What rifle accuracy is "good enough" for hunting...

The limiting factor is the human. Shooting is a skill and expensive equipment will not compensate for lack of shooting skills.
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I concurr whole heartedly. Instead of the conversation being about moa and sub moa accuracy, I think that once it is established that the OPs rifle does shoot (and it was), the conversation should be how to get that one shot on target in the hunting situation.

Personally, I like to carry shooting sticks with me as I am not comfortable shooting off hand. Anyone I may be guiding that is not familiar with shooting off sticks, will be taken to the range to practice before going afield.

If I don't have my sticks then I will shoot prone or from the knee or butt as the situation dictates. Many shots I have taken have been with the use of environmental aids such as trees, stumps and even shrubs.

When shooting prone it is very helpful to use your pack under your rifle. The pack adds a little elevation and stability for the shot.

Another discipline that the shooter should master is the art of saying "no" to ill advised shots. It might be hard to pass up a shot at a buck of a lifetime when he does not present a sure kill shot. It may not feel good or give any bragging fodder, but would you feel better to know that buck is still out there for another chance, or to wonder if you gut shot him and will only be available as a meal for the coyotes? Be patient and don't attempt marginal shots. If your buddies razz you, ask them the same question...

Good luck on your hunt!
 
As far as I can remember, I've always shot standing up while hunting. Sitting down just doesn't feel right trying to shoot. And shooting sticks, I see my dad isn't alone with using them. I can't stand them, just one more thing to get caught up in brush. Sometimes I'm doing good to get myself through brush, the last thing I need is a stick in my hand. If you choose to wear it on your side then it'll beat against your leg and when you see the animal be sure to tell it to give you a second while you extend your shooting stick. Most animals I've shot were ones I spooked up while walking. I'm no expert hunter, never will be I'm sure, but shooting sticks get in my way. Plus the cheaper ones break, I tried using one for a few years, I gave up on the idea. If you do need help keeping steady, they'll help a lot however. But I see that deer my adrenaline goes crazy and my heart is racing, but I'm just as steady as possible. If I'm target practicing its a whole different story and I'll have to focus to keep steady.


I know I've already commented already but I thought I'd add to what I've said already.

No scope, I want less than 6 inches at 100 yards
With scope, I want less than 2 inches at 100 yards
Handgun, I want less than 4 inches at 25 yards.

With my .22 RG I can shoot a 16.9 oz water bottle at 25 yards getting 3-4 shots in it out of 6.
 
Tahunua-
Where I lived previously, ground squirrels are about the size of chipmunks. I'm not talking about regular squirrels
 
When i was growing up my grandpaw made my uncles pass what he called the jug test. When it was time for me to start hunting i had to do the same. I had a friend of mine that wounded or missed several deer so i gave him the jug test, guess what he failed miserably. Well he said that that test dont mean anything and he still misses deer even though he can shoot 1 1/2 moa.

As stated before nearly all guns will shoot good enough to kill a deer within its limits and it is often the nut thats behind the butt thats to blame.

The jug test is simple and seems to be effective. It is done by placeing waterfilled gallon milk jugs on there sides at various ranges and angles within your expected shooting distance. When you shoot at the jugs you shoot from real world positions, in my neck of the woods that means kneeling braced off your knee, standing braced off of a tree and so on. If you put a milk jug in an average sized (about 120lbs) fielddressed does chest it will take up aprox the same space as its vitals (liver included) so a hit is a dead deer and a miss is..... well you get it.
 
In all seriousness, you need to shoot good enough that you do not miss. 6" group is the absolute worst I would shoot a white tail deer with. If your group is 6" at 100, then 100 is your limit. If your group is 6" at 1k, then 1k is your limit.
 
Tahunua-
Where I lived previously, ground squirrels are about the size of chipmunks. I'm not talking about regular squirrels
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hmm... ours are about the size of rabbits, tree squirrels are about national average, chipmunks... about the size you describe:D
 
I think you guys have a squirrel confusion.

Here in wisconsin we have this spotted ground squirrel thing that's the size of a chipmunk and acts like a prairie dog. kind of. Then there are the normal squirrels everyone knows which are a lot larger.

Different locations have different squirrels or terminology.
 
No argument, Bart, but on the bench one can reduce the human factor quite a lot, as compared to field conditions.

I look at it this way: On the bench, it's 90% rifle, 10% shooter. In the field, it's the opposite. (Pick your numbers. :))

All I know is that there's a bunch of deer, coyotes and jackrabbits where the entry hole was at worst very close to what I'd planned. :)
 
You said 300 yards. That's a long ways. Therefore, I think 1.5 MOA is a minimum for your use. Preferably 1.25 or even 1.00 MOA. Although unless you're shooting fawns at 300, 2 MOA would likely suffice in a pinch. In the eastern woods, different....4-5 MOA is plenty good.

and yeah, in some places, "ground squirrels" means chipmunk-like critters (tiny), and in some places, "ground squirrels" are marmot-like critters. Very different.
 
Accuracy is the only way to make a clean kill no mater what you are hunting. From a good rest For big game I want to be able to put it in the 1 1/2" - 2". And half that for smaller game. Don't for get that's from a bench. You need to practice your shooting positions to use that accuracy. Practice practice practice. Stay away from the big boomers if you flinch. Use a bullet with high SD that will retain its weight like the barns. Keep the range reasonable. 300 Yds will take some skill 200 Yds is more reasonable.
 
Inch and a half at 100 yards works for me although it is hard to find a bolt gun that won't do better than that. So, at 300 yards I won't be much over two inches from where I am aiming at worst. Doesn't amount to much on deer and less on bear and elk.
 
I consider 1-1.5 MOA as good enough for the rifle and bench shooting. 6" paper plate accuracy is good enough shooting in the same manner (rest-no rest, off hand, etc) as you are likely to be doing hunting. You need to know what your rifle can do and then you need to find out what you can do with it.
 
I don't like my rifle/ammo combo to be more than 2 MOA (I generally have a 200 yard limit) and I would prefer it to be 1 MOA. I find it a lot easier to diagnose problems in shooting while hunting when the accuracy of the gun/ammo are not in question.
 
Very few modern rifles will shoot worse than 2moa. After that it's all about the shooter.
Personally I like to think of shooting at basketballs. If I could put a bullet through a basketball at x distance then putting the same bullet through the heart/lungs of a deer is no big deal.
 
Buzzcook, that should be the case, but I have found that there are just some rifle/ammo combos that turn out very poorly for accuracy despite the ammo being quality ammo (that works very well in another gun, LOL).

Basketball? That is a 9" diameter, or basic paper plate size. You are shooting some good-sized deer.
 
A .30 calibre, shooting groups of 2 or 3 inches at 100 and sighted in about 3.5" high. You need to be able to hit a 9" pie plate, off hand, every time at 100. Nobody should take longer hunting shots than 100 if you're not on some kind of rest.
How big your tree rats are really means nothing when deer hunting. Our friggin' mosquitoes are bigger than chip monks.
 
It's little like hitting golf balls at the driving range. You can get dialed in pretty quick and nail them right down the center. Then when you get on the first tee you hoe the ball out in the bushes somewhere. Not saying that practice is not a good thing. But, I have seen some so so guys on the range manage to kill stuff very effectively and some wizards at the range have a hard time getting anything in the freezer.
 
The first 10 years or so that I deer hunted, I had a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington. I just hunted. I didn't consciously think about accuracy in terms of group size. I just shot at 100 yards or so off the front of Dad's truck till I was sure that the rifle was "on". Then I went to the woods. Checked the zero every year. I killed a lot of deer and don't remember missing many, though my brothers could probably help me remember a few.

Now I'm in to accuracy, just for the challenge.

These days I imagine any rifle you buy is going to shoot well enough for you to hunt deer, pigs, coyotes, and the like. Buy yourself a Tikka T3 in whatever caliber you like and your accuracy worries are over. Or a Ruger American or one of the Savages. Put good glass on it and you are set.
 
I tweak my rifles and ammo to glean 1/2 moa or better from bench and usually when affield, I can have confidence to 350 yds....aim small...miss small.
 
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