Rifle Accuracy Expectations
I am always asked, "What 'MOA guarantee' do you put on your rifle builds/chambers?" Every single time I'm asked that question, I cringe!!! Why? Because there are so many factors that play into accuracy and precision. Such as:
Shooter ability
Barrel quality
Stock/Chassis
Ammunition quality
Work performed
A properly chambered "Rail gun" fired in a controlled environment, which takes all shooter and environmental errors/factors out of the equation, should shoot a 1 hole group providing quality ammunition is used.
Now, let's break down the factors that make bullets go astray on the shoulder fired weapon (non-rail gun).
Shooter ability:
This is, in my opinion, the biggest factor, next to work performed. It has been proven, that shooter errors can affect the projectile path
even before the bullet leaves the barrel. Proper fundamentals are the key to precision shooting.
Barrel quality:
Not all barrels are created equal. Contour, material, type of rifling (hammer forged, button, cut, etc.), and the number of
grooves all play a huge part in precision. I have my "preferred" barrel blank makers. I will not discuss this topic here. A quality barrel is
extremely important. Basically, I'm saying you can't polish a turd and make it shine like a diamond!
Stock/Chassis:
The ability of the stock/chassis to firmly hold the action without any part of the barrel touching the channel is very important. Many
times, I have seen a rifle that "won't shoot" come back to life with a quality bedding job or a different stock. Cheap, flimsy plastic factory
stocks won't cut the mustard.
Ammunition:
We have all seen the "Cheap Charlie Russian ammo" that will barely hit the broad side of a barn if you were standing inside the barn.
Well, just the opposite is true with good quality ammo. Good quality factory MATCH grade ammo can produce excellent
results.However, hand loads are better still given proper load development and loading practices. Is this to say that a rifle won't "shoot
well" with factory ammo? Not at all. I probably have more customers that hunt with factory ammo vs hand loads. However, is that rifle
shooting to it's full ability with factory ammo? Without a doubt, the answer is NO. The question then is: "Can the shooter shoot better
than the ammo?" If the answer is "yes," then it's time to start reloading your own.
Work performed:
This is where I come in. Without a doubt, a bad chamber job just won't shoot. Having built, "a couple" over the past 30+ years, I take
pride in the work I do. Of course, my process has changed a few times over the years; better quality machines, tooling, processes, etc.
Is that to say that I haven't had an "oops" slip out? Of course not. I am human. However, I would say I'm batting .980 or better.
With all that being said, on a heavy barreled action, in a quality stock/chassis, with quality ammo, I expect to see no open paper between the bullet holes a 5 shot group shot at 100 yards. Typically, I would expect a 3/8" group or less. Magnums will typically be closer to 1/2" group because of recoil management and the "flinch factor" of heavy magnums.
The rifles we build are test fired but NOT tested for precision.
If you would like a precision tested rifle, please see our services page.
If there is a precision issue with your rifle, call me and we'll discuss it. Worst case, send it back and I will evaluate it. If there is a problem with work performed, I will fix it and return it free of charge. However, if it shoots good in my hands, with quality ammo, it will be returned with a test target (and most likely video proof) and a bill for services rendered.
Shooter ability
Barrel quality
Stock/Chassis
Ammunition quality
Work performed
A properly chambered "Rail gun" fired in a controlled environment, which takes all shooter and environmental errors/factors out of the equation, should shoot a 1 hole group providing quality ammunition is used.
Now, let's break down the factors that make bullets go astray on the shoulder fired weapon (non-rail gun).
Shooter ability:
This is, in my opinion, the biggest factor, next to work performed. It has been proven, that shooter errors can affect the projectile path
even before the bullet leaves the barrel. Proper fundamentals are the key to precision shooting.
Barrel quality:
Not all barrels are created equal. Contour, material, type of rifling (hammer forged, button, cut, etc.), and the number of
grooves all play a huge part in precision. I have my "preferred" barrel blank makers. I will not discuss this topic here. A quality barrel is
extremely important. Basically, I'm saying you can't polish a turd and make it shine like a diamond!
Stock/Chassis:
The ability of the stock/chassis to firmly hold the action without any part of the barrel touching the channel is very important. Many
times, I have seen a rifle that "won't shoot" come back to life with a quality bedding job or a different stock. Cheap, flimsy plastic factory
stocks won't cut the mustard.
Ammunition:
We have all seen the "Cheap Charlie Russian ammo" that will barely hit the broad side of a barn if you were standing inside the barn.
Well, just the opposite is true with good quality ammo. Good quality factory MATCH grade ammo can produce excellent
results.However, hand loads are better still given proper load development and loading practices. Is this to say that a rifle won't "shoot
well" with factory ammo? Not at all. I probably have more customers that hunt with factory ammo vs hand loads. However, is that rifle
shooting to it's full ability with factory ammo? Without a doubt, the answer is NO. The question then is: "Can the shooter shoot better
than the ammo?" If the answer is "yes," then it's time to start reloading your own.
Work performed:
This is where I come in. Without a doubt, a bad chamber job just won't shoot. Having built, "a couple" over the past 30+ years, I take
pride in the work I do. Of course, my process has changed a few times over the years; better quality machines, tooling, processes, etc.
Is that to say that I haven't had an "oops" slip out? Of course not. I am human. However, I would say I'm batting .980 or better.
With all that being said, on a heavy barreled action, in a quality stock/chassis, with quality ammo, I expect to see no open paper between the bullet holes a 5 shot group shot at 100 yards. Typically, I would expect a 3/8" group or less. Magnums will typically be closer to 1/2" group because of recoil management and the "flinch factor" of heavy magnums.
The rifles we build are test fired but NOT tested for precision.
If you would like a precision tested rifle, please see our services page.
If there is a precision issue with your rifle, call me and we'll discuss it. Worst case, send it back and I will evaluate it. If there is a problem with work performed, I will fix it and return it free of charge. However, if it shoots good in my hands, with quality ammo, it will be returned with a test target (and most likely video proof) and a bill for services rendered.