Acceptable groupings for hunting?
- Thread starter MT257
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I'm happy with 3 shots within an inch at 100 yards.
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
The 1" at 100 yards will get most of it done for most big game.
Varmints I like to scare the 0.5" regularly.
Not just one group-but day in day out what the groups average.
For LRH 100 yard groups won't tell you every thing you want to know.
A first shot cold bore test over a few days can be revealing as well.
Varmints I like to scare the 0.5" regularly.
Not just one group-but day in day out what the groups average.
For LRH 100 yard groups won't tell you every thing you want to know.
A first shot cold bore test over a few days can be revealing as well.
+1!
Here's my last cold bore shot at 200 yards out of my .270 AI before calling it good for the 2014 hunting season ...
Also, practice shooting a target at the maximum range you'll take the shot, i.e. target the size of elk's vital area at 500 and see if your 100 yards grouping is good enough.
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
These are 4 different loads from my 6.5 SLR @ 608 yards. I kept the same dial and hold.
#1 is 140 HVLD @ 2850fps, my light target load
#2 is 140 HVLD @ 2950fps, my hunting load
#3 is 142 SMK @ 2940fps with out of spec brass
#4 is 140 Hybrid @ 2960fps, just used the same charge weight as my hunting loads
Winds were light from 11:00 on 1 thru 3, then stopped for #4.
Good enough for hunting.
I strive for the best groups I can get from any hunting rifle. I think the game deserves the best we can give them. For a factory rifle, if it won't shoot 1/2" @ 100 with hand loads after extensive testing, it gets work done to it. Or sold.
#1 is 140 HVLD @ 2850fps, my light target load
#2 is 140 HVLD @ 2950fps, my hunting load
#3 is 142 SMK @ 2940fps with out of spec brass
#4 is 140 Hybrid @ 2960fps, just used the same charge weight as my hunting loads
Winds were light from 11:00 on 1 thru 3, then stopped for #4.
Good enough for hunting.
I strive for the best groups I can get from any hunting rifle. I think the game deserves the best we can give them. For a factory rifle, if it won't shoot 1/2" @ 100 with hand loads after extensive testing, it gets work done to it. Or sold.
Zen Archery
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8" paper plate.
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
+1!
Here's my last cold bore shot at 200 yards out of my .270 AI before calling it good for the 2014 hunting season ...
2014? Heck I wouldn't shoot it again either.gun)
Plinker147
Well-Known Member
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- Feb 7, 2015
- Messages
- 1,177
1 moa is plenty good enough accuracy for hunting and a factory gun.
There was an interesting article on one of these shooting websites about the difference in accuracy on steal between an moa accurate and sub moa accurate guns. Can't remember all the parameters but it showed there was only around a 3% or so difference in hits on steal at distance between the guns. The biggest difference was with the shooter and wind call. If I can find it I will post the link. Shooting steal would be similar to hunting accuracy.
There was an interesting article on one of these shooting websites about the difference in accuracy on steal between an moa accurate and sub moa accurate guns. Can't remember all the parameters but it showed there was only around a 3% or so difference in hits on steal at distance between the guns. The biggest difference was with the shooter and wind call. If I can find it I will post the link. Shooting steal would be similar to hunting accuracy.
+1!
Here's my last cold bore shot at 200 yards out of my .270 AI before calling it good for the 2014 hunting season ...
Also, practice shooting a target at the maximum range you'll take the shot, i.e. target the size of elk's vital area at 500 and see if your 100 yards grouping is good enough.
I dont know buddy.......Ah............that looks awfull high and to the left!! Might need ta go back to the drawing board...I mean the reloading bench.
FearNoWind
Well-Known Member
I'd recommend combining HARPERC and Zen Archery suggestions.
Get the load to shoot under 1 MOA then, in determining what your personal limits are, use the distance at which you can consistently put those rounds into an 8" paper plate. Then go hunting ...
Oh, and FEENIX, if you can do that five times in succession I'll buy dinner
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/members/zen-archery-60545/
Get the load to shoot under 1 MOA then, in determining what your personal limits are, use the distance at which you can consistently put those rounds into an 8" paper plate. Then go hunting ...
Oh, and FEENIX, if you can do that five times in succession I'll buy dinner
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/members/zen-archery-60545/
Oh, and FEENIX, if you can do that five times in succession I'll buy dinner
I hear you, that's why I stopped there and got my own dinner instead
gun) ... GunBroker.com Message Forums - .270 AI's 1st big game harvest ...I have not yet been afforded the opportunity for a 5-shot on the same game in 40+ years of hunting; 2 shots is my max thus far.
engineer40
Well-Known Member
I think an awful lot of animals have been shot with rifles that only could group 1.5-2+inches with factory ammo; by guys who probably couldn't even make the rifle do even that good.
Although "most" animals are also shot within 100 yards if I had to guess.
The majority of people I know still go hunting with a clean barrel and don't give it a second thought. Even though they zero'ed their scopes when the bore was not completely clean.
There are also some things you can do yourself without a gunsmith that will almost always increase the consistency of your accuracy. Bedding the action and free floating the barrel are not hard or expensive to do. There are some great YT videos.
Reloading is expensive on the front end but will potentially pay the biggest dividends. And the ROI for centerfire rifle ammo is fast.
4 things I now always do when trying to increase the accuracy of a rifle:
-Bed action (cheap)
-Free float barrel (free)
-Work up load
-Higher end machined scope base/rings/screws.
I've spent more money in ammo trying to figure out accuracy problems that I would have saved money just buying the higher end scope rings right away.
I enjoy a great trigger but you can learn almost any trigger good enough to shoot it well.
Accuracy is addicting... and it can get expensive real fast. However sometimes you get lucky and a factory rifle will shoot a lot of different ammo pretty great with no work done to the rifle. And those are the rifles you hear guys saying "Yeah I wish I would have never sold that gun".
Although "most" animals are also shot within 100 yards if I had to guess.
The majority of people I know still go hunting with a clean barrel and don't give it a second thought. Even though they zero'ed their scopes when the bore was not completely clean.
There are also some things you can do yourself without a gunsmith that will almost always increase the consistency of your accuracy. Bedding the action and free floating the barrel are not hard or expensive to do. There are some great YT videos.
Reloading is expensive on the front end but will potentially pay the biggest dividends. And the ROI for centerfire rifle ammo is fast.
4 things I now always do when trying to increase the accuracy of a rifle:
-Bed action (cheap)
-Free float barrel (free)
-Work up load
-Higher end machined scope base/rings/screws.
I've spent more money in ammo trying to figure out accuracy problems that I would have saved money just buying the higher end scope rings right away.
I enjoy a great trigger but you can learn almost any trigger good enough to shoot it well.
Accuracy is addicting... and it can get expensive real fast. However sometimes you get lucky and a factory rifle will shoot a lot of different ammo pretty great with no work done to the rifle. And those are the rifles you hear guys saying "Yeah I wish I would have never sold that gun".
Kansaswoodguy
Well-Known Member
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- Aug 26, 2014
- Messages
- 773
1MOA is great not really necessary for a lot of hunting applications but a good rule of thumb. I have a few factory hunting rifles that hoover around 1 MOA and a 30-06 that is closer to 2-3 MOA its a dog but I've never missed a deer I've shot at with it granted most where 50yards or closer. I just wouldn't consider shooting at game past around a 100 yards with that gun but for hunting in heavy cover its just fine.
