i think confidence with your rifle is more important than .5 of an inch. that said i prefer groups of an inch or less. i tend to hunt with rifles i have shot alot. i used to own a ruger 300wm for many years back when i could't afford many rifles in the safe. acually couldn't afford the safe back then. it would shoot 1.25 to 1.5 inches at best with my hunting load. got me lots of animals and quite a few one shot kills. now my rifles shoot better the results are the same.