What Do You Do When You "Hit A Wall" With Your Accuracy Performance?

[crockersmith]

I have not been involved in any formal competition shooting yet but I love bench shooting where I sort of compete with myself. I have done this for about five years and have moved from .308 to .223 to .22LR and now to .17HMR. I have improved over the years but in the last few months have hit a flat spot where I see no significant improvement. .75 to 1.0 MOA is the best I can do. What is it they say about the definition of insanity?... Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results each time? Well, I don't think I'm too crazy but I am getting frustrated. I have spent a lot of money (to me) on equipment, I have spent a lot of time practicing and read many books and I have my own range in the country.
My question is what is the most important area to focus on to improve and tighten my groups? Do I have to spend thousands on a custom made rifle and optics? Is more practice the answer or is there some other factor I'm missing?

 

[dragman]

Get a shooting coach (professional or at least a competitive shooter)
Practice focusing on primarily techniques
And make sure that you do everything exactly right and the same every time

 

[KWeigel]

There was a article on the daily bulletin about using video to analyze your shooting. I thought it might be really useful. No cost... don't have to rely on anyone else.

 

[itchyTF]

Two main categories for accuracy - the shooter (including the conditions) and the equipment (including the ammo). You could be the best marksman in the world with equipment that won't do any better than 1 moa, or vice versa. You need to determine where the weak link is. This may be obvious. If you know someone with a proven rifle and they allow you to shoot it, you may be able to determine if you are the weak link. If not, try the reverse. Find a proven marksman and have him/her shoot your equipment.

 

[treeman]

have a reputable gun smith put a custom 6br barrel or one of the variations there of on a gun you already have and learn to precision hand load then you'll be happy.

 

[Lapua40X]

Two main categories for accuracy - the shooter (including the conditions) and the equipment (including the ammo). You could be the best marksman in the world with equipment that won't do any better than 1 moa, or vice versa. You need to determine where the weak link is. This may be obvious. If you know someone with a proven rifle and they allow you to shoot it, you may be able to determine if you are the weak link. If not, try the reverse. Find a proven marksman and have him/her shoot your equipment.

+1 - Trying to fix something that you haven't identified as broken is a fools errand.

 

[stool]

its been mentioned....
practice is just doing the same thing over and over.
perfect practice is doing the correct thing correctly, over and over.
and my guess is that in 17 rimfire//there maybe an eguipment race..in that you can buy a better gun.

 

[Hippy]

It looks to me that your choice of rifles actually REGRESSED instead of progressed--No trying to be critical BUT you went from two Center fire cartridges that both can/do shoot good groups (when properly prepared) to two Rim Fire cartridges that you are at the complete mercy of the ammo manufactures.

My suggestion would be to find a friend that does precision shooting and try shooting his rifles ( most everyone will be glad to let you shoot their "Brag Rifle"). That should head you in the rite direction to verify your suspicions about your ability.

Good Luck

Jim

 

[Medic505]

It's karma dude. Your trade line says you've had 9 sales or trades but you've failed to become a site contributor. Send in $15 bucks and watch your scores climb.

 

[LHSmith]

#1 -windflags, and learning how the wind affects POI.
A few other items commonly overlooked: adjust parallax each time out, mirage shield on barrel, a heavy trigger pull is never conducive to small groups, cold bore/ fouling shots- learn what your rifle needs in order to start getting any consistency, a higher power scope or use of a spotting scope to determine mirage on the range- even in cold weather, improper cleaning/ bore treatment- i.e. Rem-oil or any other teflon carrier in bore will cause problems, rest set-up? try shooting with just sandbags front and rear and remove the sling studs.

 

[jonbearman]

What kind of guns do you have in .308 and .223 so we can get a better picture of what you have to work with along with what type of front rest etc.We can help you with more imfo from you to dissect where the problem may be.

 

[Raythemanroe]

This question comes up often and I usually add dies and reloading..Honestly I think accuracy is a combination of everything and eliminating all the variables.. Rest set up and Bench stability can have unwanted effects. Setup and reloading skills being good and shooting skills being good then tuning would be next other then maybe upgrading equipment..

Ray

 

[spclark]

Who built your rifles? What kind of hardware did you specify (action choice, barrel brand, stock, sights, etc.) for them?

As others have said, 308 & 223 aren't really among top BR cartridge choices while rimfire ammo is 'luck of the draw' when it comes to what your rifle likes, or doesn't, in that you can't reload it for best accuracy.

If you have a good short-cartridge action & stock to add a 6BR barrel to, fitted by a skilled gunsmith, your groups ought to shrink enough to re-ignite your interest in pursuit of even smaller groups.

You're fortunate in having your own private range. I know lots of shooters who'd envy your position while also understanding your frustration.

 

[mikecr]

I assume with 22LR & 17HMR you're talking about 1MOA at 100yds.
The worst shooter in the world could print 1/2moa at 100yds -with a 1/4moa gun. This then would be bad shooting.
With you loving bench rest, and so assuming you're not the worst shooter in the world, I'm calling 1MOA a shooting system issue(your gun, scope, ammo, etc).

I agree with HIPPY. Try a better shooting system, for the perspective.

 

[crockersmith]

I hope I have not mislead anyone with my original post. I am currently shooting an Anschutz 1517 MPR in .17 HMR which is a factory stock rifle. I have reduced the trigger pull to about a pound and just invested in a new Sightron 10-50X60 scope. I no longer own the other caliber guns I listed but, really, had the same issue with them too... hitting that same wall. And I did reload with the centerfire rifles. I'm sure if I had $3k-$4k to sink into a custom rifle setup I would see an improvement and I may do that someday but, for now, I would like to squeeze all the accuracy out of my present rifle.
Looks like the overall consensus is that continued shooting skill development and some sort of coaching is my best route right now. I really appreciate all of the advice.

 

[seymour fish]

Crocker, Odds are this 17 is a screamer. Friend had a cheap one, cut the barrel off with a hacksaw, crooked at that, and with a foggy chicom scope and random ammo it would hold minute of cowpie at 300 yds out the window of a pickup. Please stop trading, and get that help as suggested. About 30 minutes should do it. Variables identified and corrected. Seymour

 

[Big Mc]

As far as practice goes: Don,t practice until you get it right;Practice until you can,t get it wrong. !! Tommy Mc..

 

[Centerfire]

It seems that you have been reducing the size of your barrel diameter.
When I got to the .17 cleaning was required more often and I had to change my usual methods. I went to the Wipe out and accelerator. Works great.
Main reason was I did not want to bring anything back over the crown.
Hope this helps.
Centerfire

 

[artbosco]

When I hit the wall/plateaued with my .223, I went to a custom made 6PPC. From there, zero and teen groups were the occasional reality. Here's the introduction: http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/6mmppc/ Another option: the custom 30BR.

 

[DaveC]

Dragman said “Get a shooting coach (professional or at least a competitive shooter) Practice focusing on primarily techniques” best advise so far.
You also said you don’t shoot competitively but going to matches and asking questions is a good way to move to the next plateau.

Spending money on equipment won’t make a difference if you have a problem with technique – you’ll only get frustrated. And, most of us can’t figure out problems with technique without some help.

Personally I’m to the world’s best shooter but I’m competitive in my sport, I can’t practice at the range every day but I do practice every day prior to big matches using an air gun in the basement; I was once told that if you want to be good get a 22lr because it’s cheap to shoot and if you want to be great get an air rifle because you can practice every day (no shortage of pellets). I know that my problems are 1) sight picture, 2) trigger control, 3) follow through and, 4) relax (not always in that order). My air gun lets me work on all those issues. BUT shooting with better shots at matches helped my learn what I needed to work on.