My 22 shoots 1/2" groups at 50 yards/meters all day! Really? Prove it!

Today was a balmy 13 degC, but windy. I think I just squeaked by this time! But the largest group is so borderline that I don't mind if this attempt isn't accepted.


My rifle is a custom 10/22 with a Dlask receiver and recoil assembly, Shilen barrel, Kidd bolt and single-stage trigger, bedded into a Tactical Solutions Vantage RS stock, and with a Bushnell 6-24x50 G2 FFP in a low Badger Unimount.

Rest is a Caldwell Rock Br 1000 with a Shadetree Engineering joystick top (and some rubber feet and a rubber stock-stop that I mocked up with an order to McMaster Carr). Protektor front and rear bags.

I was shooting Lapua Center X. (Only thing so far that it really likes.)





Smallest group.



Largest group.






The target. Some of my groups look like fewer than 5 shots, but they were all 5 shots.




Group sizes:
0.216"
0.277"
0.300"
0.359"
0.495"

Average: 0.329"
 
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Nice, one of the few semi's up there on the list. I'd love to see what a Remington 597 could do with a custom barrel. Looks like you found one of the "flyers" in your box of ammo, fortunately it hung in there under 1/2" for ya!
 
Thanks guys. It's funny, at least at that temperature only Lapua Center X shot well, I need to buy more! Although Win Dynapoints are good for cheap practice.

I think in the summer SK Rifle Match was shooting decently.


Ammo that didn't shoot well at ~ 10 degC:
Win Target
Rem Target and Rem-Eley Target
SK Std Plus and Rifle Match
Eley Edge, Polar Biathlon, and Tenex
 
Center X always my favorite I have 5 different lot # just waiting for the snow to melt.As type this from the beach in Puerto vallarta.
 
Rod B said:
What a shame that the single group spoiled it. Keep trying, you are just about there.

I think many of us can relate to the single group spoiling an other wise fine qualification target.
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Yeah I know, and it was likely me that pulled the shot. I'm definitely going to be reporting back, especially once I buy more Center X and the weather is warmer!
 
agent_mango said:
Yeah I know, and it was likely me that pulled the shot.
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I just have to giggle whenever I see comments like this. Shooter error is the last thing I was thinking seeing that group, given the competency displayed by the other 4 groups. Perfect horizontal alignment with the rest of the group tells me you were lined up dead nutz when the trigger broke, the vertical spread is easily accounted for by an out of spec velocity round. This is rimfire we're dealing with, after all ;) I s'pose we'll never really know unless you bust out a chronograph next time. I just read an article by a high level bench rest guy who noted that his tuner settings went out just by changing from a wooden bench to a concrete one!
 
Haha thanks you for the kind words! I think both explanations are plausible, could be the ammo or the shooter. I might have temporarily lapsed in concentration with respect to pressure on the stock with my shoulder and cheek!
 
agent_mango said:
Haha thanks you for the kind words! I think both explanations are plausible, could be the ammo or the shooter. I might have temporarily lapsed in concentration with respect to pressure on the stock with my shoulder and cheek!
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Once we hit the 1/2" at 50 yard mark, it's hard to say with certainty what the exact cause of "flyers" are, many things are possible and probable all at once. From here it does reach a point of diminishing returns on accuracy per dollar spent, equipment cost goes up into the thousands, ammo cost $20+ per box, you need to train at a high level etc.. a simple mis-match of ammo to rifle can turn a 0.1"-0.2" rifle into a 3/4" rifle.

I'm not convinced rifles are so delicate that they must be held with precisely the same pressure to the micro-gram shot-to-shot to achieve accuracy. If you dial back to top of page 82 you can see some groups I shot, then page 81 shows the sporter rifle I used. My hold technique sees the pressure I apply vary by a factor of pounds, and in a constant state of flux up and down as I steady on target squeezing the trigger. Yet... accuracy is achieved and with relative ease from my perspective. Maybe some of those groups could have been 0.1" tighter if I were a little more consistent, or not, who knows? My opinion is that some subtle, imperceptible variance in hold isn't going to toss your shot out 1/2" from the group, you basically gotta fart and lift off in your seat while firing to accomplish that.
 
Using the "aim small, hit small" strategy, I affix a piece of paper (often cut from scraps) approx. 7" x 3" to the target board vertically, then shoot 5 groups from top to bottom. I place the crosshairs in the top center of this strip of paper and fire the first round. I then try to put shots two, three, four, and five thru the same hole. I then hold about 1" lower for the next group and repeat the process of firing one round into the center, and trying to put the next four thru the same hole. The rifle used was an Anschutz 54.18 with a Leupold BR-24X scope, shooting Eley 10X off Caldwell rests front and rear, at 50 yards. Using .210" as my constant, the group sizes top to bottom were .174", .104", .276", .156", and .270", for an average group size of .196". (Note: target strip is placed sideways below only for easier reference. It was shot, lengthwise, from top to bottom, as shown in the second target pic.)





Another pic, showing the entire 7" x 3" target.

 
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grauhanen said:
Nice shooting. But why use only a scrap of paper for serious target work on this thread?
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The "aim small, hit small" strategy at work! I begin with a 7" x 3" target--psychologically, aiming at such a small area translates into hitting a small area. Try it!
 
minimouse said:
The "aim small, hit small" strategy at work! I begin with a 7" x 3" target--psychologically, aiming at such a small area translates into hitting a small area. Try it!
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I understand the psychology of the approach. While I'm not questioning your sincerity or honesty, it can be noted the cut or torn scrap may lack the appearance of authenticity that an entire target page would lend to the effort. Again, that is very good shooting.
 
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