When do you stop chasing accuracy?

[2buffalo]

Alot of good opinions and facts here but probably a bit confusing for the OP. Everyone has their own ways of doing things based on what works or doesn't work for them. The facts as I see them are:

You will not be able to shoot any better than your rifle is capable.

Know your weapon. There is no substitution for trigger time with the weapon you will be hunting with.

Practice in hunting conditions (not just on calm days) and positions at distances beyond what you will be hunting at verifying accuracy, bullet drop, drift, etc. If you are not confident with your results with a .5 moa rifle and load don't shoot ar animals at those distances until you have a load/rifle that is capable.

Whether you have a .5 moa or .125 moa rifle there are alot of variables out of your control shooting 800 yds at an animal. Anyone who claims they can make an 800 yd first shot kill to the vitals 100% of the time in any hunting conditions is either kidding themselves or blowing smoke up your sphincter.

Everyone in different hunting situations will have a range they are comfortable with. That number is up to the shooter. Risk vs reward. Once you pull the trigger you can't take it back.

I am just another dumb*** so take this for what it's worth.

 

[Terry Lightle]

I look for under 1 inch,not a contest shooter ,just a coyote hunter.Figure under an inch is minute of coyote about as far as I am going to shoot.

 

[.30-06]

when you can't find the holes and think you're off paper, then resort back to the previous mediocre group.

 

[Ninering62]

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?

One ragged hole is what I want at 100yds out of my scoped rifles. Even my inline muzzleloaders, one hole 3 shot groups at best, cloverleaf at worst or somethin's gettin changed.
A little while ago I posted in my muzzleloader group about shooting my .45 inline with a sized 275gr bullet @2600fps at 1.5-2MOA groups at 400yds. & the guys replies were " thats great! Wheres them target pics ". I was literally SMFH bc I think thats terrible & don't want pics of - not much of a group at all IMHO. If not MOA or better, not at all acceptable to me. I've had no training other than over 45yrs shooting & hunting, just a good ole countryboy thats particular about his shooting. I've met many that think 3 in a pie plate at 50-100yds is " good to go " & I won't hunt with them or do any serious range/bench time with them.

 

[Joefrazell]

Now everyone post a group of what you expect from a particular rifle with the rifle details.

 

[greenejc]

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?

You'll get a lot of advice here on how tight your groups should be; some good and some not. I have rifles that will shoot 0.6" at 100 yards and some that are good 1" 5 shot rifles. I think you're chasing your tail if you try to get 5 shot groups from standard diameter sporting barrels that are less than 0.8 or 1 inch at 100 yards. Concentrate on your cold barrel shot instead. Take the same target to the range several days in a row and shoot a cold barrel shot at it. See how the cold barrel shots group. Your first one or two shots from a light contour rifle are your money makers. If the cold barrel group is good, the rifle is good and so is the load. You're just not going to shoot more than once or twice at an animal at distances beyond 500 yards at nearly any time. Group size is important, but where the cold barrel shot hits is more important.

 

[Barehandlineman11]

No such thing every shot makes you better. Ive loaded multiple guns under .5 moa well under send it to buddy that had me load it says gun shoots like ****… not the gun. I do feel every bit i can get out of the gun helps with everything else that can go wrong with the shot.

 

[greenejc]

Shoot groups from every field position out to intended yardage and then…go hunting. My dad makes the mistake of chasing mostly unattainable accuracy most of the year but then has a hard time shooting from any position other than off the bench or truck field shooting skills, stable rifle setup, and target acquisition in challenging conditions are more valuable as a hunter than another .25 moa imho…if you have time, money, ample supply knock yourself out but don't spin out. 4-5" at 800 should be bang flop!

I think if you can get 8 to 10" accuracy at 800 yards in field conditions (shooting from a bipod or improvised rest etc.) you will be doing good. If your wind and elevation dope is on (big if in the mountains at altitude) a bullet placed inside an 8" to 10" circle on the chest of an elk or deer is a kill shot. The most important shot is the cold barrel shot, though. If your cold barrel shot is within half of an inch of the same impact point each time, it will do the job.

 

[greenejc]

Planning to shoot whitetails in field conditions at 800 yards with an 8# rig is the definition of a foolish and unrealistic expectation.

Numerous environmental factors will cause you to miss (or wound) at 800 yards long before the difference in a 0.5 MOA rifle vs a 0.25 MOA rifle will result in a miss.

Very very true.

 

[orkan]

Now everyone post a group of what you expect from a particular rifle with the rifle details.

Here's a group and another round after pulling a click out of the scope.

The rifle is a 26" 22BRA on a Surgeon 591 in a McMillan A4A w/sniper fill.

I could do this for about 5 other rifles I am shooting right now.
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[2buffalo]

Here's a group and another round after pulling a click out of the scope.

The rifle is a 26" 22BRA on a Surgeon 591 in a McMillan A4A w/sniper fill.

I could do this for about 5 other rifles I am shooting right now.
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I don't think that set up is comparable to the OP's T3X shooting ELD-X bullets.....

 

[Joefrazell]

Here's one i just got finished up. 300 prc. Bartlein, ag stock, origin action.

 

[Joefrazell]

Here's another. This is a factory tikka ctr in 6.5 cm

This is actually a fairly sloppy group for this rifle

 

[yankee outlaw]

my tikka t3x 6.5 cm with 140 match shoots one raged 3 shot groop
with 130 reloads just one hole it even has the plastic stock