hunting rifle accuracy

[Munch]

While the rifle gets 99% of the attention with the type of questions posed by the OP...ammunition is often given a glancing thought...if at all. But is equally important.

Assuming the rifle has been built to exacting specifications and assembly techniques (which nearly all custom built by reputable gunsmiths, or top shelf offerings from certain manufacturers), if your ammo isn't up to the task getting the groups the OP speaks of, especially at distance, will prove to be a challenge.

I know my rifles (in a vacuum) are far more capable of producing very tight groups at distance than I am. The environmental variables will always be my handicap.

Back to ammo, I would submit, if your ammo cannot hold a 10fps SD or less than achieving tight, repeatable groups at distance will prove to be a very very difficult task.

Back to the OP, let's assume you opt for a 1 MOA standard of accuracy. Further assume the rifle, ammo and shooter are all capable. A 1 MOA accuracy translates to a satisfactory grouping of 8.347" at 800y. 8+" at 800y can easily mean missing a vital organ or kill zone and wounding game.

Thus, you can see why most prefer .5 MOA capability. But again, if you have a capable rifle and skills, you must check your ammo as well to ensure it is capable of achieving the desired results.

Regarding weight...heavier will always be better helping to achieve the most accurate results. But at what point does the rifle become too heavy and is nothing more than toting a "fine and pleasant misery"? That is an answer each one of us has to decide. But every ounce translates into a burden scouting/hunting the back country hours on end.

 

[billflangjr813]

Don't get me wrong, I want my rifle to shoot well at 100, but I'm more interested in what it does at 400-800 and even beyond shooting steel. If I cannot consistently hit what I am shooting at, at distance, I'm not willing to shoot at an animal at distance.

Move to Florida !! your shots will be under 150 !!

 

[3800fps]

I made a personal standard long ago….1/2 moa or less…for bolt guns.
AR15/10s… need to be 3/4 to 1 moa.

Way easier to accomplish this standard today than it was 30-40 years ago…better barrels, better components, better gadget tools to use.

300yds for any game animal is quite the shot in field conditions…500yds requires an extremely well practiced shooter and intimacy with his equipment….800yds is a doable crapshoot landing a vital organ first round kill shot.
my 6 cents worth

 

[BrentM]

I expect close to .5 moa. Usually when I get .5 on a consistent basis in conditions acceptable for repeatable accuracy to measure, I call it good. I don't shoot magnums that often but there is no reason to expect worse accuracy. You just have to train for the recoil control and focus on breaking the shot more. My primary hunter currently is a 6.5 PRC in a sub 9 lb rifle with suppressor and ammo. It's closer to 8 without a can. That is as light as I prefer to go normally for spotting my own shots. Lighter, and I tend to get bounced off target just enough it's hard to call impact point.

 

[ridgewalker]

My maximum field range I have used is 400 yards. My guns will shoot much better, but I cannot under field conditions. I have shot antelope at 435 yards, but most of my deer/elk hunting is dark timber where shots rarely are over 100 yards.
I don't really have a range close enough that I can practice over 400 yards to be confident under field conditions.

 

[Texis]

I work a load until it is a consistent .5 when at the 100yd bench, hunting conditions are much different. I'll hunt with a .75 load, but typically not with a 1 MOA load.. even though I know the math still works for my distances (400-600). Although not logical, if I can't get a load below 1" the little voice in my head keep saying "something is just not quite right" and it may stop my from trying a shot I know i should be comfortable with.
For me consistency is more important than precision. I spend a ridiculous amount of time and ammo "proving a load". So much time proving I have to clean the barrel.. which means I have to burn another 20-30 before it's right again it's maddening, send help

 

[3800fps]

I expect close to .5 moa. Usually when I get .5 on a consistent basis in conditions acceptable for repeatable accuracy to measure, I call it good. I don't shoot magnums that often but there is no reason to expect worse accuracy. You just have to train for the recoil control and focus on breaking the shot more. My primary hunter currently is a 6.5 PRC in a sub 9 lb rifle with suppressor and ammo. It's closer to 8 without a can. That is as light as I prefer to go normally for spotting my own shots. Lighter, and I tend to get bounced off target just enough it's hard to call impact point.

My experience…has been as rifle weight goes down and cartridge power goes up, gun hold technique becomes increasingly more critical to accuracy.
9 lb gun scope package and non magnums (2506, 270,6.5x, 280 etc) delivering repeatable easy to achieve pinpoint accuracy with minimal practice and without learning sensitive hold techniques.

 

[DoneNOut]

My maximum field range I have used is 400 yards. My guns will shoot much better, but I cannot under field conditions. I have shot antelope at 435 yards, but most of my deer/elk hunting is dark timber where shots rarely are over 100 yards.
I don't really have a range close enough that I can practice over 400 yards to be confident under field conditions.

It's rough shooting when Murphy is having his way with you!

 

[memtb]

quote from 62flint:
"So I asked this question because maybe my expectations where to high for a out of the box production rifle. Even though it's guaranteed to be sub moa"


I'm certainly not saying it's impossible…..but to ask that of an "out of the box production rifle" is asking a lot!

With some bedding, barrel preparation, trigger work, ect. can then put it into the realm of very doable……but then, it's not longer "out of the box production"!

Not trying to be overly critical, as this may be just word semantics, but words do mean things!


Getting into the area that you desire is certainly doable, but may require a little at home tuning! You certainly don't need to go "full blown custom"! Good Luck with your endeavor ! memtb

 

[smokey3]

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^. Because what a rifle can do at 100yds can give a very false impression of what it can do at 600-700-800yds. I've seen a number of rifles print nice tight groups at 100yds and group miserably at extended ranges.

You are correct. I own one of those rifles but I am not giving up on it just yet. Recently put it in a new stock and now I have to find out what, if any, bullets, powder, and primers that it likes. Waiting on some better weather. 6.5x300 Weatherby.

 

[340Wby-4-everything]

Under 1" moa carried out to 800yds puts you in the kill zone of all North American big game even whitetails and antelope. Agree with all, Less moa is much better. Anyone referencing 5 shot groups is not talking about hunting. If you have to take 5 or the animal allows you 5 (you shouldn't eat it or it was a pet), you probably are not or should not be hunting. My elk rifle is a 1/4moa rifle (proven at 100 and 200yds, but I am not 1/4 after that) - I have shot it 1/2-3/4moa to 600yds, my personal, far outside limit for hunting. 505yds on an elk is my longest and may very well always be, but my .340 also has the horsepower for much further than that. As Springfield and Ruark say, "bring enough gun".

 

[horsefor4]

Their is a youtube video on ultimate reloader on this subject you might think you have a .5 moa gun.

 

[sea2summit]

So I'm a little different. I go 1MOA as acceptable but cold bore 10 for 10 must be within 1/2 MOA of my point of aim.

 

[xsn10s]

I live in Virginia. I have family in Montana.
Trying to get a western big game rifle. For elk, mule deer , black bear pronghorn.
Just started working a load up for this rifle.
Just curious as to what most of you expect a hunting rifle to do. The 800 yard limit is my extreme outer limits.
Honestly 500-600 would be my most consistent outer limits. While hunting.
Even though I live in Virginia. I have a 1000 yard range in my back yard. I will shoot that far but they are heavy rifles that are not production out of the box guns.
They are my "golf clubs".
So I asked this question because maybe my expectations where to high for a out of the box production rifle. Even though it's guaranteed to be sub moa

That's awesome. Then I'd say it's whatever rifle you can consistently hit kill zone shots out to 1000 yards. And that would be in field positions. You could set 800 yards as your practise range but since you have the extra distance that will make you that much more prepared for a clean harvest out to 800 yards.