Testing your Rifle Accuracy

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 5/30/2019 | S Coffman

[w1n1]

Is it the Arrow or the Indian? - When testing a rifle for accuracy with a new load, its ideal to have multiple shooters to test it out. For the serious long range shooter working on a load for a new rifle can be overwhelming with all the possible variables that can come up. Such as charge weight, seating depth, neck tension and so on.
When you think you got all the variables tackled in the load. The results on target can be a let down. You can quickly jump to the conclusion that the load needs to be changed. Experienced loaders/shooters may tell you that the load is fine, look into the trigger pull or the set-up bench.

For instances, these three shooters tested out a new Savage F-class rifle, both chambered in 6mm BR. The initial results was ok, but not great.

-The first shooter was getting shot groups around the 2 o’clock, 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock area and none were touching. This could have been a load problem.
-The second shooter shot the same load and rifle got the next series of shots through the same hole. This shooter finally produced a 6-shot group that was vertical line with 2 shots in each hole but at three different points of impact. With these results the load needs to be tuned to get rid of vertical line. But here’s what happens when the 3rd shooter shoots.
-The third shooter produces a string of horizontal shots no verticals. Serious head scratcher now.

After much thought and observations among the three shooters. What they realized was that each of the three shooters had their own way of holding the gun and adjusting the rear bag. Read the rest of testing rifle accuracy.

[Deaf Smith]

For wheel guns;

Gun control is placing all six shots in the Stop Sign.

[mountainlion]

Having someone else shoot your gun could be illegal in states like Colorado according to radical gun laws. Why allow someone else to shoot your gun when they will not be shooting it. More practice on your part will be more successful.

[wastoute]

I reloaded a lot for years. Rifle and handgun. I think there are times when all the mysteries come into alignment just so and you can’t really say what happened. I used to shoot Hi Power with a friend at a full course with a 600 yard line. After matches they would let us shoot for fun for a while. My friend had a rolling block Remington 45-70. He asked me to chrono loads he had done and I was shocked. We got a ten shot group with a 10 ft per second spread. I had never seen anything like that. Every shot was within 10 FPS. Not surprisingly he was able to put ten shots in the black at 600 yards with that load, most in the 9 or 10 ring. He said he did paper patch the bullets and as I recall they were 500 gr bullets and a ten FPS spread in a relatively slow bullet is easier but it was still impressive.

[Dusty Road]

I find it amazing just how many people don’t know how to pull a trigger. I don’t know how many I’ve seen dump about 3,000 into a nice sub MOA rig thinking it will make them a better shot. In reality nothing they buy will make them a better shot until they finally figure out how to pull a trigger. Having someone else shoot the rifle is a good way to find out your weakness or expose theirs. If is shots bad for you but good for them, you then know where the problem is.

[wastoute]

I think the point is the futility of chasing down variables when you aren’t even considering what are probably the greatest variables of all. Think of it this way. A perfectly executed shot by a perfect shooter will land in the center of the Xring every time. Every time that fails to happen something or more likely a whole lot of different somethings prevented that perfect performance. So one source of variation will describe a small circle around the Xring within which every round will land. Additional sources don’t describe small circles elsewhere so much as just enlarge that circle. We spend hours weighing bullets and cases, some even measuring the volume of cases, tracking down small sources for variation that never seem to transfer to smaller groups. Probably because we are failing to account for even larger sources of variation that we don’t even realize exists. Which part of your finger touches the trigger? How much force is applied to the trigger from one shot to the next. How different is the position of the butt on your shoulder shot to shot and how is that changing in line with the center of mass of the shooter. It may only make the difference of a few thousandths of an inch at the barrel but it is a “9” instead fo a “10” at the target.

Fortunately my eyes finally became the largest factor and I lost interest.

[mountainlion]

I shot expert 50 years ago with am M14. I have worked up loads and even got a 3/4” group out of an old 03. Shooting at a small range with no one there is an easy way to develop skills. Unfortunately radical gun laws and physical things like eyesight and mussel tone deteriorate faster than technology cam make up for them.

[wastoute]

I was a few points shy of “Master” when I started to realize I was spending way too much time on it. It’s pretty much overkill when you are getting to the point where you are specifying which button on a guy’s chest you can hit at 600 yards.

[wastoute]

But you are right about 03-A3’s. My dad’s $19 dollar rifle shoots as well as any $4,000 dollar rifle I own. I was shooting it at a Hi Power Match on a range SEALS used during the week (before 911) and a bunch of AD Marines and others were shooting with us for fun. When they saw me prepping for the 200 rapid sitting they couldn’t beleive I was using a bolt gun and I actually gathered a group of about ten of them, most of whom openly stated they didn’t think I would be able to shoot 10 aimed shots in the time allotted. Their gunny walked over and told them, “You watch, kids. This guy is gonna shoot a smaller group than any of you.” I did. With an 03-A3.

[trebb]

Sometimes it’s the shooter and his feel for the weapon....the intangibles of sighting method/grip/position/recoil against a specific body in a specific posture, etc. make a difference.

[GingisK]

Ahhh, I know what you are talking about. That front sight just plain disappears at times, the the rear sight. Damn gun....

[mountainlion]

But you are right about 03-A3’s...

Mine is not an A3 but it takes more work to get a tight group.

I was talking to a sniper that said he could out shoot a M1 grand and maybe a M14 using stripper clips on an 03.

[itsahoot]

You want accuracy? Never miss rifle video.

Snipers are the only ones that need absolute accuracy the rest of us can use mini guns.

[Delta 21]

I wish my -06 Remington 700 was as steady and sweet to shoot as my .54cal Hawken. The larger the caliber you are using the statistically less chance you have on missing your target!

[wastoute]

The Marines on Guadalcanal had to be ordered to trade their 03-A3s for the M1. I have a CMP M1 I put about $1,000 bucks in to get it bedded in a Fajen Stock and a match barrel and some other “tune ups” like a glued forend to “float” the barrel. It doesn’t shoot for me as well as Dad’s $19 03-A3.

[Delta 21]

Thats a warm and fuzzy!

[mountainlion]

Chesty Puller sought the 03 over the M1 for Korea. Many of the WWII rifles were packed in cosmolene whether they were in working order or not, not a good idea.

[Paal Gulli]

More mish-mash from American Shooting Urinal.

Rifles do not have accuracy, have have precision.

It is the accuracy supplied by the rifleman that determines how much of the rifle’s precision is wasted.