What is poor accuracy in a hunting rifle?

[two-dogs]

Virtually any rifle is capable of "hunting" accuracy depending on the game and the conditions. the more critical ability "for deer-sized game" is at what range and shooting conditions can you keep all of your shots on a 10" paper plate--that is how accurate your rifle needs to be.

yikes, a 10 inch pie plate is a big slice of apple pie and NFG for me! 6 inch is MAX, if that's all she'll do, she's a goner! I have a couple of 44 mags to dial in if they can be dialed in! if not, they are not worth the space in the stall that they are asigned to! Paid a purdy penny for those two gals, too!

 

[Kevin M.]

yikes, a 10 inch pie plate is a big slice of apple pie and NFG for me! 6 inch is MAX, if that's all she'll do, she's a goner! I have a couple of 44 mags to dial in if they can be dialed in! if not, they are not worth the space in the stall that they are asigned to! Paid a purdy penny for those two gals, too!

Not directed at you specifically, but to everybody who says they need an MOA rifle to go hunting. That is a personal thing, along with how confident you are with your rifles.

As long as you can put your shots into a 4" at 100, 8" at 200, and 12" circle at 300, would you really be aprehensive about taking a shot?

Make a circle with your hands... 12" is awfully small over the vital area of a deer or moose... I have plenty of moa and better rifles in my collection, but if all I had was a gun that could hit 3-4 MOA reliably, I would not think twice about pulling the trigger if it was a clean shot.

Hunting is not target shooting, I don't aim for the tenth hair back from the shoulder when I go shooting. If I can hit within 6" of my point of aim at 300 then that animal will be a bang-flop if I do my job.

Just my .02.

 

[NorthernMopar]

Me, I must have low expectations because this is the way I see it. Mostly because I'm pretty much a crap shot.

0-1 MOA: Target rifle
1-3: Marksman rifle
3-5: Practical rifle
5-7: Plinker
7+: Affix bayonets

Granted, this scale of mine also takes into account the shooter, not just the gun. I don't see much reason why, for hunting a bull moose at about 150meters, 3 MOA would be "too inaccurate". Shot placement is vital.

But I don't have any practical experience, so don't listen to me.

I love that line.

Seriously though. I look at it this way - with the rifle's stock sights, it had BETTER be able to consistently ring a 6" gong at 100 yards, rifle supported; to get the ball rolling. IE, both my post '64 30/30s do so without ANY trouble. A scope? Well, that depends solely on the gun and scopes intent. 200 Yard hunting (about average)? 500 yard targets? Lotta variables that add up fast here.

My goal is simple - a left hand bolt action rifle of sufficient caliber and power to drop a bison or griz at 300 yards, MINIMUM. That is what I want the rifle + scope to be capable of. After that, its up to me to do my job. That isnt to say I am going to do so, but that I want to be certain the rig is capable OF doing so. Better to have and not need than need and not have...

 

[H4831]

Let's put it this way. If the barrel isn't wore out and the sights are alligned about right, every center fire rifle out there will be accurate enough for hunting, in the class and range it was designed for.

 

[RUPZUK]

The trick is knowing what the rifle is capable of, what you are capable of with it and using that to limit your range.
This is ethical hunting.
How acurate the rifle is while important isn't the end all be all, knowing where to say no is.
Just cause you can see it doesn't mean you should take a poke at it...
.5MOA or greater.

 

[blasted_saber]

Depends heavily on your average range of shot, the size of game you are hunting, and how confident you are as a shooter.

As a general rule of thumb, I say 4MOA with irons and 2MOA with optics and you will be good to hunt anything deer sized or larger out to 300 meters.

First response nails it.

Good post!

 

[longbranch*]

Accuracy

Around 2MOA with scope, but for me if a rifle cant put 3 in to an inch at 100 I lose interest in it real fast.
Geoff

 

[ryan32]

How many archers can place all their arrows in a 6" group at 50 yards? I suspect that there are very few that can do so, yet nobody argues that a bow is unsuitable for hunting large game.

meh not really true and besides the fact that most people aren't shooting arrows at that distance.

To the OP for me because i hunt in pretty thick heavy cover meaning close shots for the most part i dont really worry about it. My 32 winchester is about a 3 inch@ 100 kinda gun , which means the deer that im gonna shoot at 40 yards if he walks away is not because of the gun. for me 3-4 moa for hunting purposes. For gun nuttery purposes i want inside 1.5 @ 100