Thread: 10 Shot Groups

So in my test rifle thread @Roarless20 brought up he thought there was something mechanically wrong because some if the 5 shot groups are rather large (he very well may be right). He may be right and once I have a baseline accuracy for the rifle things like Bedding, action screws torque, recrown, etc will all be tested and eliminated. He may be right but I think some of the reaction is people actually don't know how well their rifle shoots especially over larger sample sizes.


Statistical variance suggests typically a 5 shot group will be around 1.3 times larger than a 3 shot group on average.

And a 10 shot 1.3 times what the 5 shot was on average.

From there it's slows only usually increasing around 1.2times for the 20 shot group and so on.

That would mean a 1moa 3 shot group is more like a 1.3moa 5 shot or a 1.7 10 shot or a 2 inch 20 shot. Likely representing a true rifle precision in the 2-2.5moa range. Off course any 3 shot group could be the closest 3 shots or the worst. But on average they are likely.

So I figured people could post up some 10 shot groups or more if you have done them. I highly recommend doing high sample size groups atleast once as its eye opening. If you have solved a mechanical issue with high round count groups that would be great data too as obviously that is a thing. I'm very familiar with the issues having owned enough kimbers that need the mag box floated and scope base screws shortened to solve issues.

The required precision for standard hunting ranges is not as high as people think and I took a rushed reload with a projectile the Tikka 223 kind of liked and a powder it ended up not liking at all that would produce a 3ish moa to the Forum shoot last year. All 20 shots where taken of a bipod without a rear rest and at the rate it takes to reacquire the target with a small break every five rounds to minimize mirage from the suppressor. It would likely be better with a rear rest.

At the shoot I did not find I was significantly handicapped.
I didn't place last and at that stage the 20 round zero probably maximimised my hit rate by ensuring I had the cone of fire centered.

I proceeded to make 1 correction to find the wind at 800 at the long range day Sunday and then made first round impacts out to 1100 on steel. All with a rifle most would hardly call precision. (Most shots fall in the centre of the cone)

So don't be embarrassed by "average" groups and put up what you get and what the rifle is.

Here's my embarrassing 20 rounder from the Tikka. (Shot in 5 round strings)



Here's the same rifle in the same session emptying a bunch of factory 50gr fiochi for the brass.



And only 10 shots this time but 10 shots of the 55gr fiocchi