How accurate should a rifle be?

[makomyday]

Over the weekend I was able to shoot my 300 Winmag, and Remmington 30.06 about 100 shots each.

I could hit the gongs at 200 and 300 easy with both rifles.
At 600 yards, both rifles were 1.5 to 2 feet off center, and all over the map.
The ammo was walmart 180 grain core lokt.

Is this normal? This is the furthest I have ever attempted to shoot.

To hit a 10" plate at 600 yards, what needs to be done to the rifle/scope/ammo/rest/shooter?

My 10/22's were 3-5" at 100 yards, and that is perfectly fine with me. We went through 1500 of the 22lr's Federal bulks. Too much fun there.

Thanks!

Mako

[Barbarossa]

Over the weekend I was able to shoot my 300 Winmag, and Remmington 30.06 about 100 shots each.

That sounds like a fun, yet painful weekend.

I'd say it depends on what you need your rifle to do. If you need your rifle to shoot at 100 yards and your happy with your groups, then it's accurate enough.

If you need your rifle to hit a gong at 600 yards, and you can't, then it's not accurate enough.

it's all in what job your asking the tool to do.

[MrPlutonium]

Try using different ammo. With the right loads 600 yd hits should be a cakewalk with a 300 or an 06. Once you find what loads your rifle likes you could try to stretch that distance even further and have even more fun.

Just to be sure these shots were taken with optics right?

[Decoligny]

That sounds like a fun, yet painful weekend.

I'd say it depends on what you need your rifle to do. If you need your rifle to shoot at 100 yards and your happy with your groups, then it's accurate enough.

If you need your rifle to hit a gong at 600 yards, and you can't, then it's not accurate enough. Or you're not accurate enough.

it's all in what job your asking the tool to do.

Fixed that for ya!

The most accurate weapon in the world will only shoot as accurately as the shooter operating the weapon.

Too many factors involved to adequately diagnose what needs to be done to fix this.

[Black Majik]

Also, what scope are you using? Are you holding over or adjusting the turrets? If your scope is canted, you'll be dialing diagonally as you increase elevation.

A few thoughts:

1) you may have been fatigued. 200 rounds of 30-06 and 300 winmag cannot be fun.

2) Try new ammo.

3) Check your scope and mounts. How are your groups at 100 yards?

[CSACANNONEER]

Try using different ammo. With the right loads 600 yd hits should be a cakewalk with a 300 or an 06. Once you find what loads your rifle likes you could try to stretch that distance even further and have even more fun.

Just to be sure these shots were taken with optics right?

Great post!

12" groups at 600 yards would be 2moa. That would be acceptable to me for a hunting rifle. You should be able to get 2-3moa with iron sights and decent ammo. Were all your shots good for elevation but just off to one side? If so, maybe there was some wind down range that you were unaware of.

[MrPlutonium]

Great post!

Thanks! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[Jonathan Doe]

You can have a very accurate rifle and ammo. But, if you extend the range beyond 300 yards, in my opinion and experience, ability to read the wind is critical to hit the target. If you cannot read the wind right, the most accurate rifle won't deliver the rounds on target.

I know it, becasue I shoot service rifle matches with M-1A (308 Winchester caliber) at 200, 300 and 600 yards with iron sights. At one match at Camp Pendleton, at 600 yard line, I had to adjust my windage 4 - 5 minutes to be able to hit the target. I was even using Berger 175 grain VLD bullets, also.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Yup, it could just be due to wind. For example, for my .308 at 600 yards, a 5 mph wind would blow the shot off 15.7", and 10 mph would blow it off 31.3".

You can go here, click on Trajectory Cards, input data on your round, and it will calculate a card with drop and windage data for various ranges. Keep the card with you and you'll be able to compensate as needed.

See also this thread: The DOPE on DOPE

[ar15barrels]

To hit a 10" plate at 600 yards, what needs to be done to the rifle/scope/ammo/rest/shooter?

You need to dial some elevation or have the proper holdover.

Lots more info on longrange shooting here:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/forumdisplay.php?f=123

[Boberama]

That's terrible....compared to the claimed accuracy of the .338 Lapua DSR No.1.

They claim it groups 2 inches at 1000 yards. Yeah, riiiiiiiiight.....

[ar15barrels]

That's terrible....compared to the claimed accuracy of the .338 Lapua DSR No.1.

They claim it groups 2 inches at 1000 yards. Yeah, riiiiiiiiight.....

That was not my experience last weekend.
I shot my 243 in a 1000yd match and beat all the 338's and 50's.
I also set a new match record of 199-13x out of a possible 200-20x.
The nearest 338 shot a 196-6x.

[CSACANNONEER]

That's terrible....compared to the claimed accuracy of the .338 Lapua DSR No.1.

They claim it groups 2 inches at 1000 yards. Yeah, riiiiiiiiight.....

Hell, I've shot 2 shot .002" groups at 1000 yards. Seriously, I've got the spotter tube to prove it! IIRC, 50BMGBOB has done it too. That doesn't mean either one of us can repeat it. But, it's possible to shoot 2" 3 shot groups with any decent long range caliber and rifle. Of course, I seriously doubt that most shooters can shoot as well as their ammo and rifle can.

[Rob454]

Fatigue will play a role in your accuracy. When you're doing 600 yard shots after shooting 100-200 yards youre gonna have a warm barrel and the groupings are gonna open up. Wind will start playing with the round at that distance also
I can do accurate shots with my 30-06 savage up to 450- 500 yards. I can probably do more if I got the right ammo reloads. After that i dont bother. its not a sniper rifle.

[cannon]

My rifle can put 3 rounds into a 2" group @ 400 yards. I can't but it can.