hunting practical accuracy?
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Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
For killing deer, sure. No problem. Most deer are killed inside of 200 yards. The heart/lung target spread is roughly six inches across, so anywhere within that would work.
From a sandbagged benchrest position, however, I'd want a little tighter group than that, particularly with a scope. With iron sights and any sort of field position hasty rest, grouping inside of 3" at 100 to 150 yards is okay.
Prairie dogs at 300 yards is another story...
, Art
From a sandbagged benchrest position, however, I'd want a little tighter group than that, particularly with a scope. With iron sights and any sort of field position hasty rest, grouping inside of 3" at 100 to 150 yards is okay.
Prairie dogs at 300 yards is another story...
, ArtWild Bill Bucks
New member
Question is a little to general, but here goes.
If you are deer hunting or game in similar size, then a 3" circle would be probably OK, but if we're talking bushy tail hunting, then probably not.
I personally don't want a deer rifle, that I can't hit a poker chip with at 100 yards, and a rifle I can't touch the same hole with for small game.
I do my own loading for all my hunting rifles ( except for my .22's) so this kind of accuracy is almost always attainable ( If I do my part) but if you are shooting factory loads, then this kind of accuracy may or may not be, attainable for your rifle.
I would play with several different kinds of factory stuff, until I found the best accuracy that I could get, ( at least 1 1/2" at 100 yards) and thats what I would go with. Since shot placement is the MOST important, I would not worry to much about what kind of bullet I was using for the most part, as any bullet ,in the right place ,will pretty much be lethal on any animal you want to hunt.
If you are deer hunting or game in similar size, then a 3" circle would be probably OK, but if we're talking bushy tail hunting, then probably not.
I personally don't want a deer rifle, that I can't hit a poker chip with at 100 yards, and a rifle I can't touch the same hole with for small game.
I do my own loading for all my hunting rifles ( except for my .22's) so this kind of accuracy is almost always attainable ( If I do my part) but if you are shooting factory loads, then this kind of accuracy may or may not be, attainable for your rifle.
I would play with several different kinds of factory stuff, until I found the best accuracy that I could get, ( at least 1 1/2" at 100 yards) and thats what I would go with. Since shot placement is the MOST important, I would not worry to much about what kind of bullet I was using for the most part, as any bullet ,in the right place ,will pretty much be lethal on any animal you want to hunt.
thanks Art, I went to the range today for try my new scope and was surprised I could not get tighter groups than inside this 3" circle on my Tikka, even if it's a short barrel (battue model) I expected better groups, here is a picture. sorry for the poor quality it was taken with a mobile phone
22-rimfire
New member
Don't ya just love those cell phone pictures.
With pracitice, you should be able to do better at 100 yds. But you're doing just fine.
With pracitice, you should be able to do better at 100 yds. But you're doing just fine.
People have gotten pretty obsessed with minute of angle shooting, and it is fun. But for a deer gun its completely unnecessary. We always say if your deer gun shoots "minute of whitetail" its good to go. A 3 inch group won't kill a deer any deader than a 1/2 group as long as you keep your shots at 250 yards and under.
I spoke with a friend of me, he is gunsmith and said a Tikka should group tighter at 100 yards, even from this 20" barrel. He asked me a few questions about how I shot and came to the conlusion I just shot too many shots too fast and the barrel went way too hot, causing such a spread. So I guess I'll have to get back to the range this week and try to shoot much slower. Well I hope this is the real reason or I'll have to take shooting classes!
Dearhunter61
New member
3" vs 1/2" inch groups at 100 yards
I agree with Art if you are sitting and shooting from a benchrest position and this is your group it is a little larger than I would be comfortable with. I do not disagree with tyrajam but I do think if you can shoot 1" MOA then when you are shooting at game the confidence of knowing you have a gun that you are capable of shooting extremely well sure can still your heart/nerves. I owned a Rem 30-06 Auto a few years ago and it has to be the most inaccurate rifle I ever owned and I can tell you I let a couple of real nice deer walk that were a little over 200 yards because I did not have the confidence the gun would make the shot. I will not take a rifle into the woods if I can not shoot less than 1" MOA on the bench. It is simply about confidence for me.
So go back to the range and see what the gun does when you allow it to cool down between rounds. I usually shoot in 3 shot groups and then let me rifle cool off and if you are still shooting 3" groups then definately try different kinds of AMMO.
Good luck.
I agree with Art if you are sitting and shooting from a benchrest position and this is your group it is a little larger than I would be comfortable with. I do not disagree with tyrajam but I do think if you can shoot 1" MOA then when you are shooting at game the confidence of knowing you have a gun that you are capable of shooting extremely well sure can still your heart/nerves. I owned a Rem 30-06 Auto a few years ago and it has to be the most inaccurate rifle I ever owned and I can tell you I let a couple of real nice deer walk that were a little over 200 yards because I did not have the confidence the gun would make the shot. I will not take a rifle into the woods if I can not shoot less than 1" MOA on the bench. It is simply about confidence for me.
So go back to the range and see what the gun does when you allow it to cool down between rounds. I usually shoot in 3 shot groups and then let me rifle cool off and if you are still shooting 3" groups then definately try different kinds of AMMO.
Good luck.
Did you clean your new gun barrel THOROUGHLY before using it? New guns come with preservative in the barrel which must be scrubbed out good before using it. Before you go back to the range, use Bore Scrubber, Kroll, or some other good solvent along with a properly sized bore brush and really scrub the barrel. Then patch it out until the patch comes out clean.
Forgot to add: After a really good cleaning, most guns like a couple of "fouling shots" before they settle in. So, waste a couple of rounds before you start to shoot seriously.
Forgot to add: After a really good cleaning, most guns like a couple of "fouling shots" before they settle in. So, waste a couple of rounds before you start to shoot seriously.
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If I'm hunting, I'm much more concerned with a 1 shot group than I am a 3 or 5 shot group.
I usually put one shot from a cold bore downrange and see how it does...I've never had a deer stand still and give me 3 shots. JMHO, but its the first one that counts 99.999% of the time.
Byrdman
I usually put one shot from a cold bore downrange and see how it does...I've never had a deer stand still and give me 3 shots. JMHO, but its the first one that counts 99.999% of the time.
Byrdman
fisherman66
New member
I forgot to run a couple dry patches through the tube before I left today. I don't know where my first shot went. I found my second shot on the edge of the target. Third and fourth started to settle into my 8 and 9-ring and the rest were right where I expected them inside an inch.
Lesson: if you lube the tube, degrease before you squeeze.
It would have cost me a deer; or worse, caused a miserable death.
Lesson: if you lube the tube, degrease before you squeeze.
It would have cost me a deer; or worse, caused a miserable death.
phil mcwilliam
New member
I prefer if my hunting rifles shoot 1 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards. This will help if you find that you have to take a longer 200 yard to 300 yard shot. There are however a lot of hunting situations where distances are close & you wouldn't be dissadvantaged with a gun that shot 3 inch groups. Only problem is when you come across that trophy that you've spent a lot of time & effort trying to find, only to have it present itself 250 yards away- thats when you will want a 1 MOA rifle.
The real issue
The real issue is how good do you shoot in the real hunting situation. Lots of people can shoot one- inch groups at one hundred yards from the Bench but can't hit A deer in A hunting situation at that distance. I'm not saying that shooting tight groups is not important, it is. We just need to also be accurate in the other aspects also.
The real issue is how good do you shoot in the real hunting situation. Lots of people can shoot one- inch groups at one hundred yards from the Bench but can't hit A deer in A hunting situation at that distance. I'm not saying that shooting tight groups is not important, it is. We just need to also be accurate in the other aspects also.
200-300 yards???? 
Better be a huge azz white tail buck for me to tell front from back end at that distance.... and do you realize how tuckered out I would be after an extra hundred yard drag?
Minute of pie tin is tight enuff fer me. I gave up that minute of frogs hair years ago!
Brent
Better be a huge azz white tail buck for me to tell front from back end at that distance.... and do you realize how tuckered out I would be after an extra hundred yard drag?
Minute of pie tin is tight enuff fer me. I gave up that minute of frogs hair years ago!Brent