When do you stop chasing accuracy?

[Mike Matteson]

I see a few problems. The grouping is good. A better brass could help. You might look at your SD. Change in velocity of just 30fps can change your impact by 8.5" @ 1000yds. 50fps by as much as 14" @ 1000yds. Out to 500 to 600 yds it doesn't make much difference, but out farther it does. Better brass to start with like Lapua or Peterson. Case prep is a big factor too. Annealing your cases can help. Consistencies is the name of the game. Some rifles won't do it, and others can. Reloading is the area that can make it happen in getting a bug hole. So do what you feel you need. Look at your rifle. Is it bedded, barrel free floating?

 

[436]

I have a Tikka T3X Veil in 6.5 PRC, I am loading 143 ELD-X not because I particularly care for them but that's what shoots so far. I am using RL26, Nosler blem brass and Fed 210M primers. If I have not had much coffee, it shoots .5 to .6 at 100. My intent is to use it for whitetail to 800 yards. My longest shot so far is 519 yards with a 257 weatherby. Is there any point looking for another 1/4" of accuracy since I will be shooting off a bipod in field conditions?

Depending on the discipline you're shooting... perhaps. Well, actually yes, say for many of those like Bench Rest, but... for general hunting at short and long-range, I don't believe so. At 100 yards 0.5 moa = 5 inches at 1000 yards, 1.0 moa =10 inches.
Here are some of O'Conner's thoughts on aminal vitals, I think you can see my point. Information from Chuck Hawks

We've already said that an average whitetail buck gives you about a 10" diameter target. That deer measures perhaps 17" deep through the chest, measured from the top of his back to his brisket. Here are some top of back to bottom of brisket estimates for other common North American game animals taken from various sources, but primarily from Jack O'Connor's book The Hunting Rifle:

• Pronghorn antelope = 14"-15"
• Small deer = 14"-15"
• Medium size deer = 17"-18"
• Large deer = 18"-20"
• North American wild sheep = 20"-22"
• Mountain goat = 22"-24"
• Caribou = 24"-26"
• Elk = 24"-26"
• Moose = 30"-36"

Given those external body measurements, here are some estimated "vital area circle" diameters that roughly correspond to the approximate (heart/lung) target area:

• Pronghorn antelope = 8.5"-9"
• Small deer = 8.5"-9"
• Medium size deer = 10"-11"
• Large deer = 11"-12"
• North American wild sheep = 12"-13"
• Mountain goat = 13"-14.5"
• Caribou = 14.5"-15.5"
• Elk = 14.5"-15.5"
• Moose = 18"-21.5"

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Plenty of good and interesting opinions posted here. I'll just add one thing:

A rifle that shoots 1moa at 100yds does not shoot 10" @ 1,000yds. Mathematically it does work that way but in reality, it never happens. Field conditions and environmental conditions really take a toll on group size as you extend the range.

If you really want to hunt at 800yds, forget about what you and your rifle can do at 100yds and go shoot at 800yds under field conditions. It's an eye-opener!

For me, my personal criteria for my hunting rifles is 2" @ 400yds. It equates to .5moa but its certainly more difficult than shooting .5" at 100yds. I limit my biggame hunting to about 500yds and only shoot varmints out to 1,000yds or so. The varmints get shot off of a portable bench and I normally shoot them on bluebird days.

Best of luck getting ready for the next biggame season.

 

[Starlite]

I have a Tikka T3X Veil in 6.5 PRC, I am loading 143 ELD-X not because I particularly care for them but that's what shoots so far. I am using RL26, Nosler blem brass and Fed 210M primers. If I have not had much coffee, it shoots .5 to .6 at 100. My intent is to use it for whitetail to 800 yards. My longest shot so far is 519 yards with a 257 weatherby. Is there any point looking for another 1/4" of accuracy since I will be shooting off a bipod in field conditions?

There is always a point in looking for more accuracy. However, have a better shooter try your load. If they shoot 1/4 better Then you then I'd say the different recipes as you've likely reached your potential. This shouldn't stop you from practice as this will be the biggest determination of your success.

 

[Pointman]

Trying for the mythical .000", never expect to get there but since the old body is succumbing to the ravages of time, chasing minuscule groups is what I do now. The bug bit me decades ago when I had a 25-06 sporter redone as a bench rest rifle. It was done to shoot ground squirrels at distance on a friend's ranch. I was, and still is capable;e of 1/2 minute at 100 yards, when I do my part.

 

[Pro2A]

I have a Tikka T3X Veil in 6.5 PRC, I am loading 143 ELD-X not because I particularly care for them but that's what shoots so far. I am using RL26, Nosler blem brass and Fed 210M primers. If I have not had much coffee, it shoots .5 to .6 at 100. My intent is to use it for whitetail to 800 yards. My longest shot so far is 519 yards with a 257 weatherby. Is there any point looking for another 1/4" of accuracy since I will be shooting off a bipod in field conditions?

Stop chasing the ballistics and work on "perfecting" your wind skills. At range, wind separates the shooters from the trigger yankers. It s the most challenging variable a shooter pursues.

 

[Chas1]

Consistently below .5 inch groups and your into benchrest reloading practices which in my opinion is very different. I have hunting rifles that shoot .5 - .75 groups and my reloading practices are cut in half = less equipment/time. On the other hand I have benchrest rifles custom made and very exact reloading practices extra equipment, case/bullets sorting and everything to exacting 1/1000 inch tolerances. Now that's not to say a less than benchrest rig and practices won't get you below .5 groups but I think your time/money would be better spent practicing shooting skills out to the yardage you wish to be deadly at.

 

[Huntz]

#1-If I can get a 5 shot group at 100 yards of and inch to an inch and a quarter at the bench,I then only shoot field positions as far as I can.There will be no bench were you hunt.
#2-If I was shooting 800 yards I would have a rifle built for that.You can`t expect a factory sporter to work like a heavy duty long range rig that probably will weigh 13 pounds all up.
The groups you are getting out of your Tikka are great,but you are chasing Unicorns.Use the right tool for the job!!

 

[HLecea]

I have the exact same rifle, got it this spring. It's my favorite rifle to date. And it hate, hate, hates hornady 143 ELDX. I shot a three round, three inch group, as fast as I could jack a shell in at 707 yards last week. It's running 2907 fps with 58 grains of H1000 and 156 Bergers. I'm gonna tweek a few things but seriously for me its shooting gold compared to other rigs I have.-WW

My Ruger 7mag hates Hornady too! It loves Federal blue box 150grain.

 

[Paulstarr]

When you have a one hole group at 100 with a constant ES of 15 or less, then stop searching.

 

[Hugnot]

I am real old & have done much shooting. All of my primary rodent rifles are capable of under .5 MOA (touching clover leafs) at 100 when shot from nice concrete benches & sand bags/rests. When I step out of my vehicle & am greeted by a blast of heat & 3-7 mph winds a certain amount of skill is needed to hit. Minute component variations & extraordinary measurement fussing appears to be less important than achieving an optimum degree of accuracy & maintaining that combination. Looking at stats that show minimum probability variations of velocity (ES) & components don't always indicate optimum accuracy. Probability stats are helpful when loading 100's of rounds of ammo that uses a combo that produces optimum or close to optimum accuracy - like what will the projected velocity maximum & minimum spread be several hundred rounds for an established good load.

My self imposed max range for shooting deers is 400 yards & the deers present a huge target compared to a pop can size rodent.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Are you shooting in hunting positions? Shooting a light gun in real hunting conditions I would be happy with .5 moa at 100 consistently. It could be shooting .25-.33 and you are just not able to. Not saying this is the case but potentially. I also believe making the "prefect" wind call while hunting at 800-1000yds is rare and the difference between .25 and .5 could help you just as hurt you. Some people are more OCD than others so if you feel confident at .5 call it good and practice in different conditions. If not keep working on it until you are confident or it isn't worth it to you anymore.

THIS,.. ^^^ WHEN you can shoot, your Game animals ( and Kill em' ) "Consistently", while sitting ( Rifle over knees ) with, a Sandwich in one Hand, or, Kneeling while shooting, over Sage Brush ( W/ Stix ) as a herd of Elk come running at you or, Prone over a Pack at 650 in, a 15-20 MPH, WIND across, a Canyon is WAY more important than having, a sub 1/2 MOA Rifle but, that's just, Me.
Being able to, shoot, a First, "Cold Bore", accurate shot, in ALL, "Field Positions", IS far more important to Me with, a Sub 8 Pound Rifle that, I can carry,. 4 to 10 Miles, in the Mountains !
So YUP,.. 1/2 to 3/4 MOA,.. "gets it DONE", on Big Game animals, in MY Family !

 

[Rhino55]

Are you going to shoot groups when you are Whitetail hunting? So why are you shooting groups? In a hunting rifle, you want that cold bore shot to land where the cross hairs are at. I only shoot groups to break the barrel in. After that it is cold bore shots with my hunting rifles. My 2 Cents

 

[.300 Dakota]

We generally have smallish whitetail deer down here, and my magic number is 1/2 MOA at whatever distance depending on the gun and the type of hunting set up involved. For some tree stand rifles, I'll accept 1 MOA. Some that I like get really close at about 0.560 to 0.690 @100yds - in that range. I'm perfectly happy to shoot those out to a few hundred yards. For anything beyond that or for a custom gun that OUGHT to shoot sub-1/2 MOA, nothing less than 1/2 is acceptable. Anything that won't shoot 1 MOA is never acceptable. Can a 2 or even 3 MOA gun ever do the job? Sure. But it gives me peace of mind having something better, and I know I don't have to settle for that. Now if I could never buy another rifle and that's all I had, I'd make the best of it and keep within it's range limitations.