When is it good enough?

[HRstretch]

I am finishing up on my hunting load for my 280 AI remage Mdl 721 with a Stocky Stock and aluminum bedding block with a trigger tech trigger. Nosler brass, 140 grn Berger hunting vld and 62.5 grn of H4831, CCI large rifle primer.

My last range trip I was shooting 1" groups at 200 yards, I think this load is bether than that, I know I pulled a couple of shots that likely opened it up. Next trip will be to stretch out its legs to verify drops to 800 yards. As it says in the title, do you chase a tighter group or except a 1/2 moa as a good hunting load.

I think I will make my decision on this load after the next range trip and I see how it does at greater distances. If I can stay MOA to 600 yards from field positions I will be extremely happy.

 

[L.Sherm]

Dont be afraid to try some RL23.

 

[Tangent]

I value trigger time over time at the reloading bench. A load that shoots in the .1's or .2's at 100 yards doesn't mean much at distance if you can't call wind or consistently implement the fundamentals.

But if reloading is a separate hobby for you, then absolutely keep chasing that perfect load.

 

[L.Sherm]

I value trigger time over time at the reloading bench

Dont these 2 go hand in hand if your a reloader.

 

[stx]

Dont be afraid to try some RL23.

Or RL26

 

[Frog4aday]

If it was a 'competition gun', then you keep working for better. But it's a hunting gun shooting 1/2 MOA. That's great. Why waste more usable barrel life at this point?

But I don't know your personality type. Can you LIVE with it, or will it drive you crazy to not keep trying for smaller and smaller? And what WOULD be enough to satisfy your accuracy need? 1/3 MOA? 1/4 MOA?

The enemy of good? Pursuing "perfect" (hint...it doesn't exist.) Me? I'd be thrilled with a .280 AI shooting 1/2 MOA with a hunting load!

 

[FIGJAM]

I am finishing up on my hunting load for my 280 AI remage Mdl 721 with a Stocky Stock and aluminum bedding block with a trigger tech trigger. Nosler brass, 140 grn Berger hunting vld and 62.5 grn of H4831, CCI large rifle primer.

My last range trip I was shooting 1" groups at 200 yards, I think this load is bether than that, I know I pulled a couple of shots that likely opened it up. Next trip will be to stretch out its legs to verify drops to 800 yards. As it says in the title, do you chase a tighter group or except a 1/2 moa as a good hunting load.

I think I will make my decision on this load after the next range trip and I see how it does at greater distances. If I can stay MOA to 600 yards from field positions I will be extremely happy.

For all my dedicated hunting rifles, as soon as I get regular 1" groups at 200 yards, I call it good.

I'll run them out to 1000 yards just to make sure it still looks good, but I havent had any issues so far.

 

[HRstretch]

As it is a hunting rifle I won't chase the mystical sub 1/2 moa gun. I plan on running out to 800, as that's the farthest range I have. Depending on enviromental conditions, my hunting distance is about 600 yards from solid field rests but we will soon see what this one will do at some distance. At my age (58) I don't see me with steady enough hands to shoot bug holes anyway. I just need to be consistent on minute of deer.

I do want my guns to shoot as accurate as they can so my errors are not as glaring.

 

[backyardsniper]

My general rule of thumb for load development is if I can cover 5 shots with a quarter at 100yds and can't see them peeking out from under it then it's good enough. I used to chase groups like crazy until I figured out that practice from field.positions was much more valuable than another 1/4 or 1/3 moa. To put it in perspective, a quarter measures .995 wide so if five shots are under that quarter and lets say we're using a .308 cal bullet then .995-308=.687 center to center at the worst. 5/8 moa or better is good enough for me. At that point start working on putting rounds on target from weird shooting positions your more likely to make a ranging error or screw up a wind call than that extra 1/4 moa making a difference in you hitting or missing. Try keeping your sight picture while a friend throws angry cats at you, naked. Never know what's gonna happen in the field!

 

[lancetkenyon]

Depends on the rifle. A factory rifle? I would be thrilled with .5MOA. With a good custom using quality build components, I like a .25MOA hunting rifle myself. My longest shot is "only" 662 on an elk. But others in my family have shot quite a bit further than that with my rifles and hand loads. But when a coyote pops out at 1300+, I want to be able to pop him with whatever rifle I have in my possession.

 

[Deputy819]

@HRstretch
Just curious, have you shot this load over a chronograph?

 

[ndking1126]

I think the key is how far are you willing/planning to shoot and at what target size? If you need to hold a 6" group to kill the animal you intend to hunt and you want to shoot out to 600 yards (just as an example), can your rifle/ammo load reliably do that? If so, I'd value more range time over chasing another load that may get you down to 5" at 600 yards. You the shooter and environmental variables are larger and only practice can help there.

 

[palerider3]

Group size at 200 is less important to me than SD and ES. You can have pretty terrible SD and ES and still shoot decent 200 yard groups. Half minute groups with low SDs are fine. Run it over a chrono and verify its what you want and call it good.

 

[Remmy700]

Group size at 200 is less important to me than SD and ES. You can have pretty terrible SD and ES and still shoot decent 200 yard groups. Half minute groups with low SDs are fine. Run it over a chrono and verify its what you want and call it good.

I am the same way. I can have a 1/4" group and if my SD is over 7 or 8 I move on. To me a hunting gun, bench gun whatever it is I have the same standards for them all. Some are ok with an ES of 30 or better but I spend to much time doing load work and shooting to accept that for myself. I look for repeatable, key word repeatable, 1/2 moa group with SD below 7. That is just a standard I set for my rigs. To each their own though.