Real world accuracy

[Doewhacker]

So I have been shooting my rifles a bit more each year for fun and practice and I started to wonder what really is considered acceptable accuracy?

I have been playing with my 7mm at 200 and was curious so I looked on the net and found this article from Chuck Hawks. He basically explains what is acceptable hunting accuracy for different ranges and chamberings. Turns out I do better than I thought and should be happy with my skill at 200 so yea for me.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/practical_accuracy.htm

What do some of you rifle loons say?

[cdmckane]

Minute of angle (1" @ 100 yards) is pretty standard in bench shooting.  I prefer minute-of-whitetail (any shot in a 10" kill zone at any range you plan to shoot deer).  Figure out where you'll be hunting and at what ranges, then practice at that range until you can hit a 10" pie plate at positions you'll likely be shooting from (standing off-hand, standing with sticks, sitting, kneeling, etc)

[MACHINIST]

I bench shoot every rifle to get the most accurate bullet for that rifle.If its between a couple that are very close I go to the cheaper ammo and thats my pic.Then I shoot the same way I will be in the stand or off of sticks/monopod because thats mostly how I hunt.I couldn't hit a running elephant at 100 yards so I wont try a shot on a deer unless its slows right down to a fast walk.Most people dont shoot standing/bipod/moopod/kneeling like they will be in the field and it does make a difference

[Pygmy]

My " meat gun" a .280 remington Winchester M70, has never been a tack driver... Other than a few lucky groups, it shoots no better than  2 MOA, day in and day out, and it cost me a considerable amount of time and money working up loads to get it to shoot that well. I can't comment on factory loads in that rifle because I have never fired a factory load in it.

 

However, from a steady shooting position, I've killed several game animals at 300 yards, plus a few farther away than that. I really never recall missing ANYTHING  when I could blame "lack of precision" of my rifle.

 

I always try find a steady  shooting position, even if it's only leaning against a tree...I'd rather have a 300 yard shot from a solid, steady shooting position than a 50 or 75 yard shot offhand any old day.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I can clover leaf with my 06 at 100 and with the federal premiums at 200 it is less than 2" on the bench. I have never shot it on paper at 300 but 6" x6" steel targets at 300 are an easy feat for the gun. I am still trying to duplicate the performance with my hand loads. Beat I get at 200 is 4"

[Elmo]

There are some bench warriors out there.  I'm not saying any of you are but there are some people that shoot great off of a bench and are all over the place when out in the woods because they've never practiced shooting without a rest or shooting while standing.  The ranges I go to won't allow me to stand and shoot.  For practice, I sit as the range rules states but I'll keep my elbows off the bench and shoot while holding the rifle as much as I can.  Of course when sighting in or confirming my zeros I use a bench/rest etc.

[Early]

Hats off to you great shooters!  It is not your guns...It's you!  Fact is, most guns shoot quite well; not so for all us hunters.  My shots on game these days are generally well under 100 yds.....I do well in that ball game.  Stretch the distance only a little beyond that, and I would no doubt shoot poorly...despite the quality of my firearms.

[Doewhacker]

My " meat gun" a .280 remington Winchester M70, has never been a tack driver... Other than a few lucky groups, it shoots no better than  2 MOA, day in and day out, and it cost me a considerable amount of time and money working up loads to get it to shoot that well. I can't comment on factory loads in that rifle because I have never fired a factory load in it.

 

However, from a steady shooting position, I've killed several game animals at 300 yards, plus a few farther away than that. I really never recall missing ANYTHING  when I could blame "lack of precision" of my rifle.

 

I always try find a steady  shooting position, even if it's only leaning against a tree...I'd rather have a 300 yard shot from a solid, steady shooting position than a 50 or 75 yard shot offhand any old day.

 

That is the exact MOA the author listed for a gun such as yours (and mine), for some reason I was falling into the trap thinking I need to have small MOA at 200 and smaller at 100. Sure my gun and I are capable of sub MOA at 100, but in the real world hunting scenarios it just doesn't matter. It kind of releaved some pressure I put on myself so to speak, but I do enjoy the capability to put a tiny group down range and look forward to more shooting at 200 for fine tuning and hopefully beyond at some point. My range only goes to 200.

 

Now if I could just find a Ammo sponsor so I could shoot more.......