I was alive 50 years ago and shooting.. I would say over the counter rifles like Savage are far more accurate today than years ago.. But even in those dark days, there were guys doing some awesome long range shooting.. A group in northern Penna. shot woodchucks, deer and bear at long distances.. Many up to and just over 1000 yards.. In those days, the 7mm and 30 caliber Mags. ruled.. I have some articles from that era.. One of the popular scopes was the B & L 2=8.. It was equipped with a method to adjust the scope for long range, and another was the big 6-24 B & L... A friend of mine used one of these on his 7X61 to kill deer at 800 yards..
Your pretty much correct with your opinion.
Im very soon to be 85, and ive been long range hunting the steep N/C PA sidehills for more than 50 years.
I only recently swapped my old 6x24 B&L scope for a new Nightforce. Frankly, im not so sure i improved anything for what i use the gun for. Id agree that factory rifles out of the box are more accurate today than 50 years ago. Probably due to better machinery, not the men who build them. As for better bullets, there are many more of them by more makers than 50 years ago, but i doubt theres really been all that much improvment as for accuracy. 1000 yd benchrest records are controlled by conditions today more than the equipment and shooter, as many of them are capable of doing it given the right conditions.
And the majority of them are using custom bullets today as opposed to factory made. Barrels are no doubt more consistantly good today also than years back.
All in all, it’s a better time to be a young person just starting out. It’s just too bad the interest isnt there as it was 50 years ago.
