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Thread: Accuracy isnt king for me.

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Accuracy isnt king for me.

    I dont care much about accuracy, at least in the sense of making small groups from a bench. I really only care about hunting accuracy, and shooting from field positions, mostly offhand. I normally load to duplicate factory power and as long as I get factory accuracy im pretty content.

    I reload mostly for the economy, but also self sufficiency and the hobby factor comes into play. Most of the guns I am interested in, are either handguns or short range rifles. Rifles like my winchester 94 30-30.

    I do have some interest in getting a bolt action rifle with a scope, but I normally dont like such. However, I digress, when I get a scope sighted bolt gun I would be happy with less than 1 1/2" groups at 100 yards considering i'd never shoot past 350 yards, and rarely if ever that distance. And I wouldnt worry any if I averaged 2" groups for that matter.

    I dont hardly ever shoot from a bench. If I shoot for accuracy, I go prone as I dont have a bench. I generally shoot seated, off my knees and standing for both practice and fun. With a rifle, I can easily hit an empty shotgun shell at 25 yards with my 22 rifle offhand. And can get between 4" and 6" on a normal day with a handgun at the same distance. On a good day, I can hit a 2" target at 25 yards with a handgun, provided the sights are suitable and the gun will do it. My moms single six will do it, when I can. I've done a lot of practicing, dry firing and shooting over the years to get that good. While most folks caint hit the broad side of a barn offhand, I know an expert can put me to shame.

    So I figure... if either factory ammo or my reloads can do better than I can from the shooting positions I normally use, why worry about getting smaller groups from the bench.

    Is there anyone else that prefers practical field shooting opposed to the bench bound accuracy game? Is it just me? Am I nuts?

    Bazoo

    Added; In my original post, I think folks got the impression I didnt test my loads for accuracy... not so. I just dont chase the accuracy. If I work up the powder charge in 5 steps, and the 3rd step gives me the best accuracy, then I generally go with that one. If that is 2" at 100 yards and thats in line with or better than factory im pretty content with it.
    Last edited by Bazoo; 09-15-2018 at 12:05 AM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master


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    I like to hit stuff, but I like to get my 100yd groups to at least 1", with 2" being max. I mostly shoot supported, be it against a tree, my arm, knee, log, window sill, shooting sticks etc. But when I zero a rifle scope (or irons), it's off a lead sled, which takes me out of the equation. My usual standard is three shots to zero, three more to confirm, the rest I shoot without the lead sled to make sure I can shoot close to what the rifle can. Oh, and I zero and shoot with a cold barrel, since that's how I'll do it while hunting. I have steel plates setup now, because it's more satisfying, to me, to hear the ring off the plate vs holes in paper. But I also have bullseye plates, which give me a much smaller inner plate to strive for.
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  3. #3
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    I find bench work essential to working up good loads.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
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  4. #4
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    I much prefer to shoot rifle offhand. But as Waksupi mentions, some bench time is needed for load testing...and dang it, it seems like I do more load testing than fun offhand shooting.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    I figure the more accurate that I can make a load, the better the chance that I’ll hit an animal where I’m aiming, or at least close enough.
    Plata o plomo?
    Plomo, por favor!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    After sixty plus years of shooting I find the only interesting guns are the accurate ones. To each his own I guess.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Even though many consider it a chore,I find it extremely enjoyable to do load testing from a sandbag/bench.
    Testing different powders & other components in different calibers just intrigues me.

    I like to go out & plink for "target practice" with rifles/shotguns & pistols freehanded without being on the bench, and do that once I have found out what the bench/load testing has told me, but I find that the trip getting to the destination is as fun, or more fun than the destination itself.

    Funny... I am that way when I travel as well. Stopping once in a while to meet locals, or see /visit interesting places, as well as enjoying the view along the way, to me, is just as much fun if not more than actually getting to where I was going.

    I am a strange man, though. To each their own... We all should "walk our own walk", IMO.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Master FISH4BUGS's Avatar
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    I shoot machine guns. Who cares about accuracy? I just want every round to go bang!
    Collector and shooter of guns and other items that require a tax stamp, Lead and brass scrounger. Never too much brass, lead or components in inventory! Always looking to win beauty contests with my reloads.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master Shopdog's Avatar
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    I varmint hunt with CB's...... Deer hunt with recurves and longbows.

    I need velocity,the more the merrier,need first round cold bore dependability, and the precision afforded by tight little groups.Bench testing is a necessary evil to the above..... to a point.Then,mucho practice in the field using bipod or shooting sticks.Hard to beat shooting at beercans.For me,they are a very good representation of practical accuracy.

    To each their own,the main thing is to enjoy the experience. Some folks thrive on shooting groups?I like drilling beercans?

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    Well, if I had a place to do it ... . Here in suburbia you can't shoot in your back yard and I drive about 40 minutes to get to the outdoor range. There it's bench, or a couple of non bench at 100 where you can shoot prone or sitting. Then I'm a little proud of the .477" 50yd 22Mag group I shot Sat. I don't remember if it is seven or eight shots - it is what was left in the magazine when my friend (2nd time shooting!) handed it to me to try the 03A3. The rifle? A Browning T-Bolt.

    Yeah, I took a 23 yr old city kid from Church shooting.
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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    When I am shooting squirrels 90 yards away with my 17 HMR I need accuracy. When we are deer hunting and shooting at deer no more than 40 yards away 3 MOA is plenty good enough.
    East Tennessee

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Then your obviously on the other end of Tennessee! On this end a 400 yard shot is often in the cards, so, I'm looking for any inch or under at 100.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Different guns have different purposes ----- but----- if the gun isn't accurate for what it was designed for, it gets fixed.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Like they say shooting is 10% physical and 90% mental. Anything that ups your game mentally can only help. If your load will stay in 1 inch at 100 yds. from the bench that's a great confidence builder. That being said NOTHING makes up for field position trigger time.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy

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    Quote Originally Posted by waksupi View Post
    I find bench work essential to working up good loads.
    Same here. I wanna know what the gun/ load will do. The rest is up to me. Pun intended.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    In addition to adolescent plinking with a .22 rifle, I came up through smallbore and highpower competition, so did a lot of shooting from field positions and was good at it at one time. Then came groundhog sniping at distance, usually with an improvised rest like a fence post or tree. Now I'm too old and fat to get in the proper competition positions, and I don't hunt anymore so most of my shooting is off of a bench, either to sight in a rifle, test loads, or to shoot reactive targets like clay targets, dirt clods, metallic targets. I suppose I've reached a point where I combine precision and non-precision shooting and enjoy both.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Gotta start at the bench to work up loads. Then when you free hand and miss you know it was on you.

    I've been testing cast boolit loads in my leadsled this past week and some of the worst boolit/powder recipes have shot a half foot group at a 100 yards. Can you imagine how that load would shoot free hand?

    My best cast boolit load measured 3/4" of an inch. Therefore I have a little room for error when shooting off hand if I move, wiggle, or accidentally flinch.

    It's like trying to sight your gun in free handed. Your never going to get it dead nuts unless it's not moving.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-10-2018 at 07:44 PM.

  18. #18
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    i shoot mainly handguns for selfdefence. as long as i keep them all in the black at 25 yards thats good enough for me. my eyes ain't what they used to be so my open sight rifles i just take out for fun. the scoped ones i try for accuracy with varying degrees of success.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thundarstick View Post
    Then your obviously on the other end of Tennessee! On this end a 400 yard shot is often in the cards, so, I'm looking for any inch or under at 100.
    Exactly. We hunt our 42 acres of timber. A 40 yard shot is the long exception. 25-30 is about the average.
    East Tennessee

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I dont care much about accuracy, at least in the sense of making small groups from a bench. I really only care about hunting accuracy, and shooting from field positions, mostly offhand. I normally load to duplicate factory power and as long as I get factory accuracy im pretty content.

    I reload mostly for the economy, but also self sufficiency and the hobby factor comes into play. Most of the guns I am interested in, are either handguns or short range rifles. Rifles like my winchester 94 30-30.

    I do have some interest in getting a bolt action rifle with a scope, but I normally dont like such. However, I digress, when I get a scope sighted bolt gun I would be happy with less than 1 1/2" groups at 100 yards considering i'd never shoot past 350 yards, and rarely if ever that distance. And I wouldnt worry any if I averaged 2" groups for that matter.

    I dont hardly ever shoot from a bench. If I shoot for accuracy, I go prone as I dont have a bench. I generally shoot seated, off my knees and standing for both practice and fun. With a rifle, I can easily hit an empty shotgun shell at 25 yards with my 22 rifle offhand. And can get between 4" and 6" on a normal day with a handgun at the same distance. On a good day, I can hit a 2" target at 25 yards with a handgun, provided the sights are suitable and the gun will do it. My moms single six will do it, when I can. I've done a lot of practicing, dry firing and shooting over the years to get that good. While most folks caint hit the broad side of a barn offhand, I know an expert can put me to shame.

    So I figure... if either factory ammo or my reloads can do better than I can from the shooting positions I normally use, why worry about getting smaller groups from the bench.

    Is there anyone else that prefers practical field shooting opposed to the bench bound accuracy game? Is it just me? Am I nuts?

    Bazoo



    i used to be "Accuracy is King". now, not so much. i have gotten rid of "varmint" rifles, except the 20 vartarg which goes 1/4 - 3/8" at 100 yards(5 shots/benched). i use cast boolits to kill my game(deer/bear) at about 200 yards, but 50 yards and less is more likely. i don't need sub minute rifle that can take the hair off a fly's right testicle at 1800 yards(it sure would be fun to do).

    for hunting large game, cast boolits about 2 or 3" at 100 yards.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check