how good of a shooter are you?

[mdd]

We always discuss how accurate this rifle is vs that rifle. How well these bullets perform at this twist rate or that velocity. We often see pictures of targets with nothing but bug-hole sized cloverleaf patterns. What I am asking is how accurate are - you - with your rifle. I see a lot of guys discussing shooting off benches with bags, sleds, bipods, or some combination thereof. What happens when you take all that stuff away? Whatever position works best for you but just you, your rifle, a target at 100 yards, and five shots. Are you a 2" inch shooter? Are you sub-moa? No timing clock here either so no rush. I'm just curious about this because we all have a tendency to focus on equipment. Its tangible and enjoyable but all the shooting aids (bags etc.) remove us from the equation by a lot.

[5RWill]

When i do my part and am relaxed 1/2 MOA out of 5 shots is very common with my 5R. Takes some more work with my MK12 but i do have a 4 shot group with it right at 1/2 MOA. I shoot bench or prone with a bipod, sometimes i have a rear bag sometimes i don't.

Equipment is a personal object so it's natural to discuss what you like or dislike about this or that. I myself love having something to read or talk about. Whether it be the latest and greatest bolt rifle out or a classic, i enjoy it.

Take away my rear bag and make me stand non supported my groups would be pretty awful.

[mdd]

That's very nice shooting but not quite what I was asking. What do you shoot without the bipod, bench, and bags? Just you and your rifle.

[5RWill]

Never tried. Not with my bolt rifle anyhow.

[Crow Hunter]

I can hit a 5 gallon bucket at 530 yards with a Colt 6920, 55gr XM193 and a Aimpoint M4s from rice paddy prone (Actually cornfield prone).....

Well, most of the time....

if I walk my rounds in.:D

I have headshot a muskrat swimming laterally left to right at 125 yards shooting downhill with a Marlin 25N .22 Magnum and an $8 Simmons 3X9 scope while bracing on the deck rail of my house. (On the second shot.);)

Witnessed by my wife and 2 labs.;)

All I heard was "Yes I saw that, why are you so excited, you missed the first shot, Boone can't figure out what you shot..."

I have also missed one at 75 yards using a Colt 6724 and a 4.5 X 14 Leupold Mark 3 fine duplex shooting off a bipod. :eek::confused::mad:

[Marquezj16]

I've been shooting offhand quite a bit lately because it's my weakest stance. On a good day with my AR15 with iron sights, I can group 8-10 inches with about 20 rounds. I've never really measured it, I'm just happy if I stay on black. Then there is my Marlin Model 25 22lr that I shoot offhand almost exclusively. Depends on distance and how windy it is but I hit the iron silhouettes 75-90% of the time.

Kneeling and sitting I'm a little better, just more stable and more consistent.

Prone is almost like shooting off the bench for me.

[rickyrick]

It's the internet, we are all awesome!! :D. Just kidding.

In reality I don't much measure groups. I always hit my intended target. When we was little kids we competed with each other by trying to hit ridiculously small items. Such as pennies, pop tabs, hot wheels cars and so on. It somehow made me very naturally a good shot. I was never aware of Moa and that mess until the internet became an everyday item.

I never shot off of rests or sand bags till I joined the army. When we zeroed the first time the drill sergeant was quite impressed with my almost one hole groups, I didn't understand the hoopla at the time because I thought it was normal. I learned real quick that when you qualify on paper targets, one hole = 1 hit so I had to intentionally open up my groups.

Now that I am middle aged with all of the issues that come with busting my hump my whole life I'm not quite as good but still do alright.

[AllenJ]

The bench, rifle rest, and all the other things are for load development as I want the most accurate, fastest load possible. Once that is established then I practice shooting in field positons, mostly sitting, but I don't shoot for groups. Instead I shoot for hits, one shot each at different ranges that I might expect to see while hunting.

[BIG P]

Never really shot groups off hand that much.But can do drink cans with an AR15 @150 or so,A mite farther with a good bolt gun & a sling.So I guess I would be min. of groundhog pretty easy.
So average middle of the road.Aint to bad the freezer is full :D:D
I do shoot several rifles some better than others. I think your equipment does matter to a point.

[UtopiaTexasG19]

Rickyrick,
Do you know how much those "hot wheels" cars would be worth now! :)

[AZAK]

What happens when you take all that stuff away?
I have different rifles set up for different purposes. I absolutely love making little tiny groups at varying, longer distances with "bench rifles". Those rifles tend to weigh a bit, and are not much fun to pack around on a hike.

I also have rifles that are set up as "walk around" rifles. They tend to weigh in closer to 5 pounds than 10.

All that said, I do regularly shoot both. Very different shooting techniques. I practice shooting without any shooting aids/supports; and with good practice and technique, one can be surprisingly accurate.

With my bench rifles I can be sub1/2MOA all day long. With my walk around rifles, a challenge for me to keep it near MOA; however, I am still working on it! (from bench)

Now, if you will concede a military sling... and this is also something that I like to practice. Add a sling and a completely different ball game! This is currently one of my favorites, walk around .22 lr bolt rifle with a military sling finding "targets of opportunity" at varying distances from "right here" out to 200 yards. And estimating distance, drop, wind and seeing if I can hit it on the first shot. Also, doing the same but with Super Colibri ammo; roughly making a .22 rifle into a pellet gun trajectory wise. (I have to bring in that "outer marker" a bit closer than 200 yards!)

Now, again with all of that said, I still try to have rifles that are more accurate than I am, regardless of how I will use them; with the exception of one, and it has sentimental value and still manages to be MOM (minute of moose).

[rickyrick]

LOL I know.

[BigMikey76]

The main range I have access to is 25 yards max (mostly pistol shooters). I shoot mostly off hand, but some times I lean my elbows on a rest - the rifle is always in my hands, though. With my Marlin 795, I usually get about 7 or 8 out of 10 shots touching each other in a 3/4 inch group with a couple of flyers here and there. I am mostly just practicing for rabbit hunting, so "minute of bunny" is my goal, and I feel pretty comfortable on that. Gonna go out on Monday and do a little practice... might take some pictures and post 'em.

[Scorch]

With my bolt 223 at 100 yds, offhand, i can consistently shoot 3". With my 22-250 (heavier barrel), I do about 2.5" offhand at 100 yds. That's pretty good in anyone's book.

[MoBart]

I always shot expert in the Marine Corps at rifle qual, out to 500 from prone but to be fair all you have to do is hit black and its a lot of black. I do shoot from a kneeling and "combat squat" pretty often and with either my ar or either ak74 I can make regular 3 - 3 1/2" groups. And with my .22 at the river there are no safe turtles or beer cans within 40 yards, kneeling being my favorite position in general. I once walked a 20z soda pop bottle accross a frozen pond from kneeling with a Browning hi-power at about 70 yards. Wish I could do that regularly lol

[emcon5]

Best in each position: Standing 184-2X, Sitting Rapid 99-6X, prone rapid 96-2X, prone slow 98-3X.

[nate45]

It depends on which rifle I use. I'm not obsessed with small groups. If a hunting rifle will shoot into 1.5 MOA I'm happy. Most of my rifles will shoot less than that.

[warbirdlover]

I'm real good from the bench as I learned how to aim and "squeeze" shooting competitive archery for years (two time state champion and 17th in the nation). When I'm hunting I find something solid to steady me and always get the bullet behind the shoulder (or if that shot is not there in the neck) out to 300 yards. Have never had a shot farther yet.

[tahunua001]

I shoot best prone. with all of my rifles minus the AK clone and SMLE I shoot
1" prone with no wind if I haven't had any caffine and it's above 50 degrees. standing reduces that to about 2-3" I'm not that good sitting and kneeling gets a good medium 1.5-2.5 inch groups. sandbags and benchs are only proof of how accurate the gun is...not necessarily the gun+shooter combo.

[Scharfschuetzer]

Good question Mdd and one not often addressed.

Great scores Emcon. Can I assume that these were fired on the National Match course of fire?

If so and for those wondering how those scores would break out accuracy wise, here are the MOA (give or take a few 10ths) values for the 10 ring on the SR and MR high power targets at the ranges fired in NM competition:

200 yards standing SF: 4 MOA. On shot per minute, single load

200 yards sitting RF: F 4 MOA. Rapid fire is 10 shots (with reload) in 60 seconds

300 yards prone RF: 2 MOA. Rapid fire is 10 shots (with reload) in 70 seconds

600 yards prone SF: 2 MOA. Slow fire is 10 shots in 10 minutes, single load

No bipods allowed, no bench allowed and no scope sights allowed. It's all fired from position with a good shooting sling with the exception of 200 yards SF. That's fired from the standing position without sling. The closer a score is to 100, the closer a shooter is to shooting 2 MOA at 300 and 600 yards.

An average score of 94% or higher places one into the Master Class and that is pretty hard to achieve.

In my mind, consistant scores in the bullseye competitions is a verifiable measure of shooter skill and rifle accuracy per the original poster's question.

I have no intent here to disparage the combat style matches (I enjoy those too), as success in those matches (or combat for that matter) is also a test of accuracy, but it's hard to define an MOA accuracy level from those activities other than for snipers.

The 300 and 600 yard NM scores also give an idea how well a shooter can read the wind and other atmospheric distractors or inhibitors when trying to get a round into the 10 ring. That is also a test of a shooter's ability to get the best from his rifle at ranges that it can be shot at.

For a deer hunter minute of deer or heart/lungs is great. For a sniper MOA should be the goal. Different measures? Sure, but good measures for what one is doing.

My accuracy level? I hold a Master's card with the service rifle (M14 & M16) in the NM course, as well as a High Master card for the police PPC course of fire.

[PawPaw]

I suck at position shooting. About 4" at 100 yards, standing, maybe half that prone. With my Model 94 Winchester, about 6" at 100 yards. But the front sight on the M94 subtends 9" at 100 yards, so I'm shooting into the area covered by the front sight.

[Hansam]

With my Franken AR in 5.56, 20" heavy barrel and a Nikon 3-9x40 scope I can shoot off hand 3" at 100 yd. My problem is the gun is front heavy with that upper and makes it difficult to hold steady while I'm shooting off hand. Prone I can pull off 1.5" groups with that set up. This is while shooting semi-rapidly. One shot every 10 seconds or so.

If I've got my carbine length upper on with an el cheapo Barska holographic sight I pull off 4" at 100 yds standing and 4" at 100yds prone. With that setup though I can unload a whole mag as rapidly as I can pull the trigger and keep all my shots on a 12" gong at 100yds.

[Kayser]

Bench + bipod + 100 yards + reloads, I'm a 1-1.5" shooter. That number opens up considerably with my particular rifle using factory loads of almost any kind. Sandbags, towels and shooting off the range bag also opens my groups up. Not entirely sure why.

[hooligan1]

Good enough, hit where I aim mostly, wanna hold up a cigarette?

[wogpotter]

That's a great question. Personally I find if I get lazy & only shoot off a bench I degrade my skills, so I try to regularly shoot without the bench.

Prone & using the included bipod I can regularly hit a manhole-cover sized steel target at 600yds. I include the bipod here as it is integral with the FAL rifle, not an add on. This rifle also gets less accurate if slung due to a lightweight barrel reacting poorly to variations in sling tension.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/moosp/DSCF8131.jpg

Now it diverges as we change things up.
Prone & slung (with a different rifle) I can do about the same.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/moosp/DSCF7745.jpg

Kneeling/squatting I open up to about a garbage can lid at 300 yds.

Standing but with some "field expedient support" I can still ring the 600 Yd gong, but only about 50% of the time.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/moosp/DSCF5541.jpg

Standing, freehand, I can get 90% of them in a 8 1/2 X 11" piece of paper at 100yds.

As the ol' calibrated eyeball, Mk1 is getting older I use scopes with all my rifles now but I like to stick to the low power fixed 4X variety. I'm not sure at what point "equipment takes over" & where you stop removing equipment, so basic stuff like slings & scopes are just a part of "normal operations" to me.

[Mike38]

Deleted.......... ;)

[lefteye]

After developing my hand load for a hunt I would zero my scope for hunting purposes shooting from a bench with a sand bag but the fore end of the rifle rested in my hand and my hand was supported by with the bag. With my best loads in .223, .243, .270 and .300 Win Mag I was always able to get 1/2 to 1 MOA at 100 yards. By "always" I don't mean every group - I mean I could get such consistently enough that I was very confident in the load, the rifle, the scope AND my shooting. Before hunting I would practice the same positions as in the Army - standing, kneeling, sitting and prone. Shooting prone with my hand supported by a bag I couldn't match my accuracy from the bench with my and supported by the bag, but still shot MOA regularly. When hunting with a rifle (or shotgun with slugs) I have always sought some object to stabilize the firearm, e.g., a rock, a log, a tree branch, a fence post, or a back pack. This approach has allowed me to take whitetails at more than 100 yards several times with Remington 12 Ga. 2 3/4" Sabot solid copper slugs. I took best mule deer (5 x 5) at well over 400 yards with my .270 rested in my hand and body rested on a rock about the size of compact car. I took a very small black bear at well over 400 yards shooting prone with my .300 Win Mag in my hand resting on a rock.

A few years ago I was visiting the father-in-law of my younger daughter. He is a competitive bench rest shooter with a 300 yard range on his property, The range has steel back stops and a solid concrete bench in a building on a concrete slab. Having never before touched his new rifle, a custom 6mm PPC with NightForce scope, I shot a 3 shot 1/2" group and followed with two 3 shot groups between 1/4" and 3/8".

However, I am no better than average on waterfowl or upland birds with a shotgun, or paper targets with a handgun.

To summarize: I think it is best (for me) to maximize the accuracy of my rifle, scope and load before attempting to maximize my personal shooting accuracy with that rifle. I think it is best to maximize my hunting accuracy practicing from different positions and at different ranges, and, where possible, use some natural support, especially for the hand under the fore end. I think it is best to take advantage of natural support objects while hunting to achieve the best hunting accuracy.

Wow, my fingers are tired. :D

P.S. Qualified as second best in my basic training company in the Army in 1969 despite several days in the infirmary with a respiratory illness just before qualifying. Nevertheless, there are many (probably thousands of) marksmen around the world much better than me or any of my friends.

[Art Eatman]

I don't guess I ever have shot a group when away from my benchrest. It never occurred to me to do that.

Sight in, go kill something. Mostly one-shot kills, if that helps...

[BIGR]

On good days I can hit the side of the barn...
































:D , Just kidding of course. I can hold my own, but with more practice I could be a better shooter. I don't shoot as much as I did 15 years ago, but I still bring home the meat every year.

[TX Hunter]

I prefer to shoot off the bench, and prefer knealing, Am able to hit a Soda Can at 100 yards with a Scoped Rifle, and with Irons, a Paper Plate. Not sure of group though, Ive never tried that.

[CTS]

I don't guess I've tried it since I got out of the Coast Guard. We qualified with M16 at position shooting, prone, kneeling, standing offhand and couldn't use any kind of rest, only the sling. I don't remember the exact routine but always shot either Expert or Sharpshooter. That was at paper targets with a possible score of 300. Not like the army qualifications where we shot at pop up silhouettes at different ranges, always qualified expert on those.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

My father taught me to shoot on the farm. My D.I. showed me how to shoot in Boot Camp. "Both knew their business!!"-- Paying attention on my part was all that either required. And if I didn't? Both had the ability to get my attention span back on track rather quickly.-- Being both fellows are long gone now. But, every Sunday I still Thank, both for their efforts and wish them well.
MDD: I'm not much of a paper puncher other than a couple times a year now checking on my 300 Sav. w/ open sights or my 270 Win w/ its Vari-x3 over a Caldwell Tack Driver bag. How good of a shooter am I? --I still get my deer on a sneak, back in the bush, and on the ground, every year since my Military Discharge. That's how I judge my shooting ability? >A bulls-eye is assured when I squeeze the trigger on either weapon. Placement of my bullet and other things I've intentionally done in my life? >have consistently rung the Gong of success!!--I hope this criteria meets with your wanting to know. How good of a shooter are you?

[603Country]

I try really hard to avoid offhand shots. That's just not the best shooting I'm going to do, and I know it. I shot Expert in the Corps, but that was a long time ago. Most of the game shooting I do these days is out of a box blind, with the front of the rifle supported. Like that, I'm good to 400 yards or so. I spend a lot of time at the bench to make sure that all the rifles shoot decent groups and hit where I want them to. And now that they all do that, I'll take them in the back pasture and check sights at 200, 300, and probably 350. That'll actually tell me what kind of groups I'm shooting at those ranges, though shooting measured groups isn't really the objective. I'm much more interested in where they hit (bullet drop) at various ranges when sighted in for 200 yards. Years ago I was on a hunt as a guest, and I saw and shot a big 9 point buck at quite a distance. After a time, the ranch owner came along in his truck and said "I heard a shot. Was that you?". I said that it was, and I told him where the buck was and we took the truck over there. We got out of the truck and the rancher got real mad. He said "You were not, under any circumstances, to get off of the blind location and walk around." I said that I hadn't left the blind, and he said "you mean you shot this deer from way over THERE". I'm pretty good.

[pturner67]

ex-military (23 years ago) expert marksman with an M-16 but I cannot remember what qualified me at that level (yardage, grouping, etc)

currently, I hardly ever fire beyond 50 yards...Spikes AR with a SPARC red dot usually shooting Federal 55 grain unsupported and I can keep the grouping within a 3" target from 50 yards...with my Leupold Mark AR 3-9x, I can keep the grouping extremely tight (maybe 1-2" but that's prone position)...I don't hunt so I think that's about as good as I will ever really need to be

[4runnerman]

I guess i have never tried. I always have my bi-pod or shooting sticks,tree,car or what ever there with me. I have shot the 22 freehand very accurate,But my other rifles are bench rifles and a little on the heavy side to be free handing with. I don't have a normal hunting rifle so to speak of.:D. I could venture to say if i did free hand with my rifles that my targets would never make it home for any one to see:D:D

[the rifleer]

I'm a soda can at a 100 yards standing shooter:D

[rtpzwms]

I guess I'm the odd man out here. I like shooting without aids and no matter how good or bad its NEVER good enough.

[Tempest 455]

My son's Savage .223 is easily a sub MOA gun on a good day. Almost makes it too easy at less than 300 yards.

Best I ever shot where it was a real challenge was, my Swiss K31, iron sights at 300 yards in a cross wind. Put 3 out of 4 on 8" target with 6" spread in a 20 MPH wind. Would like to try that again on a calm day.

I'm sure many have done better but I was pretty pleased considering the conditions.

[TPAW]

Savage FP10 .308, Accu trigger, out of the box, nothing fancy scope, 200 yards, Federal Match 168 grain, 5 shot groups, can cover them with a dime.
Bench, supported position, little to no wind. About 1 minute rest before taking the next shot.

[243winxb]

NRA National Championship Results > http://www.nrahq.org/compete/nationalchampion.asp You will not find my name there. :(

[tahoe2]

shooting from a one knee down position with my elbow on the up knee about 3 to 4-1/2" @ 100. Sitting with both elbows on both knees 2 to 3" @ 100. With a variety of rifles, .300 Savage, .280 Remington, M24/47 8mm (those are scoped). with my M98, M48a, or an M93, about 4 to 6" @ 100 with military open sights. The smaller groups show up towards the end of the shooting session.
Great Question !! Shooting at 50 yards cuts those groups in half

[Edward429451]

I'm not very good but I could feed us for the most part. With my 1895G at 100 yds 5 to 6" with peeps & field positions. With my M1A & irons 3 to 4". With my old scoped Rem 700 BDL 30/06 and 180's I was shooting 1-1/8". Not so good with the AR yet, I can keep them on a paper plate so far but thats a load problem.

My 1895G is one ragged hole at 50 yds but I can only hold to about 5" at 100. I did collect two deer for two shots but at only 55 & 80 yds respectively. I think that counts good though because it is MOA (Minute of Animal!).

[viciouskitty]

With my galil rifle slung up and standing i can hit a can at 100 yards. I can pop an 8 inch plate with my mauser 30-06 and 3-9 redfield everytime at 200 meters standing prone and sitting. I practice like that for hunting every once in a while i go out as far as 500 meters but i cannot always guarantee a hit i need more practice at that distance.

[chewie146]

Standing, I can keep my .22 on the half-sized rimfire silhouettes roughly 7/10 times at 100 yards. Kneeling, 200 yards with my .45-70 is doable on a gatorade bottle with my hot loads and a known distance about 95% of the time. I usually am not shooting at paper when I'm shooting from the "normal" positions. I'm usually shooting at objects or animals. When hunting, my farthest shot on big game is 350 yards on a cow elk. That was a .30-06 and I was using a tree as a very stable monopod. I would say the farthest I can shoot reliable off-hand at big game is about 150 yards. Sit me down or let me kneel and give me a good .30 caliber rifle, and that's probably out there at 275 or 300. I never shoot prone because when I'm actually shooting elk, they usually don't give me time and I don't really want to lay down in fleece camo in nice wet snow. We'll see what happens when I learn to finally call coyotes in.

[Marquezj16]

After reading everybody's post, I've come to the conclusion that I am not that good of a shot. :(

Oh well, I guess I need to go shoot more. :D

[egor20]

An old guy I know once said;

"I'm as good as I need to be, just not as good as last year though"

I'll stick with his dogma. :cool:

[ttdub]

Pretty decent! I've won a couple competitions.

[gunsgongcrazy]

All I know is that I am better with a bow than I am with a gun. I can pretty much hit a nickel everytime with my bow at 30yds and a quarter at 40yds. I just realized this is a gun website :rolleyes: I got my first yote this year with this bow too.
http://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=154562&stc=1&d=1309557496
http://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=153521&stc=1&d=1308786261

[gunsgongcrazy]

P.S.
If I miss my shot/shots during archery season, I use either sticks or my backpack to get 1" groups at 100yds with one of my rifles. Without any kind of rest, I'm screwed. I drink too much coffee and hold my rifle like Barney Fife :D

[gunfighter48]

I used to have access to a 1000 yrd range. I had a Olympic Arms PCR rifle with a heavy 20 in free floated barrel. There was a 24X24 in hanging steel plate at 575 yrds. With good hand loads I could put 4 out of 5 shots on the plate at 575 yrds unsupported. But that was 15 years ago and I know I could not do that unsupported today. The only range I have access to today is an indoor 25 yrd range. I can put 30 rds into a 1 in square at 25 rds but not very often.:( I now have a S&W 15 Sport AR, very accurate for the price. The 5R rifling does a great job.

I don't mind getting old but sure do hate getting decrepit!!!

[kraigwy]

The older I get, the better I was.

[briandg]

I was good. It has been a very long time since I took out a rifle. I could hold offhand and get 5-6" at 100 yards, but when I would take a lean against a tree or other hand rest, cut that in half.

I trained myself to shoot offhand, and with a tree trunk, post, or branch. got good at it. With the tremor now, I doubt I could offhand very well now.

[jimmythegeek]

"The older I get, the better I was. "

I'm using that, kraigwy.

Not sure what the MOA is of my typical group. I'm trying off-hand without a sling per NRA small bore rules. 12" groups? I shoot an Appleseed AQT at expert/rifleman level (210+ out of 250), 4moa in position shooting, some of it timed.

I'm still pretty new and don't get to practice as much as I'd like.

[tuck2]

Years ago I enjoyed shooting four positions at 50 feet using a 22 target rifle. I never was a fine rifle shot. Did a bit of trap shooting and if I could get 75 out of 100 it was fine with me. Also did a bit of hand gun shooting and was invited to goin a shooting team. When working up reloaded ammo for my rifles I shoot off a bench rest at a 100 yard . All of my varmint rifles shoot 3/4 inch groups or less. I m 76 years old and now I look for a place to rest my firearms when hunting. My best year was when I shot my 308 Norma Mag rifle three times to check the scope , then shot it three more times to drop a pronghorn, mule deer, and elk.

[Bart B.]

Here's an example of what my Ancshutz 1911 did 4 years ago at 50 yards, 40 shots prone with a 25X scope in competition. Holding an area about 3/8ths inch and trying to break my shots inside a 1/4 inch area. The inner "X" scoring ring's 0.39 inch in diameter.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7046/6881231583_17529f6bab_z.jpg

Biggest 5-shot group's about 1 MOA. Score was 400-40X, so with that "perfect" score, I was allowed to continue shooting. The USA record for Seniors (folks over 60 years old) at the time was 400-40X + 5X. My third shot broke a bit on the right side at the same time I felt a little wind gust from the left; it was about 1/16th inch out so I quit shooting. Had I shot ten Xes in the shootoff, I would have set a record.

Best done with a high power rifle was shooting a .308 Win. Palma rifle using aperture sights at 600 yards in a prone match. Twenty record shots into 7 inches; just under 1.2 MOA for a score of 200-14X. Tony Moon, guy from Australia shot a 200-16X winning the match. But I won the Long Range Aggregate comprising this match, one more at 600 then two at 1000. Tony came in second 2 points behind me.

[riggins_83]

This was 100 yards with a Savage 10FP...

http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss355/riggins_83/hotgroup.jpg?t=1254422473

[okiewita40]

I know with my SKS and an improvised rest i am 2-3" off hand that opens a bit from a field position I can put the bullet where it needs to go on a small whitetail.

[Jo6pak]

Good enough to get the job done, but not good enough to really impress anyone.;)

Most shoooting is from standing or kneeling. With my DR200 and 4moa dot on the optic I can knock down bowling pins at 100yds around 75% of the time.

With my 10/22 and 3-9x Bushnell I can usually shoot 2" groups at 50yds.

With my M1A Scout and Trijicon 3-9 I can break clay pigeons at 100 yds with about every third round

[L_Killkenny]

I'm actually a bit surprised I'm not having to wear some hip waders reading this. Some BS but mostly good answers.

Personaly the only long gun I check shooting off hand is my 12ga. slug gun as most of my shots are fired that way and shooting it from a bench changes POI. Generally sight it in at 50 yards off hand and will keep everything with in about 3".

I practice with my .22 at 50 yards on 2" spinners. I'd like to say I drill everyone but I'd be lying. More like 4 outta 5 if I take my time.

Anything over about 75 I use some sort of a rest when ever possible. Tree, fence post, bipod, shooting sticks, etc etc. Sometimes I'll kneel or sit. Those are the only prudent things to do.

LK

[jim.greenesr]

Not the greatest shot, good enough for deer; don't really care though. Gets me out of the house, get to shoot the bull with other shooters, pulling that trigger, hearing it go bang and making a hole in target. It's all good.:)

[RevGeo]

My old man was a national-class Army competition shooter and he taught me to shoot. For the first several months he only allowed me to shoot off-hand.
That was good for me. When I was in boot camp I was amazed at how many guys couldn't shoot. I thought everybody grew up shooting, I guess.
Anyway, I don't punch paper anymore unless I'm developing a load or sighting in for hunting season.
I'm a good shot, I guess. The old man said don't stand if you can kneel, don't kneel if you can sit and don't sit if you can lay prone. But I like to shoot from all positions at various targets - gongs, pop cans, distant rocks, just because it is fun. I haven't missed a deer I've shot at in a long time, so I'm happy.

[ltc444]

I'm a poor rifle shot. I have allways excelled at pistol.

When preparing for a hunt I go out to my range and start shooting Paper plates and full size archery game targets.

I establish the distance at which I can hit the vitals on my first shot every time. During the hunt I limit myself to that distance for that position. Off hand. Off hand supported, sitting and prone.

Until I moved to the steps of Eastern Arizona, I hunted wooded areas interspersed with open pasture and corn fields. I never encountered a shot in excess of 150 yards.

Now I am contemplating 400 yard shots. I have added imporved scopes, a bipod, prarie dogs and a lot more practice in preperation for my big game hunts.

A historical note: The Boers in the Transval (Zimbawa and South Africa) region of Africa warmed up before their Sunday matches by shooting eggs at 100 yds with their open sighted Mausers. This marksmanship and their excellent horsemanship allmost defeated the The entire British empire.

[happygeek]

Good enough to shoot this:

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x297/fdhs_runner/Firearms/pa240348.jpg

with this setup:

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x297/fdhs_runner/Firearms/CMMG22LRM4ergythatshotRifleman.jpg

I'd never really done position shooting before Appleseed, but they do a pretty good job of instructing. The event itself was free too, I did donate to the range they used.

The best I've managed on a Q&D AQT since then was about 230. I've still got a lot of practice to do.

[SirHerc]

Best with a rifle was my Yugo SKS @ about 100 +/- 10 yards 12" target I got 3 in the red and the remaining 7 all within the 1st ring out from the red. Rifles are not my favorite but I like to shoot them and I do ok.

12 Guage Shotgun slug or 00 buck I am not the guy you want to have that gun when your up to no good. Something about me and a shotgun we just get along. With my Mossberg 88 and Rifeled slugs I can hit pop cans @ almost any distance and with field shot I almost never miss a clay. Last november while I was at the range a Retired USMC Gunny told me that he would let me in any foxhole he dug so long as I brought my shotgun with me. I considered that very high praise.

Pistols I do ok, @ 15 yards useing my .40 S&W I can hit within the 1st ring out from the center with usually all 10 rounds. I usually get one sometimes 2 in the red but Im no sharp shooter. With the .45 im close to that but I have to admit the recoil is heavy on it and that makes me sloppy with it.

[NoSecondBest]

I'm in my sixties and I've been shooting and hunting since I was ten years old. I got into competitive handgun shooting in my early thirties and became very proficient with a handgun. I shot silhouette for ten years and earned International Class in all five events and won seven consecutive state titles and two regional titles. I placed third at the IHMSA Internationals. That being said, I thought I'd mastered shooting. In the mid 1990's I decided I wanted to enter and compete in Sportsman's Team Challenge Matches and figured I'd be a shoo-in for winning based on my pistol shooting abilities. I had to compete using a rifle, handgun, and a shotgun. I was a AA shotgun shooter and the only thing I had to add to my bag of tricks was a little rifle practice. Everybody can shoot a rifle, right? Wrong!!! I'd always considered myself a good rifle shot based on how well I shot compared to my buddies and the guys at the clubs where I shot. I never shot rifle competition and my observations of people competing with rifles wasn't very impressing. They either shot off benches or prone or used a rest in some way. Team Challenge required you to stand up and shoot unsupported. You also had to shoot a lot of targets, some of them very small at some very long distances (for a rimfire). You were shooting against the clock also. The winners of the rifle event had to shoot fast, not miss very much, and be able to reload very quicky. I found out that shooting the rifle this way was more difficult than shooting the handgun. I put a lot of time and effort into developing my rifle shooting skills and did very well in this new discipline. Team Challenge is what it's called, a team event. My team and I either won or placed at every event we entered and won the Super Regional in Pennsylvania in 2002. I can't shoot like I could then since I no longer compete. Retirement curtailed my shooting at the level I shot at back then. I used to shoot 35,000 rimfire a year, 12,000 centerfire handgun, and about 15,000 shotgun a year. I just can't pay for that on a retirement income. I went to a couple of rimfire silhouette matches last year and shot my Savage rimfire and even though I hadn't shot at a silhouette in many years I shot a 38 and a 39 out of 40 off hand standing. I guess you don't lose it all.

[Old Grump]

offhand with my Win 32 spcl at 100 yds I expect to stay on paper (8 1/2" x 11") and with my H&R .308 to do that most of the time at 200 yards on a good day.

At 100 yards with every hand gun I own, (except the black powder and air guns), on the same 8 1/2" x 11" target. However at 200 yards my old age shows its ugly head and I have to sit to do what I could do off hand 10 years ago, (namely a 20" target). Apparently I have degraded from pretty darn accurate to mildly dangerous if the target is large enough.

[P-990]

How well can I shoot offhand? Well enough to be comfortable taking any bet against many "great shooters", but smart enough to know which shooters not to take that bet from... ;)

To use emcon's reference from page one, my personal bests are: 200 yds offhand, 192-some (I've fired a couple of 96-98s in 10-shot strings), 200-yds sitting, 199-bunch, 300-yds prone rapid, 199-bunch (shot a few cleans this past season, but haven't done it back-to-back yet) and from 600-yds prone, a 196-10x.

[Bart B.]

Then there's Gary Anderson's (NRA Exec., Olympic rifle shooter) who set the record for offhand at 200 yards at the Nationals back in 1971. 200-15X with a Win. 70 in .308 Win. and Redfield Int'l metallic aperture sights. 15 shots in the 3" X-ring and the other 5 no more than half an inch or so out. That record still stands. I heard about it as I was there, too, so I looked him up that evening and congratulated him.

25 years later, I watched Corky Tyson set the 600 yard prone record at the Nationals with his M70 shooting .308 Remington cases with small rifle magnum primers starting 48 grains of IMR4350 under a Sierra 200-gr. HPMK. 200-19X in a group about 4 inches in diameter with one shot barely out of the X-ring; a 2/3 MOA group. He was lucky. When he got home and shot his next match, that barrel finally wore out and both it and he shot pretty bad.

[darkgael]

I used to shoot 35,000 rimfire a year, 12,000 centerfire handgun, and about 15,000 shotgun a year.
That is a lot of shooting. When did you sleep?

How good? Not nearly as good as a number of you - though hope springs eternal - and not nearly as good as I'd like to be. I generally shoot in the middle 80's offhand at 100 yards (I don't compete at HP....I keep planning.). I like smallbore prone and shoot that a lot a 100 yards - if I am careful and the wind gods are kind, I can shoot about two inches though a clean target has evaded me thus far.
With a hunting rifle and irons, I can usually put the first shot right where I am aiming.
Pete

[Old Time Hunter]

Usually try to get close to the paper at 100 yards with all my guns off hand.

.44 Mag:

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/OTH_2006/06202008RD44Offhand.jpg

Usually a little tighter when I use a longer barrel rifle or something.....usually can lay 'em under a dime with the 6.5 X 55 Swede rifle, but not with an original '73 Trapdoor...just hope to cover them with a dollar bill @ 100.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/OTH_2006/061008-TD.jpg

[tobnpr]

Well, it's a fair question...

But, I don't think it is an accurate assessment to call someone a "GOOD" shooter because they do/do not meet your definition of that being limited to shooting offhand.

I would argue that a guy that can dope the wind, and hit an 8" gong at 1000 yards- off a bench or bipod- is every bit as "GOOD" a "shooter" as the guy that brags about his offhand shooting.

Different skill sets. One is not "better" than the other.

[Big Pard]

I am "minute of deer" out to 200yds...Occasionally

[Old Time Hunter]

tobnpr:

I see a lot of guys discussing shooting off benches with bags, sleds, bipods, or some combination thereof. What happens when you take all that stuff away?

That was the question, was it not? So take it all away and what do you have? Some use a fence post, some their knee, and some just stand and hold it to their shoulder. He also stated 100 yards too.

[5RWill]

I'm re-answering the question. How good of a shooter am I?

Not good enough because there is always room for improvement

[NoSecondBest]

Quote:
I used to shoot 35,000 rimfire a year, 12,000 centerfire handgun, and about 15,000 shotgun a year.

That is a lot of shooting. When did you sleep?


Believe it or not, there are quite a few shooters who shoot much more than that (paid professionals). The rimfire number is accurate, that's seven cases which equals 70 bricks of ammo. I shot around three fourths of a brick every other day and alternated with centerfire. The shotgun number is a little high. I checked back and the actual number is around 13,000 a year (sporting clays on Sat, Sun, and one week day year round). I was sponsored by a powder company and this helped pay for the cost. We had our own set of steel targets for Team Challenge on our own range. It was close to where I lived and I shot every day except from mid-Dec to the end of Jan.

[SIGSHR]

Not as good as I'd like to be and much better than I should be giving how little I shoot at present.

[arizona98tj]

Prone....with my Savage 10 FCP laid across my backup....working on elevation come-ups for my rifle.

http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/fs-pr1/fs-pr1-4.jpg

[igousigloo]

The first post you asked what we used to hit the target, and then you eliminated everything except position. I suppose that it did not matter to you, you just wanted a post. A steady rest helps no matter what we use.

[Navy joe]

While I wholeheartedly agree with getting off the bench and learning to shoot, the OP leaves me a little put off. If you shoot benchrest, use a bench. If you are a varmint hunter or tactical marksman, you are likely to employ a bipod in the real world. Shoot 3P or Highpower, you probably find a sling essential. Hump everywhere? Chances are there is a pack with you, use it. Why is there a desire to handicap the shooter based on what ancillary equipment they use? Is that not as arbitrary as specifying what scope or sights they can use? What if they don't like your scope?

I've shot 185/200 at 1000 yards with iron sight, so while I don't suck, I'm not great.

I've shot a little 5 shot bug hole off a bipod at 100 yards, proving in my mind exactly nothing except that my scope wasn't loose.

I realize re-reading that Bart B. was/is great. Holy hell!

[mdd]

No, igloo, i did not ask what you used to hit the target. I mentioned what is generally used and then eliminated it as relevant to my question. This is a quote from my first post:

I see a lot of guys discussing shooting off benches with bags, sleds, bipods, or some combination thereof. What happens when you take all that stuff away? Whatever position works best for you but just you, your rifle, a target at 100 yards, and five shots.

Of course its an arbitrary set of guidelines. Its an arbitrary thread but I wasn't ambiguous when asking. If you can't or don't shoot without those things that's fine but no need to become defensive about it. I can't shoot like many of these guys but its fun to try to improve. I drink too much coffee and chew too much Copenhagen to shoot much less than moa from any position.
My only intent with this thread was to see how well real people shoot. All we ever discuss is how well this gun or that gun shoots. I wasn't trying to stir up a hornets nest so i guess you may have read too deeply into what I was asking.

[Navy joe]

So how in god's name is your premise going to see how real people shoot? They'll still be shooting whatever gun they post about, whether it's the 6" grouping shot out Mosin or some trick bolt gun with a 40X scope. So, without the same guns for everyone, pointless. Without results from as you specify compared to results with them using the same gun and all the gadgets they want, pointless.

I can't really remember the last time I shot for groups while wasting ammo by not using a bipod or a sling unless you count off-hand Highpower where I average about a sucky 90.

[jimbob86]

How well do I shoot?

Up to my rifle, if I don't screw up.

I have a deer rifle/load that will do 1 1/4" groups off a bench.

I can hit a deer in the chest to 460 yards.... once off sticks, and once from a squat, under time pressure- that after I messed up a moving shot off sticks at 200 ..... yeah, I screwed up.

What? I'm human.

[Crow Hunter]

I hit a Gatorade bottle 3 times at around 150 yards from kneeling using a Colt 6920 & an Aimpoint M4s shooting XM193 in a with a 5-10 MPH wind coming left to right.

It only took me about 40 rounds to do that.:p

I was certaining scaring it though prior to hitting it.:D

[oldmanFCSA]

My guns are very accurate or I don't keep them.



But then they must be nice to me, allow me to shoot accurately,



or I sell them !!!

[hornetguy]

I haven't read all the posts, and likely someone has voiced the same opinion, but, I would almost never take an unsupported standing shot at game. It would have to be the ONLY option left to me, or it would have to be a close-up, rapid action kind of thing.
That having been said, I do practice standing shots occasionally. I don't remember actual group sizes, but it's considerably larger than my "rested" groups. Learning to time your trigger pull with your "wobble" is interesting.

Next time I'm at the range, I'll shoot some groups for size. I may or may not report back...;)

[mdd]

Joe, its a conversation about shooting. Relax. Some people don't use ten different things to stabilize their rifles. There are several posts showing quite impressive shooting without bipods, bags, etc. Not sure why you are so hung up on this. I can't standardize equipment across the forum for one question. I am operating under the premise that whatever results someone reports is going to be towards the top of their capability with their best or favorite rifle. 80 posts before you did not have a problem with it as there is no trophy or awards. Just a conversation about what you can do as a rifleman instead of what can your rifle do.

[VeryOldDog]

I can't shoot worth a crap any more. In order to sight, optics or a red dot is a must. Being old, I am not that steady any more and I am constantly looking for additional support so I have go to a shooting stick. Knowing my limitations, I try not to shoot over 100 yards. My most accurate rifle is the Savage 93R17 for Prairie Dogs which I use by standing in the bed of my pickup truck using the bipod and cab top for a rest. And a 25X scope does not hurt as well.

[tobnpr]

Just a conversation about what you can do as a rifleman instead of what can your rifle do.

So, at the risk of repeating myelf, I'll repeat myself...

Why do you think someone is a better "rifleman", "marksman", "shooter"..."whatever"...simply because they can shoot itty bitty groups unsupported?

What about the guy that can consistently bang moving targets at range?

And repeating, (since this is my type of shooting), the guy that can dope a strong and inconsistent wind and hit a sub-minute target at 1000 yards? I'm not there yet, and I find that it is THE most difficult type of shooting that exists.

Neither of these, and there are others, are "just about the rifle".

They are about the shooter as well.

[Tikirocker]

I'm better than average on my day ... and I make great scones! ;)

Tiki.

[Navy joe]

Because your premise is flawed, that's why. It is all about the gun, a crappy gun is going to shoot crappy, gadgets or not. I haven't owned a bipod in 7 years. I sat at a bench for one clip this weekend, it was awful, went back to sitting in the mud. I feel like the OP was just a feel-good deal, a want to believe all the great internet groups had a fallacy in that they were produced by artificial means.

[GM2]

Not a bad one , used to be better before Arthritis in the hands started affecting my Grip :mad:

[deerslayer303]

mmm I dont' think I shoot any of my rifles with out "some" support. I know this when a whitetail is in the cross hairs usually with the rifle laid on the rest of the stand he/she usually goes to the UPPA ROOOOOOOM!!! But your post has me intrigued I might hit the range thursday with the AR and see just what I can do with it. I qualify with the slush box M16's every two years from the various positions but that does say much we only shoot on a 25 yard range with the silhouette being different sizes to "simulate" different ranges.

[brotus2]

Golf balls at 300 yards with my 1952 Model 70 in 270, scoped with a Nikon 4X12X40.

[Coyote_Buster700]

Prone with my .22-250 w/bi-pod I shoot 4/5 in one big hole @120yds. I've got a pic on here. I jerked on one of them so I had to cover it with a penny instead of a dime. That's the only way I've ever shot it so I can't say what id do offhand.

I can however hit whatever, wherever I want while instinct shooting with a Red Rider BB gun. lol I also do pretty Good with my Model 52b. Although I can't remember any feats of accuracy with it.

Ill have to try some offhand shots and re-post.

[Therealkoop]

Some days im in the zone and can shoot 5 shot sub moa groups many times in a row.

Some days im better off plinking or saving ammo.

[Justice06RR]

I use the "pray-n-spray" method and hope that one of the bullets hit the target LOL

[Edward429451]

If someone is shooting 5" groups at 100 yards, this means that all shots fall no more than 2.5" from the Bullseye. That will do anything that needs doing in my book. It's nice to be able to shoot tighter, but its all showing off in reality.

[Old Grump]

Because your premise is flawed, that's why. It is all about the gun, a crappy gun is going to shoot crappy, gadgets or not. I haven't owned a bipod in 7 years. I sat at a bench for one clip this weekend, it was awful, went back to sitting in the mud. I feel like the OP was just a feel-good deal, a want to believe all the great internet groups had a fallacy in that they were produced by artificial means. I don't get your vitriol, Are you implying that since you don't shoot offhand none of us should. I don't get your point or why you are so ticked off. Is there some protocol the OP should have used that would have pleased you better? Some people like apricots and others prefer musk melon, some shoot on their hind legs and some shoot belly first in the mud and most do it a variety of ways, It's all good.

[Navy joe]

Ugh, detesting benches, I shoot off hand more than most and he didn't ask for offhand, any position. Further, with reading skills we'd learn that I posted my NRA highpower offhand average which is based on 10 shots at 200.

It's just a feel good post because all those cool groups on the internet would suck if they had to shoot his way. Or not. Look at the thread title. So, if we can't meet the criteria we're not a good shooter? I think the most important criteria for being a rifleman is doing what needs to be done to get the hit. If that means artificial support, a scope, a laser rangefinder, a sling, so be it.


Maybe I should have a thread where I want to see everybody's best groups but only with iron sights and a 1907 sling. Well, there go all the scope guys, there go 75% of the readers that don't know what a 1907 sling is. Oh crap, I used a web sling last weekend, guess I don't qualify for my own thread!

[4runnerman]

Shooting free hand is a talent for sure.Good job to those that can do it very well. I have been shooting for 40 plus years now. I have maybe once or twice been in a situation where there was not some form of a rest or support that i could use. Be it a tree or a stick,or ect ect. For your run of the mill shooting a deer at 200 yards or so,I think 95% of us would not have a problem doing that.
To pull 3/4 inch groups at 200 yards,,,Well i would have to see it to believe it.
To a lot of us-Putting the bullet where we want it is a obbsession (sp). I for one am not happy with 3 inch groups at 200 yards or 300 yards for that matter.

I could walk but i have a bike, I could bike but i have a car. I could free hand,but i have a rest....

[Old Time Hunter]

Maybe the OP was just trying to challenge us as to our versatillity. It is one thing to consider ourselves proficient at one form of marksmanship, say longer range utilizing high magnification scope out of a lead sled with a custom heavy barrel rifle and another thing all together using an off hand stance at unkown distances shooting at a moving target. So what is your weakest method and conditions? How well do you do then?

[tobnpr]

In that context, it's a fair question.

I suppose, that if I had unlimited time, and money, being proficient in more than type of shooting would be cool...

But, it's a two hour drive to the 1000 yard range, and when my sons and I go shooting, it's about 300 rounds for long-range, and hopefully we can still manage to find an hour for some handgun time. A day of shooting with range fees and ammo still costs (even match handloaded ain't cheap) about $200...

So, while we do occasionally send a few offhand rounds- particularly with an AK, the vast majority of the time we're working on long range skills.

Boy, do I envy those guys that can just walk out their back door and send lead...

[BigMikey76]

Ugh, detesting benches, I shoot off hand more than most and he didn't ask for offhand, any position. Further, with reading skills we'd learn that I posted my NRA highpower offhand average which is based on 10 shots at 200.


Your previous statement
I can't really remember the last time I shot for groups while wasting ammo by not using a bipod or a sling unless you count off-hand Highpower where I average about a sucky 90.

This statement makes it seem like you ONLY shoot offhand in Highpower competition, and always use some other form of support in other situations...

And while the OP did not specify off hand, he did say

Whatever position works best for you but just you, your rifle, a target at 100 yards, and five shots.

I think that quote from the OP makes the intent of the post pretty clear. He was attempting to start a conversation about skill rather than equipment. Of course there are other skills that can be measured - moving targets, rapid fire, the list goes on... but no where in his post did he say or even imply that using other criteria than his makes someone a poor shooter. How about we try to calm down a bit and let the question be what it is, rather than arguing and getting offended about things the OP didn't even say.

[Gunplummer]

I just hopped around on this thread (Saw it late). Sometimes it depends on the rifle. I think I shoot better with out a scope with my 99 Savages. They just seem to "Fit" better. Most of the deer I have shot have been off hand snap-shots. I seem to shoot pretty well when I don't have time to concentrate and just react no matter what type of rifle I am using.

[mapsjanhere]

Bipod, rear bag, big rig 1/2 MOA. Just with sling - can't pass the marksman level at the appleseed. Standing free, no sling - there's some deer still snickering about that one.

[Coyote_Buster700]

I think I shoot better with out a scope with my 99 Savages

X2 I shoot better off hand with iron sights as well.


Boy, do I envy those guys that can just walk out their back door and send lead...

It is rather convenient.

[mdd]

I appreciate the guys who participated constructively in this thread. I apologize to the ones whose feathers it apparently ruffled. There was no intent to malign other types of shooting whatsoever. I only wanted to discuss a style and method that isn't discussed at length very often.
I received a lesson in physics yesterday. F=M×A. I was on the receiving end of that simple equation and now my left arm is in a cast from below the wrist to above the elbow. Apparently 5000 lbs combined weight of two bulls slamming through a gate as they fight creates enough force to break bones when you are in the travel path of the gate.
I'm pretty sore and don't have much interest in continuing this thread. You guys can have at it or close it. Whatever. I'll keep reading but typing is slow and painful right now. Lucky it was only my arm but I hate pain killers so I'm just riding this one out.

[gunfighter48]

I used to have access to a 1000 yrd range. I had a Olympic Arms PCR rifle with a heavy 20 in free floated barrel. There was a 24X24 in hanging steel plate at 575 yrds. With good hand loads I could put 4 out of 5 shots on the plate at 575 yrds unsupported. But that was 15 years ago and I know I could not do that unsupported today. The only range I have access to today is an indoor 25 yrd range. I can put 30 rds into a 1 in square at 25 rds but not very often. I now have a S&W 15 Sport AR, very accurate for the price. The 5R rifling does a great job.

I don't mind getting old but sure do hate getting decrepit!!!

Update as of 2/22/12

I found some 15 year old hand loads that I was doing for 100 yrd accuracy work. The following image is 30 rds for those hand loads unsupported, leaning my left shoulder against the left wall of the shooting stall. These were shot with the 15 Sport and a Primary Arms M3 red dot scope. This is the same hand loads I was using to shoot the 575 yrd plate.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/gunfighter48/15yroldhandloads.jpg

[zbones6]

Ive got a Mosin Nagant, i love the thing, and im a pretty good shot with anything else, but because the rifling is so worn down, i shoot minute of barn door:D

[PA Hunter37]

Don't know about target shooting but I've been deer hunting for 26 years for the most part. There's not too many years that I haven't gotten a deer and every one of them has gone down with a single shot no matter the weapon or the range. Don't ge me wrong, I'm no where near perfect, there are a couple of deer still alive because i've missed 5 shots over the years. ;)

[Panfisher]

While I shot for a few years in College on a rifle team, smallbore indoor and did quite well I can't say for sure just how good I am. I am still pretty good with a .22, pretty good with a centerfire and decent with a shotgun, with a pistol it is really a day to day basis and goes downhill quickly with distance.

All depends on the day, somedays I am smoking hot, other days I seem to miss simple shots. I'll never be what I would call "competition grade" nor do I have any desire to be, would turn a fun time into work for me. I can hold my own I guess but there are always folks who can beat me. I still enjoy it all.

[brotus2]

Good enough to hit three straight golf balls at 300 yards with my 1952 Model 70 in 270 with a Nikon 3x12x40.

[jolly roger]

About 3 inches standing at 100 yards with my AR. Friggin' shoot irons better than with a 2MOA Aimpoint. Aimpoint quick though..Still not too bad at 53. Prone a bit better but I groan a bit getting up on occasion.

Breathing, sight, hold, etc.

[meatgrinder42]

Good enough I avoided wearing a 'pizza box'. lol :D

Sitting I can hit the 'heart' of a cardboard deer at 125 yards with my Argentine on open sights. I can hit the 'heart' of a cardboard deer at 75 yards with my Slug gun, open sights. A varmit target at 100 yards is riddled at 100 with the .22. And I've killed a deer with a S&W .357 I-frame at 10 yard with a bullet to the engine room... That is how good I shoot and how I rate myself.

[Old Grump]

Proof is in the pudding as they say.

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg850/scaled.php?server=850&filename=osamavshrsingleshot308.png&res=medium
10 rounds, 50 yard Offhand with my H&R single shot:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg828/scaled.php?server=828&filename=25ydoffhandwithwin9432w.jpg&res=medium
5 rounds, offhand with my 70 year old Win 94 32 spcl:

Sometimes how good I shoot depends on what I shoot.

[Keg]

U know Grump...I think them Navy Seals coulda used ya....model 94 and all.....;)

[Old Grump]

U know Grump...I think them Navy Seals coulda used ya....model 94 and all.....That ship sailed a long time ago. Tried out, passed the physical in 70 but they had all of us married men go through an indoctrination session with wives present. On the way home that night wife said I could if I really wanted to but I would do it as a single man. That should have been my warning then that I married the wrong woman and should have taken her up on her offer. Hormones make men stupid and I did not choose wisely. I was burdened with her for another 19 years and now I am staring 70 in the face. Besides I was good but not as good as I was to become later, I am on the downhill side of good now.

[Keg]

I've been down some of that road...lol...I did better this time....

[Gunplummer]

Where did you used to hunt up here? I have hunted public land in a few different states over the years, and maybe it is coincidence, but when a lot of Pa hunters start hunting an area the deer herd soon drops off. Lot of good shooters up here.

[Bart B.]

Anyone here think they can sight in their scoped deer rifle at 100 yards with 1 shot fired from standing, with or without a sling and no artificial support?

I've seen it done. Amazing but true. It's easier than most folks think, if you practice then do well the single most forgotton element of marksmanship.

[dayman]

Awesome question.
I only ever use a bench to get a scope sighted in. For me the end goal of marksmanship is hunting, so there wouldn't much point in doing all my practice on a bench.
Sitting with a sling I can usually shoot around 2.5" at 100 yards. Standing maybe 4" on a good day. I'm by no means sniper material, but thus far I've avoided wounding anything.

[Old Grump]

Anyone here think they can sight in their scoped deer rifle at 100 yards with 1 shot fired from standing, with or without a sling and no artificial support?

I've seen it done. Amazing but true. It's easier than most folks think, if you practice then do well the single most forgotton element of marksmanship. Not even on the Navy Rifle team using match rifles. I need at least a 3 shot group before I touch an adjustment.

On the other hand shooting offhand I shot a dead on bullseye shot at 100 meters on a small bore rifle target with my Win 94 32 spcl in front of witnesses with the first shot. I wisely put the gun away. :D

Did the same thing shooting one handed standing at a clay pigeon on the berm 220 yards away and should have holstered the gun right away. Sometimes I'm smart and sometimes I am a glutton for punishment. Hit the first one, dropped a lot of jaws on the range and then proved it was just a fluke by missing the next 5 clays by 4" to 6". :rolleyes:

[insomni]

not enough photo evidence on this thread

standing from 25m with M&P15, EOTech 512
1st group (upper abdomen) was warmups (ready up, single shot to the center of the target)
2nd group (head) was two rapid to the head
3rd group (upper chest) was mag dump as fast as possible for fun
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/maqataq/target.jpg

[Micropterus]

I can easily shoot 1 MOA 1 shot groups at 1,000 yards with my Mini-14.

[sc928porsche]

Standing, I can keep them within 2" Kneeling, a bit closer than that. Sitting and prone is very close to 1".

[Old Grump]

not enough photo evidence on this thread

10 rounds 44 mag one hand standing shooting as fast as I can cock it and reload Ruger Super Blackhawk at 15 yards.

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg9/scaled.php?server=9&filename=15yardcarrygunchallenge.png&res=medium

8 rounds sitting from M1 Garand at 50 yards.

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg16/scaled.php?server=16&filename=schallngejuly250yd.jpg&res=medium

3 rounds at 100 yards as fast as I could work the bolt of my 300 Wby MkV

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg830/scaled.php?server=830&filename=sept152010300weatherbym.jpg&res=medium

[m&p45acp10+1]

I only have a couple of rifles that I shoot standing up without any support. One of those is a Ruger 10/22. I am unsure about groups. I have shot few paper targets with it in the past 30 of my 35 years of life. I can hit better than 90% if shooting at pop cans at 100 yards. If closer I rarely miss if ever. I used to win a lot of beers when I lived in the country with some of my bank shots with it. I would set up a couple of old pans from yard sales, and a few bottles. It is the same principle as making a bank shot playing pool.

On one knee shooting my girlfriend's 91/30 the other day I fired 20 shots of spam can ammo at a B27 target. 19 were from the 10 ring to the 8 ring. 1 was in the 7. From a lead sled rest when adjusting the sight it put 5 shots in a group I could cover with my hand. I think it was close to a 3 inch group. With my hand loads kneeling at 25 yards supporting my off hand arm with my knee I was shooting groups that were either touching eachother, or very close to it.

[tanfog101]

with my 308 I can hit a 2.5 pound star target at 800 meters! 8 out of 10.

[swopjan]

i'd say 4 MOA and up, in some cases way up (first trip to the range with my 30-06 at age 19 and i started flinching like it was cool after the first 10 rounds). never shot for group greater than 50 yards though.

but i did shoot minute of bad guy at the 500 yard line last week. was firing an m16 from the prone, with a sling on a man-sized target. two in the black, dropped one point on the third shot, then 7 hit black in a row. my record's 12 in a row, both streaks ended by running out of ammo :D

[Crazy Carl]

I can hold 2" at 50yds, standing/unsupported, with either my SKS, Marlin 30-30, or CVA .50 cal front-stuffer. I can keep 2 cylinders worth of very warm .41mag inside a paper plater at 25yds.

Not exactly mind-blowing I reckon, but for the thick brush/woods we hunt, it puts meat in the freezer.

Zeroing the cheap Simmons 4x I just put on my Marlin 60, I put 15rds into a ragged 3/4" hole at 25yds. Benched, no rest or bags.

I'd like to be better & am steadily working on it.

Oh yeah, I am the world's worst wing shot (right handed, left eye dominant). Clay pigeons & birds on the wing need have no fear of me :(

[Saltydog235]

How good a shooter am I?

Hmmmmmmmmm, good enough to get by and do what needs to be done.

[PA Hunter37]

I hunt upper eastern corner above Wilkesbarre. You're right, the herd has been looking mighty thin the last few years. It's not only the hunters, it's also the loss of good hunting land due to development. Still got plenty of farms around if you're in good with the neighbors though.

[Red Dog]

I'm a great shooter..... it seems that the projectiles need a GPS sometimes.
:eek::eek::eek:

[idnative1948]

Have to agree with SaltyDog. I manage to get it done when I need to. Don't remember when I have had to make a follow-up on an animal, but then too, not at huge distance perhaps 175yd max.