Realistic & necessary accuracy for hunting rifle

[gtbc82]

I just finished building a 7mm Rem Mag for my first mule deer hunt this fall in Wyoming and was able to work up a load pretty easily that will shoot a .360" 3 shot group at 100 yards. I have a Remington 700LA in a H-S Precision stock with 26" barrel with muzzle break an I am using 168 gr Berger Hunting VLD"s and H4350. I am at the very low end of the load range and estimate the velocity to be around 2670 FPS.

My questions are am I wasting my time trying to ring out any more accuracy and should I try to increase the velocity with more powder or a different powder so that it will buck the wind better at long distances?

 

[Larryh128]

I guess the big question is what ranges are you going to shoot at? It doesn't have to be fast to be accurate but the trajectory will suffer. If you're with in 400 yds, I don't see it being a big deal.

 

[gtbc82]

I have been told most shots are within 300 yards, but I went antelope hunting with them last year and they said most shots were around 200 yards, but to be able to shoot out to 300. I had a nice antelope out at 360 yards and took it, so I want to be able to shoot to 500 yards in case I need to.

 

[2506]

How does the rifle shoot at 300 yards? I have seen rifles shoot bug holes at 100 yards and shoot basket ball size groups at 300 which is not good. Then I have seen rifles shoot 1 1/2" groups at 100 and shoot the same 1 1/2" groups at 300 yards which is pretty good.
If you want to shoot out to 500 yards then I would speed things up as much as I could and PRACTICE SHOOTING OUT TO 500 YARDS. You have to know where to hold or dial your scope to shoot past 300 yards. If you are only shooting out to 300 yards you can sight in your rifle 3" high at 100 yards and out to 300 yards you can hold center of front shoulder and kill a deer because you will not be above or below line of sight 3 1/2" from 100 to 300 yards. I do this with most of my hunting rifles. I then learn from shooting longer distances where to hold which mostly is somewhere between the center of the cross hair and the thick part on a duplex reticle.

 

[FergusBailey]

Barrel accuracy "nodes" dictate that a barrel will go from being in tune (ie groups are tight), to out of tune (ie groups open up) to back in tune as you progressively add powder.

If you are at the low end of the load range, I would keep going to see what the barrel will do. Obviously the load you have found is giving you good accuracy, but you can always come back to that if you don't find anything that works better.

I don't necesarrely run max loads in a hunting rifle, but do like to be in the ball park of velocities that the cartridge is capable of.

 

[gtbc82]

I figured I would get a good load to start with then work out to 500 yards. That is what I did last year when antelope hunting with my .308 Win. I have a swarovski Z5 with the BT so it is really easy to sight in at different distances then just click to it in the field, no holding over or counting clicks required.

 

[GSPV]

Practice, practice, practice. Realistic conditions, realistic ranges.

I learned this the hard way. I was bow hunting for deer when I lived in AL. I normally hunted out of hanging stands. This particular day, because of the timber where I was hunting, I borrowed my bud's climbing stand.

It was sturdy, comfortable and safe. I just couldn't shoot down out of it to the front. Ya can guess where the big buck stopped with his eyes behind a tree at about 18 yards. Whang! the lower limb whacked the tree stand's rail and the arrow hit the deer sideways.

 

[gtbc82]

I definitely plan to practice at the different ranges. I have a place close by I can shoot out to 600 yards. Last year I only practiced out to 400, but plan to increase that distance this year.

 

[oldroper]

I definitely plan to practice at the different ranges. I have a place close by I can shoot out to 600 yards. Last year I only practiced out to 400, but plan to increase that distance this year.

What I also do on working up loads for my deer/elk rifles here in Co make sure first shot from cold bore is where in need to be.

 

[XTR]

My questions are am I wasting my time trying to ring out any more accuracy and should I try to increase the velocity with more powder or a different powder so that it will buck the wind better at long distances?

You are shooting a 7mmRM that MV is really at the low end of things. I'd look for the next accuracy node if it were mine. Flatter trajectory is going to give you a better chance of hitting the point of aim than an extra .2MOA in bench accuracy when you put it in a field shooting situation with variable ranges and position shooting. (I won't say unknown distances because I'm sure you have a LRF). Other than that I wouldn't get silly chasing accuracy. If it's shooting under 1MOA it's fine out to 500 yards for hunting. I've never seen a double lunged animal go very far at all. (usually about 25-30 yards)

 

[gtbc82]

Thanks for the thoughts on finding the higher node. In your experience how far away is this on average? 1-2 grains, 5-6? I am shooting 53.66 grains of H4350 with the bullet .010" off the rifling.

 

[effendude]

How does the rifle shoot at 300 yards? I have seen rifles shoot bug holes at 100 yards and shoot basket ball size groups at 300 which is not good. Then I have seen rifles shoot 1 1/2" groups at 100 and shoot the same 1 1/2" groups at 300 yards which is pretty good.

Seriously? Consistently?

We have become Hide-Light!

 

[5spd]

If you can hit a 12x12 plate at 400 yds w/every shot you are set for antelope, NO need for a 1"" 400 or 500 yd group at all.
I use a light 6x45 to 400 yds w 80g bullet at 2700 fps, nothing fast or big needed on them. Farthest I ever dropped one at was 344 yds, closest was 80 yds.
I shoot a lot at the range all year round so like stated a lot of practice makes perfect as you know. Shoot and know all your drops/dial ups to 500 yds you will be set.
Average yards I take them at out here is maybe 200 yds, easy to stalk if you are a good hunter.

 

[swampshooter]

IMHO I would work on increasing velocity up over 2900 fps at least. My own 7 mag shoots 66 gr. of RL-22 behind a 160 Nosler AccuBond at less than moa out to 600 yards, but I won't take a shot that far out in the field. Too many variables for me. Velocity for my load is 2975 fps. Nosler lists 63 gr. as max. Giving them 3058 fps from a 24" bbl. don't go over that until you are positive your pressures are low. I only get about 2850 fps if I load 63 gr. and still don't show any high pressure signs at 66 gr. YMMV, be careful and load safe. Good luck.

 

[chuckbuster243]

I am shooting 69.5grains H1000 behind my 168 vld hunting. 1/4-1/2 moa at 2900 in a 24" savage factory rifle. So you may need to change up the speed or your powder. In a 7mm rm you should be a little warmer. Matt

 

[markr]

My absolute first concern with a hunting rifle, is where that first shot of the day goes, consistantly.

 

[swampshooter]

I try to check my zero the day before hunting and then don't clean afterwards. Not really good for the barrel, but my first shot of the day is not outside my group.

 

[K22]

Just share some of my thoughts regarding accuracy for hunting rifles.

We all want the most accurate rifle / load combination possible. Mine own personal standard is 1/2 moa for my varmint rifles and 1 moa for my big game rifles. Most of my rifle / load combos will shoot better than this but these are my minimum standards. I do not like to spend an inordinate amount of time and cost in load development on the bench trying squeeze another few .1" inches out of a group size. Some guys like to do this and more power to them but once I get something that meets my standards I go with it and move to practicing at the range simulating field conditions.

What I've learned in 40+ years of hunting varmints, predators and big game is that the more time I spend practicing shooting in realistic field positions at distances I expect to hunt the better shot and hunter I've become. I've seen a lot of guys shoot great off the bench but fall apart in the field. Unless I'm installing a new scope or doing load development, I rarely shoot of the bench.

The question you may want to ask yourself is can I make a killing shot under field conditions at the distances I expect to shoot. Go shoot ten rounds and see. Besides being a lot of fun; it will give you a sense of your true capabilities.

 

[butchlambert]

K22
You are a smart man. For deer and hogs, 1MOA is plenty. If he is shooting prairie puppies, he needs to get a rifle that will shoot 1/2" moa. These are real world groups, not off a bench at 100-200yds.

 

[bheadboy]

having hunted WY, Id, etc. for mulie and elk, i would recommend you up your velocity to the 2900 range for the 168. and if you get under 1 inch forget it as the mulie is a big animal and you dont need .500 accurcy although it is comforting and fun to achieve in a pure hunting rifle.

i recomend you zero for 300 and know you are high a little going out and be sure you know the drop at 400-450-500..

Bob