the third day, when POI doesn't follow efforts so far, you'll be lost as a nine eyed dog!
Start over..

But the good news is, once you've worked it out, and you're not burning ~40grs too much powder, or BR shooting a bunch, and you've logged every parameter carefully and taking meticulous care of the gun; you can successfully hunt with it(within proven capabilities) for the rest of your life.
No more work, all play.

Here's a question. I fired one shot every morning for six days. The group measured 1 1/16". The group was centered about 2" above the bull. Is that accuracy or precision or neither?

 

[stonehands1]

Here's a question. I fired one shot every morning for six days. The group measured 1 1/16". The group was centered about 2" above the bull. Is that accuracy or precision or neither?

I accurately as I can tell it would depend on how precisely you were aiming.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I was aiming to hit 2" above the bull. Is that the answer to the question you were asking?

 

[stonehands1]

Precisely

 

[Mikecr]

Here's a question. I fired one shot every morning for six days. The group measured 1 1/16". The group was centered about 2" above the bull. Is that accuracy or precision or neither?

The 1 1/16" grouping is precision.
Accuracy is the furthest impact produced from center of aim (not center of group).
And don't confuse trueness with accuracy.

 

[Rich Coyle]

And don't confuse trueness with accuracy.

You're not goning to bring up religion are you?

 

[stonehands1]

This thread is (truly) starting to look like one of those flyers you get when your trying to shoot with great precision. I hope I said that accurately.