Chris has it right. Plus there is a huge difference in shooting 5 shots into 1-3 inches at 500-600 yards with a scope etc.. and maintaining that to 22 shots at 600.
FWIW I have come off the line at Perry with the only 200 shot at 600 in a match or two. Its just a nagging little thing called offhand that is my nemesis. I suspect I'd be best going to prone only and shooting a match rifle rather than an AR15 service rifle, but I enjoy the challenge so much of the service rifle. And not till I have time to set the national prone record at 600 with a service rifle and or shoot a 200-20x with the service rifle will I swap.
BTW its fairly common for hunting rigs to be made as super bolt guns and shoot 1-2 inch groups at 500 yards. Both 3 and 5 shot groups. After all how many shots do ya need on game. And if shooting a 22 shot group-- sooner or later most days the conditions will sneak in there and nip a super group.
Hope that explains it a bit further. BTW go to longrangehunting.com -- there are a handful of well documented bolt gun smiths dealing with large hunting calibers who have their work firing the size groups I mention. One smith will eventually further lighten my wallet.
Jeff
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
