Accuracy in the field?

[captdavid]

First for some background.
In the US we generally 'shoot our rifles at in 100yds'.

Usually, 3 or 5 shot groups are shot, using sandbags or bipods, off a shooting bench. ​

After this they are often shot at longer ranges. The general opinion is that a 1.5", or better is considered acceptable accuracy. FWIW I shoot both my 7x57 and my 30-06, two inches high. If I do my part they shoot 1.25" groups. This puts them dead on at 200yds. I assume it's similar in the UK.

Shooting of the bench, obviously not the same as shooting under field conditions. My buddies and I set up conditions in which we try to replicate hunting conditions. We use threes, sticks, fence posts, off hand, something similar to your high seats, and anything else we can think of. Groups are larger under these conditions. Of course it's us, not the gun.We also shoot at a 4" steel plate 'gong'. It can be very humbling once one gets past 100-150yds! I stand in awe of you guys making 150yd shots at your smaller deer.

What do you guys do?

capt david

 

[Dalua]

For my part, like you folk, I tend to shoot in/test loads at 100yds off a bipod or sandbag on the bench, and, again like you, I'd set the sights to 1.5-2" high at 100yds to give a more-or-less 200yds zero - which I generally check at that range later.

I take part during the year in club shoots where we shoot roebuck targets at 100-300yds, in various positions. These include off-hand, sitting, prone and off sticks at 100yds, at 200yds off sticks and sitting with bipod/sticks and prone unsupported, and prone/bipod at 300yds. Also a running boar/roebuck at 50 or 55yds. This is good practice, fun and gives you a good idea what really happens to the tiny 100yds groups off the bench when you get into some actual field positions - particularly at longer ranges, and when the wind blows!

 

[Whitebeard]

Interesting, A shoot very few deer, only the occasional munty but i shoot a lot of lang range varmints or should i say vermin here in the UK, my requirements to be able to hit a target the size of a grapefruit at 500yds are very different, 1"-1.5" groups at 100yds is just not acceptable, the rifle must be capable of shooting groups of 0.250" which my Custom 22BR very much is, Sighted dead on at 100yds all long shots are dialled on, shooting from a very stable platform is also of extreme importance either prone with bipod or off a portable bench with front rest and rear bag, more of less a BR set up for the field. Accurate range finding and wind doping are also very important as is knowing your realtime drops as well as cross referencing with a good ballistics program, however the most important factor and one that must be adhered to is PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND EVEN MORE PRACTICE, I have been practising this long range game now for 12 years and have become reasonably proficient, i can place 5 shots in a 2" circle at 515yds on a good day yet my success rate on varmints at 500+yds is around 50%, i miss as much as i hit. This is down to my average wind reading ability which still needs working on even though i use a wind meter and a ballistics program, but as you know, that can only tell you the conditions where you are standing and not 500yds away.


Ian.

 

[rms364]

I would say if your hit rate is only 50% you need to get closer to the quarry. The idea is for a clean kill even if it is ‘vermin’.....

 

[ChrisWorley]

Surely that the whole point of Stalking,I like to get as close as I can,If you are not confident in making a clean kill don't take the shot. There will always an other chance.

 

[potshotpat]

If your shooting 1 inch high at 100 yards with a centrefire rifle, would your bullet not be still on an upward trajectory at say 200/300? Just asking.

 

[VSS]

No, I don't think so.
In the case of most of the popular stalking calibres, if they're dead on at 100 yards, most will have dropped by at least an inch by 150 yards.
eg, 100grn 243 will have dropped 0.9ins.
180grn 308 will have dropped 1.4ins.

 

[captdavid]

potshotpat
I'll give you my ballistics; I shoot a 7x57, 150gn Nosler Partition @ 2700fps and a 30-06 165gn Nosler Partition @2800fps. Both shooting about 2" high at 100yds are near dead on at 200yds and around 8" low at 300yds, my personal limit. As I heard a long time ago and still say " I can aim at hair". I can hold right below the spine, with hair above my cross hair, and hit about half way down. capt david

 

[NigelM]

If you have a properly pillar bedded and blueprinted action, a good stiff stock and a truly free floating barrel, with a tuned handloads you should be able to get 1/2" @ 100 yds off a lead sled or sand bag. With proper technique and a good firm forend hold, off a loaded bipod you should be able to get the same. You should also get no significant POI change when switching between bipod, sticks or prone.

Get into ballistic turrets properly set up and a 6" target at 400 yds really shouldn't be an issue given no wind. Wind is the game changer and needs to be respected.

 

[Dalua]

If you have a properly pillar bedded and blueprinted action, a good stiff stock and a truly free floating barrel, with a tuned handloads you should be able to get 1/2" @ 100 yds off a lead sled or sand bag. With proper technique and a good firm forend hold, off a loaded bipod you should be able to get the same. You should also get no significant POI change when switching between bipod, sticks or prone.

Get into ballistic turrets properly set up and a 6" target at 400 yds really shouldn't be an issue given no wind. Wind is the game changer and needs to be respected.

This sounds entirely practicable.

However given the vagaries of the field, the positions, the rests that come to hand (or not) and the fact that 'no wind' is unusual; and that the lack of change of mean POI in different positions might not be accompanied by the same half-minute groups seen on the range, and my personal facility for error when faffing about with sight-settings, I would eschew both 'ballistic turrets' and any 400yd (and 300yds, by and large) shots, except in an emergency, other than on cardboard.

The 300yd roebuck-target discipline is an eye-opener, even though as the good Captain says I can still 'hold on hair' at that range. Personally, I like to know where the rifle shoots at 300yds in case a nearer shot goes wrong and a second shot is needed at a beast that has run on. I know where it shoots at 350 and 400yds, for the same reason.

 

[Miki]

If your shooting 1 inch high at 100 yards with a centrefire rifle, would your bullet not be still on an upward trajectory at say 200/300? Just asking.

No. Not if you are on this planet. It maybe peaking @ 200 but it will be on a gravity fuelled drop @ 300 if it was only 1" high @ 100

 

[Whitebeard]

I would say if your hit rate is only 50% you need to get closer to the quarry. The idea is for a clean kill even if it is ‘vermin’.....

My hit rate is 50% at 500yds, i dont want to get closer, the whole idea of long range varminting is in the name "Long Range", when i miss i miss, when i hit i kill.

Ian

 

[John Gryphon]

when i miss i miss, when i hit i kill.
or blow a leg off

 

[deerstalker.308]

My hit rate is 50% at 500yds, i dont want to get closer, the whole idea of long range varminting is in the name "Long Range", when i miss i miss, when i hit i kill.

Ian

and what about the ones in between? Some of those “misses” could be lost limbs,guts, etc. Shoot targets at those ranges by all means but 50% on live quarry is simply not right. Sorry.

 

[VSS]

when i miss i miss, when i hit i kill.
or blow a leg off

That sums it up.
Why do it? It shows zero respect for quarry. It's all about self gratification. Practice on inanimate targets at that range by all means, but for live targets you at least ought to be within a distance where a rapid follow up is possible.

 

[rem284]

I agree with the census of opinion above. If I had a "success" rate of 50/50 hit/miss I would not be calling it a success. My main aim is to achieve humane kills. If I was shooting at 500 yards and only hitting 50% of the time I would reduce the distance and/or improve what I am doing until it was very near 100% of the time and call it "respectfully shooting at animals with intent to humanely kill them." As said above the wounded ones is unacceptable and the missed ones get educated. If I was putting only 50% of the deer into the larder for the amount of bullets I shoot my employer calling me up and asking questions and probably looking to issue a P45.

 

[bowji john]

Returning briefly to the issue of field accuracy

Is it time for the return of the 'Black Dot of Doom' but extend the ranges from 100 through to 400?

Something for us all to have bit of fun with?

 

[Selous]

If your shooting 1 inch high at 100 yards with a centrefire rifle, would your bullet not be still on an upward trajectory at say 200/300? Just asking.

No! The 100 yard mark is generally the highest point in the trajectory so after that the bullet is dropping. Beyond 200 yards it starts to drop quite fast so range measurement beckons increasingly more critical

 

[shbangsteve]

No! The 100 yard mark is generally the highest point in the trajectory so after that the bullet is dropping. Beyond 200 yards it starts to drop quite fast so range measurement beckons increasingly more critical

Actually bullets don't rise. They start to drop the moment they leave the barrel. They appear to rise through the line of sight because the scope is a couple of inches above the barrel and you are effectively pointing the gun uphill.

 

[User00014]

If you have a properly pillar bedded and blueprinted action, a good stiff stock and a truly free floating barrel, with a tuned handloads you should be able to get 1/2" @ 100 yds off a lead sled or sand bag. With proper technique and a good firm forend hold, off a loaded bipod you should be able to get the same. You should also get no significant POI change when switching between bipod, sticks or prone.

Get into ballistic turrets properly set up and a 6" target at 400 yds really shouldn't be an issue given no wind. Wind is the game changer and needs to be respected.

Ive got a crack handed ruger m77 that does that all day long!

Also got a Brno ZKK that does better than that!

its just practice and experience and confidence in you ammunition.