accuracy standards..?

[the Black Spot]

what is the average accuracy, the standard to go buy. example: bad accuracy is three shots in 3" at 50 yards? excellent is 1 - 1.5" (3 shots)?

 

[shmrck1]

Black Spot,
As a hunter I am happy with my 3" groups at 50
yards.However, I know of shooters that are not
pleased with 1 1/2" at 50yards.:hmm:
snake-eyes:hatsoff:

 

[MikeChapin]

It depends on what type of shooting I'm doing. If I'm shooting off a bench, I want 1"-1 1/2" groups at 50 yards. If I'm shooting offhand, I'm giggling happy to put five shots into 3" at that range.

The bench shooting tells you what the rifle will do. The only time I bench shoot is when working up a load for a particular rilfe. It is usually a lot of work to get the patch/powder/ball combination that will give tight groups for a particular rifle. I always go for the 1"+ groups.

Offhand shooting is done after I have found a load. I know what the rifle will do and know the group spread is all me.

 

[pulaski]

Blackspot , Have to agree with Mike on . It's like asking what kind of beer or whiskey is best , it's the one you like that's best . I would add that the best shots in the world can put 5 in an inch at 100 yds. , but the amount of practice time and load development that went into those shots may not be worth it to everyone .

 

[cptleo1]

I like working up loads over the bench.

I would think average accuracy for the average shooter would probably be somewhere in the 3" range, with a rest @ 50 yds.

Most guns probably can do better than that but you are talking about a lot of load development and a lot of practice.

I work toward acceptable accuracy.

Most of my shooting is hunting/plinking.

Group size of 2" at 50 yds is way cool for me.

@ that point I start moving the target back until the group opens up to say fist size and that establishes my MAX effective range for that rifle.

My .54 GRP flinter is the best shooter - way less than fist size @ 110+ yds. Never tried it much further CUZ I figure that is about MAX hunting range for any BP iron sighted rifle.

I believe the peep sight has a lot to do with that

I also have an American made CVA Mountain rifle that shoots 50 yd cloverleaf’s but with my old eyes and those old buck horn sights things go down hill pretty quickly after that.

Acceptable accuracy is being able to hit what you are aiming at. If you main target is a soda can and you can hit it fairly regulary - that is as accurate as you need.

If your main target is a pine cone or a 3" bulls eye maybe a clay pigeon on the side of a hill
If you can hit it -that is acceptable accuracy

For me.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

The best I've managed with my CVA .50 is usually 2" at 50yds off the bench, I have done some better few times when everything was going right but luck was part of it I have to say.

 

[Runner]

Depends too much on context for a simple answer.
I would be thrilled about back to back 3 inch groups at 50 yards. I mostly shoot offhand. For me, minute of squirrel head out to 35 or so, using whatever natural aid available, is good accuracy.
In bench type matches where any metallic sight, shaders, and vision enhancers are used, you better be able to shoot ragged one hole groups at 50 yards.

 

[J.D.]

Depends too much on context for a simple answer.
I would be thrilled about back to back 3 inch groups at 50 yards. I mostly shoot offhand. For me, minute of squirrel head out to 35 or so, using whatever natural aid available, is good accuracy.
In bench type matches where any metallic sight, shaders, and vision enhancers are used, you better be able to shoot ragged one hole groups at 50 yards.

Runner is right on. It depends on what you intend to do with that accuracy.

Formal competition?
You better be accurate enough to consistently shoot less than 3 inch groups off hand at 50 yards, if you expect to win.

For rendezvous style competitions, reasonably consistent 3 inch groups at 50 yards, off hand. That means that you can shoot 3 inch groups, but not every time. Not even every day, but often enough to know that you are capable of that kind of accuracy.

For plinking, it's what ever accuracy you are comfortable with.

For hunting, minute of deer doesn't get it. As Runner said, minute of squirrel head, using whatever rest is available at 35 yards is acceptable accuracy, even for deer at that same range. Picture a squirrel's head right behind the shoulder of that deer...


Consistency in loading, consistency in shouldering the gun, head position, body position, stock weld, bone support, and concentration on the front sight, as opposed to focusing on the target, all play an important role in consistent accuracy.

It all takes practice, and anyone who has the drive and the belief in themself can achieve world class accuracy.

It has been said, by people who are far more expert than I, that the shooting sports are 95% mental, and 5% physical. Sometimes reaching that level of a full 5% of physical success can be very difficult, and achieving that other 95% of mental success can be even more difficult. However, with practice, support, good coaching, a good attitude, and good equipment, anyone with the real desire can achieve what ever level of accuracy they choose.

First and foremost, ya gotta work up the most accurate load for your rifle.
J.D.

 

[sr500]

Agree. Thats what i do. Bench shooting, untill you find your load. Then its up to you.

 

[the Black Spot]

thanks all for the info.

 

[arcticap]

A longer barrel with a longer sighting plane, i.e.-the distance between the sights, is going to be more forgiving when trying to shoot accurate groups because there's less of a chance for sighting errors.

 

[J.D.]

Good sights make a world of difference too. There are a few tricks to making ok sights pretty decent, but more often, sights need to be replaced.
J.D.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Pity aging eyeballs can't be replaced!!

 

[Stumpkiller]

Accuracy is good enough when it is 1/3 the vital area af the critter you intend to hunt at the range you need to be. That allows for "field gremlins" to work on you and still be an effective hunter.

Better than that is certainly desireable and admirable.

If you can only achieve that from the bench, better sure take the bench hunting with you.

 

[ol vern]

Accuracy is good enough when it is 1/3 the vital area af the critter you intend to hunt at the range you need to be. That allows for "field gremlins" to work on you and still be an effective hunter.

Better than that is certainly desireable and admirable.

If you can only achieve that from the bench, better sure take the bench hunting with you.

:bow: :bow: :bow:

 

I'm the proud owner of Bookie's Miss Maggie in .37 Cal.( the one pictured on the front of his web site). On Wednesday I shot a 4 shot group that was one ragged hole you could cover with a nickle at 50 yards. The fifth shot made it so you needed a quarter. The gun is awesome, and I've heard rumers, that the black, and grey squrirels, are leaving Northern Michigan in droves. Steve builds one fine shooting Eastern Tennessee rifle. Of course with a 48" barrel I am closer to the target. I'm not a great shot, and I've got 60 year old eyes, but any decent gun should be able to shoot under two inches from the bench, with a proper load build up, and a smooth rifle should do 3 inches or better at 50. That's for target shooting, but for hunting it's what Stumpy said.

Bill