How good is good enough?

[mrbofus]

I know this is a Long Range Forum where pinpoint accuracy is key, but for the I will use the term "average" shooter / hunter with the brand X off shelf factory or semi custom rifle. In terms of accuracy, how good is good enough? 3 shot groups @ 100.

I have most my rifles tuned pretty good but cant resist trying to make them better, different powder/ bullets/ col, etc... and usually just get frustrated and burn up lots of powder.

So, generally speaking, in your opinions, what do you all consider a keeper or a get rid of it hunting rifle.

Wel do you quit tweeking and start shooting?
General hunting / varmits and paper punching out to 500 yrds?

Thanks
MB

 

[ShtrRdy]

This probably largely depends on what you're shooting. I've gravitated toward being able to shoot within 1/2" of where I'm aiming, at 100 yds. This is about a 1 moa grouping. I have to have a rifle that groups better than this - maybe 1/2" grouping?
I think this works pretty well for hunting varmints.

For hunting something larger like Elk, the boiler room is quite a bit larger. So you have to decide what is the longest shot you're willing to take. Part of the answer will depend on the energy of the bullet at distance. The other part is the weapon system capability and the shooters capability. A 2" group at 100 yds may be sufficient for this. It's good to factor in some error on wind reading error and shot distance estimation.

 

[Dosh]

mrbofus, you sort of answered your own question "can't resist trying to make them better". The essence of LRH, to improve and learn. Have fun.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Depending on what you're hunting, say whitetail deer, for example... Out to 500 yards, a 1 MOA gun is still in the vitals, and still a kill-shot.

I try to strive for the best performance out of all of my rifles. If it won't shoot 3/4" or better at 100, I keep tweaking, and if it still won't shoot, I rebarrel it as a last resort. Most of my rifles have heavy barrels, and most are semi-custom rifles. So they shoot ATLEAST ½-MOA, most shoot better. But my main deer rifle that I use (lightweight 7mm RemMag w/ 26" sporter barrel) for inside of 500 hunting, shoots around 5/8" 3-shot groups at 100, and for an inside of 500 yard gun, that's good enough for me.

Everyone has different ideas on what they consider "acceptable accuracy" for a hunting rifle, so you'll most likely get different responses...But with that said, I hunt mainly for food (I eat what I kill), but some for sport (I don't eat varmints and coyotes and stuff, but I still hunt them), and anytime I'm shooting live game, I feel I owe it to them to take them in the most humane way possible. And to me, that means using the most accurate rifle/load combination that I can, so I can place the shot exactly where it needs to go for a humane kill.

 

[FearNoWind]

Depending on what you're hunting, say whitetail deer, for example... Out to 500 yards, a 1 MOA gun is still in the vitals, and still a kill-shot.

I'd have to agree with that. My minimum for a hunting rifle would be 1 MOA or less. For my own rifles, I demand .5 MOA but I shoot some very long distances where 1 MOA won't get the job done. For the sake of argument, if the shooter does the job correctly a consistent .75 MOA rifle will shoot inside an 8 inch circle at 1000 yards. That's usually about what I'd call "vitals" shooting on big game. Once you get inside .5 MOA yards any better accuracy (unless your a bug hole bench rest competitor) really doesn't provide much help. gun) - - - - - - - (X)

 

[Mikecr]

"In terms of accuracy", GROUPING at 100yds means nothing at all.
How far from center of mark are you hitting, cold bore, in field trim(bipod, etc.), season/hunting conditions, to what distance, on what killzone?

 

[dragman]

All my guns are 1000 yard capable guns.
@ 100 it has to be able to produce .150 center to center at worst for 5 shots.
@ 1000 it has to be sub 4" (in good conditions) for 5 shots.

If I can't get that it gets new barrel or something gets changed til it does.

 

[RockZ]

Dragman,
That's some awesome shooting!
Tell us your secret

 

[FearNoWind]

.150 MOA is about 5/32 of an inch.
That's world record shooting ......
1000 Yard World Record
a 6mm bullet measures about .23622 inches so a .150 c/c group would be one and a half bullets wide for that caliber.
I'd like to see some official record data on that.

 

[Predator 22]

My goal for a varmint rifle is .5 moa or better @100 yards. Right now my worst rifle as far as accracy goes is a RRA ar-15 that shoots .4 @100 my best is a factory barrel 22-250ai that i just shot a .154 ctc group at 100 for a big game hunting rifle .75moa @100 or better.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

When I'm not hunting, within .5 MOA of point if aim for a hunting rifle. First to third. I want more but that will do.

When I'm hunting. Stop the game as quickly as possible. EOS.

For non-hunting rifles. 22LR to 338 Edge. Sub MOA center to center for 5 shots or more. F-Class, Palma and CMP games can have shot strings of 20 rounds.

 

[Greyfox]

While I have several rifle/loads that can keep 5 shots in .25-.5 MOA at 200 yards, I place a lot more emphasis on other factors before I'm comfortable for my favorite hunting, deer/antelope to 1000 yards, coyotes farther. The following are more difficult requirements to meet:
-precision at 1000 yards, <1MOA
-warm/cold bore consistency
-consistent zero setting with location change, 300-5000ft elev.
-Minimum POI changes with shooting position(<.5MOA)
-Temperature stability of the load from 0-75F

 

[frankinaustin]

For me, if I can slide 5 rounds into 3" at 300 yards at my range, then go to the men's room, look at my phone, get mad at some unimportant email, then get my mind back into the game and put a 6th or even 7th into that same 3" group at 300 yards, then I have a very acceptable hunting load, (in terms of accuracy). If i'm using a "good" bullet for hunting, then I will call that a completed load development project. I do all this, so that when I miss that doe at 50 yrds because I couldn't hold still and squeeze nice and slow I know that it's only me and not my rifle and not my scope, and not my load. As a result, I don't have to sell my rifle! I just have to go back to camp and tell all my buddies of the giant animal on the other side of the world who got lucky!

 

[dragman]

Yes .150 center too center @ 100 yards. Go to the super shoot and if you shoot a .1 your out as most people are in the .0@#$ center to center. if your shooting a 30 cal that means your groups would measure .458 across.

Real early morning or late evening when the wind dies down you can test @ 1000 and get some impressive groups. (this is nothing like competition) you can chose when you shoot and shoot a fast 5 shots with optimal conditions something you can't do for record at any match.