W squared.....I fully agree. Even with excellent posted groups, I personally could really care less. Benched performance is only a barometer for the specifics of that shoot. I.E. bullet weight, design, load, shooter, conditions etc etc. Shooters who are consistent in their performance from day to day, position to position and shot to shot are the true marksman in my opinion. Bench shooting is a skilled game, I'll be the first to argue that with anyone. However, most bench rest type of disciplines involve known distance stationary targets with ample time to engage. All from the bench. The skill is there, but the end game is nothing more than science and practice. Action sports introduce far more variables than one could possibly account for. Thus truly testing the shooter as well as his/her gear.
TDC