How Do You Measure Your Accuracy?

[Belmont31R]

Seems there is a million ways to do this, and no one is on the same wave length.



Myself...I think there are two different accuracy departments. Bench shooting for groups and practical accuracy. For bench shooting I abhore people who shoot 1-2 groups, discount the other 20 they shot, and call their gun a half MOA shooter when their real average is north of MOA. My self measured group shooting is around 1.5MOA with a few different loads, and a few 10 shot groups of each.


For practical accuracy I am lucky to have a range 30 minutes away that goes from 50 to 1k yards, and has tons of steel targets. For practical accuracy I do things like like 3 LaRue's at 500 as quickly as I can. For instance...today I shot just over 300 rounds of combined 556 and 308. None of it was group shooting. I do drills like going R-L on the 3 LaRue's at 500 as quickly as I can. It takes me about 5-6 seconds to engage all 3 with a 308, and Im about 80-90% hitting all 3. I rarely miss 2. You can do the same thing at 750. Another practical accuracy drill I do is a LaRue at 250, 500, and then 750. This requires me to set the scope up for the 250 shot, then the 500, and finally the 750. Each distance change requires I set the elevation, windage, and parallax.



So what do you use to measure your accuracy...both bench and practical? What LR drills do you do?


The next time Im out Im going to see if my P&S camera will do video at 500 so I can film some 500Y X3 drills I do.

[pointblank4445]

Personally, I think that aside from shooting large 10+ round groups in a factory setting with as much human element removed (even pulling the trigger) is probably the only time PRACTICAL shooters need to be concerned with "group size". After a rifle's accuracy potential is established by this, the shooter's main concern should be putting the round(s) on precisely on target. The internet is littered with pics of targets, superimposed lines/measurements, and calipers showing tiny groupings several inches from dead center and the assumed point of aim. I also don't buy into that nonsense "that's where I was aiming". Bullshit. I equate all of this to taking photos of the end-product of a good masturbation session......it may very well be impressive, but you didn't put it where it needed to go.

I am a big advocate of what some call the "Dot Drill." Essentially 1 round is placed on each of 16 1/2" dots. Difficulty can vary with distance and time allowed. After mastering this, longer distances are really a matter of maintaining your fundamentals and doing the proper calculations/adjustments.

[Alaskapopo]

Seems there is a million ways to do this, and no one is on the same wave length.



Myself...I think there are two different accuracy departments. Bench shooting for groups and practical accuracy. For bench shooting I abhore people who shoot 1-2 groups, discount the other 20 they shot, and call their gun a half MOA shooter when their real average is north of MOA. My self measured group shooting is around 1.5MOA with a few different loads, and a few 10 shot groups of each.


For practical accuracy I am lucky to have a range 30 minutes away that goes from 50 to 1k yards, and has tons of steel targets. For practical accuracy I do things like like 3 LaRue's at 500 as quickly as I can. For instance...today I shot just over 300 rounds of combined 556 and 308. None of it was group shooting. I do drills like going R-L on the 3 LaRue's at 500 as quickly as I can. It takes me about 5-6 seconds to engage all 3 with a 308, and Im about 80-90% hitting all 3. I rarely miss 2. You can do the same thing at 750. Another practical accuracy drill I do is a LaRue at 250, 500, and then 750. This requires me to set the scope up for the 250 shot, then the 500, and finally the 750. Each distance change requires I set the elevation, windage, and parallax.



So what do you use to measure your accuracy...both bench and practical? What LR drills do you do?


The next time Im out Im going to see if my P&S camera will do video at 500 so I can film some 500Y X3 drills I do.

I shoot 5 5 shot groups and get the average at 100 yards from the bench. For practical accuracy I shoot drills and qualificaiton courses.

Pat

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

With my hunting rifles I work my handload until I am printing under 1/2" or better at 200 yards from the prone/bench, with a 5 shot cold bore group. Only then do I move past 200 yards in the testing. I also never let my barrel heat up to the point that my POI changes.

Once the load is GTG at 200 yards I run her through the chrno then I move on to shooting a steel poper I have at ranges from 300 to 1400 yards. So i can practice my corrections and feild shooting positions.

I wish I had a range like you mentioned near me it sounds great

Jon

[Alaskapopo]

With my hunting rifles I work my handload until I am printing under 1/2" or better at 200 yards from the prone/bench, with a 5 shot cold bore group. Only then do I move past 200 yards in the testing. I also never let my barrel heat up to the point that my POI changes.

Once the load is GTG at 200 yards I run her through the chrno then I move on to shooting a steel poper I have at ranges from 300 to 1400 yards. So i can practice my corrections and feild shooting positions.

I wish I had a range like you mentioned near me it sounds great

Jon

Umm really you get 1/2 inch groups at 200 yards with a hunting rifle. That is 1/4 moa. Sorry but I would have to see that to believe it.
Pat

[kartoffel]

Good observations, y'all.

Cold bore shots are critical. Dot drills teach you to put shots where they count, rather than just into tight groups.

As for criticism of target photos where there's a tight group that's not in the x ring... well, sometimes people don't bother to adjust their sights (or hold off) just to shoot a group. Holes where you intended to put them will always trump holes that merely happen to be close to one another.

[m1ajunkie]

When I was shooting my rifle to get a good load, I used 5 round groups initially, then follow up with a couple 10 round groups at 100yds. When I am satisfied with that I move on to shooting steel at the longer ranges. I am new to the game and my 700yd range is about 1.5hr away so it's not often I get to go, but now that I have good loads for my .308 I want to start shooting more practical on steel. Groups are fun, but any one can shoot a good group with time and practice.

As far as cold bore shots, my rifles seems to be shooting about .5moa high with the cold bore shot, but then the rest of the group is right around that so it still makes a nice group. When I get back to the 500yd range in a couple weeks I plan to make a 500yd cold bore first thing and shoot no groups that day, just shoot diff ranges and learning to dope wind. So far I have only shot in a headwind that seemed to only have an effect of 2moa at 700yds, I feel when wind gets tougher I will start having trouble.

[TAZ]

I generally average five 5 shot groups to see how consistently I am shooting. There has been discussion about using 10 shot groups or even larger stings of fire, but I haven't bought into that cool aid yet. I can certainly understand the desire to average larger strings, but I feel there is a point of diminishing returns there.

Lately I haven spent much time shooting for groups aside from establishing a zero or verifying dope. Most if the time I spend trying to hit what I am aiming at. I establish a goal of say hitting a 2" dot at 100 yds, be it cold bore, hot bore, sitting, kneeling, prone, timd, untimed...whatever. Once I am able to do that reliably I shrink the target size.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Umm really you get 1/2 inch groups at 200 yards with a hunting rifle. That is 1/4 moa. Sorry but I would have to see that to believe it.
Pat

LOL well Pat if you didnt live in Alaska I would say come on over and I will let you shoot them for groups your self, their custom rifles and I only shoot handloads let me see If I can find some pics of course you will have to take my word for it.

Here is a thread from last year about one of my 260 rems and pic below
http://www.longrangehunting.com/foru...5-yards-56948/

[Alaskapopo]

LOL well Pat if you didnt live in Alaska I would say come on over and I will let you shoot them for groups your self, their custom rifles and I only shoot handloads let me see If I can find some pics of course you will have to take my word for it.

Here is a thread from last year about one of my 260 rems and pic below
http://www.longrangehunting.com/foru...5-yards-56948/

Ok now it makes more sence. A hunting rifle to me is a big game gun in 30 06 or larger with a sporter barrel. Those guns you have are more like tactical rifles that are used for hunting.
Pat