How tigh a group is needed to be good?

[harvey lee]

I zero'd in my .223 this past week and am wondering how much better I need to be with this gun. Its a Remington .223 700 heavy barreled varmit rifle. The group at 100 yards is 1 inch high and 6 shots within a 1.25 inch circle. Where will I be with a 200 yard shot with this gun and do I need to have a tighter group?

I would guess my pattern is tight enough and that my group at 200 yards should be at zero with a .223.

[Dave S]

I would say that your dead on at 200 yards. I'm guessing when I say your grouping would be 6 shots within 3 inches.

I just had my T/C .223 "out back" the other day to see if it was on. I wanted something with some effect at a distance, so I found a box of cherry jello that I put into a gallon milk jug with water and set it out at approx. 175 yards. I pulled the trigger and got the red mist I was looking for. Now if I only could have called in a 'yote Friday night before the snow melted I would've been happy.

We were completely surrounded at our second stand. But they winded us and never came into range. I've never heard so many 'yotes in one area.

[picksbigwagon]

harvey, how many different brands of ammo did you try? I know it is expensive but I bet there is a brand of ammo out there that will shrink that group to under 1 inch. also, were you shooting off of a stable base with good rests underneath the front of the gun and a small bag under the stock end as well?

did you drink a lot of coffee that morning? did you hang out with boilerguy all weekend??? (had to throw that one in)

Your groups sound really good and I say you have a dead coyote out to 250 or more. the drop at 300 is probably 6.5 inches.

try some other ammo.....by the way, don't pitch the brass, I'll take it.

I would try the hornady 55gr. vmax varmint loads. my gun really loves vmax's

p.s. I am not kidding about the brass. It is worth the drive for me......

[harvey lee]

I did shoot from a bench rest and was very steady. I shot only one brand and that was Black Hills ammo 52 grain match hp. I have a guy that is going to give me 5 different type ammo rounds of 5 each to test some different ammo. I was just wondering how good my first group was.

Thanks for the help. I dont know if I need a tack driver but I may as well get this gun shooting as well as it can.

Yes, I was with Boilerguy this weekend but I didnt get poisened by that PBR he drinks. Yes, maybe a little to much coffee in the morning also. I am happy with the results but I may be able to hit the nail on the head so to speak.

[picksbigwagon]

your groups are fine and you will be amazed at what different ammo will do.........I am assuming this is a brand new gun, my AR-15 didn't settle in until 200+ rounds were sent down range. You are headed in the right direction. Of course you should have tried a few PBR's that could have negated the coffee...

[harvey lee]

The gun has maybe 30 rounds through it. In all of my other rifles I have tested numerous different ammo brands and have always found that onwe brand will shoot a bit tighter pattern. Sometimes its just alot of work and money to get a gun to shoot a very tight group but in the end I have always been very happy with the results.

I'am going to wait until we get some warmer weather and go back to the range and fire off a few more rounds to see if I can achieve a better group.

Maybe the PBR and NO coffee.

[Valv]

Tom, I didn't think about it, I have a couple of boxes of brass here, I could have given them to you.

Send me an email about it.

Thanks

[picksbigwagon]

Harvey Lee, warmer weather, sighting in and pbr, that sounds like a full day......your groups are really good right now, once the barrel is shot in, you'll think that group is the size of a paper plate.

Val, I'll email ya, the copilot plugs are the same as my powerdrive, can't wait for open water now