50 Yard Expected Accuracy?

[Arseno]

Hey guys, what’s a group at 50 yards thats makes a .22 rifle be considered accurate. I’ve been playing around with my savage b22 with CCi standards and Federal Target and get groups shown below. Would you consider this very average or a good shooting rifle ?? Thanks

 

[grauhanen]

I suppose it's to be expected that different shooters have different standards of accuracy. The target in the post above with groups apparently over 1" at 50 yards doesn't strike me as showing accuracy.

Keep in mind that there are a number of factors at play that have a significant bearing on accuracy, among them the ammo, which can vary a great deal, and the individual barrel, which may be average for that model or something better or worse, and the conditions under which the target was shot. Wind can play havoc with .22LR accuracy at 50 yards.

I'm not familiar with the Savage B22, but perhaps those results are not atypical. To try to improve the results, I would try ammo that is a little better.

 

[TaylorJW]

5 shots inside of a quarter shows promise imho, probably do better as you get to know the rifle better and when you find the ammo the rifle likes best.

 

[ronaldharold]

I have owned a few c.z. .22 rifles . My full stock, and American Grand Finally both shoot half inch groups at fifty yards regularly with good standard velocity ammo. I had 2 varmints that couldn’t get below 3/4”. They are both gone. Most rim fire shooters consider 1/2 inch at 50 acceptable. Without good ammo you will never hit half inch groups regularly. It also takes practice and a good trigger to do it . Keep trying!

 

[Dahsira]

Short Version -

If you are asking that question I am assuming that you are fairly new to shooting rimfire and just recently bought the gun. I'm guessing you got a Cabela's package with a scope and have put a couple hundred rounds through it. If my guesses are correct, then these are great and it's only gonna get better!!!! If my guess was wrong or you are bored then feel free to keep reading.

Long Version -

How were these groups shot? What was the weather like? Do you have a bull barrel or a sporter barrel? How many rounds have you put through the gun?

Really need to put this in context before any intelligent discussion can be had

If this is a Cabela's scope included combo on its first couple trips to the range shot off a low end bipod outside with a very low breeze.... Then this is great accuracy.

If this is a bull barrel variant that has been broken in with 1000+ rounds. Has been properly maintained. Has a Vortex Diamondback scope mounted with Burris Signature Zee rings. It was shot at an indoor range using "The Rock" BR shooting rest and a rear bag while hand feeding each round into the chamber and shooting one round per minute utilizing the utmost perfect form while breaking the shot.... Then these groups are absolutely complete garbage and I'd call Savage and try and exchange the rifle for one that isn't a PoS.

Savage Rimfire rifles are generally incredibly accurate for their price.
No reason at all that they can't shoot much better than that. Having said that there is a hell of alot that goes into shooting good groups and you need to be isolating variables to REALLY answer the question of if these are good groups.

I have a Mark II that I was happy to get groups like that when I first got it. Now if I shot groups like that while I was isolating all the variables.... I'd assume that something very wrong happened with my set up and I'd start checking what went wrong.

 

[The ROC]

Hey guys, what’s a group at 50 yards thats makes a .22 rifle be considered accurate. I’ve been playing around with my savage b22 with CCi standards and Federal Target and get groups shown below. Would you consider this very average or a good shooting rifle ?? Thanks

As mentioned above accuracy is subjective. For plinking reactive targets and steel gongs those groups shown above are good enough. For pest control or grouse hunting I'd be striving for consistently tighter groups.

Some tips on searching for the best ammo out of your rifle:
- Attach a anti-cant bubble level to your scope. Google for detailed info
- Parallax free at the distance you are shooting. Google for detailed info
- When testing different brand ammo, allow your barrel to be conditioned with that ammo for about 20+ shots then test for groups.
- Practice Trigger control
- Factor in wind condition, indoors would be optimal.
- What may group well at 25 and 50 yards may not group well at 100 yards.

Welcome to The World of Chasing Groups.

 

[terez]

Whats important to consider is what are the contributing factors to the groups ....the groups shown and groups measured in general.

The groups shown...
Are the they shot off of bags, improved rest, bipod etc??
How competent is the shooter?
conditions...indoor/outdoor...windy lighting
What optic used?

if these groups were achieved using a iron sites fired quickly from an improvised rest outdoors they would be impressive.
if they were fired from a solid rest and or bipod using target optic magnification they are unimpressive.

22lr has poss the largest variation in ammo quality and performance of any ammo as well 22lr rifles are notoriously "picky" with what they will be accurate/reliable with.
And it isn't always the crazy high end slow moving target ammo that rings the bell.

The ammo you mentioned, specifically the federal has a good rep in most rifles.

Short strokes is ........50yd 1/2in Moa is the standard that a 22lr should be able to do for serious "target" use IMO. This is what the weapon can mechanically produce shot from a decent rest using quality target optic in good shooting conditions shot by a competent shooter.

22lr is greatly affected by wind...even at 50m.
The biggest single factor likely affecting/limiting accuracy shooting 22lr at 50m is trigger.
Most 22lr weapons are quite mechanically accurate and capable of good accuracy......poor triggers keep a lot of them from achieving the practical accuracy they are capable of.

 

[silver 55]

I would go with the 1/2 inch group at 50 yards as the standard for a group. If accuracy is your standard, I would buy as many different brands as you can and shoot a number of groups with each one. You never know what you are going to get and price is only a guide line.

A few years ago I bought myself a rather expensive 22 rimfire for my christmass present. The target that came with it was very impressive. I have tried the same ammo the test group was shot with and not got anywhere near the test target. The only thing I can conclude is I bought a different lot number. Lot number, I think makes a tremendous difference.

I have gotten groups from low dollar ammo that averaged 1/2 inch, and groups from more expensive ammo that was not as good, in my rifle.

 

[stubblejumper]

My standard for an accurate rimfire rifle is 1/2" at 50 yards with decent ammunition.

 

[J10archer]

I think you are doing good. Work some more then show us. Rimfire is great, if you want a job! It's a fun job.

 

[Arseno]

Short Version -

If you are asking that question I am assuming that you are fairly new to shooting rimfire and just recently bought the gun. I'm guessing you got a Cabela's package with a scope and have put a couple hundred rounds through it. If my guesses are correct, then these are great and it's only gonna get better!!!! If my guess was wrong or you are bored then feel free.

I’ve actually been shooting for quite some time now but have only had experience with my cz 452, which is superbly accurate. Now that I ventured into other makes of rifles I’m not sure what you’d expect from a savage. Honestly my cz shoots circles around this rifle so far.

 

[TungstenJohn]

My Tikka, CZ455, Win52 and Sako Quad will all on a good day do 10 shot 1/2 inch at 50 yds with decent but not expensive ammo (CCI minimag) and if I do my part - around 1 inch with remington cheapo. My Savage MK2 (laminated stock, heavy spiral stainless barrel) will do 4 inches on a good day with target ammo and will often miss the target entirely on a bad day with cheap ammo. (I am really really beginning to dislike the Savage - not sure why- but it sure looks nice)

 

[Ganderite]

Anshutz rifle, match ammo, 10 shots. Outdoors, iron sights, off the elbows.

My son; not me.

 

[AlbertaJohn]

Hey guys, what’s a group at 50 yards thats makes a .22 rifle be considered accurate. I’ve been playing around with my savage b22 with CCi standards and Federal Target and get groups shown below. Would you consider this very average or a good shooting rifle ?? Thanks

A gopher at fifty yards would say....SPLAT.... lol

 

[Garaldtao]

Anshutz rifle, match ammo, 10 shots. Outdoors, iron sights, off the elbows.

My son; not me.

Yah... at 50 metres you should be able to clover leaf. And Ganderite, "my son, not me" is my expression. We're all in the same boat, it sucks getting old.lol. In all seriousness OP, I am not familiar with the B22 and it might be able to keep up with some of the more expensive rifles, IDK!?! But to eliminate the human factor as much as possible, you could begin with a $35 lead sled. You could quickly figure out if it's you or the gun and not assume it's just the gun.

 

[grauhanen]

My Tikka, CZ455, Win52 and Sako Quad will all on a good day do 10 shot 1/2 inch at 50 yds with decent but not expensive ammo (CCI minimag)

They all will shoot ten shot .5" groups with CCI Minimag? That would be something to see, especially with the first two rifles. Do you have any targets to show the unbelievable rifle/ammo combination?

I’ve actually been shooting for quite some time now but have only had experience with my cz 452, which is superbly accurate. Now that I ventured into other makes of rifles I’m not sure what you’d expect from a savage. Honestly my cz shoots circles around this rifle so far.

I think there might be a reason why the CZ shoots better than the Savage, and it conforms to a general consensus that CZ 452's are a better rifle than the Savage rimfires. To be sure it doesn't apply to every individual rifle, as there are stock Savages that will outshoot stock CZ's, but typically a CZ 452 is a "step up" from a Savage.

 

[grauhanen]

Anshutz rifle, match ammo, 10 shots. Outdoors, iron sights, off the elbows.

My son; not me.

Although it doesn't help the OP, that's quite a ten-shot target, even if it is cherry-picked. Ten shots in such a small group at 50 yards with a BR scope would be hard to equal with any rifle.

 

[horseman2]

Part of the trick is to find what that rifle really likes.
Standard Velocity ammo will generally show better results.
Buying 5 or 10 boxes of ammo and dedicating a day at the range to test all of them in a consistent manner will show preferences. Shoot at a distant that will show differences . . . 50 yards or meters although I will often test at 100.
Cost of ammunition may be a limiting factor but value is where you start and finish. CCI SV may be found at $5.00 per box and Match will double that to as much as $20 per 50.
Start with a clean barrel and shoot one brand for 50 rounds at five targets on the same page in the same order every time. The first ten from a clean barrel will tell you as much as the last ten. The point of impact for the very first shot is also of interest. After your first target, retrieve it, make notes and post your second target.
Don't rush and be consistent.
CCI SV may be as good as it gets. CCI SV comes in a box (50) and Plastic trays (100). They are manufactured in different factories and one may prove better that the other.
Talk to ten shooters and all will have a different preference.
If you really want to shoot high velocity the same testing. Some rifles will show a preference to lead bullets (Blazer), others copper coated (CCI MiniMags) and now CCI has added a polymer coating calling them "Clean". There is a difference when shooting CCI MiniMags so testing both round nose and hollow points is worthwhile. One test at 100 yards produced 2" groups with RN and 6"+ with HP.

Testing under consistent circumstances is important. Wind, rain, cold and humidity may prove a change and it is time to quit for the day.

Since the original post did not specify scope, sand bags, bipod or any other set up it still comes down to consistency. There is a word for those that try the same thing over and over expecting different results.

Since he has a CZ 452 that shoots lights out, generally shooters go up in quality keeping in mind some are trying to keep under $500 for Precision Rimfire. We don't know.

 

[OkayShooter]

I never go by what others have. I go by what I think is a good group.

Like to me, this group at 100, I would consider good. 5 shots with a Cooey 78, with the peep sight, with nothing special ammo. That's a 8" gong. I think it was under 3".



Or this at 25.

 

[CzyHorse]

Hey guys, what’s a group at 50 yards thats makes a .22 rifle be considered accurate. I’ve been playing around with my savage b22 with CCi standards and Federal Target and get groups shown below. Would you consider this very average or a good shooting rifle ?? Thanks

Have a quick check on the barrel/stock fit. After I free floated the barrel of my sons B22 FVSR the accuracy dramatically improved.
I wet sanded the removable plastic piece under the barrel until I got a free floating barrel.