Once being in the gunsmithing business and being a long-term shooter, I've probably sighted-in a couple of hundred rifles for people and accurized at least 100, to some extent. It seems natural to bed any bolt action rifle with a (decent barrel) to shoot 1 MOA or better with quality ammo.
One day at the range I was shooting a couple of benches away from a CF competition benchrest shooter with his very expensive equipment. I was shooting my .270 Win, Rem 700 accurized rifle and sighting it in with my latest hunting reloads, ending with shooting about a 1/2", 5-shot group where I planned it.
Then, I fired 5 shots offhand to check any difference in POI, making a sub-2" group. The benchrester said he was somewhat impressed with my benchrest group, but couldn't believe his eyes when he saw my offhand shooting. Being a long-time offhand shooter, I didn't think it was anything special, since I did at least that well, competing in local turkey shoots and varmint hunting.
It's amazing how few people shoot offhand or from field positions after sighting-in their deer rifles. Sometimes, it makes a big difference in POI when a rifle doesn't have a free-floated barrel, especially how many folks rest some rifles terribly wrong at the bench, especially lever-actions.
One day at the range I was shooting a couple of benches away from a CF competition benchrest shooter with his very expensive equipment. I was shooting my .270 Win, Rem 700 accurized rifle and sighting it in with my latest hunting reloads, ending with shooting about a 1/2", 5-shot group where I planned it.
Then, I fired 5 shots offhand to check any difference in POI, making a sub-2" group. The benchrester said he was somewhat impressed with my benchrest group, but couldn't believe his eyes when he saw my offhand shooting. Being a long-time offhand shooter, I didn't think it was anything special, since I did at least that well, competing in local turkey shoots and varmint hunting.
It's amazing how few people shoot offhand or from field positions after sighting-in their deer rifles. Sometimes, it makes a big difference in POI when a rifle doesn't have a free-floated barrel, especially how many folks rest some rifles terribly wrong at the bench, especially lever-actions.