Thread: An accuracy challenge

This was a .308 I used to own which I went mad and sold and regret! Typically shot inside half MOA and occasionally when I played my part would do this:

See, that's it. Everyone posts a single outstanding group and says "yeah my rifle will do that all day long".


I don't even care much about accuracy - if I can consistently hit a 1moa target then that is all that I can practically use. This is why I use standard dies, don't muck around with neck turning and all that.


Also it seems like people spend forever worrying about how their rifle shoots when it is the driver that is the problem.

I don't normally save targets as half the time I'm experimenting and theres a few loads on the same page but if you'd like Gimp I shoot a series on one target for you

I tend to agree with gimp on one point. Only too common to hear someone say they have a sub MOA rifle, and then you find out it shoots one such group every several outings, or shot one last year or so - while all the other groups tell a different story.

Personally when range testing I never go by single groups - always by best four group average. For them to count they must be readily repeatable.

I don't agree however that shooting tight groups on range is of no value. That would be wrong - range shooting in fact teaches you field accuracy. Range and competition shooting sets the standard for precision shooting in the field.

And you would be surprised how many sub MOA rifles there are of various makes and models. Its the sub MOA shooters that are harder to come by..

I dont see anyone one here saying "my rifle shoots moa all day long" on here. Trade me yea
The big question is what makes a moa rifle a 3 shot group,a collection of 3 shot groups none of which are over.or a 5 shot group or a collection of em or 5 of those 5 shot groups all in one group.
How much accuracy does one need? two loads one of em factory will shoot constantly under half moa for 3 shot groups in my completely un fiddled with factory rifle.
The loads I actually use shoot a lot worse at around a moa for 3 shots.
Good enough for me.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

I dont see anyone one here saying "my rifle shoots moa all day long" on here.

two loads one of em factory will shoot constantly under half moa for 3 shot groups in my completely un fiddled with factory rifle.

Do go on?

Originally Posted by mudgripz

I don't agree however that shooting tight groups on range is of no value. That would be wrong - range shooting in fact teaches you field accuracy. Range and competition shooting sets the standard for precision shooting in the field.

I never said it's of no value, just not the most practical.

I prefer to shoot single shots at individual 1moa squares, resetting position between shots.

It gives you a more meaningful result towards practical accuracy (ie, hitting things) than shooting a group

One is Belmont 308 win 130gr hp. use as a check if it wont shoot there is some thing wrong with me or my rifle.
The other was a 150gr boat tail inter lock touching the lands with 46gr N140 cci primer fed brass.

Now running Barnes for most(im a bush hobbit) and amax for steel and the odd longish shot. For me this was the logical solution for the ballisticly challenged 308

Ironically the Barnes close load shoots better(@100) than the amax

Plenty of sub MOA rifles out there. Many of them will shoot well with factory ammo.

I have found more often than not it a persons rest and setup that let's them down rather than their ability to shoot.

Personally I am not interested In wasting time and ammo shooting multiple series of 5 shot groups before I can claim the capability of my rifle and myself.

I sight in my rifle every few months or so at 500 yards. Shoot x2 or x3 shots to check the height. If an adjustment is required I will usually go back the next day and put a single shot in the bull to double check.

Always < 0.5 MOA, less wasted time, components, cleaning and good enough to claim the accuracy of my rifle.

Here's what my 112 year old Winchester 1892 25-20wcf can do.



And this is what my Brno ZKK601 .308 can do



Not too fly blown if I say so myself.

Originally Posted by Tui4Me

I have found more often than not it a persons rest and setup that let's them down rather than their ability to shoot.

You don't think that knowing how to rest their rifle is part of shooting skill?

Originally Posted by gimp

You don't think that knowing how to rest their rifle is part of shooting skill?

As you would know there is often a rather casual approach to this. Many see themselves as hunters rather than target shooters and choose not to invest in a shooting bag or bi pod. The same people can shoot very well behind a rifle set up to do the job properly.

Originally Posted by Tui4Me

As you would know there is often a rather casual approach to this. Many see themselves as hunters rather than target shooters and choose not to invest in a shooting bag or bi pod. The same people can shoot very well behind a rifle set up to do the job properly.

You just summed me up Tui4me Altho I did shoot smallbore as a kid(prone/sling no rest)
Bench and bags is best but I still prefer to shoot somewhere out of the way(solitude) and prone resting on a rock with a shirt on top.

Each to their own aye, nothing like leaning up against a tree and shooting a deer

The shooting culture in NZ is weird.


For a website titled "hunting and shooting" and a thread in the "shooting" section, people seems strangely upset by the idea of actually shooting.


I think that the skill of shooting is widely overlooked by the "She'll be right" NZ hunter, probably because it's not necessary for what they do.


Edit: now we're sort of on a different subject entirely than what the original post was, which was "ok, you say your rifle shoots sub "moa" consistently, prove it then"