The Trouble with Accuracy at the Range

[Greg Duerr]

As I leaned more and more about Precision Reloading and my Groups got smaller and smaller the one thing that really bothers me is Accuracy.......
Where in the Past if my rifle shot a 1 inch group I was ridding high now if I shot a 1" group I would be wondering what I did wrong. I should be happy with that.
I have one Custom Rifle from TS Customs in the 6.5 CM that just shoots in such a way that im always happy on the way home. But my two CZ 527's one day great and today, well the 17 Remington has a group that went 1.5 yet the other 10 shot group went a tad over 1"
This thing is that both CZ's one in the 17 Hornet and one in the 17 Remington have lots of 5 shot groups under .5. Its just that it does not happen every time.

That's the trouble with Accuracy at the Range .................in the field things are different you pull the trigger and make a hit ................that's all that matters, but at the Range ?

Just had to get that off my mind....................thanks for listening.

 

[Mikecr]

ACCURACY and PRECISION are entirely different attributes.
I've seen terrible grouping guns that were very accurate, and great grouping guns that were not accurate at all(IMO).
You can find BR grouping records that clearly demonstrate poor accuracy.

I used to shoot a local accuracy contest at 200yds. My first year I won, beating a record holding 6PPC BR gun that grouped in the zeros(incl that day). This, with my 3/8moa hunting gun.
The difference was -my 3/8moa was simply inside a 1" bullseye, with each single shot until I won(it went 11 eliminating rounds).

 

[g0rd0]

accuracy at the range no matter how far a range (100, 200, 1000 + yards), or how windy it is at the range means nothing if when it comes to take that trophy shot you miss because you where not sure how far it was or those big brown eyes gave you the hebegebbees.
So, enjoy your time there and be happy with the day on the range. Because ( if there has been no blood shed or equipment destroyed ), then IMHO there is no such thing as a bad day on the range

 

[bigedp51]

I have a accuracy secret, I go to the range when no one else is there.

That way when I leave I know I was the best shot at the range that day.

Accuracy is also governed by how much coffee you drank that day and if you managed to pull the trigger between heart beats. I drink too much coffee and have Afib and a dyslexic trigger finger. And a paper shredder at home for bad days and large groups at the range.

 

[gohring3006]

I don't shoot a lot of groups any more. I do a lot of Steel shooting, I try to use Moa sized plates. If I see a problem, I'll shoot a few groups at different ranges, and see if I can find the problem.

 

[J E Custom]

As I leaned more and more about Precision Reloading and my Groups got smaller and smaller the one thing that really bothers me is Accuracy.......
Where in the Past if my rifle shot a 1 inch group I was ridding high now if I shot a 1" group I would be wondering what I did wrong. I should be happy with that.
I have one Custom Rifle from TS Customs in the 6.5 CM that just shoots in such a way that im always happy on the way home. But my two CZ 527's one day great and today, well the 17 Remington has a group that went 1.5 yet the other 10 shot group went a tad over 1"
This thing is that both CZ's one in the 17 Hornet and one in the 17 Remington have lots of 5 shot groups under .5. Its just that it does not happen every time.

That's the trouble with Accuracy at the Range .................in the field things are different you pull the trigger and make a hit ................that's all that matters, but at the Range ?

Just had to get that off my mind....................thanks for listening.

I think you are being to hard on yourself. the 17 remington and the 17 hornet shoot very light bullets and they are affected by almost everything. I have a 17 cal and when conditions are perfect it also is. But when it opens up i can bet I have some breeze somewhere down range.

The Creedmoor uses much heavier bullets, so it is not as wind sensitive. That's why we shoot the big 338s, 375s and 408s.

Like you, I really like the little 17 calibers, but they do have their limits.

J E CUSTOM

 

[eklarsen]

That's an easy one...If it was'nt for that **** (wind, sun, cold, guy with muzzle break etc..) I would have shot my avg .25 MOA. Just pick one sell it...

 

[1Moose]

I had a similar experience last weekend. Was hoping to confirm the best load for a 260 Rem and based on prior outings "should" have seen several groups under 1 inch from prior experience with the loads (200 yards) and it was my third time out with them. But only a couple of 5-shot groups were under 1 inch at 200 yds with several between 1.25 inch and 1.5, and a couple out to 2 inches.

So I try my 300 wm with its favorite load which I almost always shoot .5 MOA and I was at .75 MOA at 200 yards. No idea what to make of it but to try it all again once I get another batch of bullets in the mail.

The vertical dispersion was only 1/2 of the horizontal dispersion, so I suspect wind management was a bit of an issue on some groupings, but for others there wasn't hardly any detectable wind. I was frustrated when I should have been happy to be out. I wish I knew what was reasonable to expect with me behind the trigger. Maybe I've seen the load already but am setting false expectations to concistently be under 1 inch at 200 yards (given my skill).

You guys didn't realize you'd be my therapist tonight, but there you have it!

 

[just country]

morning, control the heart beat, weather and other
distractions. enjoy anytime spent at the shooting range.
GBOT TUM

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I'll say this. Any carry weight rifle load combo that shoots consistently sub moa is good stuff. .5 moa is a tall order and not the norm. It happens once in a while and we all feel great when it does. There are guys all over the internet claiming their factory whatever that weighs in at 8lbs with a scope shoots .25 moa all day. The only way this happens is they don't count the group that was bigger due to a called flier or whatever excuse. They always throw in the qualifying term "If I do my part".

Sound to me like you have some exceptional rifles and should not get too worried.

Steve

 

[1Moose]

I'll say this. Any carry weight rifle load combo that shoots consistently sub moa is good stuff. .5 moa is a tall order and not the norm. It happens once in a while and we all feel great when it does. There are guys all over the internet claiming their factory whatever that weighs in at 8lbs with a scope shoots .25 moa all day. The only way this happens is they don't count the group that was bigger due to a called flier or whatever excuse. They always throw in the qualifying term "If I do my part".

Sound to me like you have some exceptional rifles and should not get too worried.

Steve

Thanks for the post / advice. I've only been shooting regularly for a few years after getting back into hunting, and my only exposure to experienced shooters is this forum. I believe I'm a decent shot but everything I do has been self taught on my own in the basement reloading or at the range. I really don't know what benchmarks are reasonable to set other than from what I read—including the tiny groups out at 600+ yards—so I keep chasing "better" without knowing when to stop. My wife would confirm I need to relax in life. One place my approach pays off is elk hunting as I'm as stubborn as they get and keep going until the end.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I think you are in rare company with the quality of your shooting. Every now and then we get that 2" group at 600y and do a bunch of back slappin and high fivin because it is awesome! Heck I don't think I can aim that good most of the time. Sub .5 moa feels great, consistent moa all the time is a good realistic benchmark. Particularly if the yardage is extended beyond 300y.

Steve

 

[Greyfox]

The biggest watchout when range shooting with paper targets is that with repetition(decreasing concentration), the eye/brain subconsciously wants to place the crosshair and the target on the same visual plane.......The recipe for a sure miss!

 

[J E Custom]

I'll say this. Any carry weight rifle load combo that shoots consistently sub moa is good stuff. .5 moa is a tall order and not the norm. It happens once in a while and we all feel great when it does. There are guys all over the internet claiming their factory whatever that weighs in at 8lbs with a scope shoots .25 moa all day. The only way this happens is they don't count the group that was bigger due to a called flier or whatever excuse. They always throw in the qualifying term "If I do my part".

Sound to me like you have some exceptional rifles and should not get too worried.

Steve

+1
I have never met the guy that can shoot the same group every time.
Most of us just hope for a good group every now and again.

My best groups are just that. "My best groups" the only thing I can judge with them is the rifle. A good group only tells me what the rifle can do. Anything bigger is on my shoulders.

Reading conditions that can affect the accuracy/POI is in my mind an is an art form and has to be mastered to read the effects of all these
elements correctly.

Lighter bullets and longer distances only compound the problems. Making excuses doesn't help, learning how to minimize these effects
does. There are a few shooters that have mastered the external effects, I for one haven't but i try.

J E CUSTOM