How accurate is good enough...

[Karl.Luhr]

It's that time of year where even if we are busy doing other stuff we manage to get some range time in. Working the hunter sight-in days at my gunclub it is interesting to see what people consider good enough. As a person that has driven myself crazy with the old one click up/down, right/left I have to wonder. The deer that I killed would have been just as dead if my 30-06 had been off a couple of inches. I shoot for the center of the shoulder 1/3 of the way up to give myself the largest target area for a clean kill. But I have seen guys stop after they finally get on the target, anywhere on the target. They proclaim if it's on a pie plate it's going to be good enough for their needs. I have also cringed watching someone adjust their rifle using 4 different boxes of ammo. Each from a different manufacturer and sometimes not even the same weight bullet. I have some times suggested that they reduce the number of variables for where the bullet is going to group on the target. It is crazy to me that more shooters have no idea that buying ammo for their rifle or shotgun is not the same as buying gas for their car/truck. I personally think that more articles in gun magazines pointing out that picking x instead of y because it is onsale is going to require a trip to the range
to see where it really is going to go. What does the group think?

Karl

[Hunting Man]

Really good post. There is no excuse for not getting a gun sighted in properly. Its always best to try a couple of different brands and bullets to see which combo works best in your gun, then stick to that bullet and if changing anything, back to the range. The old pie plate theory probably accounts for many wounded/missed game every year. Yes there is a fairly large kill zone on a deer but you have to know where in that zone your bullet is going to hit!

[spiker]

ur talking about 2 different types of hunters.these guys you are talking about pull the bow or rifle 2 weeks bfore season hit the target and consider themselves on.then these weapons get put away till next year.now the other guy knows his weapon inside and out,he knows what ammo it likes,and he shoots year round to build confidence.some of these guys should show more dedication.

[tator]

I too would have to agree,, i don't know why someone would stop sighting in their rifle after they just hit the target paper. making sure you are on center will definately help with those 200+ yd shots too! I do have to admit, though, that I too have called it good when i'm w/in an inch or two of bullseye.

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by tator

I don't know why someone would stop sighting in their rifle after they just hit the target paper. making sure you are on center will definately help with those 200+ yd shots too!

Those are the guys that tell you "I shot him 5 times in the chest with the 06' and couldn't find any blood" I actually had a guy tell me that once.

[Buckshot]

No excuse for not properly sighting in your weapon. There many other variables that you can not control that will cause a miss and not being zeroed in should not be one of them. Like Mel said in the movie the Patriot. "Aim small miss small"

[onehorse]

Yes, this is as great post. As for me, I can never get my rifles to shoot as "accurately" as I would like. They all will shoot 1 inch at 100 yards, but if I shoot a 1 inch group at 100 yards, I'd like to get it smaller. If I shoot a 1 inch group at 300 yards, I'd like to see that get smaller also, or at least be able to do this on a consistent basis.