hunting rifle accuracy

[StanleyActual]

You seem to be the Unicorn, I have seen many (many, many) posts by those claiming to "hunt" with rifles exceeding 12 pounds. Then there are the large optics (spotting scopes, range finders,), many with moderately heavy bipods (attached to the rifle) or even a few with tripods capable of making standing shots, ect.

All of this gear associated with long range hunting used by some…..adds up to many pounds. All this can be easily done with horses and friends, or driving to an overlook as an example, ect.

Those hunting on foot, in rough country, often covering several to many miles per day with the aforementioned gear…..would be put into an rather extreme situation physically! Doable yes…..but by a very small percentage of those carrying a hunting license! JMO memtb

Lotta guys hunting with Remington Senderos. Easy 10-11lbs with optic.

Not all Hunting situations / ranges / climate and environments are the same. Not all Hunting requires spending days on end busting brush, up and down mountains at altitude.

The situation, and personal capabilities will dictate the tools an individual decides to take.

 

[memtb]

Not all Hunting situations / ranges / climate and environments are the same. Not all Hunting requires spending days on end busting brush, up and down mountains at altitude.

The situation, and personal capabilities will dictate the tools an individual decides to take.

On a slightly different subject……is the Idaho law prohibiting 50 BMG rifles still in effect? memtb

 

[StanleyActual]

w

On a slightly different subject……is the Idaho law prohibiting 50 BMG rifles still in effect? memtb

Don't believe that was ever a law in Idaho

 

[memtb]

w


Don't believe that was ever a law in Idaho

I'm pretty sure it was passed in the late '80's. I had, a few years earlier, moved to Wyoming…..the article was in a local newspaper!

There may have been some specific language….but, I distinctly remember seeing the photo showing 2 or 3 guys, a 50 BMG (McMillan I think) with a guy sitting behind it, with large spotting scope on a tripod, a rangefinder (military surplus I think), on top of a ridge, watching across a large draw. Just guessing the range was 1 mile maybe more! There was much written pertaining to hunting sportsmanship or lack thereof! memtb

 

[Texis]

I hunt in the Texas panhandle. Not uncommon to cover 15-20 miles a day on 4 wheelers stopping to glass for mule deer and whitetail. We don't walk anywhere, no mountains to climb, etc. except from the truck to the bike.
my rifle is a 708 Savage action, 26" Shilen varmint in a Choate stock with a NF optic, it weights 14lbs and is so long it won't fit in most rifle cases LOL… but I don't carry it, the 4 wheeler does (see signature).
This IS my hunting rifle and it commonly prints .3 to .5 at the range with 140 VLD hunting bullets.
Not all "hunting" rifles need to be light, or short, or quick to get on target… as has been mentioned. Rifles are like tools, different jobs require different tools

 

[StanleyActual]

I hunt in the Texas panhandle. Not uncommon to cover 15-20 miles a day on 4 wheelers stopping to glass for mule deer and whitetail. We don't walk anywhere, no mountains to climb, etc. except from the truck to the bike.
my rifle is a 708 Savage action, 26" Shilen varmint in a Choate stock with a NF optic, it weights 14lbs and is so long it won't fit in most rifle cases LOL… but I don't carry it, the 4 wheeler does (see signature).
This IS my hunting rifle and it commonly prints .3 to .5 at the range with 140 VLD hunting bullets.
Not all "hunting" rifles need to be light, or short, or quick to get on target… as has been mentioned. Rifles are like tools, different jobs require different tools

Exactly. Be interesting to ask Shane how many sub 10lb 338 Edges he's built over the years

 

[lancetkenyon]

This is a minimum of how accurate and precise I want my hunting rifles. 6" steel at 731 yards. Cold bore, cold shooter. This rifle will shoot in the .2s or better at 100.

 

[memtb]

I hunt in the Texas panhandle. Not uncommon to cover 15-20 miles a day on 4 wheelers stopping to glass for mule deer and whitetail. We don't walk anywhere, no mountains to climb, etc. except from the truck to the bike.
my rifle is a 708 Savage action, 26" Shilen varmint in a Choate stock with a NF optic, it weights 14lbs and is so long it won't fit in most rifle cases LOL… but I don't carry it, the 4 wheeler does (see signature).
This IS my hunting rifle and it commonly prints .3 to .5 at the range with 140 VLD hunting bullets.
Not all "hunting" rifles need to be light, or short, or quick to get on target… as has been mentioned. Rifles are like tools, different jobs require different tools

We do some similar "hunting" in all country having a bit of grade…..on the same day within hours we may be hunting in heavy timber. It would be extremely impractical to carry enough equipment to cover all types of hunting…..compromises must be made! memtb

 

[memtb]

Exactly. Be interesting to ask Shane how many sub 10lb 338 Edges he's built over the years

Is that…..scoped, fully loaded, and slung? memtb

 

[StanleyActual]

I'm pretty sure it was passed in the late '80's. I had, a few years earlier, moved to Wyoming…..the article was in a local newspaper!

There may have been some specific language….but, I distinctly remember seeing the photo showing 2 or 3 guys, a 50 BMG (McMillan I think) with a guy sitting behind it, with large spotting scope on a tripod, a rangefinder (military surplus I think), on top of a ridge, watching across a large draw. Just guessing the range was 1 mile maybe more! There was much written pertaining to hunting sportsmanship or lack thereof! memtb

Yeah no shortage of "opinions" out there…

 

[Maol]

Good read. Written by Gus Fisher, one of the premier M1 and M14 builders

The Carlos Hathcock Method of Sighting in a Rifle.

www.m14forum.com

Read it many times, even saved a copy somewhere. Ever since it has been my method as well. One shot a day no matter the conditions.

 

[cajun]

I've always felt that whatever groups your rifle shot from a bench under ideal conditions you can probably double that shooting in field conditions. Your excited, out of breath maybe having to set up in an improvised shooting position. Or maybe the game is moving and you have to hurry and set up. That one moa rifle might turn out to be 2 moa under those conditions. I think most folks would do better getting off the bench and doing some real world shooting.

 

[eric1115]

I've often wondered how most of the guys with "0.25 moa if I do my part" rifles would do with a $100 per hit, -$1000 per miss challenge on .3 moa targets every 50 yards from 100 to 600 yards, shot in random order.

Or a sheet with 10 target stickers, and same rules but a "miss" is a shot that does not cut the exact point of aim (as bullet radius with a 6.5 is greater than the radius of a .25 group).

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I'll go halfsies with you...you get to call my wind