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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,813
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,813 |
laissez les bons temps rouler
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,651
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,651 |
This one is accurate enough for me. 10 shots in very gusty 40mph crosswinds, 100 yards. 1982 Ruger M77.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 58
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 58 |
I prefer a rifle that will hold about 1 moa, but one that fits, tracks well for me and is comfortable to shoot is just as important. If I cannot hit offhand with it, it just does not work for me. The moa just helps to cut down one variable.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,169 Likes: 14
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,169 Likes: 14 |
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 13,965 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 13,965 Likes: 4 |
My Marlin 1895 45-70 shoots MOA at 100 yds. Not that it needs to for any reason. But it does.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,929 Likes: 10
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,929 Likes: 10 |
1Minute
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,748
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,748 |
The purpose of a rifle is to place a bullet in the vitals. So yes, accuracy, with an appropriate bullet is the most important. And by accuracy, its hitting the point of aim. Groups, not at the point of aim aren't very useful. But I'll start with a package that fits well, feels right, isn't too heavy, is reliable etc.
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 151,942 Likes: 23
Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 151,942 Likes: 23 |
I like mine to be an inch or less, an inch high at a hundred. The longest shot I have anymore is about 275, and it’s downhill.
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1 |
This one is accurate enough for me. 10 shots in very gusty 40mph crosswinds, 100 yards. 1982 Ruger M77. I'll take that everyday and twice on Sunday.
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 21,959
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 21,959 |
Lightweight( sub 8lb) big game rifle: 1.5 MOA. Any other scoped, moderate weight hunting rifle: <1.5 MOA. Anything for longer range work: 1.0 MOA or better yet, 0.5 MOA.
"For joy of knowing what may not be known we take the golden road to Samarkand." James Elroy Flecker
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,519
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,519 |
I know that a 1.5” group is good enough for a whitetail rifle. Even a 2.0” group will work on deer or elk in most cases. But I won’t have one very long if that’s the best it will do. I spend less than a month per year hunting, and the rest of the year shooting at paper or steel. I want my rifles to shoot less than MOA groups, and 1/2 MOA is preferred from the bench at 100 yds. When that “less than a month” rolls around, I have all the confidence in the world that my rifle is up to the task.
If we live long enough, we all have regrets. But the ones that nag at us the most are the ones in which we know we had a choice.
Doug
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 17,927
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 17,927 |
I have a hard time with bug holing rifles that "don't fit", "don't balance", "are a pound too heavy", or have "bad triggers"
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,571
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,571 |
I’m a lot more impressed with a rifle (shooter) that can consistently hit 2 MOA targets out to 600-700 yards or so... than I am with one that shoots 100-200 yard 1/2 MOA groups “all day”.
It’d be a much more constructive conversation.... if we discussed “accuracy” and “group size”... by how big a target you could actually hit 3-5 times straight. There’d be a lot less of this sub-MOA talk... that’s for sure.... especially once you move away from benches and rests. Maybe that’s for a different thread.
You better pray to the God of Skinny Punks that this wind doesn't pick up......
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 144
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 144 |
I look for consistency. In 3, 5, 10-shot groups, whatever I'm doing. I want to duplicate results and prove the load near and far.
At 100 yards: <=1" groups for medium/big game rifles
<=5/8" groups for varmint rifles
Less is always better but if I could achieve the above results with a rifle I really liked, it would be sufficient for my use. Anything larger or signs of inconsistent performance in a modern bolt action rifle and it would be sent down the road regardless of how much I liked the rig.
Also, I usually have an idea of what the rifle will do in pretty short order. After confirming the rifle is properly assembled(so there is nothing mechanical that will hamper results) I won't dick around shooting 100+ rounds for load work up to make my decision. If a given rifle is that fussy from the get-go, I don't want it.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 17,927
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 17,927 |
Id be impressed if I had 600-700 yards to shoot. Cut the cord at 300 yards and not much matters.
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 26,601 Likes: 18
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 26,601 Likes: 18 |
Id be impressed if I had 600-700 yards to shoot. Cut the cord at 300 yards and not much matters. That has a lot to do with it. It seems our friends from more wide open spaces value accuracy more than those of us who consider a 200 yard shot a long one.
Last edited by PaulBarnard; 01/10/18.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,169 Likes: 14
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,169 Likes: 14 |
Accurate hunting rifles are a dime a dozen. Finding Accurate shooters is entirely something different. Hint
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,901 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,901 Likes: 1 |
I’m a lot more impressed with a rifle (shooter) that can consistently hit 2 MOA targets out to 600-700 yards or so... than I am with one that shoots 100-200 yard 1/2 MOA groups “all day”.
It’d be a much more constructive conversation.... if we discussed “accuracy” and “group size”... by how big a target you could actually hit 3-5 times straight. There’d be a lot less of this sub-MOA talk... that’s for sure.... especially once you move away from benches and rests. Maybe that’s for a different thread. I see where you’re coming from and agree for the most part, but to me a more important benchmark than being able to maintain field accuracy to 6 or 700 yards is seeing a shooter be able to get in position, get on target, and make a decent shot out to 2 or 300 yards NOW. That ability to make a decent shot when under a time hack is pretty important for a lot of different types of hunting, and is something lots of folks don’t really practice. Not taking away from the longer distance shot, because that’s nice to see in its own right. That being said, I completely agree with you - field accuracy is much more important than groups off a bench. Plus if all a guy does is shoot off a bench, he doesn’t really know how the rifle itself will act from field positions. For example, I’ve seen rifles that changed POI significantly when a Harris bipod was attached to the forend, seen rifles that changed POI off of a hard rest (like a tree branch), seen rifles that changed POI when a shooting sling was used, and some of these were free floated guns that looked like they should’ve worked fine....... I wouldn’t have noticed those things if I’d done all my practicing by shooting groups off sandbags on the bench. I’m getting off topic....
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 17,927
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 17,927 |
Not really off topic, but true. 99% of the animals I've shot have been from a sitting position on the ground, elbows on knees. Actually never killed an animal prone. Except a groundhog about 30 years ago.
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,066
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,066 |
my rifles have to deliver a 3 shot group @ 100yds < 1" and with either a core-lokt,accubond, or partition. i'm not into target bullets period. i'm a hunter that enjoys accurate rifles above all else. fit/finish come in a close second. but, if a rifle won't deliver sub 1" groups at 100yds they WILL go down the road. there simply is no place in my safe for inaccurate rifles...................period!
"Only accurate rifles are interesting" Col. Townsend Whelen
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