Finally! Less then half inch group!

Mike38 · December 2, 2012, 06:18 PM

Finally! I’ve been working all year to get a less then half inch group, and I finally got one. Shot this target about two hours ago at 100 yards. Measures 0.44. Specs below. And I’m sorry to boast, but I’m still flying high on this. Prior to this group the best I’ve gotten was 0.51.

Rifle (don’t laugh too hard) NEF Handi Rifle, 22 inch heavy barrel, 1:12 twist, varmint stock.
Scope (again don’t laugh too hard) 4-16x40 Center Point.
Ammo 40 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, 24.0 grains IMR3031, new Winchester brass, Remington bench rest primers. Light crimp with Lee FCD. OAL 2.220.

Granted, it’s a three shot group, and I usually go with five, but the loose nut behind the trigger just couldn’t do it today. I would have kept trying for a five shot group, but ran out of this load. Best five shot group today with this load was around 0.81.

Good way to end the year. I’m cleaning the rifles and putting them away until Spring. Time to get the handguns out for some indoor shooting this winter.

hounddawg · December 2, 2012, 06:26 PM

.223 ? not bad, I have a AR that I long ago gave up on getting less than a .75 group on. As far as the scope goes if it works don't mess with it. I refuse to put a 1000 dollar scope on a range rifle myself. Got a Centerpoint on a CZ 52 and it works like a champ

Mike38 · December 2, 2012, 06:34 PM

Oh yea sorry. .223.

PoiDog · December 2, 2012, 06:48 PM

Good shooting, Mike. It's a great feeling when your group size drops, isn't it?

It's especially good when it's with your handloads. A really good feeling.

1 old 0311-1 · December 2, 2012, 06:49 PM

Congrats man! MOST of us want to shoot that but few can.....me included.

1stmar · December 2, 2012, 09:08 PM

Congratulations, nice work.

Zekest Crowe · December 2, 2012, 10:13 PM

Congratulations, hard work pays off after all.

Throckmorton · December 2, 2012, 10:50 PM

nice going !!

now,go do it again.

Clark · December 3, 2012, 12:12 AM

Congrats.
I read about 1" 5 shot groups at 100 yards in the old usenet group rec.guns in the early 1990s.
I tried all kinds of stuff.
In 2002 I finally got a 1" group.
A few weeks later I got a 0.5" group.

But don't think that one can always get tiny groups.
The wind changes between shots must be very low.
A good time to get that is at sunrise. The troubles is, many ranges open at noon, the worst time of the day.

I wish I had started with a 223 clean heavy barrel, 40 gr quality bullet and 16X scope on a windless day.
I would have saved a lot of years of effort.

black mamba · December 3, 2012, 01:06 AM

Congratulations! Next step is to do it with something that has some recoil. Then you will know that you are concentrating really well.

My best group in 40 years of rifle shooting is a .207" 3-shot group at 100 yards with a custom 270 Winchester, shooting 110 Sierras over IMR-4350 powder for 3300 fps.

This past year I fired a .475" 3-shot group at 100 yards with my custom 35 Whelen Ackley Improved, shooting 250 gr Hornadys over PP 2000-MR powder for 2625 fps.

Both of these loads routinely shot sub 1" 5-shot groups, but occasionally would do better, when I was really on. Keep up the good work!

TheNatureBoy · December 3, 2012, 05:54 AM

Physical proof that you don't need a $4000 rifle and a $5000 rifle scope to shoot a good group.

HiBC · December 3, 2012, 06:30 AM

Congratulations!

hounddawg · December 3, 2012, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Physical proof that you don't need a $4000 rifle and a $5000 rifle scope to shoot a good group.

5 shot groups doing load workup with $175 dollar pawn shop Stevens, $300 off the shelf prethreaded barrel ( .204 Ruger), $100 trigger, $200 stock, $125 scope. Sold the stock and barrel off the Stevens for $100 so I have right at 800 in this gun including scope

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19/204load.jpg/

Off the shelf Savage FTR .308 and a 300 dollar scope shot at 800 yards. These were two groups of 7 shot each when I was learning the gun. I found out this gun needs 3 cold bore shots before shooting for groups. The first three shots on both groups were about 1 MOA to the right and slightly high. I later corrected that by tweaking the action screw torque, For reference the 10 ring is 7 inches

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...sc00259wm.jpg/

Now ask me why I love Savages

cw308 · December 3, 2012, 09:19 AM

I know the feeling, I normaly shoot at 200yds. Max. for the range. Using a REM.700 LTR 308. Set up one day at 100 yds. to check scope settings & shot a one hole 3 shot group, didn't want to screw up the group with two more shots. Kept the target, dead center one hole. What a feeling, gun normaly shoots 1/2" 100 yards 3/4 200 yds. Love the rifle. Be good to your rifle, it will be good to you. Be Safe Chris

RobertInIowa · December 3, 2012, 09:45 AM

Congrats! One ragged hole. Pretty sight isn't it!

wncchester · December 3, 2012, 10:05 AM

I'm happy for you.

I once got a three shot group just under a half inch with my .30-06 hunting rifle with common 150 gr. hunting bullets. It normally shoots an inch or a tad more, but I got the half incher once.

December 2, 2012, 06:26 PM	#2
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	.223 ? not bad, I have a AR that I long ago gave up on getting less than a .75 group on. As far as the scope goes if it works don't mess with it. I refuse to put a 1000 dollar scope on a range rifle myself. Got a Centerpoint on a CZ 52 and it works like a champ __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

December 3, 2012, 12:12 AM	#9
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	Congrats. I read about 1" 5 shot groups at 100 yards in the old usenet group rec.guns in the early 1990s. I tried all kinds of stuff. In 2002 I finally got a 1" group. A few weeks later I got a 0.5" group. But don't think that one can always get tiny groups. The wind changes between shots must be very low. A good time to get that is at sunrise. The troubles is, many ranges open at noon, the worst time of the day. I wish I had started with a 223 *clean* heavy barrel, 40 gr quality bullet and 16X scope on a windless day. I would have saved a lot of years of effort. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

December 3, 2012, 09:45 AM	#15
RobertInIowa Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 149	Congrats! One ragged hole. Pretty sight isn't it! __________________ Guns don't kill people, fathers with pretty daughters do. Two wrongs don't make a right, but three comes pretty close. Proud NRA member

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

December 2, 2012, 06:34 PM	#3
Mike38 Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2009 Location: North Central Illinois Posts: 2,710	Oh yea sorry. .223.

December 2, 2012, 06:48 PM	#4
PoiDog Senior Member Join Date: September 1, 1999 Location: IL Posts: 309	Good shooting, Mike. It's a great feeling when your group size drops, isn't it? It's especially good when it's with your handloads. A really good feeling.

December 2, 2012, 06:49 PM	#5
1 old 0311-1 Junior member Join Date: November 5, 2012 Posts: 89	Congrats man! MOST of us want to shoot that but few can.....me included.

December 2, 2012, 09:08 PM	#6
1stmar Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,378	Congratulations, nice work.

December 2, 2012, 10:13 PM	#7
Zekest Crowe Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Location: WA Posts: 36	Congratulations, hard work pays off after all.

December 2, 2012, 10:50 PM	#8
Throckmorton Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2004 Location: Washougal,Wa Posts: 126	nice going !! now,go do it again.

December 3, 2012, 01:06 AM	#10
black mamba Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2011 Location: SW Florida Posts: 890	Congratulations! Next step is to do it with something that has some recoil. Then you will know that you are concentrating really well. My best group in 40 years of rifle shooting is a .207" 3-shot group at 100 yards with a custom 270 Winchester, shooting 110 Sierras over IMR-4350 powder for 3300 fps. This past year I fired a .475" 3-shot group at 100 yards with my custom 35 Whelen Ackley Improved, shooting 250 gr Hornadys over PP 2000-MR powder for 2625 fps. Both of these loads routinely shot sub 1" 5-shot groups, but occasionally would do better, when I was really on. Keep up the good work!

December 3, 2012, 05:54 AM	#11
TheNatureBoy Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Posts: 1,204	Physical proof that you don't need a $4000 rifle and a $5000 rifle scope to shoot a good group.

December 3, 2012, 06:30 AM	#12
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	Congratulations!

December 3, 2012, 09:19 AM	#14
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	I know the feeling, I normaly shoot at 200yds. Max. for the range. Using a REM.700 LTR 308. Set up one day at 100 yds. to check scope settings & shot a one hole 3 shot group, didn't want to screw up the group with two more shots. Kept the target, dead center one hole. What a feeling, gun normaly shoots 1/2" 100 yards 3/4 200 yds. Love the rifle. Be good to your rifle, it will be good to you. Be Safe Chris

December 3, 2012, 10:05 AM	#16
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	I'm happy for you. I once got a three shot group just under a half inch with my .30-06 hunting rifle with common 150 gr. hunting bullets. It normally shoots an inch or a tad more, but I got the half incher once.