Bullseye or just hit the paper?

[Redlg155]

Ok..pet peeve. Shooting target groups that are no where near the center of the target. Sure, you have a great .5" group, but it's not even close to the center. What gives?

I just can't consider my rifle sighted in unless I hit my target, yet I've seen several articles published by writers who seem happy to hit anywhere, just give them a group.

Ok..
rant finished

 

[dagger dog]

Depends on if our shooting bullseye for score or shooting for small groups.

A sighted firearm especially a scope sighted rifle is easily brought to bear on the bullseye by turning a couple knobs.

 

[Ankeny]

I shoot for groups while doping the loads. Plenty of time to sight in after I settle on the load.

 

[rcmodel]

Just give me a group in a magazine test.
I don't really care where it is on the target.

You need to keep in mind most of the folks who write magazine tests, etc, are probably limited to a box or two of each type ammo they test in the story.
Not to mention time constraints at the range.

If they used up all the ammo adjusting scopes to center with each load?
Then did chrono tests and accuracy tests with each load?
They would probably run through all the ammo they had on hand before they got done that day.

The group size is a fair test for comparison purposes in the story.

Pretty sure if any of them were leaving the next day to hunt prairie dogs or jackalope, they would zero the rifle with the load they planned to use on the hunt.

The other thing is, with a very accurate scope and rifle combo.

You can shoot the aiming point out of the target with the first group or two, then have nothing left to aim at from then on.

I often move the groups off of the aiming point when load testing so the aiming point remains undamaged.

rc

 

[JohnBT]

What he said.

If you shoot at the little dot in the middle - and hit it a couple of times - you have nothing left to aim at but some raggedy hole. It's not very precise.

Therefore, aim at the dot and let the group fall a little off center.

 

[longknife12]

Kid and myself, when shooting groups, pick a spot on the corners of paper.
this eliminates changing target so often. use cross hairs to bracket the center bull.Up/down/right/left....works for us.
Dan

 

[CDW4ME]

I want to hit where I'm aming, regardless.

 

[mf-dif]

I always shoot for the target. If my group ain't where I'm aiming then what is the point.

 

[bldsmith]

For a standard sighting in/ load proofing, I sight into a spot at 100yds and it should hit 1.5-2" high. That should put me on or real close at 200 and still within the kill zone at 100. The grouping is just as or even more important as eluded to in previous posts. Like others I will shoot all over the target aiming at the same point for that grouping.

 

[mmitch]

Just move the target!

Mike

 

[jmr40]

I you are working on load development you don't want your bullets impacting right at your aiming point. I adjust my scope 6-8 clicks up while I'm experimenting with various loads. This puts the bullets impact 1.5-2" above the aiming point. It is hard to aim at the same exact spot when your bullet holes are tearing up the target. You tend to shoot better groups this way. Which is fine since at this point I am only trying to find the most accurate combinations

Once I am satisfied with the load I'm working on, or find the best factory load, I re-adjust my sights so that the bullets are impacting where I want them.

 

[Warp]

Ok..pet peeve. Shooting target groups that are no where near the center of the target. Sure, you have a great .5" group, but it's not even close to the center. What gives?

I just can't consider my rifle sighted in unless I hit my target, yet I've seen several articles published by writers who seem happy to hit anywhere, just give them a group.

Ok..
rant finished

Depends what you are shooting for. If you can make a 0.5" 5+ shot group, repeatedly, it's all good. A simple site adjustment and you'll be on target.

If you are testing different loads in a rifle to see which one groups best you might not want to take the time necessary to adjust the sites for every single load that you test. Sure, once you pick one you may adjust your sites/optic to zero that particular load, but that is very very simple compared to making the group in the first place.

No, the rifle is not zero'd until the group is on target. I agree with you there, of course. That's kind of the definition of zero.

 

[Gtimothy]

When I'm working up a load for my guns, I'm looking for tight groups. Once I have a load that performs well, I'll adjust my scope for POA/POI for that load.

 

[MrBorland]

Ok..pet peeve. Shooting target groups that are no where near the center of the target.

Like this?



My most-shot guns are perfectly sighted for a "center" hold, which I prefer for most of my shooting. When target shooting, though, I prefer a 6 o'clock hold, so when shooting groups to check my fundamentals, I leave the sights alone, and the group normally hits low (I held at the bottom of the red in the pic above). No biggie (though I did adjust windage after the above was shot). When score matters, I adjust accordingly:

 

[Skribs]

When shooting at sillhouettes at the range, my Mom doesn't aim for COM. In fact, if you looked at the target from the waist up, you would assume she missed...until you zoom out a bit.

Longknife, there are targets with multiple circles on them.

 

[jim243]

Any time you change your bullet weight/load you change the point of impact. If testing loads, no adjustment is made to scope untill you settle on the bullet/load you are going to stick with.

Jim

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Ok..pet peeve. Shooting target groups that are no where near the center of the target. Sure, you have a great .5" group, but it's not even close to the center. What gives?

It tells me things. A .5" group tells me that both the rifle, and I am spot on. Moving the point of aim to where I want it is the easy part. Take this group for example.



I don't care that it's over 2" to the right of the bullseye. I was working up a load for a particular rifle, and the results are more than satisfactory.

That's a sporterized '93 or '96 Mauser that was switched to 7.62 by the Spanish by the way. Still has the barrel on it that was put on at the armory. I worked up a "Youth" load from the Hodgdon website because those things can't handle the pressures from full throttle .308 ammo forever. I'd say I got pretty good results from an old warhorse that still has the original barrel and trigger.

 

[Remllez]

The groups shot are representative of the accuracy of that particular gun, it matters not where it hits in relation to the bullseye. The writers are not reviewing the sight system, only the potential accuracy.

Everyone sees sights differently so what works for Jim may not be right for Joe. That being said if the articles headline reads "We are shooting for score/bullseye" and the groups are hitting 6 low and 7 right I would likely scratch my noggin.....

 

[Captaingyro]

Groups tell you things you need to know about the gun and/or ammo.

Shot placement tells you what you need to know about your sights (and talent).

Load development vs. zeroing. Apples vs. oranges.

 

[Ky Larry]

This reminds me of a thread a few months ago about the difference between accuracy and consistency. Just semantics.