waiting patiently
- Thread starter kendog
- Start date
I always wonder? Just how much accuracy do you need out in the field? Don't get me wrong. Nice tiny tight groups from the bench are always great for the ego, but the last time I looked, in over 50 years of hunting, I have never seen a bench rest yet. :shock: In a couple of cases, it would have been nice. :roll: But one was not available. 
Nice tight groups does help with one's confidence in the field, but again, I have to ask, just how much accuracy do you really need.
I once had a nice FN Mauser in 30-06 that would do .375" to .50" groups day in and day out. :shock: 8) The only problem was they were never in the same place twice. It would place one group 3" high, the next 4" low and left, or maybe not even on the paper. I never knew where the next group would be. I rebedded that rifle 5 times as I recall and went throught 3 different scopes with never a fix to the problem. Finally, I scrapped that very pretty pice of wood that was about as stable as Jello in an earthquake and put the barreled action into a McMillan synthetic stock. Pretty it ain't but the rifle will do from 1.0" to 1.25" consistantly. I have no problem keeping three shots into a 8" paper plate out to 400 yards with that rifle from a soid sitting position and from the bench the groups run right around 5" at that distance with selected handloads.
I have come to the conclusion that I would rather have a rifle that did 1.50" consistantly from the bench than any tight grouper that walks them all over the place. Any such consitant rifle will be good to at least 300 to 350 yards if one can shoot. When you get down to it, how many times have you really had to shoot that far out. When you did have to shoot that far, would a stalk to close the distance have been possible?
As long as we're discussing the Featherweights, I have two, A .257 Robt. and a 7x57 Mauser. Both rifles have had trigger jobs and been glass bedded and thebarrels free floated. So far, the best the .257 will do is an occasional one inch group with 1.25" being closer to the average. I'm still playing with that one. The 7x57 will do .375" with the 170 gr. Sierra round nose and .75" average with the 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips. Very nice rifles that look good, feel good and shoot darn good.
Paul B.
Nice tight groups does help with one's confidence in the field, but again, I have to ask, just how much accuracy do you really need.I once had a nice FN Mauser in 30-06 that would do .375" to .50" groups day in and day out. :shock: 8) The only problem was they were never in the same place twice. It would place one group 3" high, the next 4" low and left, or maybe not even on the paper. I never knew where the next group would be. I rebedded that rifle 5 times as I recall and went throught 3 different scopes with never a fix to the problem. Finally, I scrapped that very pretty pice of wood that was about as stable as Jello in an earthquake and put the barreled action into a McMillan synthetic stock. Pretty it ain't but the rifle will do from 1.0" to 1.25" consistantly. I have no problem keeping three shots into a 8" paper plate out to 400 yards with that rifle from a soid sitting position and from the bench the groups run right around 5" at that distance with selected handloads.
I have come to the conclusion that I would rather have a rifle that did 1.50" consistantly from the bench than any tight grouper that walks them all over the place. Any such consitant rifle will be good to at least 300 to 350 yards if one can shoot. When you get down to it, how many times have you really had to shoot that far out. When you did have to shoot that far, would a stalk to close the distance have been possible?
As long as we're discussing the Featherweights, I have two, A .257 Robt. and a 7x57 Mauser. Both rifles have had trigger jobs and been glass bedded and thebarrels free floated. So far, the best the .257 will do is an occasional one inch group with 1.25" being closer to the average. I'm still playing with that one. The 7x57 will do .375" with the 170 gr. Sierra round nose and .75" average with the 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips. Very nice rifles that look good, feel good and shoot darn good.
Paul B.
Same here. I like mine to be consistent. If they shoot consistent groups of nearly an inch with no wandering, I am pretty happy. Your right about having decent field accuracy. That means more than little tiny groups, but it is nice to know your rifle is not going to be the weak link in the shot. Scotty
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,502
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Paul,
You have a couple of classic cartridges in the 257 Bob and the 7 X 57. I let my 7 X 57 Featherweight get away; I've never forgiven myself.
You have a couple of classic cartridges in the 257 Bob and the 7 X 57. I let my 7 X 57 Featherweight get away; I've never forgiven myself.
caribouhunter
Beginner
- Mar 31, 2009
- 218
- 5
beretzs":uf0wdola said:
i agree here too! of course we don't carry shooting bench in the field, and i won't be able to reproduce .50 to .75" moa groups from field position. but it can only be better than if the load is 2 moa from the bench to start with.
i mean, for example my favorite 300 ultra load shoots .60" average every time. and from field position at 400 yard it shoots (should say ''I'' shoot :mrgreen: ) 4-6" (1-1.5moa)
but with same rifle when i was using factory load that grouped 2" average from the bench, i had a hard time to keep groups below 8" @ 400y, from field position. so i think it's worth it to work the loads a bit.
my goal is to find a load that is CONSTANTLY sub moa from the bench. for my hunting.
so far it was pretty easy to do for the 3 rifles i load for.
- Thread starter
- #27
Inch groups or around there will suffice with me, would love to see better but I know there is a sacrifice sometimes with the light barrel. I just want the groups to be the same size and in the same spot, over and over. I will figure it out, if not, hmmmm, would love another .243....
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- #28
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DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,502
- 6,506
The Model 70s can shoot. That looks good; you're on the right track.
- Thread starter
- #31
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,502
- 6,506
Nothing wrong with those groups.
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,459
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kendog,
Nice shooting!
JD338
Nice shooting!
JD338
- Thread starter
- #34
