Accuracy in the field?

[Chasey]

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

The bullet is dropping from the second it leaves the barrel. The arc may be imperceptible on a fast load at 100 yards, but its there so a 100 yard zero will be high at 50 but if its a hot load light bullet, the gap may be nominal

 

[Miki]

Actually bullets don't rise. They start to drop the moment they leave the barrel.

This is 100% true

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

try to replicate your bench / sticks / bipod accuracy in the field ,if its not get closer ,like tim i shoot 99% off sticks the other 1% is checking home loads where i use my rifle sled for accuracy once done its back on sticks for zero and drops.this is from my feet to 300.

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Thank God someone said bullets don't rise lol. As for field accuracy, I do all my zeroing and load development in the field for the best part, this gives me an idea on what my reloads are doing and how they and myself are performing. Before changing loads my 223 would give me half inch groups in the field so that's the accuracy I expect. My 308 gives me around an inch in the field. Usually use my rucksack and my hand under the back of the stock. When I shoot off sticks I expect around the same accuracy. That's where a good few years of bunny bashing came in to play! 150 yard head shots off sticks were standard. As said practice practice practice.

 

[Chasey]

1 moa at 500 yards is about 11"

The best rifles in the world are getting .25 moa under bench rest conditions so thats apx a 2.6" circle at 500 yards

Bullet drop on something hot like 22-250 Vmax 55g at 3800fps is about 40" then theres angle if inclination wind drift spin drift and ground effect barrel temperature, humidity, barometric pressure

Shooting sub MOA with a varmint load out to 500 yards is 10% the rifle and the ammunition, 45% skill and 45% luck

Ballistic calculators are great but as with any computer its ******** in ******** out so unless your spot on with your windage & terrain its only a rough guide

More importantly you need a dope sheet for your rifle and load as nothing ever performs exactly the same

Consistently hitting a fox sized target at 500 yards is amazing shooting and with the energy down around 400lb placement becomes more important

 

[Alantoo]

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

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.

This is 100% true

The bullet is dropping from the second it leaves the barrel. The arc may be imperceptible on a fast load at 100 yards, but its there so a 100 yard zero will be high at 50 but if its a hot load light bullet, the gap may be nominal

Thank God someone said bullets don't rise lol. As for field accuracy, I do all my zeroing and load development in the field for the best part, this gives me an idea on what my reloads are doing and how they and myself are performing. Before changing loads my 223 would give me half inch groups in the field so that's the accuracy I expect. My 308 gives me around an inch in the field. Usually use my rucksack and my hand under the back of the stock. When I shoot off sticks I expect around the same accuracy. That's where a good few years of bunny bashing came in to play! 150 yard head shots off sticks were standard. As said practice practice practice.

It is all relative.

If you are going take srvet's comments out of context and correct him because he did not qualify that it was the highest point in the trajectory relative to the line of sight....then you also need to qualify that your "bullets don't rise after leaving the barrel" mantra is qualified by "relative to the direction the muzzle was pointing".

Of course they can rise if you are shooting something above you in altitude...the fact that you are having to point the muzzle above the target so the bullet falls onto it is neither here nor there. In that instance the bullet is rising relative to you, the terrain and the target.

As far as potshotpat's original question and srvet's answer goes they were obviously referring to a horizontally aimed shot i.e horizontal line of sight...if you point the muzzle vertically the highest point in the trajectory could be overhead.

Alan

 

[Selous]

It is all relative.

If you are going take srvet's comments out of context and correct him because he did not qualify that it was the highest point in the trajectory relative to the line of sight....then you also need to qualify that your "bullets don't rise after leaving the barrel" mantra is qualified by "relative to the direction the muzzle was pointing".

Of course they can rise if you are shooting something above you in altitude...the fact that you are having to point the muzzle above the target so the bullet falls onto it is neither here nor there. In that instance the bullet is rising relative to you, the terrain and the target.

As far as potshotpat's original question and srvet's answer goes they were obviously referring to a horizontally aimed shot i.e horizontal line of sight...if you point the muzzle vertically the highest point in the trajectory could be overhead.

Alan

Thank you for the accurate clarification. I was referring relative to a horizontal line of sight with the barrel axis therefore elevated.

 

[hendrix's rifle]

1 moa at 500 yards is about 11"

The best rifles in the world are getting .25 moa under bench rest conditions so thats apx a 2.6" circle at 500 yards

Bullet drop on something hot like 22-250 Vmax 55g at 3800fps is about 40" then theres angle if inclination wind drift spin drift and ground effect barrel temperature, humidity, barometric pressure

Shooting sub MOA with a varmint load out to 500 yards is 10% the rifle and the ammunition, 45% skill and 45% luck

Ballistic calculators are great but as with any computer its ******** in ******** out so unless your spot on with your windage & terrain its only a rough guide

More importantly you need a dope sheet for your rifle and load as nothing ever performs exactly the same

Consistently hitting a fox sized target at 500 yards is amazing shooting and with the energy down around 400lb placement becomes more important

Are you sure? 1 moa at 500 I'd around 5.25 inches if my math is correct? If you can shoot, have a good dope chart and can read your wind you should be able to shoot that range with a high level of consistency. Look at mark ripely, he shoots them ranges for fun! He has a good load, can read the wind and has accurate data for strelok.

 

[RCS Deer Management]

1 moa at 500 yards is about 11"

The best rifles in the world are getting .25 moa under bench rest conditions so thats apx a 2.6" circle at 500 yards

Bullet drop on something hot like 22-250 Vmax 55g at 3800fps is about 40" then theres angle if inclination wind drift spin drift and ground effect barrel temperature, humidity, barometric pressure

Shooting sub MOA with a varmint load out to 500 yards is 10% the rifle and the ammunition, 45% skill and 45% luck

Ballistic calculators are great but as with any computer its ******** in ******** out so unless your spot on with your windage & terrain its only a rough guide

More importantly you need a dope sheet for your rifle and load as nothing ever performs exactly the same

Consistently hitting a fox sized target at 500 yards is amazing shooting and with the energy down around 400lb placement becomes more important

So many inaccuracies in this comment that I don’t know where to start..

 

[C.J]

1 moa at 500 yards is about 11"

The best rifles in the world are getting .25 moa under bench rest conditions so thats apx a 2.6" circle at 500 yards

One M.O.A is one degree divided by 60 .This is 1.047 inches at 100 yards so as a rule of thumb rounded to 1" @ 100 yards.

Every good rifle man knows this.

Therefore one MOA @ 500 yards is approximately 5".

 

[Rusty Gate]

So many inaccuracies in this comment that I don’t know where to start..

I do....if you ever think luck is a factor you don't take them out of the cabinet, the rest fall's/belong's with this school of thought

 

[paul o']

Getting back on track , I zero pin on 100 yrds I use the drop chart from my Chrono and the wonder web to reflect my poi within a computer after that I test this in the field real world shooting wind etc , I then move to the sticks and try to replicate my shots that were ever so good off the bench I like to practice small .
This is how I used to make my drop charts I Obtain some wall paper backing to be 6ft tall man size and without stating the obvious you have to have a back stop that will hold all the shots fired for this test ? .
Then I shoot 5rds 100 at a 1" dot rest and let it cool . The zero dot is marked 2 feet low from the top of the sheet this will allow you to see your drops along the lines that are drawn like a George cross the dot being my zero 100yrd , I then mark off in 1" dots left /right up and down to be hole height and width move back this can be in 25yrd or 50 yrd moves , its up to the shooter at this point but I used to got back in 50 yrs jumps and depending on the ground you can move back as far as you wish or your happy with as your max hunting range. shoot 3/5 at each take your time its not a race then move .
I use bdc turrets but practicing hold off works just as well with practice after all that is all we used to have out to 1,000 yrds in the good old days .

 

[Jagare]

I sight my rifles at spot on at 112 mtrs and thats because my home rifle range is 112 mtrs. The .22 and the double rifle are sighted at 50mtrs.
I was back in the UK stalking last weekend and i sat in several different high seats all with different characteristics. As i sat in each high seat i work out the distance i would be comfortable shooting a deer at. I've shot enough deer over the years to know what ranges I'm comfortable at taking deer. I didn't sit in any seat where i would have shot anything over 200mtrs.
Shooting of the bench is OK for sighting in and getting used to your trigger and all the other quirks a rifle has. There's nothing like plenty of practice, standing,off sticks or any other position that you are likely to encounter. I sometimes think that there those who think they are natural born rural snipers who have no need to practice. I can't think of any other sport requiring skill where people don't have to practice to become proficient at it.

 

[Chasey]

Are you sure? 1 moa at 500 I'd around 5.25 inches if my math is correct? If you can shoot, have a good dope chart and can read your wind you should be able to shoot that range with a high level of consistency. Look at mark ripely, he shoots them ranges for fun! He has a good load, can read the wind and has accurate data for strelok.

Yes I am 100% sure 1moa is 11" at 500m and its 2" at 100m everyone goes on about 1" groups at 100m but thats a 50% MOA grouping

Your thinking of elevation which is basically the radius. I am talking about the diameter of a 1moa accurate grouping

IE its within 1moa of point of aim. so 1" high and 1" low of aim point being within 1MOA of aim point

It just been *******ised over time to the 1 moa being considered a cone around the aim point which it realy isn't.

 

[Chasey]

So many inaccuracies in this comment that I don’t know where to start..[/QUOTE

deleated as I cant be bothered and its pedantic anyway

 

[kenbro]

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

See what you’ve done now, Capt.
Ken.

 

[Chasey]

I do....if you ever think luck is a factor you don't take them out of the cabinet, the rest fall's/belong's with this school of thought

At 500m with a varmint weight round, without bracketing shots and a experienced spotter, its a definite factor

the slightest wind drop or wind gust or a minimal miscalculation could make all the difference when your right on the performance edge of a rifle and a round

 

[reloader54]

 

[Laurie]

Yes I am 100% sure 1moa is 11" at 500m and its 2" at 100m everyone goes on about 1" groups at 100m but thats a 50% MOA grouping

Your thinking of elevation which is basically the radius. I am talking about the diameter of a 1moa accurate grouping

You're quite wrong there. 1-MOA = 1.047" / 100 yards. 100 metres = 109.361 yards, so a 100M 1-MOA group is 1.047 X 1.09361 = 1.145 inches.

US , UK NRA / ICFRA ring type targets for 'Target Rifle' and F-Class are drawn in MOA and this changed to diameter in inches for the appropriate distance, these being 200, 300, 500, 600, and 1,000 yards. (700 is never used and 800/900 use the 1,000 yard target centre giving them more generous ring sizes.

For Fullbore / Target / Palma rifle, and US equivalent, the 5-ring (10-ring in US) is 2-MOA and the 'V' ('X' in US) is 1-MOA, so 20.9 inches / 10.47 inches diameters for the 1,000 yards target centre, actually rounded a little.

For F-Class, the target centres are half those values, so the 1,000 yard 'V' / 'X' is half-MOA just over 5 inches and the 'Bull' 1-MOA or approx 10.5 inches.

A true 100 yard 1-MOA group is 1.047" centre to centre (rounded to 'one inch' in common use) irrespective of the group pattern. There are other arguably more useful measurements such as the 'mean radius' approach which calculates the exact group centre and averages the radius from that point to the centre of each bullet hole. This is the approach military procurement bodies and ammunition companies use in specifying grouping ability specifications and measuring actual performance against them. It is also used by PC programs such as One Hole.

The downside of centre to centre is that only two shots out of as many as were fired determine the group's size, so 9 shots out of 10 might be touching, but if the 10th impact is two inches away at 100 yards it is a 2-MOA group. The mean radius method gives a much more accurate assessment of average performance. Nevertheless, it is the centre to centre method that is used in all recreational precision shooting and when you see 0.1XX-MOA groups quoted in a Benchrest match result that is exactly what it is. (ie at 100 yards, a 6PPC shooting 0.243" dia bullets and shooting a 0.1500-MOA group shoots a single hole whose outer edges are 0.4000" at their widest point, in a 1,000 yards match 1.8135" edge to edge. 100 yard BR record groups are much smaller than that but nobody has yet attained a 0.15-MOA group at 1,000, but it's getting there ........!)

 

[User00001]

Yes I am 100% sure 1moa is 11" at 500m and its 2" at 100m everyone goes on about 1" groups at 100m but thats a 50% MOA grouping

Your thinking of elevation which is basically the radius. I am talking about the diameter of a 1moa accurate grouping

IE its within 1moa of point of aim. so 1" high and 1" low of aim point being within 1MOA of aim point

It just been *******ised over time to the 1 moa being considered a cone around the aim point which it realy isn't.

If you are correct then I need to go back to skool!