Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters What accuracy do you expect from an inexpensive bolt action factory rifle?

A simple question, but a few conditions.

No talk of the reasons why you wouldn't buy one. You cannot reload for it. No expensive scope or aftermarket trigger or stock. No barrel treatment.

This isn't a long range rifle. 300 yd max. Most hunters don't take game that far, but we need a max. range.



You walk into Cabelas and say, "I'll take that 30-06 Axis, a 3x9 Bushnell scope and the cheapest box of Remington 165 gr Core Lokts you got."

What is acceptable? 1 or 2 inch groups at 100 yd? For me, because of CNC machining and ammunition improvements, I think 2 inches at 100 yards is just fine.

I wonder if that 30-06 Remington 700 from 1970 and a box of 1970 Remington ammunition would shoot as well as today's rifles and ammunition?

Have we improved?

Thinking about your conditions, I don't know if anyone here would have have any experience

IMHO, Most guns shoot better than the person pulling the trigger.

I think today's rifles and ammo are better.I remember long ago when Weatherby used guarantee their rifles would shoot 1 1/2" groups or better with their factory ammo.It seemed fairly common for the norm was that or greater for most rifles and ammo.If you got better you were really happy.If you handload you could usually get better.I think a good rifle today should shoot and inch or less.

Mine do, ain’t as good as I once was, probably never as good as I thought I was. Wifey says I’m a legend in my own mind!

If you are OK with a 2 in. group at 100yds, then that combo should be ok for your expectations. My nephew bought the same rifle/scope combo in 6.5 Creed for his girlfriend. It shot 1.5 inch groups out of the box with factory ammo. I know its a different cal. but I have not shot one in 30 06.

Every one of my factory inexpensive rifles handloaded will shoot .5 inch. With factory ammo it all depends what the rifle likes so a lot of experimenting. But I noticed that cheap Remington and Federal shoot the best groups.

I was able to get the rifle mentioned above to shoot .75 inches with 140 Berger VLD's. thats all I tried. and thats good enough for now.

Steve your assumption that anybody can shoot a 1 moa group is not valid. That simple....mb

Agree with MB

I did not say that.

Why anyone would waste their time conversing with Steve Redgwell is beyond me.

Not gonna get into whether or not Steve assumes everyone can shoot MOA. Don't care.
I will say that after taking several (lots) of friends and guys I work with shooting over the years , Also working in a gun shop for over two years back in the early 90's , I can say without a doubt most people cannot shoot nearly as good as they think they can.
Most of the guys on here , I'm sure are above average at a minimum.
Back when I use to be a fairly good shot . I was shooting 2-300 rounds of hi power rifle a month. Not a lot by some standards but more than some "rifle shooters" in a decade or more.
Soo back to my original statement of "Most guns shoot better than the person pulling the trigger" .

You ain't kidding. He wrote the book on moron.

I don't think that everyone can shoot MOA. It's a question about what people expect from an inexpensive bolt gun. I agree with your statement about most rifles being more capable than the shooter.

I suppose this is where the question goes off in another direction, but do people expect better accuracy with rifles/ammunition built in the past 10 or 15 years? Some people decry the use of today's plastic stocks, less steel and other manufacturing changes, but to me, off the rack rifles seem to be shooting better than pre CNC builds. I know they aren't as pleasing to the eye, but performance has improved.

Am just happy to hit the target, regardless of what really old curmudgeons opine.

That's the spirit! Kinda' the same approach I take.........

I think if I couldn't shoot MOA or a little more after setting that rig up there's something wrong. As MD said in one of the Gack books accuracy can be pretty inexpensive today.

I don't think it's a waste of time communicating with you.

Good luck and shoot straight y'all

I'm going to give a bit more credit to newer bullets. It seems to me older rifles can be made to shoot better with newer bullets.

I don't know. The Remington 788 I had back in the '80's was a .5 MOA rifle with handloads and under 1 MOA with factory loads of the day. Kind of a homely thing at the time but almost handsome in comparison to todays plastic fantastic junk. Had a couple of Savage 340's and 110's back in the day that were nearly as accurate. Again not handsome rifles but not horrible compared to the likes of the Ruger American or Savage Axis either.