what kind of accuracy should I expect?

[roscoe]

I am fairly new to high-powered rifle shooting and was wondering what kind of accuracy I could expect from my Winchester 30-30, shooting with a sling, standing. I installed an Ashley ghost ring in the rear and I find that I can generally keep the shots in the inner black circle on the targets at 100 yards (I believe that is a 6" diameter circle). This level of accuracy does not particularly impress me, since I can do better with my 50-year old Mossburg .22 with a peep sight. I have to assume that the inaccuracy comes from me, and not the rifle.

One problem is that the front post more or less exactly covers the black circle, so that seems to limit my ability to see where in the center of the target I am aiming. It is a standard post, should I get some sort of needle-like front post?

 

[3 gun]

By Winchester 30-30 I'm going to guess you mean a Model 94. Six inch groups offhand with iron sights isn't bad. You may want to forget about the sling unless you can keep the tension even shot to shot. Using the sling as a shooting aid does change my POI and group size. On average I can stay around 2 1/2 to 3 inches from a bench with mine. Changing the front sight may help on the range but might be harder to see in the field. For range use try a 6 o'clock hold, or use a hi visibility target. That should make it easier to find the front sight and help shrink your group. Given how and what this type of rifle is use for, I'd say you're in pretty good shape.

 

[jacks308]

Shooting with the sling attached on a lever rifle is generally not helpful because of uneven sling tension . Try changing your position and see what happens . I've heard lever rifles can be free floated to relieve barrel pressure but I haven't looked into it .

Jack

 

[roscoe]

Thanks, wow - it hadn't occurred to me that the tension on the sling would flex the barrel enough to change the POI at 100 yards. I will definitely try shooting without it and see how it goes.

 

[larryw]

Getting slinged up does change the POI on my Marlin 1894 as does resting with the support too far forward. Its to the point that the sling is now for carry only on mine.

Problem with my '94 is the sling mount is bolted to the barrel, not the foreend. Freefloating the barrel didn't help as the barrel band is bolted to the barrel and clamps the forearm...

6" offhand at 100 yards with the Ashley peep sight is very fine shooting! The gun really is a 100 yard gun and 6" is the kill zone for anything you'd be hunting.

 

[JohnKSa]

You should also try different ammo.

I've got an old Swedish Mauser in the safe that will shoot around one half MOA with Swedish Military Ball, but sprays Remington factory ammo into 8" groups at 100 yards from a bench.