3 or 5 shot groups or....

[MadDog]

I always see a couple guys arguing over 3 shot groups and 5 shot groups.

Figured a poll might clear up the matter, what makes an accurate rifle?

How long before this one gets personal?

 

[stanway]

Personally, when I am testing a new load, I load up 5 rounds. I will usually fire 3 rounds and let the rifle cool back down then fire the last two. I use this method because I get a good indication of 'consistency' of a particular load. If I see something I like, I will test that load again on my next trip to the range.

 

[Amphibious]

I shoot 3 round groups. I'm really only concerned with the POI on a cold barrel, and that it is consistant, that first shot is the most important one.

 

[catnthehatt]

At the range if I am already zeroed with the rifle I am using, it is
"one shot groups" on Silhouettes!
I normally don't shoot a set number of rounds at a target with a hunting rifle, but if I were to, it would likely be a 3 shot.
Cat

 

[eltorro]

I use 4 shot groups.

 

[Cowboy]

3 on centre fire and 5 on rim fire-----Cowboy

 

[joe-nwt]

From personal experience, it always seems to be shots 4 or 5 that open a group up to what I consider it's real accuracy potential. A single 3 shot group could be more "luck" than accuracy, IMHO. More than one , 3 shot groups tend back towards accuracy again.

 

[Levi Garrett]

Picked 3 cause I baby my gear, or 6 one might say if I shoot the #### for a while and get lined up on the same target again without patching.

 

[BIGREDD]

We are talking about Hunting rifles with light profile barrels right? Three shot groups is all that is necessary to determine hunting accuracy. I occasionally use 5 shot groups in a Varmint rifle with a heavy barrel to see what it will do when the barrel heats up.

 

[Scott_N]

I usually only use 3 shot groups for my hunting rifles, but I do shoot quite a few groups to check consistency.

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Center-fire rifle...............................3
.22 Rim-fire rifle and all handgun........5
Archery;
- 20 yds...............1
- 30+ yds.............3

 

[Icon]

Working up a load - 5 shots

Sighting in a new scope - 2 shots before adjustment, one shot after each adjustment and 3 after I am happy with the last adjustment.

Checking POI - 3 shots (or more if having fun!)

 

[Bassmstr]

3 shots for my rifle, provided I'm using the same round each time. If not, then 3 shots with one particular handload.. let it cool off, then shoot 3 more of a different round. No doubt different loads are going to place differently.

 

['Boo]

3 shot groups for hunting rifles 5 shots for varmint guns.

Also these groups MUST be repeatable. If I can get 5 or 6 separate 3 shot groups in a row that measure under 1" then I will consider that rifle/load combination to shoot moa. A 1/2" group among a series of 3" groups however does not make a 1/2 moa load.

 

[BerniePEI]

The number of shots in my groups tend to be directly proportional to the magazine capacity of the rifle used... as in 1:1.

 

[todbartell]

if a gun wont put 3 shots close together, it surely wont put 5 tight! most often I will shoot 3 shot groups when testing a load, maybe 5 shot groups to fine-tune

 

[Salty]

3 on centre fire and 5 on rim fire-----Cowboy

^^ what Cowboy said ^^

I don't have any heavy barrel centre fire rifles so I don't see much point in watching accuracey go south as the barrel heats up on the fourth or fifth round

 

[dnepr]

I usually shoot 3 round groups but I shoot a couple to get some consistence, If I shoot 5 round groups I take notice of the first three because some rifle do tend to wander when they heat up . I learned the hard way on more than one group , I had a load with my hawkins that looked great until I went to check the rifle for hunting season, when I found out that nice little 3 round group was a fluke they were all over and even keyholing .

 

[Oscar Makonka]

Sometimes I shoot a three shot group set the gun aside and rotate other guns while it cools, when that gun rotates around again I shoot another three shot group at the same target so I have a six shot group, rotate again and so forth, sometimes I wind up with 12 or 15+ shot group. That will tell me on average what I can expect from that gun with a particular load. One or two seperate three shot groups by themselves can be very misleading. Other times I shoot a couple five shot groups, if something looks promising I'll repeat it over and over till I'm confident with that load. I wouldn't go to a match banking on the results of a couple three shot groups.

 

[SuperCub]

Three shot groups is all that is necessary to determine hunting accuracy.

What he said ..........





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