Thanks Shaman that was interesting! Just thought I'd add a few thoughts. First of all if your rifle is properly zeroed a 4" group is never more than 2" from the point you aim for. 2" high plus 2" low equals 4" correct but each shot is only 2" from the center.
I would also like to add that most hunters who believe they have a 1 moa rifle in reality have closer to a 2 possibly 3 moa rifle in some cases. The reason is because though the rifle might shoot a 1" group fairly often many rifles tend to change point of impact for several reasons. One reason is that some barrels in fact most IME change point of impact slightly at different stages of the barrel fouling. Another reason is because not every load is optimum for temp resistant/ changes in weather. There is also mirage to deal with that some days can move your group an inch right or left. The truth is when you start to add all these variables up a rifle that shoots a 1" group on Saturday probably shoots a 3" group if you shot at the same exact target 3 times a day for 3 months without taking the target down. Personally I consider that to be far more realistic as to how a rifle is going to perform when being used out hunting rather than a one day target session. JMO
Trystan
That's right, but "properly zeroed" was another one of the impossible dreams. I'd fire half a box of ammo at a target, and then squint a lot. Is it dead on? Is it 2 inches high? F#@#$ if I know. What I did know was that if I shot another half-a-box, I'd have to go back to Walmart and get another box. It seemed a little useless to ponder when I knew that my next deer might be 10 feet down and 10 feet out when I shot.
When I got my Ruger Hawkeye back in 2014, I took it out and shot a 1" group at 100 yards, the first time. Zowie! That made things SOOOOO much easier.
