Give me your thoughts on this group..
- Thread starter 1stmar
- Start date
I wear corrective lenses for all shooting including zeroing. I have loaded more rounds with that load and will look to get out next weekend. My gut tells me my parallax isn't perfect and my head position changed from the first group to the second or perhaps a wee bit of rifle can't difference from the first group to the second. I'll know better after 5 consecutive shots and checking parallax.
I think you are over thinking this.
A fair amount of shift, but I have had groups like that more often than I care to think about (I too am into shooting the smallest groups I can for fun and annoyance, its no worse than work)
On the other hand, I shot a really poor 5 shot group as the light was doing and I turned on my illuminated dot.
I had shot much better than that, settled in, full focus on the target and the trigger and got a 5 shot 3/8 MOA.
Keep in mind that the whole thing was erratic in that I had to clear my eyes, wait for the dot, dot fade, but I was focused and got constant results in line with previous shots with the same load.
if its a good load then its the shooter, gun combo. If its not a good load then the best shooter gun combo makes no difference.
Nothing more to it than duplicate the load and see what it does with 5 shots and take it form there.
I could just be inconsistent combo and not a good load.
A fair amount of shift, but I have had groups like that more often than I care to think about (I too am into shooting the smallest groups I can for fun and annoyance, its no worse than work)
On the other hand, I shot a really poor 5 shot group as the light was doing and I turned on my illuminated dot.
I had shot much better than that, settled in, full focus on the target and the trigger and got a 5 shot 3/8 MOA.
Keep in mind that the whole thing was erratic in that I had to clear my eyes, wait for the dot, dot fade, but I was focused and got constant results in line with previous shots with the same load.
if its a good load then its the shooter, gun combo. If its not a good load then the best shooter gun combo makes no difference.
Nothing more to it than duplicate the load and see what it does with 5 shots and take it form there.
I could just be inconsistent combo and not a good load.
RaySendero
New member
Yep - I agree.
.The pic is rotated 90degrees clockwise. It's dead center for the 2 shot group and about .5" left for the 3 shot group. I always adjust my elevation about 1.5-2" above aiming point so my aiming point stays clean.
I think it was either rifle can't or poor head position. I agree on shooting additional groups. Was curious what others thought I should look for.
I think it was either rifle can't or poor head position. I agree on shooting additional groups. Was curious what others thought I should look for.
I think all of them would pop a prairie dog.
And I think you only have 2 or 3 thousand rounds of that accuracy in that barrel.
Variables? Air. By definition mirage bends light.Its a lot like putting a stick in the water.It looks bent.A carpbowhunter knows he has to shoot where the carp is,not where he appears to be.
How fancy and repeatable is your rest/bag setup? An inch or two different placement,a few ounces variation in pressure on the forend..Is it generously free floated? How perfectly have you found natural point of aim?
I really don't want to pretend to be a good shot.I'm not.
But groups are about comparing a shot in the moment to a shot in the past.
You might think in terms of one shot groups.A history of them.The next 300 shots.How close is each one to where you aimed?That tells you more than three shots,two shots,five shots....
I understand,you got 2 shots realclose,then three shots real close in a different string,and it would be nice,had you shot them all in one string,that they might have all gone in one little cluster.And you are thinking."Shucky darn!!! If only......!!!"
I could cut that out and put it in my wallet.
If that's true,you could just shoot another 5 shot string,all at once.
With no interruption.No problem.
Obviously,its a good rifle,and you are shooting well!!
And I think you only have 2 or 3 thousand rounds of that accuracy in that barrel.
Variables? Air. By definition mirage bends light.Its a lot like putting a stick in the water.It looks bent.A carpbowhunter knows he has to shoot where the carp is,not where he appears to be.
How fancy and repeatable is your rest/bag setup? An inch or two different placement,a few ounces variation in pressure on the forend..Is it generously free floated? How perfectly have you found natural point of aim?
I really don't want to pretend to be a good shot.I'm not.
But groups are about comparing a shot in the moment to a shot in the past.
You might think in terms of one shot groups.A history of them.The next 300 shots.How close is each one to where you aimed?That tells you more than three shots,two shots,five shots....
I understand,you got 2 shots realclose,then three shots real close in a different string,and it would be nice,had you shot them all in one string,that they might have all gone in one little cluster.And you are thinking."Shucky darn!!! If only......!!!"
I could cut that out and put it in my wallet.
If that's true,you could just shoot another 5 shot string,all at once.
With no interruption.No problem.
Obviously,its a good rifle,and you are shooting well!!
Hibc appreciate your response and I'm on my third barrel 
so I recognize the limited number of rounds I have. I have noticed one thing along the lines of your comments, cold barrel first shot is always right on dead center. The barrel is free floated pretty generously.
For clarity my question was never about the group(s) per se. as mentioned in previous posts I shoot groups to get better as a shooter. It's a learning process, I'm always looking to improve and for that reason I shoot multiple calibers and iron sights with the same goal. The post was meant to drive thoughts on what the people who are better shots than I am thought I may be doing wrong. Also as mentioned, there aren't a lot of shooters at my club that I have found to be better shots than I am or I'd be asking them.
I found it unusual that the two groups were so tight yet so far apart. That makes me think my routine, shoulder pressure, trigger control etc is probably pretty good and it's more likely my set up, position or something more static.
Allenj appreciate the response. Definitely something I am going to focus on this weekend. I have loaded additional rounds with the same load but it's not about the load it's about me.
so I recognize the limited number of rounds I have. I have noticed one thing along the lines of your comments, cold barrel first shot is always right on dead center. The barrel is free floated pretty generously. For clarity my question was never about the group(s) per se. as mentioned in previous posts I shoot groups to get better as a shooter. It's a learning process, I'm always looking to improve and for that reason I shoot multiple calibers and iron sights with the same goal. The post was meant to drive thoughts on what the people who are better shots than I am thought I may be doing wrong. Also as mentioned, there aren't a lot of shooters at my club that I have found to be better shots than I am or I'd be asking them.
I found it unusual that the two groups were so tight yet so far apart. That makes me think my routine, shoulder pressure, trigger control etc is probably pretty good and it's more likely my set up, position or something more static.
Allenj appreciate the response. Definitely something I am going to focus on this weekend. I have loaded additional rounds with the same load but it's not about the load it's about me.
The problem is you gave us one severely limited sample (could not be more so)
You need a body of work.
No one can tell how good a shooter you are, let alone if the load is any good.
Do 10 shot groups and we can start assessing, minimum is 5 but 10 tells us a lot more about the equipment.
You need a body of work.
No one can tell how good a shooter you are, let alone if the load is any good.
Do 10 shot groups and we can start assessing, minimum is 5 but 10 tells us a lot more about the equipment.