There’s much about shooting groups on this board but I got an amazing lesson in knowing your rifle/ammo capabilities and keeping things centered up.
It usually takes about three matches for me to be comfortable with my zeros when changing scopes/uppers. I shot at Oak Ridge this past weekend.
That is both strings and sighters at 300, 22 shots total. This was my second match with a new upper. It was a good confirmation that my zero was 1/2 minute or so off. (I felt my NPA was slightly right of center). I shot a 195 with 5.
Sunday we shot a Leg match, made the 1/2 minute change, NPA was a little better. 99-2X (I stuck a 9 way out on shot number 8, knew it when I let it go)
Keeping things centered up is important, and difficult.
This is the 300 yard target. The course of fire to start standing, load a magazine with 2 rounds on a closed bolt, targets up, 70 seconds to get in prone position with a sling, no rest, shoot two rounds, change magazines, shoot eight rounds. The ten ring is 7" diameter, so it is a little over 2 minute angle at 300 yards. Tough target with a sling, 4.5 power scope, 4.5 pound trigger, getting in position, mag changes, wind changes, NPA, etc. and in the EIC (Leg) matches you get no sighters.
I won the Leg Match, got a hard leg, only need four to go out.