Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Accurate Pistol Caliber Rifles

My sample size is relatively small at 6, but I have never had a pistol caliber rifle that I considered accurate. Some were adequate, but none even scared MOA. The best I could hope for with the best loads was about 2.5 for a 3 shot group at 100. Even then, with the best of rifles, that wasn't repeatable over the long haul.

2x Ruger 77/44
Marlin 1894 44 mag
CVA Scout 44 mag
Ruger PC9
Henry 327 Fed

Have any of you had pistol caliber rifles that you considered accurate? Reading across the internet, it's a rarity.

2-2.5" at 100 with a CVA Scout 44mag and about the same with a Handi in 44mag.

Considering the deer shot with both were probably 20-30 yards away on average, they're accurate enough.

2.5 certainly gets it done for deer at any pistol caliber rifle range. My Scout was infuriating. I could put two touching, then one would be 2.5 off. Out of 5 groups, at least one of the groups would have a wicked flyer and open up 4-6. It's been that way with all of them. To be fair, I haven't given the 327 a good ringing out yet.

I've never seen one. My first ruger 44 carbine was good enough for southeast deer hunting, but i was shooting under 100 yds.

Factory ammo or hand loads? My scout like 300's, my Handi like 240's

Yep, I had a Scout 44 as well. Same issues. Sometimes it would cluster 3 touching. Seemed to be really finicky about forend placement on the rest. Tried fiddling with the forend hanger and that did nothing. Not sure what the issue was. I know their barrels are good. Maybe sloppy chamber, rim headspace, or throat? Not sure. Thought it would make a great youth gun, but not with that issue.

1894 Remlin was at least consistent, but never better than 1.5-2"

Currently have a 77/44. That model is a struggle to find a load, but it is fully capable of solid 1.5-2" groups. For it's purpose, that is fine. I know it is going to be a 100 yard or less gun anyhow.

So, question for you Scout guys: did your FIRST shot go to point of aim consistently? Mine does, and, considering it's a single shot I use for hunting, 5 shot groups are not on the radar.

I have a 788 .44 Magnum that is a tackdriver. I have a Ruger 77 .357 that does pretty well, considering its fixed 2 1/2X scope. Marlins in .41 Mag and .44/40 are "deer accurate", but not exactly awe inspiring.

Each type of rifle has its own tricks. For instance, Paco Kelly describes how to tune lever guns at https://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/chapter23.htm I never tried any of it but what he says makes sense.

The only one I ever owned, a Marlin 1894 in 44 Magnum, shot about like the ones you listed. I bought it for hunting little deer in thick brush where shots are rarely over 50 yards. Trajectory and accuracy were adequate for that so I never worried about pushing it farther. I just focused on making fast, accurate offhand shots with it. I put peep sights on it and killed a little blacktail with it, then got bored and sold it.

With enough time, money, profanity, and loading components, you can probably get any of them to 1 MOA. I'd start by matching bullet weight to rate of twist. Then I'd make sure that the bullet was supersonic at 100 yards to avoid the weirdness that happens as it passes through the sound barrier. Then I'd look at crimp.

Beyond that, I have no idea.


Okie John

I’m sure guns are more capable of accuracy that the shooter can’t get. I do have a Beretta CX4 Storm 9mm carbine that is very accurate. I have an Aimpoint red dot sight on it and I can hit any rabbit I see out to 75 yards. My limiting factor is a red dot sight and how well I can see my target.

The Aimpoint is a great sight, but it won’t cut it to shoot groups at 100 yards…

Probably not a clean barrel first shot. Most of the time it was close on a fouled, cold bore first shot. But again, too many inconsistencies to put much trust in it. Those things really play mind games when out hunting.

I've had a few that were decent over the years, but none that I can recall have been tack drivers by the usual standards of hunting rifles. For the distances they're used at, they're perfectly fine, imho. If I can't hit something at 50-100yds with a 2-3MOA shooting rifle, that's not the rifle's fault 🤷‍♂️

I've also had a couple that were spectacularly bad shooters... *finger pointed squarely at Ruger 96/44 and Win 94 Trapper in 45 Colt*

Yep,

I have a Spanish Destroyer Carbine in 9mm Largo that with handloads will plunk them consistently in the just under an inch to just over an inch at 75 to 100 yards. Maybe not accurate enough for some’s standards, but for a 100 year old militia rifle basically thrown together without much regard for fit and finish…it shoots pretty good and is a hoot to plink with. I have 2 of them, my brother has one, and two other friends each have one, and they all are quite respectful in regards to accuracy.

Jeez, never mind the big game opportunities, I'm jealous of all the rabbits you have out yonder. I can't even remember the last rabbit I saw in the woods here. See them in neighborhoods, but that's about it.

Wow….. I’m getting very close (2 9/16” for 4 shots) to your 2.5” groups with my 460 XVR (8 3/8”) using my cast bullets @ 100 yards. I would think that most rifles should have done much better than your results! memtb

Both.

I consider that pretty damn good.

By way of comparison I have had single shot and lever 45-70s that could easily and regularly best MOA and never had flyers. What is it about the pistol calibers?

My favorite "pistol caliber rifle"



Browning High Wall



ya!

GWB

That's getting it done right there.

That's awesome!!