Average Group

[flatcreek]

I would like to know what the average group you can shoot on a day is. Not the once in a lifetime one hole or the clover leaf you can't repeat that day as for the life of ya. I'm asking this because I think many, like myself, shot alone and have nothing to gauge our groups against other than maybe the ones posted here that probably are not everyone's worst or even their average most of the time. I know I compare mine with the ones I see here and think "I can't shot for s**t". I'm 75 with not the best eyesight and don't expect to be great, but would like to know if maybe I really do suck and need another hobby. It may be fun so let's show the dirty laundry or just tell about it, most don't take picture of the crappy groups. Please say off hand or bench and yards.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I don’t worry about it. I shoot steel targets almost all the time. So for me, if I can tag a 4” steel plate at 50 yds consistently and a 12” steel plate consistently at 100+ yds I’m ok with my shooting. Never been much of a group guy. Shoot and enjoy.

 

[Grenadier1758]

2" to 3" at 50 yards, 6cm to 9 cm at 50 meters, 6" gong at 100 yards, 15 cm gong at 100 meters is reasonable. For hunting, hitting a 6" pie plate at 50 yards is good enough.

 

[andy52]

Off hand or from a rest are different, rested well under 2 inches at 50 yds, off hand 3-4 inches at 50.

 

[GriscomRun]

These responses are enough to answer your question. Honest, practical, and realistic shooting.

 

[flatcreek]

These responses are enough to answer your question. Honest, practical, and realistic shooting.

Not really. Think it would be fun to see more, how about you?

 

[Ed C.]

100 yards: Bench 4- 5" groups, offhand..forget it! 50 yards: Bench 2" groups, offhand, 3-5" groups depending on the day with the .50 cal. Investarms Hawken. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, but that is average for me. 79 years young.

 

[longcruise]

When we start talking about groups it's important to consider how many shots in the group. I for one am never impressed with a 3 shot group including my own.

For a better understanding of your group size, take four identical targets to the range. Put a target at any distance of interest to you. Shoot it from whatever is your position of interest. Shoot three shots and then go forward and take a picture of it. Then post a second target precisely over the first and shoot three shots. Go forward, take a picture and post another target precisely over the second. Do this until you have shot all four targets and taken a photo of each. Then go forward and remove all four targets. Throw the top three away (you have the photos) and keep the bottom one. That's going to be your 12 shot group. It's going to be a good representation of the accuracy of yourself, the gun and the distance/position fired.

For an additional interesting exercise, measure each of the three shot groups and average them for comparison to the 12 shot group.

Once you do this, resolve to never consider seriously anyone's pictures or claims of their groups or accuracy unless you actually see it done.

Get together with other shooters in matches. If you do enough of them you will find yourself sometimes a top shooter and sometimes on the bottom end. You will end up competing with yourself as much as others. You will also find that folks who shoot matches regularly are pretty humble about it. There might be a few that seem to always shoot better than you. Befriend them and show proper admiration for their skills. You will gradually improve by learning from them.

This is all for fun and not to be abandoned over being too critical of yourself.

 

[longcruise]

I thought I was done but I want to tell a true story.

Quite a few years ago I shot a three day event that involved many aggregates. There was a well known couple there. Both were 72 years old. At that time I was probably around 55 to 57 years old.

This couple did an incredible job of shooting. Scores were high. They not only shot great aggregates but won the honors of best overall for the entire three days.

There were some sour grapes who claimed that the wins were charity allowed to them because of their age and longtime shooting carreers. But, shooting matches ain't figure skating and I was hugely impressed.

So, I saw a chance to chat with them and congratulate them. I asked them what was their secret. They explained that they realized that they would not probably be shooting for many more years and that they wanted to start the winding down with a good show on their targets. The "secret" was practice! They had been doing holding drills and dry firing for months. Way more of that than actually burning powder.

I wonder how many participants in those three days went home thinking that they just weren't good enough and decided to quit.

 

[oldwood]

Im over 70. I have begun using a home brew tang peep sight on my 50 cal. , scratch built early Lancaster copy longrifle. I love to use a shooting bench with a good rest , and PRB. On any given day , the rifle setup will do 6 " at 70 yds.. Good enough for this old guy. Deer steps out broadside , I can kill it. My favorite practice rifle is a light wt. .40 cal. longrifle Mtn. gun. , which does better than my .50 to 50 yds on a good day.

 

[Freedom]

All who are members here should make an effort to shoot our monthly forum match occasionally. It will hone your skills and is a lot of fun.

I shoot monthly with a mountain man club here in Montana. All offhand shooting at steel shapes. "Very few" folks hit 12" plates at 100yds! But 6" plates are hit quite frequently at 50yrds.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/forums/members-only-online-shooting-contests.77/

 

[flatcreek]

All who are members here should make an effort to shoot our monthly forum match occasionally. It will hone your skills and is a lot of fun.

Yup, I'm going to try that. Thanks

 

[LonestarShootR]

My savage hawken shoots rb's into 1/2" groups all day long with monotony and twice on Sundays.

 

[flatcreek]

My savage hawken shoots rb's into 1/2" groups all day long with monotony and twice on Sundays.

Yea it's those second two shots that screw them up.

 

[tom in nc]

I don't think there can be such a thing as an average group. Too many variables involved. I try to put all my shots in the same hole. Some days I can, some days not.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I’m out the range right now. As mentioned, I’m hearing hits on steel at 50 to 125 yds. I don’t walk out to see where it hits the steel but that’s meat on the table as far as I’m concerned.

 

[Mike in FL]

From the bench, 3 shots into 1" is achievable. I certainly can't do that any other way, but I need to know my rifle and load can. Most any undamaged rifle can do it; you just gotta fine tune the components or polish the bore until it's free of of imperfections. I've only owned one that needed polished. I can't come close to terrific accuracy shooting without support; consistently hitting a milk jug at 50 yards is about my limit. Always I look for a tree or something else for support. I suddenly got old and that certainly didn't help.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

With my old Benjamin Franklin pellet gun and two pumps I can keep 5 shots into 1/4" at 12 feet in my shop. If I don't do this on a regular basis my groups at the matches open right up to disgusting. The point is that if you have an accurate rifle it won't matter if you don't keep up the practice. I'll let others define an accurate rifle.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Depends on the gun, I have a TC PA Hunter in.50 that'll cloverleaf all day if I do my part right so with that gun, I expect it. Mostly, I think my expectations are high so I'll say 2" at 50yds benched and 5" at 100 yds for me.

 

[LME]

I would like to know what the average group you can shoot on a day is. Not the once in a lifetime one hole or the clover leaf you can't repeat that day as for the life of ya. I'm asking this because I think many, like myself, shot alone and have nothing to gauge our groups against other than maybe the ones posted here that probably are not everyone's worst or even their average most of the time. I know I compare mine with the ones I see here and think "I can't shot for s**t". I'm 75 with not the best eyesight and don't expect to be great, but would like to know if maybe I really do suck and need another hobby. It may be fun so let's show the dirty laundry or just tell about it, most don't take picture of the crappy groups. Please say off hand or bench and yards.

I use to shoot .22 rifles in competition and one hole groups were fairly common at fifty yards. This was with scoped rifles ,mine being an Anshutz. The rifles I am talking about were some of the best and most accurate money could buy. I know there are some fine shooters on this forum that shoot very well but face it they are in a minority as the bulk of the shooters are tickled if they shoot a six inch group at fifty yards. I can't shoot well any more and had to move over to the bulk of shooters side! LOL!