The term "Bughole"....

[Darkhorse]

Different groups of shooters will define a bughole group different. A benchrest shooter might shoot 10 shots into a group measuring in the thousand's of an inch. He for the most part is using a dedicated BR rifle custom built for that one purpose.
So I feel it is important to note that for the most part we are a group of shooters using mostly off the shelf rifles having sporting contour barrels, with a few custom hunting rifles thrown in. We are looking for the best, accurate loads for hunting, with rifles not designed for Benchrest shooting. And most of our equipment and rests are also not BR grade. Most of use variable hunting scopes not 20X or 30X target scopes.
I can remember a time when the best rifles were expected to shoot 1 1/2 to 2 inch groups. A MOA rifle was something to brag about and a selling point for manufacturer's.
I just feel it is a testimony to how far we have come as hunters and shooters, and handloaders, to be able to shoot such small groups, some at extended ranges, as have been posted in the "Definition of a Bughole" thread.
And those 10 shot BR groups? Well that gives us something to strive for.

 

[SJB358]

Well said Darkhorse!

 

[DrMike]

I, too, remember when an MOA rifle off the rack was the exception rather than the rule. A rifle that was 1.5 MOA could take anything in the dark woods. I would guess it still could, if the hunter puts the pill where it belongs.

 

[Horsethief]

Two almost opposite points:
(1) a hunter only needs one good shot to drop most animals
(2) a 1.5" shot group @ 100 yards is fine, until that distance is extended to 300+ yards and then you're looking at a 4.5"+ wide group if there is no wind, mirage, or other factor that makes a difference

Being good is better than being lucky in most things over a long period of time, but the hunter with not a lot of time to fill a tag will glad glad for luck, every time.

I don't find it difficult to make a rifle produce sub MOA shot groups. Time to work on loads, time to shoot (in good weather conditions) and the place to do it all are huge factors. I'm lucky in that sense and my kids like to shoot/reload/hunt also.