Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 30-06 inherent accuracy

Might be wrong but are we confusing accuracy with precision?

Depends on which person you talk to. Apparently the two terms started meaning different things due to benchresters, and some other shooters, in the 1950s. Or at least I never found a reference that "precision" means small groups, while "accuracy" is hitting what you're aiming at in my extensive library before a 1952 book edited by Townsend Whelen.

According to dictionaries (including the O.E.D. and modern versions of Webster's) the two terms basically mean the same thing: Precision is listed as a synonym for accuracy, and accuracy as a synonym for precision. This is probably another example of "common usage," rather than the jargon some people use for special applications.

30-06 delivering the mail at 2800 yards,

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ELZLO2pISJo


I had a heavy 30-06 built back in 2000. It's a 16-pound rifle. It shoots everything (handload) I've tried with consistent sub-moa accuracy.

I have a sporter weight 30-06 that is picky about what it likes. Shoots fair to middlin' with medium weight bullets, doesn't like the heavies.

This is the heavy rifle,




Most common load is 208 AMax at 2700 fps.

Here are some examples of 100-yard groups with various bullets from the heavy rifle,

208 AMax,


210gr Berger. Wife shot this for a postal match we were participating in,



190gr Sierra,


110gr VMax,


210gr Berger,


155gr Scenar,


240gr Sierra,

That rifle is a shooter for sure. Did you order a match chamber or use the standard drawing?

Montana-

Great shooting rig on the heavy. Except for the one just a touch off the 155 Scenars were killer! Good work!

Spending time on Accurate shooter Shooters forum. Occasionally the argument appears. I agree with your assessment.

It's a standard chamber. I only resize the necks.

Barrel is a Douglas #7 contour, stainless, 1/10 twist.

I wouldn't claim the 30-06 is "inherently accurate".

It can be made accurate by building the rifle properly, and loading the ammo properly, for best results.

I don't see a problem myself. I have felt generally that the accuracy of a rifle depends on the quality of components and assembly.

Yeah, we've had the discussion on the Campfire before too!

But most of all, the shooter.

Nice work, MM!

Yep.

I would consider the 6BR as an 'inherently accurate" round. And by "coincidence", the ammo and rifles just happen to be made to precision standards.

Pretty sure the reason so many 6.5 Creeds are fine shooters is because the chamber has all the best design features. Factory ammo in many cases is excellent also. That said my 260 Remington has the standard factory chamber and I really can't use any more accuracy than it provides.

Agreed. Things have come a long way since the 30-06 was introduced.

Wow, that is some shooting. imagine what MontanaMarine could do with an inherently well designed 30 cal, such as 300 RSAUM... reputed to be a well designed cartridge that failed due to market timing and Remington being Remington...

Yep, IMO it's a common usage vs technical usage thing. In common usage they're basically synonymous/interchangeable. In school I remembering learning about accuracy vs precision multiple times in different classes and they always used bullet holes and a target as the example.

Very common distinction in science. Accuracy is lack of bias, precision is a measure of repeatability.

my old Winchester model 70 pre-64 30-06 made in 1953 made the same year i was born that shoots 3/4 -1 inch 3 shot groups with a 180 grain Nosler Partition i will just use a 5 cent word its accurate enough for me .

Pete….my model 70 in 30-06 was also made in 1953 its serial number is 2772xx

Knew a guy who had a rifle rebarreled and he said the gunsmith made the chamber "tight" it was a very accurate rifle, but he had to reload for it. Factory ammunition would give him cycling issues almost all of the time. I believe it was a 222 REM