It's seems in every thread I read, both here and elsewhere, people talk about shooting 0.25" groups, 0.5" groups, or, on a bad day, 0.75" groups. Maybe a lot of it is simple bravado. I am also aware that many that frequent these types of boards are benchrest shooters. I have seen photos of some of the targets and the sizes of the groups astound me. I only dream about shooting that good of groups. My best shooting with my reloads never seems to break 1 MOA at 100 yards. I am more than willing to admit that it could be the guy pulling the trigger. But maybe you could help me out?
If you can regularly and repeatably shoot groups less than 1 MOA please answer these questions for me:
1) Are you shooting with a stock rifle, straight from the factory with no modifications? If your rig is customized such as custom barrels, triggers, free-floats, beddings, etc, what have you had done?
2) What type of rest do you use? Range provided sandbags, your own nicer bags, bi-pod, Caldwell lead sled, or some higher-end rest?
3) How much work do you put into your handloads? Weigh every charge, every bullet, check for run-out on each round?
4) What is your bench technique like? When you let your barrel cool down, how cool is "cool"?
5) How often do you get to shoot and how much time do you spend at the range at a given time?
Now, a little bit about my gear and my goals...
Both guns I reload for are factory standard with no modifications or customizations:
1) CZ 550 American in 6.5x55 SE
2) Ruger M77 Mark II in 7mm Remington Magnum
I use a set of Caldwell "Deadshot" sand bag rests. I do my best to make my handloads as accurate as possible. I weigh every charge, and sometimes weigh each bullet. I have no tools to check for run-out, case neck thickness, etc. I try and let my barrel cool down usually about 3 minutes in between each shot. I only get to go shooting 1 to 2 times a month and spend around 2 hours at the range when I do get to go.
I have the Rock Chucker Supreme Master reloading kit, standard RCBS green box dies, a basic Lyman dial caliper, etc. No Redding, Forester, or Wilson dies. Nothing high-end, because it's too expensive. The reloads I make will be used for hunting, not benchrest shooting. I full-length resize and use typical hunting bullets (Interlocks, Core-Lokts, GameKings, etc).
Now, I know I don't need better than 1 MOA accuracy for bullets that will be used for hunting. I would like to get my rounds as accurate as possible and to get my bench technique as good as I can. I think it's mainly jealousy when I see so many good shooters around me getting amazing groups. Especially when I see people who have the exact same factory standard gear claiming to get 0.5" groups regularly. I don't mind being outshot by a benchrest shooter who has heavily modified ($$$) gear.
Am I expecting too much of standard reloading gear and factory stock guns? Is it more likely the shooter and the need for better technique? How much will basic mods to my guns help (free-float, glass bed, trigger work)?
Sorry for the long post...
If you can regularly and repeatably shoot groups less than 1 MOA please answer these questions for me:
1) Are you shooting with a stock rifle, straight from the factory with no modifications? If your rig is customized such as custom barrels, triggers, free-floats, beddings, etc, what have you had done?
2) What type of rest do you use? Range provided sandbags, your own nicer bags, bi-pod, Caldwell lead sled, or some higher-end rest?
3) How much work do you put into your handloads? Weigh every charge, every bullet, check for run-out on each round?
4) What is your bench technique like? When you let your barrel cool down, how cool is "cool"?
5) How often do you get to shoot and how much time do you spend at the range at a given time?
Now, a little bit about my gear and my goals...
Both guns I reload for are factory standard with no modifications or customizations:
1) CZ 550 American in 6.5x55 SE
2) Ruger M77 Mark II in 7mm Remington Magnum
I use a set of Caldwell "Deadshot" sand bag rests. I do my best to make my handloads as accurate as possible. I weigh every charge, and sometimes weigh each bullet. I have no tools to check for run-out, case neck thickness, etc. I try and let my barrel cool down usually about 3 minutes in between each shot. I only get to go shooting 1 to 2 times a month and spend around 2 hours at the range when I do get to go.
I have the Rock Chucker Supreme Master reloading kit, standard RCBS green box dies, a basic Lyman dial caliper, etc. No Redding, Forester, or Wilson dies. Nothing high-end, because it's too expensive. The reloads I make will be used for hunting, not benchrest shooting. I full-length resize and use typical hunting bullets (Interlocks, Core-Lokts, GameKings, etc).
Now, I know I don't need better than 1 MOA accuracy for bullets that will be used for hunting. I would like to get my rounds as accurate as possible and to get my bench technique as good as I can. I think it's mainly jealousy when I see so many good shooters around me getting amazing groups. Especially when I see people who have the exact same factory standard gear claiming to get 0.5" groups regularly. I don't mind being outshot by a benchrest shooter who has heavily modified ($$$) gear.
Am I expecting too much of standard reloading gear and factory stock guns? Is it more likely the shooter and the need for better technique? How much will basic mods to my guns help (free-float, glass bed, trigger work)?
Sorry for the long post...