Out of the box accuracy claims

Gil Martin · #1 10-04-2016, 05:47 AM

Ever get tired of claims about which centerfire rifle is the most accurate "right out of the box"? I have taken a lot of such rifles out of the box with varying results. My unscientific findings are that it depends. There are so many variables that the color of the box may or may not be significant. The best shooting centerfire rifle I own is a low number 1903 Springfield in .30-06 that someone sporterized many years ago. It never came with a box so it depends. All the best...
Gil

skeet · #2 10-04-2016, 07:16 AM

Yep..I have a higher grade Kimber 30-06 that is scary accurate... with Hornady Superformance ammo. A numb from the neck up friend can shoot well under 1/2 inch groups..I am lucky to get under 3/4 in. but it is very accurate. Also have a nice Remington 700 in 6mm that just shoots so-so. I only bought it cause it was really pretty and the caliber is usually very accurate. That rifle never got that message as an inch and 3/4s is good for it. I have a Rem 788 in 6mm that shoots really well. It cost about a 100 bucks with a Bushnell scope.

Dan Morris · #3 10-04-2016, 10:52 AM

I have never been impressed with accuracy claims, I have never owned a rifle that I couldn't better with a manicured hand load.
Dan

Adam Helmer · #4 10-04-2016, 12:27 PM

Dan,

I agree with you. All of my very accurate rifles got that way due to good handloads.

Adam

skeet · #5 10-05-2016, 03:06 AM

Guys I agree with you on working up handloads. I did that in the past with many rifles looking for the ultimate accuracy. There is a caveat though. I didn't mind shooting all those rounds looking for that great load....but...I shot those rifles a lot..eventually I came to realize I was wasting the rifle's prime accuracy looking for perfection. By the time you get to two thousand rounds on most high intensity rounds...accuracy is falling off a bit. Some rifles like the weatherby's are even less rounds than that..some are in the hundreds of rounds...not thousands. Had a 264 Win Mag that the bore was toast in by 1200 rounds. Handguns are a much different story. Unless you are a target shooter of some merit find a good shooting load and stick with it. I had a Contender 222 one time that shot Remington factory loads better than any I could concoct. Don't know why..it was just that way. Oh BTW..I have looked at many rifle bores over the years with a bore scope. Have found most(but not all) hunting rifles are shot very little. That 788 6mm Has a pristine bore..but the stock has some character ...I guess that is what they call it anyway. LOL

Dan Morris · #6 10-05-2016, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeet

Guys I agree with you on working up handloads. I did that in the past with many rifles looking for the ultimate accuracy. There is a caveat though. I didn't mind shooting all those rounds looking for that great load....but...I shot those rifles a lot..eventually I came to realize I was wasting the rifle's prime accuracy looking for perfection. By the time you get to two thousand rounds on most high intensity rounds...accuracy is falling off a bit. Some rifles like the weatherby's are even less rounds than that..some are in the hundreds of rounds...not thousands. Had a 264 Win Mag that the bore was toast in by 1200 rounds. Handguns are a much different story. Unless you are a target shooter of some merit find a good shooting load and stick with it. I had a Contender 222 one time that shot Remington factory loads better than any I could concoct. Don't know why..it was just that way. Oh BTW..I have looked at many rifle bores over the years with a bore scope. Have found most(but not all) hunting rifles are shot very little. That 788 6mm Has a pristine bore..but the stock has some character ...I guess that is what they call it anyway. LOL

Guess that's why I have spare barrels for each of my winchesters...............
Dan