If one has a new rifle, built by a reputable smith, with quality materials. It should break in with 10-20 shots. With a clean barrel after two fouling shots it should begin grouping. With some barrels one will see an increase of velocity withing the first 300 rounds of up to 200 feet per second. With other barrels velocity will decrease with every shot. There is always going to be throat, rifling, and crown wear with every shot. Heat, preasure and fouling will always be the enemy of a barrel.
Begining with a good scope and solid bases a squared action, lapped lugs,corectly chambered, properly supported action, bedded lug, free floated barrel, and clean crown, proper rate of twist for bullet weight and length, and a propper starting load every rifle should start by shooting groups under 1 moa at 100 yards. Your groups should only get better with tweeking your loads. If your gun is not shooting shooting sub 1 moa you have a fundamental problem or a mechanical problem. Don't just keep shooting thinking it is going to get better, because rarely will it. That is not saying bench time is good. There is no better teacher than actual shooting time. But bad shooting habits can be developed. Always try to shoot with a spotter/shooting coach. Always be comfortable and relaxed when shooting.
Most of my customers expect a custom target rifle to shoot 5 shot groups in the .2s or less and 10 shot groups in the .3s and mid .4s. These are realistic expectations if you do everything right.
Too often I see shooters not working on the rifle that are not shooting sub 1 moa. They just keep shooting thinking it is going to get better with the next load. That has not been my experience. If the rifle is working correctly it will be shooting sub 1 moa before load development can be adjusted to make the rifle shoot its best.
Recently I obsevered a very experienced shooter with a new rifle that he was shooting 1.75 moa. He was convinced there was a problem with the barrel as the same action had just been shooting sub .5 moa with its previous barrel. He banged away 200 rounds adjusting loads and seating depth. He brought the rifle to me to help him determine if it was in fact the barrel. The rifle was a wildcat and I took 5 pieces of virgin brass and formed it into the correct neck and shoulder configureation. I loaded a generic load known to work in this cartridge for other shooters. Our first group at 100 yards was about .490. Shooting conditions were poor rain and low light. He is confident now that he has rifle capable of shooting sub .5moa if not better with some load tweeking. We found he was causing a donut ring in the neck using his reloading process. A second set of eyes is always a good thing.
Just some thoughts I thought I would share.
Nat Lambeth
Begining with a good scope and solid bases a squared action, lapped lugs,corectly chambered, properly supported action, bedded lug, free floated barrel, and clean crown, proper rate of twist for bullet weight and length, and a propper starting load every rifle should start by shooting groups under 1 moa at 100 yards. Your groups should only get better with tweeking your loads. If your gun is not shooting shooting sub 1 moa you have a fundamental problem or a mechanical problem. Don't just keep shooting thinking it is going to get better, because rarely will it. That is not saying bench time is good. There is no better teacher than actual shooting time. But bad shooting habits can be developed. Always try to shoot with a spotter/shooting coach. Always be comfortable and relaxed when shooting.
Most of my customers expect a custom target rifle to shoot 5 shot groups in the .2s or less and 10 shot groups in the .3s and mid .4s. These are realistic expectations if you do everything right.
Too often I see shooters not working on the rifle that are not shooting sub 1 moa. They just keep shooting thinking it is going to get better with the next load. That has not been my experience. If the rifle is working correctly it will be shooting sub 1 moa before load development can be adjusted to make the rifle shoot its best.
Recently I obsevered a very experienced shooter with a new rifle that he was shooting 1.75 moa. He was convinced there was a problem with the barrel as the same action had just been shooting sub .5 moa with its previous barrel. He banged away 200 rounds adjusting loads and seating depth. He brought the rifle to me to help him determine if it was in fact the barrel. The rifle was a wildcat and I took 5 pieces of virgin brass and formed it into the correct neck and shoulder configureation. I loaded a generic load known to work in this cartridge for other shooters. Our first group at 100 yards was about .490. Shooting conditions were poor rain and low light. He is confident now that he has rifle capable of shooting sub .5moa if not better with some load tweeking. We found he was causing a donut ring in the neck using his reloading process. A second set of eyes is always a good thing.
Just some thoughts I thought I would share.
Nat Lambeth
ANd, I bet if you benched my rifles and put a good BR shooter on it with a scope, they would shoot something .something. 
