Desired end result for accuracy?

[rangur1]

This is a no right or wrong answer question. In the pursuit of accuracy, there is target and live. My buddy in California shoots tournaments, hence target, but loves to smash tree rats and trash pandas .
My other close partner has zero interest in shooting pests, but is a strictly slug shooter for tight groups. Me , on the other hand, my end goal, whether pellets or slugs, is to put lead to targets! Live , or paper/ metal. My goal is have every niche tool for every reasonable application. From mouse to coyote, from 10 yards to 100 yards. Now I find all 3 ventures viable. Just listing preferences, we respect each other’s decisions.

 

[beerthief]

only "hunting" i do is squirrels off the bird feeder . SO basically any of my target gun will do the deed .

 

[ChickenDumpling]

I'm all about MOA of pest. Paper works for zero, but then need something ... well, more . Is what it is and I don't do any spiritual reckoning to justify it. My cats and dogs get it too, although, I don't care for playing with my target.

 

[igolfat8]

I pest hunt pigeons and tree rats. I also shoot paper for fun and competition. In either scenario, accuracy is my number one goal with each dedicated rifle. For pesting my goal is 1/4” groups or less at 30Y and same with paper punching at 50Y. Now @100Y, that is more of a crap shoot, for me, as accuracy isn’t quite as dependably the same as it is at 50Y or less.

BTW, I gave up on slugs and it’s pellets only for me.

 

[L.Leon]

I like shooting target to confirm zero and to shoot a few groups from 25 to 50 yards. Plinking out to 102 yards I like for the sheer fun, the hits never get old and some of the “misses” would still be kills on small pests. And last but definitely not least, pesting, I love going after rats, starlings and English sparrows. The plinking sessions make for “high confidence” when sending kill shots afield…

 

[GeneT]

I shoot pests (though what many here consider pests, I consider enjoyable fauna and leave alone) and targets. End goal result for accuracy? Same in all circumstances: perfection. I want complete confidence that the projectile ended up where it did due to shooter excellence / error - not luck.

GsT

 

[DeanB]

I target shoot to keep in practice for hunting, used to shoot field target 22 yrs ago but just hunt now.. squirrel hunt, shoot pests(Starlings, Sparrows) and occasionally go kill a couple bunnies. When I had beagles killed quiet a few rabbits with air rifle.
Criteria is squirrel eyeball accurate from 5 -40 yds.

 

[Florida_Man]

I strive to always improve. Paper or pest, hit where I am aiming from any position required. Know my rifle. A rifle is not just a tool, it is an extension of the shooter.

 

[dens228]

I have two rifles and use both for target and pesting. I do more target, but just in my yard, against myself. While I used to hate wind now I enjoy playing the wind for target.
Accurate is accurate no matter what I'm shooting at.

 

[Ranchibi]

I mainly shoot targets as I enjoy the journey for accuracy but it also translates into my pesting for rats, ground squirrels and starlings.

 

[Vana2]

I like punching paper for best accuracy but it's a semi-formal activity. I "score" my targets to guage improvement rather that looking for the highest numbers.

The casual nature of off-hand plinking is my first love. Nothing like a solid smack on a spinner or knocking a tin over. That never gets old.

Don't hunt much anymore. I do what ever pesting is required and take a couple of squirrels for the pot but that's about it.

 

[Peashooter]

No matter how far i shoot i want my shots to be in the same hole, but that is not going to happen, so i work in acceptable levels of inaccuracy.
So i have my 2" targets, and if i can keep my shots on that, i assume what ever little critter that make me angry, is in mortal danger.

It is mainly flies i shoot at this time of the year, but at 80 - 100 yards those are damn hard to hit, so you often drill a hole very close to it.
So far i just have 1 notch in my stock.

 

[bigHUN]

I shoot rings and in gun club only, prefer 100 Meters and occasionally 50 M. With .25 cal air guns, a good and cheep training and practice for my 308 cal f-class games.

 

[Bigragu]

This is a no right or wrong answer question. In the pursuit of accuracy, there is target and live. My buddy in California shoots tournaments, hence target, but loves to smash tree rats and trash pandas .
My other close partner has zero interest in shooting pests, but is a strictly slug shooter for tight groups. Me , on the other hand, my end goal, whether pellets or slugs, is to put lead to targets! Live , or paper/ metal. My goal is have every niche tool for every reasonable application. From mouse to coyote, from 10 yards to 100 yards. Now I find all 3 ventures viable. Just listing preferences, we respect each other’s decisions.

Who is this buddy from CA that you speak of, lol.

 

[dgeesaman]

This is a no right or wrong answer question. In the pursuit of accuracy, there is target and live. My buddy in California shoots tournaments, hence target, but loves to smash tree rats and trash pandas .
My other close partner has zero interest in shooting pests, but is a strictly slug shooter for tight groups. Me , on the other hand, my end goal, whether pellets or slugs, is to put lead to targets! Live , or paper/ metal. My goal is have every niche tool for every reasonable application. From mouse to coyote, from 10 yards to 100 yards. Now I find all 3 ventures viable. Just listing preferences, we respect each other’s decisions.

I don’t have pests to hunt so I look for pure accuracy out to 100y. Haven’t messed with longer stuff (yet?).

I’m focused on benchrest and field target. Basically all single shot rifles with scopes. I tried slugs, didn’t get great results, sticking with pellets for now. I compete casually in field target and don’t have a venue to compete in benchrest. That’s ok because competition isn’t necessary for me to shoot and have fun. But competition definitely seems to get more shooting more, more deliberately.

 

[RM100GUY]

In past years I've taken my share

of pests, when needed, with airrifles and still would if needed. The property we live on currently, 10 ac, has crows Squirrels rabbits and the night critters including armadillos but I just don't see any of these as a problem...My wife even feeds them, "Oh, their so cute". I don't necessarily agree with this but so far so gpod....rats are fair game though. My perfered query is the common wood board which can be identified by "square" markings. These boards are common on my property and are very tough requiring 5 to 10 shots centered in their kill zone ideally stacked to sub dime groups inside these squares. I've become very proficient in dispatching these boards with a verity of calibers powerplants and designs of airguns, and will continue to do so...until my wife figures out what these boards eat and starts feedn' them...

 

[rangur1]

Who is this buddy from CA that you speak of, lol.

You Sir, stand accused! LOL!

 

[Bedrock Bob]

I look at it as 2 goals. One for accuracy. One for precision.

For accuracy my goal is to shoot to the limits of my equipment. Average minimum group size is how I measure accuracy when shooting from a rest. An experienced shooter can find that point fairly quickly. Keeping them that tight for a hundred shots is what I call success.

Offhand shooting with iron sights is my passion. Very few can hold a rifle offhand and shoot to the limitations of their equipment. I'm happy consistently hitting targets that challenge my skill level. I like shotgun shells. You knock them downrange until they are tough to hit. That for me is about 45-50 yards. Green army men at 35. A kids plastic dinosaur toy at 60. For me success is hitting those targets 3:5 times. My goal is to extend the range without reducing the hit ratio.

Both offhand shooting with iron sights and scoped off a tripod my biggest goal is making smooth range transitions. That's where you find precision. Misses are generally a matter of finding proper elevation and windage when the distance changes. Going from a 30 yard target to a 60 yard target and instinctively knowing the arc of the pellet is tough. My opinion is that a person who can adapt to range transitions will hit more targets than the guy who can thread a needle with his rifle at 15 yards. IMHO that's the only way you can get precision out of an accurate rifle.

I guess the goals depend on what you are shooting and how you are shooting it. The one commonality is the arc of that pellet over distance and judging where to aim. No matter how accurate your gun will shoot you can't get precision without instinctively knowing the mystical flight of the pellet.

 

[Squack]

I prefer half the size of the vitals on game pursued (mainly mice).
On paper a three leaf clover. I know how I can shoot and I expect my gear to preform equally.

 

[MEC17670]

I look at the fact all hunting guns are target guns. A good group on paper is a dead pest when the paper grows fur.
Sub moa is my goal as I might shoot out to 200 yards for California ground squirrels. If I miss , it's my fault, not the gun.