Grouping size for hunting

[kobeinu]

The paper plate method with a 1' circle (or oblong sorta thingy) has worked for me for years. I put them up at 50, 100, 200 and 300 yds. If I can hit or knick the plate I am satisfied. I am usually exactly where I want to be from 50-200 in or near the circle. Further out is where I start to call knicks good but then I am not going to shoot at anything that far where I hunt. Ever.

[54bore]

I strive for 1" groups at 100 Yards from my rifles, if i cant get an inch i sell it and buy another. I handload and have done so for 30 years, i can usually find a rifles 'sweet spot' within a few loadings, seating depth, etc. I have only had a few rifles out of MANY MANY that i got rid of.

[psweigle]

I like the way cowboy Dan explained it. Can't really argue with it.

[RU shooter]

just because a load/gun combo can shoot good bench groups don't mean nothing in the woods or field . Get yourself a good load on the bench and shoot offhand or sitting or kneeling as you would if your taking a shot at an animal . See what range you can keep every shot in a 9" paper plate target less is better imo .

[Dan Cash]

At whatever range you can consistantly maintain 3 inch 5 shot groups from a field position is your max range. Does not always have anything to do with your gun or load.

[white eagle]

a bench group tells you your load and ammo are dialed in
confidence in the field about your equipment goes along way

[Snow ninja]

Yep, cowboy dan is right on.
My rule of thumb has always been for rifles anything I can cover with my fist (around here I don't have anywhere I shoot over about 150 yards, and that's a stretch). For a defensive handgun, if I can keep all my shots at a quick/rapid fire pace within a paper plate I'm happy.

[barrabruce]

Well by the look of it most of you should be getting medals in the cast bullet benchrest nationals

I'll settle for a consistent on demand 1 1/2 to 2" 10 shot group at 100 yrds than a lucky 3 or 5 shot 1" or less "best" group out of ten.

It don't matter much to me as I only take the shot if I'm able to place the round where I want it at the time.

So what we all have to let a few go because or range or weather ...shaking to much.

Seems there seems too much shooting these days instead of hunting and stalking.

I get my long range fun at the range.

Makes me wonder how do you all do it so well with out a range finder and doping the wind etc.

Is hunting just setting up a sniper hide these days and taking a shot.

In that case I can shoot more steel and paper critters and have the same feeling as I can shooting game in a life time.

Ha......

[dverna]

I use jacketed bullets for hunting. I want no more than 1.5 MOA from the load. My current .308 load is about .75 MOA.

I still hunt or use a blind. Maximum range is determined by factors that affect my ability to make the shot. Shooting position, target profile, wind, brush etc. It can be as short as 50 yards or up to 400 yards.

[DougGuy]

I set my preferences at tennis ball size group. I want to know within the space of a tennis ball where that boolit is going to strike on game. My M77 in .308 will put 3 into a guitar pick @ 200yds, and I have taken game to 340yds and hit within 1/2" of POA. So if I have a 300 ~ 350yd shot on game that is standing still, I can confidently take that shot.

With a revolver, same tennis ball size requirement. This limits me to roughly 50yds and less from a comfortable rested position against a tree, sitting with my wrists on my knees, or sitting in a tree stand.

[LAKEMASTER]

In my bowhunting days, i forced myself to shoot. Within 4" up to 40 yards.

I personally feel 4" even@ 200 yards is more then deadly and humane...

Granted, i wish to have 2k MV

[Tailhunter]

Just depends on the weapon. I have a .308 and a .223 that if they won't give me a .5 inch at any given time, I'm pissed.

With my lever guns an 1.5 group and I'm happy. If you are into the 4 or 5" area you had better shorten your distances up.

I always strive to put each bullet into the same hole. Some of you guys that are happy with minute of pie plate need to rethink things.

[LAKEMASTER]

Just depends on the weapon. I have a .308 and a .223 that if they won't give me a .5 inch at any given time, I'm pissed.

With my lever guns an 1.5 group and I'm happy. If you are into the 4 or 5" area you had better shorten your distances up.

I always strive to put each bullet into the same hole. Some of you guys that are happy with minute of pie plate need to rethink things.

.5 @ 300 yards?

Doubt my 64 year old gun will do that

[badbob454]

that is .5 at 100 yards, or 2'' at 300 yards, it think is what he meant 1/2'' minute of angle at 100yds or 1'' at 200 yds or 2'' at 300 yds

if i cant get under 1'' at 100 yards on the bench i will work it until i can .... , change powder load, or different bullet.

[shafer44]

1/2" groups are nice to have, but I agree that you mainly need to be able to hit the vitals size target at some range and use that range as your max.

[Norske]

I volunteer at an indoor rifle range(www.rrrmc.com). The range has a "dime club" meaning 3 shots at 100 yards off sandbags can be completely covered with a dime (.7"). I've shot the largest bullet diameter that's done it with my 358 Winchester BLR and cast bullets. Others of mine include two 22-250s, a 6.5X55 (Tikka T3), 300 Savage (Savage 99). The dime covering the outside of the group was picked to encourage shooting. How accurate does a game rifle need to be? 2/3 of the deer I've taken were killed with a single shot from a Ruger 257Roberts that's a 1 1/2" rifle. I ambush deer like a bow hunter, and have shot no more than 3 at ranges over 100 yards.

[Iowa Fox]

My goal is clay birds at 100 from a rest. I try to shoot 50-100 rounds per week for practice to get there. If I can't hit almost 100 percent of the time I need more practice. I don't have anything new so I know the loads and the firearm are up to it.

[ole 5 hole group]

Every rifle I own will give me between 0.250" and 2" groups at 100 yards benched all day long. Those same rifles in my hands can also miss a gallon jug at 100 yards off-hand without much of a problem on some days.

I've been known to gut shoot an antelope going Mach II at about 250 yards and I've missed a prairie dog mound at 700 yards in windy conditions - diameter of mound was maybe 14' - ya feet, not inches.

A 3" rested group at 100 yards is good to go when going after anything coyote or larger - In my opinion a 10" group at 100 yards rested will get the job done in a riflemen's hands on deer.

[tdoyka]

Idea makes me wonder as I recollect a thread about a guy who was discussing the use of "low powered" loads in a 44 mag handgun for hunting,,, I believe 240-260 grain bullets at 1050 fps. -what I think skeeter did with "heavy duty 44 special"- as being unethical for hunting...

that could be me, i use a 44 mag in ruger sbh(4 5/8" barrel) and i use a 250gr mihek hp(1:40) and 7.0gr of unique in a 44 sp. right now i can hit a 6" circular piece of steel at 25 yards(one handed). i have 280gr wfn gc(lyman #15) that i have to try, using unique/44 mag brass. for banging steel/deer it will be 25 yard shot, maybe even a 50 yarder, but i will see if a 280gr/unique keyholes or not.

i'm only using my sbh one handed because i'm disabled(stroke). i used to be able to do a 2 hander/shovel handle about at 2 1/2" at 100-125 yards.

[JohnH]

Off a rest? Standing on your feet? Sittin' on your rump? My first muzzle loader deer I shot at ten yards. It was late afternoon, I was sitting on the ground about 25 yards in a pine thicket from a trail coming off a steep hill. I was dozing off (that nodding, snapping awake, nodding, awake thing) when i heard a noise behind me. The young fella had come down the trail, got right on me, spooked and turned to figure out what I was (big mistake) I swung the musket with me as I turned, shouldered it and fired. Group size had nothing to do with anything. That CVA Hawken will at 50 yards from a sitting position (butt on the ground) group at about 3" depending on how often I swab the bore between shots. Cartridge guns I shoot into half that at that range when sitting. Standing on my hind legs I'm about a four inch shooter at 50 yards with irons and with a scope am good to about 100 for 6", this with rifles I shoot 1 1/2" to 3" groups at 100 yards with off a bench. I've killed about 30 deer in some forty years of hunting. I've shot 1 at a measured 225 yards, one at 80 and all the others have been at 50 and less, the average something like 35 yards. I've shot 'em with jacketed bullets and cast alike, from sitting on my butt to standing on my hind legs to having a perfect rest on the window ledge of a shooting shack. While I would argue that there is no such thing as accuracy which you can't use (it's impossible to be too accurate) I think we overemphasize accuracy and sacrifice ability. A gun/load combination that will shoot sub MOA groups is useless if you can't hit with it. Over the course of the year I will shoot from both sitting and standing positions with the load(s) I intend to hunt with. The farthest distance I can reliably (90% or better) put everything into a 7 inch high x 9 inch long target (round the corners with a coffee can lid) is my person farthest distance. Standing, it's about 100 yards. Sitting about 140. Bench, further than I'll shoot at a deer. But considering the realities of my hunting experience, group size is far less important than my ability to put the first shot where I want. I have a 44 Mag Rossi that puts it's first shot anywhere from 3 to 5 inches away from the main group, but so long as I don't let the barrel cool completely off it'll shoot all I can hold with it's ironsights. The gun will not go hunting with me. I have an 1893 sporterized Mauser that will regularly shoot 4-4 1/2" groups at two hundred yards off the bench with peep sights. I shot my best 8 pointer at 20 yards with this rifle on a very slow walk down a shallow drainage. He was feeding, walking toward me from my left. I raised the rifle and waited and as he stepped out from behind a tree I slapped him. There was a hole through the thicket of scrub trees and brush about half the size of a basketball. At the short range a rifle that wouldn't shoot half as well would have done the job, but had I been using a handgun I'd have felt it would take all my ability to have made the shot and at 25 yhards i can shoot 4" all day with my Ruger 45 Colt Blackhawk. So my hard answer to your question is "all the accuracy you can wring out of your gun, and then know what your honest ability is under the conditions you're shooting at the moment of truth.