Knowing how your gun shoots

[archp625]

I just bought a new gun. Forget about the caliber or kind. I can shoot five 3 hot groups and get different results. Can shoot two and get 0.5-0.6." Then I can shoot three others and get 0.7-0.9." So if my gun a 0.55" gun or a 0.8" gun. This is a factory gun and factory ammo.

I know in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter but its driving me nuts.

 

[ruby76]

Are you shooting these groups back to back or letting it cool?

 

[FIGJAM]

My guess would be the inconsistencies in the factory ammo.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

It's a .9MOA gun.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Maybe you could find a 12 step program to help you cope with this expectation.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

All groups of the same bullet weight? My Tikka 300WSM favors the heavier 180gn class bullets over the 165gn.

 

[Salmonchaser]

When I was on the job I probably made it to the range one day/week three out of four weeks month. Logged absolutely every shot fired out of four different rifles over 20 years. I'm guessing at about 10 years I started saving my cold barrel target in a note book. Date time conditions noted on the target. Three rifles, hundreds of rounds, factory ammo, good days bad days throw out a few outliers, one ragged one inch hole.
So for your next 10 range trips save that one cold barrel target, exact same aiming point, overlay them and measure. There you have it, particularly if it's a hunting rifle. That'll give you an honest picture of you and your rifles capabilities. Good days bad days, can you ring the steel right now. Now stop driving yourself nuts.

 

[kraig]

When I was on the job I probably made it to the range one day/week three out of four weeks month. Logged absolutely every shot fired out of four different rifles over 20 years. I'm guessing at about 10 years I started saving my cold barrel target in a note book. Date time conditions noted on the target. Three rifles, hundreds of rounds, factory ammo, good days bad days throw out a few outliers, one ragged one inch hole.
So for your next 10 range trips save that one cold barrel target, exact same aiming point, overlay them and measure. There you have it, particularly if it's a hunting rifle. That'll give you an honest picture of you and your rifles capabilities. Good days bad days, can you ring the steel right now. Now stop driving yourself nuts.

Good advice Salmonchaser! My son like the original poster drives himself NUTZ because one day he will shoot a 500 yard 3 round group that is less than one inch, then expect that to be the norm. The reality is if it is a hunting rifle, first shot is the most important shot. Then it is real good to know what it does on a follow up shot or two. Knowing what the gun really does isn't found in a few good groups but what you can expect over time over the largest sample data set you can get. Personally I don't like 3 shot groups because it seems way to easy to get 1 good cold bore shot and two lucky shots. Case and point I know of a young man who got to shoot a .416 barret 2400 yards and hit 4x4 steel target twice in a row not in calm conditions.

I personally only shoot groups of 5 for measurement because typically I can get 3 good shots in a row but then the pressure builds to keep the good group and I get a flier. So I know my gun shoots .3 on a regular basis BUT me...I'm barely a .75 shooter when it comes to groups AND that is why I shoot steel. I find it much easier to shoot a 3" plate at 500 yards than to make a 3-5 round group that stays under moa at 500 yards.

Last bit of advice...shooting groups off a bench will not improve your ability to make hunting shots as much as learning to shoot in awkward positions or after running to the car and back at the range. It is so rare for a critter to come out where you can get a perfect bench rest kind of stability. For deer I just use a 6" plate at different distances and different non-bench rest positions that don't include anything I wouldn't have in the field. Hear a ring and build the confidence. Yes we aim small or at a specific hair as I've been taught but we don't have to hit that hair to put the animal down humanly.

Just my two cents that I tell folks that I shoot with that want to enjoy the range.

 

[archp625]

Maybe you could find a 12 step program to help you cope with this expectation.

No program needed. Just new to the whole deal. I used to just buy ammo and shoot and didn't pay much attention. Heck i would buy whatever was cheapest and just roll with it. The older I get the more I don't think its fair to the animal and I am more curious than anything.

 

[archp625]

My guess would be the inconsistencies in the factory ammo.

The ammo I am using is factory. One of these days I want to get into reloading.

 

[archp625]

Are you shooting these groups back to back or letting it cool?

I do a three shot group with a few minutes in between then let cool for 5 to 10 minutes between shoots.

 

[troupe]

Salmonchaser gave you good advise. Pulled shots can also create a smaller group than normal. Sometimes luck is on your side then others you actually shoot to your ability. Cold bore shots tell what the rifle will do. Not that you will always shoot the same cold bore as the next cold bore. Practical accuracy will kill more game than you can count.

 

[archp625]

All great advice and ideas. I'm not losing any sleep over this, I was just curious. I still think the gun shoot pretty dang good. My next step is working on form and shooting longer distances.

 

[Salmonchaser]

You'll learn a lot shooting from positions. Reads like the weapon is a hunting rifle for you, a good one at that. Learn strong fundamentals you'll be more successful.