Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters When do you send back a custom rifle?

I consider it reasonable for a custom hunting rifle to consistently group three hunting bullets into 1" or less at 100 yds with minimal load work. With every bullet and every load, no.

I consider it reasonable for a custom hunting rifle to consistently group three hunting bullets into 1" or less at 100 yds with minimal load work. With every bullet and every load, no.

You guys do realize that 1/2 inch groups can be acquired by bad shooters getting lucky just that one time.

These are the same guys that when shooting at geese and the fourth one back on the other side of the flock falls, they proudly claim that that was the precise one he was shooting at.

That is a train wreck not a custom gun.

Don only shoots 1 shot groups.

Accuracy guarantees depend both on the shooter and the maker.

Once tested a .300 Weatherby from a gunsmith who guaranteed 1/2"
5-shot groups with factory ammo. He even sent along some factory ammo to shoot in the rifle. I certainly didn't find that accuracy, but did manage to get one load to group 5 in 3/4" after sorting the ammo for bullet concentricity. When I told the gunsmith my results he said, "I'll take 3/4 inch!"

Much of it depends on whether they specify 3-shot or 5-shot groups. Contrary to what many believe, 5-shot groups will always average larger than 3-shot groups, even from a benchrest rifle, and no, it's not always (or even often) due to barrels warming up but the laws of chance: Three shots aren't enought to demonstrate the actual maximum spread from a certain rifle or load.

This is why a lot of guarantees are for 3-shot groups, and most customers will be satisfied if most 3-shot groups make the guarantee--but the shooter also has to understand several things about bench shooting, including some most people ignore, like wind flags, parallax, and really anal handloading techniques.

Many also mount a brand-new scope on their brand-new rifle, and if the rifle doesn't shoot to the guarantee, how do you know whether it's the rifle or the scope? One custom riflesmith I know constantly has to deal with people whose scopes go bad, but say, "But I spent $1000 on this XXXXX!"

One other comment: I've thoroughly tested not just one but several Jarrett rifles and have yet to encounter one that wouldn't put three shots inside a half-inch consistently with the right load. But you can also make them shoot 2" groups. I know this because the first one I tested, a 7mm-08 AI, came with some handloads supplied by Jarret. Turned out they were loaded by an employee who was a drug abuser who was fired while I was still testing the rifle. I borrowed a set of dies from Kenny and my own handloads shot a lot better.

People who have sporter weight rifles shooting hunting bullets
that are shooting .250 five shot groups at 100 yards are to be admired and emulated.
Wave to them when you see them driving their 22 mpg Suburbans.
whelennut

All of this just proves what I have been saying all along.

The crafters can't run jive on 95% of posters here.