Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire One hole groups, all day long?

Seems somewhere, on more than one occasion I've heard the remark from a fellow that declares his over-the-counter Remchester will shoot 1 hole groups all day long.



I've owned quite a few production and semi-custom rifles as well as a few full custom's that others had commissioned and then sent down the road. I know, in my old age, that I do not seem to have the ability to concentrate that I did when I was younger.

Having said that, in the last 30 years that I have been reloading for hunting, using rifles described above to kill stuff, and developing loads for that purpose, I've found that for me, one hole groups at any time are an anomaly, much less all day long?

What is your expectation/experience in that regard, and what do you consider acceptable accuracy for hunting, say 300 yds. and under??

Asking for me, not a friend.

Quien Sabe?

GWB

Yep.

GW,

I used to be an accuracy nut up until about 15 years ago. Since, I choose a top end load from Barnes #3 or 4 and go hunting. An inch and a half is easy to achieve (and usually better) and has not let me down.

Acceptable accuracy is half the diameter of your critter's lungs for big game, and half the size of the critter itself for a varmint.

Why? Because if you hold on the center of your animal's lungs, a half-lung group size will still hit in the lungs. A deer's lungs are about a foot in diameter. Yes, that means a 6" group at whatever range you feel comfortable shooting is fine. Many or most of you would not be happy with such a group, and striving for better is good. But "wallet" grouping isn't necessary.

For deer/coyote 5/8"-3/4" at 100 yards,and nail a 4" steel gong at 300.I have several guns that shoot way better,but not really needed for the ranges I shoot.I have 10-12 really accurate cf rifles from 6x45 and 6- 250 imp. to 6.5 Creedmoor,but always end up using my 336 A Marlin 30-30 to deer hunt.Guy on the rimfire page has a 10/22 he head shoots tree squirrels at 200 yards consistently-way out of my league!

I've had many rifles including three benchrest guns, but have never been fortunate enough to own one of the "all day long" rifles. It looks like the Internet alleged experts bought them all.

i have a few guns that will shoot what i call one hole. basically one big ragged hole for 3 shots. my ruger 77 frontier 338 federal for one. and my 7600 35 whelen carbine for another. the 338 is stock with a leupold 1.5.-5x20. i use the fusion factory loads. the whelen has a match trigger by accuracy international and a bushnell 3200 2-7. i use 200 sp's from wisconsin cartridge for best accuracy.

all day, no. 3 shot paced groups with the occasional flyer, yes.

a lot depends on me and my shakes. some days i just know i am wasting ammo.

as for accuracy, i am happy with 1-2" groups at 100 with deer guns. 200 is fist sized. don't shoot anything longer. then again, i've never spent more than 250 bucks for a scope. my brother has a older leupold on his 700 that is head and shoulders above anything i own. not sure what it is. it came with the rifle.

I did a test with a .22. Took a brick to the range and was going to shoot them all on one target, to see if I and the gun could really get a "one-hole-all-day-long" target.

I quit after 75 rds. Wasn't gonna happen.

Gun was a CZ 452. Ammo was CCI SV.

Range @ 50 yds.

May try again sometime after reading this thread.

I've killed a lot of critters with a .270 Win that shoots 1.25"-1.5" groups all day at 100 yards.

Sure, you don't want a rifle that shoots 3-4" at a hundred yards, but, IMO, practice from field positions is going to help you more than cutting bench groups by a quarter inch will.

One hole groups are easy peasy all day long...

at 25 yds or so!

When I bought my fist new Ruger M77 MK II, another kid behind the counter told me to shoot a group at 25 yds to begin the sight-in process. So I did. Couldn't for the life of me figure out where the next 2 shots went. So I moved over on the target and tried again. Then it hit me. lol

I still like to chase sub MOA accuracy, but don’t fool myself into thinking it’s necessary for hunting. The weather and other physical conditions are such a big factor that rifle accuracy takes a back seat. A rifle that will consistently produce 1.5” groups is certainly adequate. I do like rifles that will consistently shoot to approximately the same POI with different loads.

Paper Plate.

All mine will shoot one hole groups all day long.

Requirements. Hoping for under an inch at 100. At 300 looking for 1.5 inches is my preference.

Rocky says half this or that. I wobble more than most do. So I want the most advantage for my wobble.

One hole groups all day long. Yep, got those. One shot at each target. One hole.

Any deer I’ve ever killed would still be dead if my rifle had only been capable of 2” groups, maybe 3”. That’s not to say at all that better accuracy isn’t ever needed, and you certainly can’t ignore the satisfaction that comes from making precision ammunition. Longest shot I was ever offered at a deer was 200, maybe a bit more. That’s simply how things go in the places I usually hunt. Given a choice I’ll take okay accuracy with good bullets over tiny groups with poor ones. Newer bullets must really be better because 3-shot groups of around an inch are pretty easy to get. Don’t see any point in wasting barrel life and components scratching for a couple of tenths, not for hunting ammo.

A bit off-topic, but I always get tickled by claims that someone’s cheap .22 will always put crappy bulk ammo in tiny clusters. Maybe the stars align once in a while, and certainly some inexpensive rifles shoot really well, but bulk .22 ammo, even mid-grade, is plagued by flyers that spoil groups from any rifle.

Flyers are a PITA. Still, I'll take 4 in one hole, with one flyer out. Still ticks me off though.

One short of one hole...

As long as I'm the guy pulling the trigger I'll never kmow how accurate any rifle I own is capable of. I do have several I feel will stay easily inside 1.5 " all day long.

It's not uncommon if the first 2 shots are touching,
But asking me to keep a 3rd there is really tuff.

A good shooting rifle is a must have. But I've learned that I'm not a one hole all day capable shooter with the best rifles.

There was a time, in my prime I could shoot a three shot one hole group once in a while. The last time I did that was two years ago with a 358 Savage 99. I thought I’d missed the target on the second shot, fired again, said a bad word, went down to target, could see it ragged out just a touch. I adjust scope, two shots touching, said some happy bad words. I’m still amazed by 99’s, wished I’d discovered them when I was younger.

One shot, one hole. After that, my groups tend to open up a skosh!

Once a load is to my liking, I very seldom shoot groups with it again. Then it's first shot, cold bore that piques my interest.

ya!

GWB