Thread: Inaccurate Cartridges

If they made it to production they usually shot good enough for either commercial or government use. A natural selection weeding the poor shooters out so to speak. One is hardly likely to invest money in production of a cartridge that proves inaccurate in testing.

But in my own experience the .22 Magnum, and the Snider .577. The .22 Magnum's I have met have trouble getting under one inch at 50 metres, and the Sniders I have shot have difficulty getting under one foot at 25... (How accurate are .22 shorts?)

.303's have a bad name; the Lee Enfield rifles were designed to shoot the equivilent of three inch groups at 100 yards, but the cartridge itself will do anything you like in a good rifle. The rifle target clubs all up through till the '60's were all shot with .303's.
The .30/30 has also a poor reputation because of the open sighted lever actions, but the .30/30 can be a phenomenal shooter in single shots and bolt actions.

Originally Posted by Carlsen Highway

If they made it to production they usually shot good enough for either commercial or government use. A natural selection weeding the poor shooters out so to speak. One is hardly likely to invest money in production of a cartridge that proves inaccurate in testing.

But in my own experience the .22 Magnum, and the Snider .577. The .22 Magnum's I have met have trouble getting under one inch at 50 metres, and the Sniders I have shot have difficulty getting under one foot at 25... (How accurate are .22 shorts?)

.303's have a bad name; the Lee Enfield rifles were designed to shoot the equivilent of three inch groups at 100 yards, but the cartridge itself will do anything you like in a good rifle. The rifle target clubs all up through till the '60's were all shot with .303's.
The .30/30 has also a poor reputation because of the open sighted lever actions, but the .30/30 can be a phenomenal shooter in single shots and bolt actions.

Agreed. most 303s are just flogged out.

I have a previously unfired no4 that i use in service rifle. 1.5 - 2 inch with iron sights at 100m.

Originally Posted by Carlsen Highway

If they made it to production they usually shot good enough for either commercial or government use. A natural selection weeding the poor shooters out so to speak. One is hardly likely to invest money in production of a cartridge that proves inaccurate in testing.

But in my own experience the .22 Magnum, and the Snider .577. The .22 Magnum's I have met have trouble getting under one inch at 50 metres, and the Sniders I have shot have difficulty getting under one foot at 25... (How accurate are .22 shorts?)

.303's have a bad name; the Lee Enfield rifles were designed to shoot the equivilent of three inch groups at 100 yards, but the cartridge itself will do anything you like in a good rifle. The rifle target clubs all up through till the '60's were all shot with .303's.
The .30/30 has also a poor reputation because of the open sighted lever actions, but the .30/30 can be a phenomenal shooter in single shots and bolt actions.

Agreed. most 303s are just flogged out.

I have a previously unfired no4 that i use in service rifle. 1.5 - 2 inch with iron sights at 100m.

Originally Posted by Danger Mouse

Agreed. most 303s are just flogged out.

I have a previously unfired no4 that i use in service rifle. 1.5 - 2 inch with iron sights at 100m.

I had a Longbranch No.4 that would do the same. These days I have a 30/30 Winchester carbine with standard factory sights that will go under that with ease, as well as a Winchester 73 in .44/40 that will shoot 1.5 inch groups with black powder and open sights. The '73 took a lot of experimentation with both the loads and the sights to get there; the .30/30 was born that way.