What are competition rifles capable of?

nickorette

nickorette

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I've never really seen a centerfire competition rifle in person, (only .22 rimfire stuff), but I was wondering, what kind of accuracy potential these rifles have. Say they were put in a 300 pound gun rest and shot 5 times at 100 yards with whatever caliber of match ammo. .25" repeatable groups? .10" repeatable groups? .05" repeatable groups?!?!?!
 
Depends on the type of competition.

BR rifles are expected to shoot in the .2's
F-Class rifles should hold 1/2 minute accuracy at all ranges (300-1000+ m)
TR Rifles (according to Maynard in another thread) are expected to hold 1-1 1/2 minute accuracy.
Sniper rifles - Dunno
Service rifles - Again....Dunno

If the above numbers are wrong...feel free to correct me.
 
It is hoped that a Target Rifle shoots better than 1-1/2 MOA. However since it is shot prone, unsupported with a jacket and sling a lot depends on how well the shooter can hold. At longer ranges 500-1000 yards looking at vertical displacement of the shots will give you a good indication on how well you are holding. The horizontal displacement tells you how good or how bad you are at reading the wind. Nothing is more frustrating than shooting back-to-back magpies out both sides that are on the waterline:bangHead:

In answer to nickorette's question, I really can't put a number to the size of the group at 100 yards. I have never mounted a scope on my rifle or shot it off a rest. I can say however that if I am doing my part my vertical displacement is around 1 MOA or less off my elbows.
 
As my passion

is towards the shortrange Benchrest game, 100/200 yards, the king of the hill in regards to accuracy is the 6PPC. There are many other calibers which have been tried and are still used but the 6PPC wins 99.9% of the time.

It is a combination of many factors that make the rifle shoot what it is.

How well and the care that was put into assemblying it. You need a topnotch gun builder who can give you there best day in and day out.

How well you can keep it in tune from day to day by adjusting your loads.

Probably one of the biggest factors, the person behind it steering it. If you cannot read your windflags you will be just walking in circles.

It ceases to amaze me how much a bullet being pushed out at close to 3500 fps will get pushed around at 100 yards and more so at 200 yards.

A 300lb rest is not needed to achieve the small groups just one of the topnotch rests out on the market. Sinclair, Sebastian, Farley to name a few of the top names out there. It is just another piece to the entire puzzle of the world of ultimate accuracy.

In the Benchrest matches in the US where it is a LOT bigger than Canada you better be able on any given day be able to shoot in the very LOW .2's to have a chance of placing in the top 10. When conditions are right it is not uncommon to read results of a 100 yard Agg being in the .100's. Try and do that for 5-5shot group record targets rotating benches? Pretty tough.

I just attended my first ever BR match last weekend and was very happy with how I placed despite the 60+ kph winds. 100 yards was fine but 200 yards was a whole new ballgame. I had never shot my gun at 200 B4 but was happy with how it shot. If I could just have that 1 shot back that bit me every target I would have been eccstatic for shooting in wind that strong for the first time.

I hope this helps out a bit.

I guess I should mention that ultimately the best way to know your guns true potential is shooting in a tunnel. Many of the top shooters in the US do lots of shooting in tunnels to prove there equipment. That way they know they have a rifle that is at its full potential. If it is not to there satisfaction they will more than likely pitch the barrel and screw on a new. The only other things to contend with then are keeping it in tune and reading the wind.

All to many people feel the wind even though slight does nothing to affect the bullets path. Wrong.
 
If you are talking pure mechanical accuracy in ideal conditions, I would suggest that top level SR BR rigs can shoot in the 1's with ALOT of shots going into the 0's.

LR BR and F class rifles used to dazzle the audience if they shot 1/2 min at LR. Today, 1/4 min is well within expectations and record groups are in the 0's.

At 600yds, many top flight BR rifles can shoot around 1 to 1.5" AVERAGE under calm conditions. I believe a sub 1" group was just shot in competition in a big US match.

1000yds groups can hover in the 2" to 4" range too. Record groups are over 1".

Of course, doing this type of performance on any given Sunday is not so easy and conditions have alot to do with the outcome.

Jerry
 
benchrest central rialgun match in tacoma

results are on the centerfire board. I shoot there all the time, good guys I know most of the railgun shooters.


look at the possible world records and then you will get a good idea on the answer to your question

I do not know how to post the link
Jefferson
 
With the impending Beijing Olympics, I wonder: how accurate are those target rifles they use in competitions (be it sitting, prone, etc.) at the Olympic games? I believe they are all .22lr, correct?
 
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