What Makes a Rifle Truly Accurate?

gatorforge · January 19, 2012, 06:37 PM

I'm thinking about building a custom rifle, so I want to do some research into what makes a rifle truly accurate, and I don't just mean "a good barrel" or "a tight action". I'm looking for the specifics of what makes a rifle superior on the bench and in the field. Further what is considered accurate? 1 moa, 1/2 moa, 1/4 moa? what does it take to be considered truly accurate?

Thanks.

Palmetto-Pride · January 19, 2012, 06:59 PM

What makes a rifle accurate is the ability of the rifle to send the bullet exactly the way it did on the previous trigger pull. To me 1/2 MOA is pretty accurate and that's pretty much 5 shots touching each other. I also believe in 5 shot groups not 3 shot groups.

Ok I will go back to what helps make a rifle send bullets to the same hole with each shot. There are a lot of factors involved, but I will list a few a good barrel with a good crown cut into it, a rigid stock that allows the barrel to free float, a light clean crisp trigger helps keep you from pulling the shot, and match grade ammo are just a few.

oneoldsap · January 19, 2012, 07:06 PM

A perfect group measures 0.000 . So I guess anything less than that is a wanna be .

Saint Dennis · January 19, 2012, 07:14 PM

What makes a rifle accurate varies somewhat on the type of rifle. A bench rest rail gun, while extremely percise (which is a better term), would not be appropriate for hunting big game in the mountains. So what you will use it for will make a difference on what you need. If you intend to have a custom rifle built, consider one of the custom or semi custom makers that sell packages. Blue printed action, Match grade barrel, Pillar bedded, Rigid stock. The optics you put on it will play a big part. A 36 power target scope will help shoot small groups but wont be worth a bucket of spit on a deer hunt. All of these can and will effect percision. All that being said, luck also plays a part. My bother in law purchased a Savage .223 that shoots like a house afire and yet was very economical. I have a .300 WM Remington 700 with a hunting weight barrel I bought at a pawn shop that has printed multiple sub .5 inch - 5 shot groups from the bench. The last but not least contributing factor is the feller behind the gun. If you don't do your part, the most percise rifle in the world wont shoot straight. I probably didn't answer your question, but what you are looking for needs to be narrowed a bit. One rifle wont do everything. But that's a good thing. You can buy more ;-)

Salmoneye · January 19, 2012, 07:54 PM

Quote:

What makes a rifle accurate is the ability of the rifle to send the bullet exactly the way it did on the previous trigger pull.

I believe that what makes a 'rifle' accurate, is the 'person' behind it...

In this, I mean that the person behind the trigger is the weak link...

I have seen many 'guns' that are far more accurate than the person pulling the trigger...

As I get older, I ask my 'kid' to do the final 'zero'...

I consider myself more than 'adequate', but...She is way more competent at MOA minutia than me at 50 years old...

Eghad · January 19, 2012, 07:58 PM

I would say the person putting it together and the quality of the parts might have something to do with it.

Palmetto-Pride · January 19, 2012, 08:01 PM

Quote:

I believe that what makes a 'rifle' accurate, is the 'person' behind it...

I agree that the person pulling the trigger has to do his/her part, but I also assumed the OP was asking more about the rifle not the person behind it.

Slamfire · January 19, 2012, 09:02 PM

Stiffness. Firearms don't have adaptive dynamic compensating mechanisms, so for accuracy, they need to be stiff.

Take a look at this Benard action.

Massive sidewalls, no magazine holes, very few holes or cuts in the receiver.

A fit so tight air molecules get road burn when the bolt is opened.

blacksky · January 19, 2012, 09:15 PM

Quote:

A perfect group measures 0.000 . So I guess anything less than that is a wanna be .

Many factors are involved...

Barrel, rifiling, crown, action, bolt, bolt head, trigger, stock, stock bedding, etc...

Then you toss in the shooter and it all goes down hill from there... LOL

If you can hit the same hole or shoot consistant group patterns, then you can say the rifle and shooter are both accurate!

The rifle that I shot these groups with, will far outshoot my ability in another shooters hands...

5RWill · January 19, 2012, 09:51 PM

Slamfire hit it, it starts with the barrel IMO. Action is second but the barrel is first and foremost IMO.

tobnpr · January 19, 2012, 10:00 PM

Precision barrel.
Precision action (trued receiver, lugs, and boltface).
Perfectly bedded action with pillars that induces absolutely no stress on the receiver.
Match grade trigger.
Extensive load work-up. If the load doesn't produce optimal barrel harmonics, the muzzle will be in a different point in space every time at the moment the bullet exits.

I've always felt that the word "accuracy" as relates to this discussion should be replaced with the word "consistency".

If you can get the rifle to behave the exact same way, every time the trigger is pulled, it translates directly to accuracy.

5RWill · January 19, 2012, 10:08 PM

I agree there also, accuracy is so very much in large part consistency.

January 19, 2012, 06:37 PM	#1
gatorforge Junior Member Join Date: January 19, 2012 Posts: 1	What Makes a Rifle Truly Accurate? I'm thinking about building a custom rifle, so I want to do some research into what makes a rifle truly accurate, and I don't just mean "a good barrel" or "a tight action". I'm looking for the specifics of what makes a rifle superior on the bench and in the field. Further what is considered accurate? 1 moa, 1/2 moa, 1/4 moa? what does it take to be considered truly accurate? Thanks.

January 19, 2012, 06:59 PM	#2
Palmetto-Pride Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2009 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 2,071	What makes a rifle accurate is the ability of the rifle to send the bullet exactly the way it did on the previous trigger pull. To me 1/2 MOA is pretty accurate and that's pretty much 5 shots touching each other. I also believe in 5 shot groups not 3 shot groups. Ok I will go back to what helps make a rifle send bullets to the same hole with each shot. There are a lot of factors involved, but I will list a few a good barrel with a good crown cut into it, a rigid stock that allows the barrel to free float, a light clean crisp trigger helps keep you from pulling the shot, and match grade ammo are just a few. __________________ “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.” -Margaret Thatcher- Last edited by Palmetto-Pride; January 19, 2012 at 07:06 PM.

January 19, 2012, 07:58 PM	#6
Eghad Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 6,231	I would say the person putting it together and the quality of the parts might have something to do with it. __________________ Have a nice day at the range NRA Life Member

January 19, 2012, 09:02 PM	#8
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Stiffness. Firearms don't have adaptive dynamic compensating mechanisms, so for accuracy, they need to be stiff. Take a look at this Benard action. Massive sidewalls, no magazine holes, very few holes or cuts in the receiver. A fit so tight air molecules get road burn when the bolt is opened. __________________ If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.

January 19, 2012, 09:51 PM	#10
5RWill Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,654	Slamfire hit it, it starts with the barrel IMO. Action is second but the barrel is first and foremost IMO. __________________ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me."

January 19, 2012, 07:06 PM	#3
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	A perfect group measures 0.000 . So I guess anything less than that is a wanna be .

January 19, 2012, 07:14 PM	#4
Saint Dennis Member Join Date: March 31, 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 97	What makes a rifle accurate varies somewhat on the type of rifle. A bench rest rail gun, while extremely percise (which is a better term), would not be appropriate for hunting big game in the mountains. So what you will use it for will make a difference on what you need. If you intend to have a custom rifle built, consider one of the custom or semi custom makers that sell packages. Blue printed action, Match grade barrel, Pillar bedded, Rigid stock. The optics you put on it will play a big part. A 36 power target scope will help shoot small groups but wont be worth a bucket of spit on a deer hunt. All of these can and will effect percision. All that being said, luck also plays a part. My bother in law purchased a Savage .223 that shoots like a house afire and yet was very economical. I have a .300 WM Remington 700 with a hunting weight barrel I bought at a pawn shop that has printed multiple sub .5 inch - 5 shot groups from the bench. The last but not least contributing factor is the feller behind the gun. If you don't do your part, the most percise rifle in the world wont shoot straight. I probably didn't answer your question, but what you are looking for needs to be narrowed a bit. One rifle wont do everything. But that's a good thing. You can buy more ;-)

January 19, 2012, 10:00 PM	#11
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	Precision barrel. Precision action (trued receiver, lugs, and boltface). Perfectly bedded action with pillars that induces absolutely no stress on the receiver. Match grade trigger. Extensive load work-up. If the load doesn't produce optimal barrel harmonics, the muzzle will be in a different point in space every time at the moment the bullet exits. I've always felt that the word "accuracy" as relates to this discussion should be replaced with the word "consistency". If you can get the rifle to behave the exact same way, every time the trigger is pulled, it translates directly to accuracy.

January 19, 2012, 10:08 PM	#12
5RWill Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,654	I agree there also, accuracy is so very much in large part consistency. __________________ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me."