Thread: Acceptable group size at long range ?

Well I'm new here and after this post you can call me anything you like

Accuracy and Precision are close to my heart and I've been practicing at both for quite a while.

I have read in this post about hunting rifles capable of shooting 0.25moa consistantly, I've also heard about rifles like this from hunters but never actually seen one do it.

With regards Gimps post

Originally Posted by gimp

I would love to see a target with say, 10 .25moa squares and 1 shot through each

I would love to see someone actually do this at 100yds or 0.5moa squares at 200yds or the appropriate size square at any other yardage, either without changing position or over several days just to simulate hunting conditions, with a hunting rifle and an independant witness.

People talk about 0.25moa accuracy/precision, lets take a look at range shooting where shooters are shooting at known distances with target rifles what accuracy/precision do they achieve??? One form of target shooting where the accuracy is measured is Benchrest shooting, now this type of shooting is performed from a solid bench and rest (some say this is cheating and all bullets should go through the same hole) this eliminates variables like hold, movement from rests etc. This shooting is also performed over wind flags which give an indication of wind direction, strength and also mirage is clearly seen through the scopes they use. Now since the results from these competitions are easy to find we can see that these specially built rifles shooting one of the most accurate cartridges ever designed are capable of shooting an aggregate of around 0.200" - 0.250" sometimes smaller sometimes bigger depending on the wind conditions at the time. Now for those that don't know an aggregate consists of 5 X five shot groups at 100yds and 5 X five shot groups at 200yds giving 10 x five shot groups. The thing that I find interesting about the groups they shoot is that some are smaller than the aggregate and some are bigger........if you asked any of those competitors if they can shoot every shot inside 0.25moa the answer would be "NO", my rifle is usually capable of it but it comes back to my ability to tune the load and read the wind.

Now the thing that amuses me is that when it comes to people saying their hunting rifle is capable of shooting 0.25moa consistantly at 500yds or any distance really they can never be found at a range or competition to prove it.

Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying that the rifles are incapable of it, some maybe capable of it, but when the average field shooting position, shooters ability and rifle capability are taken into account, is it "possible" to shoot .25moa consistantly when Benchrest shooters shooting from solid benches and rests, using wind flags are not consistantly capable of doing it.

If anyone cares to prove that their rifle is capable of it then please post the pics with an independant witness......I would love to see the pics of anybodys attempt even if they don't achieve 0.25moa, just to see what a hunting rifle IS capable of................Kiwi