The American Rifleman's "dope bag" test groups don't really mean a hell of a lot to me. Especially during the last 15 years or so..

The American rifleman can take pretty much ANY decent gun and get groups TWICE as large as that damn thing can really shoot.

The only review I have seen recently where they got groups that were represenative of what the rifle could really do was when they shot an Anschutz m1717 17HMR. The gun averaged about 1/2" at 100 yards.. In a test tunnel. Just about like every one else was getting with that gun with Hornady ammo at the time with perfect conditions..

Of course, a gun like that has no recoil and damn near shoots itself. Every other gun they seem to get grapefruit sized groups..even from match grade rifles.

I think their editorial staff these days is a bunch of near sighted ,college nerds who are recoil wimps and can't shoot worth a damn off of bags because they are still twitching from their morning Lattes..

Knowing the NRA, Browning/FN probably had not purchased a big enough AD in that issue to suit them..Hence the schitty groups..




Last edited by jim62; 10/06/09.
To all gunmaker critics-
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.."- Teddy Roosevelt