Forums46
Topics537,017
Posts9,719,434
Members86,987
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Becoming a 'group size' snob
#6151819
01/24/16 04:46 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606
603Country
OP
THF Celebrity
|
OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606 |
so, yesterday I was shooting some reloads in the 260, trying to find the best load of R17 behind the 120 gr Nosler BT. The load that the previous rifle liked was decent, but the next one I tried (42.9 gr) put 3 in one hole and two just outside. Looking through the glass, I wasn't that pleased with the group. I took a stroll down to the target and measured the group, which turned out to be 1/2 inch center to center. There was a time that I'd have been thrilled with that size group. Now though, I was thinking that if I'd done my part they'd all be in that hole. I think my expectations are becoming unrealistic. 30 years ago, a 1 inch round group would have had me excited.
Ya'll are just as bad as I am, and some are worse. And I'll try that load again on Monday.
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6151845
01/24/16 05:15 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,502
RiverRider
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,502 |
That's just the human condition, 603. We always want more and better, never satisfied. It's a good thing, really, but there can be "too much of a good thing."
"Arguing with you always makes me thirsty." -Augustus McRae
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6151928
01/24/16 06:15 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 402
drycreek3189
Bird Dog
|
Bird Dog
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 402 |
As for myself, being a hunter, and not a target shooter, a 1" group is still plenty good enough for me. I can understand how a target shooter would think such groups not quite good enough though.
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6151943
01/24/16 06:30 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 868
Txhillbilly
Tracker
|
Tracker
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 868 |
I used to grin ear to ear when I shot under 1/2 moa groups, now a days they seem pretty big. The best that I've ever shot was a .122" 5 shot at 100 yards with the 6.5 Creedmoor that I built. That rifle has ruined me!
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6151945
01/24/16 06:31 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,083
J.G.
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,083 |
This line of thinking is a form of ambition, in my opinion. Striving for perfection with your loading and your shooting can create nothing but improvement. Weather you are a P.R.S. competitor, an F-class competitor, or a bech-rester, and also a hunter, it produces more hits, and less misses. You are eliminating problems with your equipment as well as becoming a better shooter for it.
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6151956
01/24/16 06:40 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606
603Country
OP
THF Celebrity
|
OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606 |
Heck, I'm really just a hunter that has maybe gotten to be a little too picky of a handloader. It sort of sneaks up on a fellow. One day you're just loading ammo for hunting and before you know it, you're worrying over uniforming flash holes and turning necks. And then your barrel isn't good enough and the lugs need lapping. And on and on it goes. But, I can't say that I don't enjoy it. And maybe tomorrow I will put all 5 into one hole. And I'll tell my wife all about it. And she has no idea what I'm talking about and could care less, and she'll say "we could use one more pig for the freezer". Oh well...
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6151964
01/24/16 06:47 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606
603Country
OP
THF Celebrity
|
OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606 |
I think I'll know when this shooting and hand loading really is out of control. There'll come a day when the pig or coyote is out there at 200 yards and I'll sneak out of my blind and low crawl 300 yards in the OTHER direction to make the shot challenging. And ya know...there's probably somebody on this forum that's actually done that. They need to confess...
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6151967
01/24/16 06:51 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,083
J.G.
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,083 |
Same exact road so many of us have walked down.
Hunter Hunter desires more precision and/ or the ability to make kill shots farther away. Become a hand loader to control the ammo and tune it to the rifle. Learns more precision can be achieved. Upgrades loading equipment Upgrades scope Upgrades rifle barrel Precise ammo and shooting does improve. Can I get even tighter shooting?
Like the heroine addict constantly chasing the dragon.
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6152016
01/24/16 07:26 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,502
RiverRider
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,502 |
The first attraction I had for handloading was the reputed savings, when I was about nine years old. The process just seemed tedious to me at the time. After the glow of "cheap" ammo wore off and I saw the accuracy potential I became more interested in how that was done.
I suppose I'm a fair shot and a so-so hunter. I like to take care of what might be holding a rifle back, short of pouring a paycheck into it. I don't care to measure bullets, but I'll take steps to achieve some consistency in my handloads. But what really drives me is trying to understand the things in handloading that work and WHY they work. For me it's not so much doing it as it is understanding it.
Everybody's approach is probably as unique as their own DNA.
"Arguing with you always makes me thirsty." -Augustus McRae
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6152700
01/25/16 01:20 AM
|
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,275
jeepercreeper
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,275 |
The other day I was gearing up to head to the range and casually mentioned to the wife that I needed to pick up some ammo on the way. She about flipped and said "how on earth could you need ammo? you spend hours in the garage loading ammo". Then I had to explain that not all guns shoot the same ammo and that I dont load pistol ammo.
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6152900
01/25/16 02:47 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,183
Mike Honcho
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,183 |
It happens, its like golf, always room for improvement. That challenege is why its addicting.
“Two things that define an individual what you do when you have everything, and what you do when you have nothing."
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6153182
01/25/16 11:40 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 234
bobsumner
Woodsman
|
Woodsman
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 234 |
The journey is the pretty much the same for all pursuits.
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6156077
01/26/16 08:51 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606
603Country
OP
THF Celebrity
|
OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606 |
Well, I guess being a picky handloader is good. I bumped the load of R17 to an even 43 grains of powder, and put 5 120 gr Nosler BT's into one hole. Ok, it was an enlarged hole, but still just one hole. That's good enough for me. And, even better, at 100 yards the POI of the 120's is the same as the 100's. Can't get much better than that. I bragged to my wife. She said "is that good?"
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6156434
01/26/16 11:59 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,835
5 Stand Dan
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,835 |
Keep at it, the world record for five shots at 100 yards is 0.0077"
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 5 Stand Dan]
#6156453
01/27/16 12:10 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,072
cabosandinh
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,072 |
Keep at it, the world record for five shots at 100 yards is 0.0077" agreed I used to be happy with .25" group, until I put 5 shots in the same bullet hole for a size of 0" with my PPC Was not a match but I was pretty happy, 1998 at Collin Co. Range. I retired that PPC and have not shot it since
|
|
|
Re: Becoming a 'group size' snob
[Re: 603Country]
#6156617
01/27/16 01:24 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606
603Country
OP
THF Celebrity
|
OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606 |
I'm pretty sure the world record is safe from me. This is just a hunting load.
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|