DougW
Member
My twice FTR'ed 1942 Long Branch #4mk1*. Will hold 1" @100 yards if I do my part.
Most accurate military rifle you have ever fired.
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d2wing
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I trained quite a bit on both the M-14 and the M-16 in the 60's, I also spent some time with the advanced marksmanship in Germany. Back then marksmanship was considered very important. the M-14 I qualified with was a 1 MOA rifle, and could hit pop up targets from standard shooting positions to 600 meters. I did not measure groups with the M-16 but it was good. I easily shot expert with it but the range was only 400 meters.
Perhaps in Hummers day they were referring to worn out rebuilds. But Hummer is clearly a BSer about guns from his posts on another forum. Take it with a grain of salt. Not that he might be right but it doesn't sound right from my experience.
Perhaps in Hummers day they were referring to worn out rebuilds. But Hummer is clearly a BSer about guns from his posts on another forum. Take it with a grain of salt. Not that he might be right but it doesn't sound right from my experience.
R.W.Dale
Member
My MAS 36 mirrors the other posters experience and at that time I had swedes, Swiss and argentine Milsurps to compare to.
But then I ended up with a genuine USGI surplus 603 upper on some old 80's era cast no name lower.
This rifle shoots like its a heavy barreled varmint bolt gun. When I'm really on my irons game it's put five under 3/4 of an inch
But then I ended up with a genuine USGI surplus 603 upper on some old 80's era cast no name lower.
This rifle shoots like its a heavy barreled varmint bolt gun. When I'm really on my irons game it's put five under 3/4 of an inch
kimberkid
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- Feb 5, 2010
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- 1,654
The "Ishapore 2A Rifle" ... This was one of the British 303's re barreled to 308 in India. It was a semi-sporterized one I found at a show around 1995 for $80. The first time I shot it was with some 1988 CAVIM 308 (I still have a few hundred rounds of it). I think the rounds were sealed with sort of tar as it gums up any semi I shot it in. Off the bench it would group 1 to 1.25" at 100 yards ... It's one of the few guns I wish I'd kept as I had next to nothing in it yet it shot so well, at least for the firsts several shots until the barrel got hot.
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caribou
Member
1894 Chattralt reciver'd Finnish M-39 1941 Sako.
Wicked accurate, a joy to shoot......I miss that rifle.....I watch it on old vids I posted here on HR....
Wicked accurate, a joy to shoot......I miss that rifle.....I watch it on old vids I posted here on HR....
35 Whelen
Member
What?!?!? No actual pictures??
OK, for me the most accurate in order would be the 1) Swiss K-31 (gobs of them), 2) 1903A3 (only owned one), 3) Swedish Mauser (only owned one)
Simple, legal fix; install a barrel band and sling loop from a Swiss K-11 which puts the sling loop on the bottom of the barrel.
I too used a K-31 for reduced High Power competition, but modified my rifle with an adjustable sling loop base and ultimately a Redfield Palma rear sight. They snickered at me the first time I showed up at a match with the rifle but were humbled in time as I competed very well with the AR shooting boys and ultimately acquired an Expert classification. Oh yeah...and I competed with cast bullet handloads.
Back to the subject at hand.....
Despite the loose requirements for accuracy, some American service rifles are accurate. When I was still shooting our local High Power matches an gentleman whom I would guess learned to shoot in the Vietnam era, would show up occasionally at our matches, pipe clenched in his teeth, always smiling, with a Garand and some of that old M72 NM ammunition loaded with the 173 gr. bullets. He shot his sighters offhand, and don't ever remember him NOT winning a match when he was there. I digress...
Most accurate military rifle I ever fired? Hand down the K-31. All rifles as-issued:
1939 production:
1940 production:
1943 production:
1944 production:
I got the bug to own a 1903A3 and found a rescued parade rifle on which the owner had installed a brand-new issue barrel made 12-43. My, what a joy to shoot! Never bothered with jacketed bullets:
Honorable mention, the Enfield No.4 Mk.1:
So there it is for me. I'd like to post more photos of targets, but Photobucket is a big heaping, steaming pile of dog do-do and as usual, is being incooperative.
35W
OK, for me the most accurate in order would be the 1) Swiss K-31 (gobs of them), 2) 1903A3 (only owned one), 3) Swedish Mauser (only owned one)
Simple, legal fix; install a barrel band and sling loop from a Swiss K-11 which puts the sling loop on the bottom of the barrel.
I too used a K-31 for reduced High Power competition, but modified my rifle with an adjustable sling loop base and ultimately a Redfield Palma rear sight. They snickered at me the first time I showed up at a match with the rifle but were humbled in time as I competed very well with the AR shooting boys and ultimately acquired an Expert classification. Oh yeah...and I competed with cast bullet handloads.
Back to the subject at hand.....
Despite the loose requirements for accuracy, some American service rifles are accurate. When I was still shooting our local High Power matches an gentleman whom I would guess learned to shoot in the Vietnam era, would show up occasionally at our matches, pipe clenched in his teeth, always smiling, with a Garand and some of that old M72 NM ammunition loaded with the 173 gr. bullets. He shot his sighters offhand, and don't ever remember him NOT winning a match when he was there. I digress...
Most accurate military rifle I ever fired? Hand down the K-31. All rifles as-issued:
1939 production:
1940 production:
1943 production:
1944 production:
I got the bug to own a 1903A3 and found a rescued parade rifle on which the owner had installed a brand-new issue barrel made 12-43. My, what a joy to shoot! Never bothered with jacketed bullets:
Honorable mention, the Enfield No.4 Mk.1:
So there it is for me. I'd like to post more photos of targets, but Photobucket is a big heaping, steaming pile of dog do-do and as usual, is being incooperative.
35W
meanmrmustard
Member
Swedish M38 for me.
2 years ago, family and friends were getting skunked and missing every deer that opening weekend. So, everyone stayed inside on Day 2 due to a cold drizzle. Since I was sick and a house full of bored hunters isn't a great napping situation, I decided to brave the rain and take the M38 and catch some Zzzzs in the woods.
Woke up to an old 8 pointer feeding in turnips at roughly 160 yards. Waffle stomped him, with iron sight and a WW2 era rifle!!!
2 years ago, family and friends were getting skunked and missing every deer that opening weekend. So, everyone stayed inside on Day 2 due to a cold drizzle. Since I was sick and a house full of bored hunters isn't a great napping situation, I decided to brave the rain and take the M38 and catch some Zzzzs in the woods.
Woke up to an old 8 pointer feeding in turnips at roughly 160 yards. Waffle stomped him, with iron sight and a WW2 era rifle!!!
Missionary
Member
Greetings
I have much enjoyed reading these responses. All my military rifles are fired with my hand loads that are tailor adjusted for that particular rifle. That is not standard military fodder by any shot.
I do know for sure the M16A1 I was issued in basic was very accurate with issue ammo.
That rifle fired tiny little groups that much impressed me and our Platoon DI. With that rifle I was high firing in our cycle for the 1000 man regiment that graduated August 1971 at Ft. Lenardwood. Scored 90 out of 100 rounds. I am sure my DI could have done better. So I would have to write that one M16A1 is the most accurate US military rifle I have ever fired with standard issue ammo.
I was very disappointed to have never had the chance at an M14 !
But by far the most accurate "rifle" I ever fired was an M68 105mm rifled canon mounted on the M60A1 tank. With a correctly registered sight/computer our vehicle could hit 2x4's at 1000 meters with the 105 HEAT "practice" rounds. That was one fine shooting gunnery system. Israli tank crews were making 6000 yards 1st round hits on T62 and T54 tanks with the same gun system.
Mike in Peru
I have much enjoyed reading these responses. All my military rifles are fired with my hand loads that are tailor adjusted for that particular rifle. That is not standard military fodder by any shot.
I do know for sure the M16A1 I was issued in basic was very accurate with issue ammo.
That rifle fired tiny little groups that much impressed me and our Platoon DI. With that rifle I was high firing in our cycle for the 1000 man regiment that graduated August 1971 at Ft. Lenardwood. Scored 90 out of 100 rounds. I am sure my DI could have done better. So I would have to write that one M16A1 is the most accurate US military rifle I have ever fired with standard issue ammo.
I was very disappointed to have never had the chance at an M14 !
But by far the most accurate "rifle" I ever fired was an M68 105mm rifled canon mounted on the M60A1 tank. With a correctly registered sight/computer our vehicle could hit 2x4's at 1000 meters with the 105 HEAT "practice" rounds. That was one fine shooting gunnery system. Israli tank crews were making 6000 yards 1st round hits on T62 and T54 tanks with the same gun system.
Mike in Peru
Best groups I ever got was a late war Mauser 98k made at Brno and modern 196gr ammo. I think around 4 inches with irons.
CptnAwesome
Member
Aside from my marine corps issue m16a3, I'd say my TC encore pro hunter. 7mm rem mag, thumbhole stock with Leupold rifleman 3-9x40
I have fired three straight-GI rifles that gave excellent (less than 1 MOA) groups repeatedly. One was an M1903A3, two groove barrel; the second was an M14 National Match (M14, not M1A); the third was a Swedish M1896 Mauser.
The U.S. rifles were fired with National Match ammo; maybe they could have done better with tailored handloads, but it is hard to see how. The Swedish rifle was fired with Norma match ammo.
Other rifles have done well, including a scope sighted Swiss M31 sniper rifle and an Indian 2A1, but none was as accurate consistently as the three mentioned earlier. I have never fired an M16 set up for match shooting, though some of the AR-15's are very accurate.
Jim
The U.S. rifles were fired with National Match ammo; maybe they could have done better with tailored handloads, but it is hard to see how. The Swedish rifle was fired with Norma match ammo.
Other rifles have done well, including a scope sighted Swiss M31 sniper rifle and an Indian 2A1, but none was as accurate consistently as the three mentioned earlier. I have never fired an M16 set up for match shooting, though some of the AR-15's are very accurate.
Jim
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