Do hunters overthink accuracy

Buckmastr said:
I would be lucky to be able to hold 2MOA in a hunting situation so having a 0.5MOA gun is less important than my technique.

Any of the animals I have missed, it was never the guns accuracy that was to blame. And I haven't killed much over 400 yrds either
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Sounds kinda like me. I don't even know if I'd be able to hold in two MOA from field positions. Maybe on a good day, shooting at targets. But shooting big game tends to get me a wee bit excited.....
 
I fully admit to being caught up in the accuracy game. It is actually reason number 1 that i started reloading.i love tinkering to find "the pet load" for each rifle. It's cost me more money than i care to add up and i agree it is craziness but to each his own.i am sure i will never be satisfied but i'm having fun. Isn't that what it's all about?
 
I guess it depends on the game you play. "Long range" hunting may require more accuracy. Personally I want the best group I can get on the bench. It doesn't completely translate to hunting accuracy but would you rather start with a moa rifle and multiply your mistakes in field positions or 3 moa rifle. Agree that practicing field positions are an absolute necessity. The other side of the coin is there are certain places that you can only shoot from a bench at the range. Pretty sad that hunters can only practice field positions in the field. Lol. This type of regulation may very well be what has changed the way we see groups.
 
BRvalley said:
I think hunters confuse bench accuracy with field accuracy....two very different things, just because a gun is capable doesn't mean the shooter is

most anybody can shoot well from a bench/solid rest but can't shoot worth a damn freehand
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New ones for sure.
There's very distinct differences, but the main one is "adrenaline".
That can sometimes destroy a shot for a new hunter. For guys who have hunted a while, the adrenaline is what "makes" the shot everything perfect. Used with focus / knowledge and patience = downed game via a lethal shot.
hxxp://www.livestrong.com/article/203790-what-happens-during-an-adrenaline-rush/

For me personally, an adrenaline-fueled shot from a large caliber rifle at large game, will almost always be better than what I do on a range.

Shooting things like a 300WM at targets just annoys me because of all the anticipatory factors (like recoil) Although it IS that time spent practicing, the time in the field in various situations that produces the end result... which is generally a well placed shot.
 
I've actually been wondering this, as I'm going to be hunting for the first time this upcoming season, after a few years of target shooting. Should I be concerned about only making a 3.5" group at just over 100 yards? (In part due to crappy rifle, in part due to needing to train)
 
I don't think you can over think accuracy... that is more than half of the fun... hunting seasons are too short, the rest of the year is time to experiment and play. Where I think hunters go wrong is not in working on their rifles accuracy, shooting cloverleafs at the bench is meaningless for hunting without practicing from field positions. Bench shooting is for working on the rifle's accuracy, shooting from field positions is working on "your" accuracy. Sitting, kneeling, prone, free standing, standing rested or leaning... whatever you expect to run into, and some that you don't expect to run into... those will reveal what your realistic range limitations are. A hunter can get cocky shooting sub-MOA at 300 yards, but have the cockiness knocked out of him by not hitting a pie plate at a 100 yards with a full magazine.
 
Any decent quality firearm suitable for hunting has sufficient mechanical accuracy to get the job done.....end of story.

Where the story begins is:


Weapon zero
Shooter competence
Range estimation

In the above order.

Most hunters don't have a grasp of the process of properly zeroing a rifle/optic/sights either in principle or practice.
This would be easily validated by grabbing random rifles from the average hunting camp and shooting them for zero......a silly number wouldn't even hot "paper", more still would suffer loose parts/crooked components rendering any practical accuracy impossible.

A hunters ability to produce actual practical accuracy, regardless of the rifles mechanical accuracy, reliably and more importantly consistently from actual field positions/situations is entirely questionable....and often not up to par.
Factor in excitement/weather/cold shivering/flinching and it seriously degrades from there.

Range estimation both in principle and practice is likely often completely out to lunch. Ranging the actual quarry, in natural terrain, poor light and then applying that range estimation to practical accuracy....or worse yet even taking the shot.
Not even going to talk about wind/elevation and other significant challenges to practical accuracy....these are likely not even considered by a lot of hunters.


Overthinking the rifles mechanical accuracy.....probably. Obviously the more accurate, consistently accurate a rifle is the better.
At the end of the day if the rifle can consistently put all its rds in the vital area of the quarry...which is pretty much pie plate size for big game...it will do the job.

Is the shooter knowledgeable/competent and practically capable in all the above mentioned areas????????
 
Diablo7101 said:
For me with hunting rifles...6" groups at 300yds is what I try to maintain with quality hunting bullets.
With reloading it's pretty easy to achieve that and plenty accurate for any of my hunting situations.
Varmint hunting at extended ranges requires better.
My paper punchers are an addiction of their own.
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I think you got it right .
 
Having a more accurate rifle or load is never a handicap, but your accuracy under field conditions is what counts. However, some people's idea that a pie plate at 100 yards may be adequate for them, but I demand a great deal more accuracy than that on a pronghorn hunt.
 
terez said:
Any decent quality firearm suitable for hunting has sufficient mechanical accuracy to get the job done.....end of story.

Where the story begins is:


Weapon zero
Shooter competence
Range estimation

In the above order.

Most hunters don't have a grasp of the process of properly zeroing a rifle/optic/sights either in principle or practice.
This would be easily validated by grabbing random rifles from the average hunting camp and shooting them for zero......a silly number wouldn't even hot "paper", more still would suffer loose parts/crooked components rendering any practical accuracy impossible.

A hunters ability to produce actual practical accuracy, regardless of the rifles mechanical accuracy, reliably and more importantly consistently from actual field positions/situations is entirely questionable....and often not up to par.
Factor in excitement/weather/cold shivering/flinching and it seriously degrades from there.

Range estimation both in principle and practice is likely often completely out to lunch. Ranging the actual quarry, in natural terrain, poor light and then applying that range estimation to practical accuracy....or worse yet even taking the shot.
Not even going to talk about wind/elevation and other significant challenges to practical accuracy....these are likely not even considered by a lot of hunters.


Overthinking the rifles mechanical accuracy.....probably. Obviously the more accurate, consistently accurate a rifle is the better.
At the end of the day if the rifle can consistently put all its rds in the vital area of the quarry...which is pretty much pie plate size for big game...it will do the job.

Is the shooter knowledgeable/competent and practically capable in all the above mentioned areas????????
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If one more person mentions pie in this thread I am going to have to go to town and get some.
 
That would give you a pie plate for testing... Pecan is a favorite.

Actually, the pie plate rule of thumb isn't a bad one. Hitting a pie plate sized target, from a field position, is a pretty good measure of shooting effectiveness for big game hunting, at whatever range is appropriate. 50m in the bush... 400m across open land...

Personally, I suspect that if it were necessary to hit a pie plate 3 out of 3 shots at 100m offhand in order to get a big game licence, the number of hunters would drop dramatically.
 
tiriaq said:
That would give you a pie plate for testing... Pecan is a favorite.

Actually, the pie plate rule of thumb isn't a bad one. Hitting a pie plate sized target, from a field position, is a pretty good measure of shooting effectiveness for big game hunting, at whatever range is appropriate. 50m in the bush... 400m across open land...

Personally, I suspect that if it were necessary to hit a pie plate 3 out of 3 shots at 100m offhand in order to get a big game licence, the number of hunters would drop dramatically.
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Yep it sure would.


I shoot my hunting rifles like they're precision rifles. Just because. lol
 
I've often thought that before you get your hunting license you should be required to meet a minimum accuracy proficiency at 100 yards. From both the standing and kneeling positions. I'm sure the hood hunters would find this really unpopular.
 
When it comes to pie, it's all about blueberry...... Or apple with a slice of sharp cheddar on it.......

As for "overthinking", I am going to buck the trend a bit....... I don't think accuracy can be "overthought", unless you are overthinking it to the pint that you aren't practicing field positions...... There is nothing wrong about going afield with the most accurate rifle possible..... And when you practice with it, you know the groups you see are your groups and not the rifle's groups.....

Then again, I am that guy...... I don't go to the butcher to buy a t-bone steak, see sirloin and say "good enough"..... I don't buy one ply toilet paper because it's "good enough" (getting in touch with my inner self just isn't for me)..... Why would I settle for "good enough" whe speaking about hunting, the thing I am most passionate about?

As for the pie plate shooters, I inow and see the type...... Unfortunately there are some at my camp..... We had a guy bing one of those exploding targets to cam last summer and 3 of them couldn't hit it at 100 yards standing supported..... These were "good enough" guys...... The type that bring the same box of ammo to camp every year......
 
My father used to have a 'stop sign ahead'(so, yellow with the red octagon in the middle) road sign set up in the back yard... about 100yrds away from the patio.
That was his measure of deer hunting accuracy.
 
I dont reload yet. So I spend a ton of dough on factory ammo. I have the fmj plinking ammo and the preimiums which i target shoot. These are the same premium rounds I take hunting. I have an issue with inaccurate hunting rifles. Funny enough, my main rifle I use for big game is my most inaccurate rifle (go figure). Its a Winchester Model 70. I just love the way it handles, feeds, and never has any issues. Its (truthfully) between 1.5 and 2 MOA with factory ammo. Sure ive shot better from bags, but thats on a good day.
I have more accurate hunting rifles. I definitely think about accuracy. My other rifles shoot very well with premium factory ammo. I have sold rifles due to accuracy. Loved the rifle but didnt like the .. pie plate.
 
Overthinking anything resulting in over concentrating on one aspect is bad for anything.

But push comes to shove overthinking accuracy is better than going to Costco hunting for 24" pie plates for the good enough folks.
 
Yes, I think the OP is mostly correct.
I have a European semi-auto rifle in 30-06 with a very slender barrel profile, and at only 19 and a bit inches in length.

From a cold barrel the first two shots are often within 3/4s of an inch @100 yards from a bench. And if I am at my shooting best, sometimes within a half inch of each other.
But, if I shoot a third shot from a still warm barrel, this group often ends up 1.5-2 inches.
Plus it took me a long time at the reloading bench to find a good & accurate hand load for this little Euro beast!

This frustrates me, but truth be told, it's still a very potent deer harvester with even 3-4 quick shots down the pipe.
 
Superbrad said:
When it comes to pie, it's all about blueberry...... Or apple with a slice of sharp cheddar on it.......

As for "overthinking", I am going to buck the trend a bit....... I don't think accuracy can be "overthought", unless you are overthinking it to the pint that you aren't practicing field positions...... There is nothing wrong about going afield with the most accurate rifle possible..... And when you practice with it, you know the groups you see are your groups and not the rifle's groups.....

Then again, I am that guy...... I don't go to the butcher to buy a t-bone steak, see sirloin and say "good enough"..... I don't buy one ply toilet paper because it's "good enough" (getting in touch with my inner self just isn't for me)..... Why would I settle for "good enough" whe speaking about hunting, the thing I am most passionate about?

As for the pie plate shooters, I inow and see the type...... Unfortunately there are some at my camp..... We had a guy bing one of those exploding targets to cam last summer and 3 of them couldn't hit it at 100 yards standing supported..... These were "good enough" guys...... The type that bring the same box of ammo to camp every year......
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To this.
When is enough enough though. If I get me 220 gr rn bullets from my 3006 (I know I know I'm a dinosaur) to group an inch to an inch and a half, I see no advantage to continental to fine tune my load any further. I'm sure I could reduce the group a little, but in my situation I can see it impacting my hunts.
 
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