Originally Posted by las
I guess I'm a Fudd. smile

I consider it a good year if I make it a 3 round year for any of my rifles. One to check zero (these have been previously rung out so I know how they shoot), one to drop the whatever, one insurance shot from a few yards out. If needed or wanted.

Clean the rifle and put it away until next year.

I once made a box of .338WM ammo last 3 years, including 2 caribou and 3 moose. That was about $35 well spent! Yeah, it was factory.

Changing scopes, ammo, working up loads, new to me rifles, bedding, etc all cause the tally to go up until I'm confident in the rifle, then it goes to the hopefully 3 and out group.

I see no point in just pouring lead down a barrel, but YMMV.


Nothing wrong with this as long as the hunter has the rifle skills to take care of business.

I used a 358 Win yesterday. I shot it a couple off weeks ago, only 2 rounds at 100 yards....cold bore and second shot were touching and I didn't care about a "group" so said good enough. Killed a buck yesterday with it still hunting. Honestly, the 2 checking zero rounds weren't needed....but I like to know. It's a hunting rifle, mainly used at 150 yards or less, and I rarely shoot it when not hunting. I had 11 reloaded rounds for it....2 checking zero left me 9 for the year, down to 8 now. I can load up 20 rounds for this rifle and it will last several years, it's a hunter, not a shooter.

....that said, on the same day I checked zero with it, and 3 times since then, I've burned a lot of powder with 4 other rifles.

Nothing wrong with doing minimal shooting for hunting.....nothing wrong with enjoying shooting and running through the rounds for enjoyment/practice.