N/A Three Shot Groups for me Going Forward…

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L.Leon

L.Leon

Member
Aug 29, 2018
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NY, Ulster County, United States
Yes, on occasion this mediocre shooter sends some sweet 1 MOA, five shot groups out to 50 yards and beyond. But mostly I’ll send 3 or 4 great shots and flub the fifth. Or, send 3 great shots and flub shots four and five. I can hold consistent 1 MOA, 3 shot groups on a good day, but am not a target shooter or competitor. I am a plinker and pester in no particular order. Once zeroed? Am off to the races. At practical ranges? 1/16th off in the “the vitals”? Matters not to the pests… DRT! While I may be mistaken, I believe that three, shot groups better reflect what I can do with my PCPs. Of course understanding that my PCPs group better than I can hold.., Thoughts?
 
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It is never the same shooting in a bench to a still target than shooting to a criter that is alive, moving and no way wanting to be shot.

Best thing to do is try to shoot as well as possible in the bench in order to have more chance to hit when hunting.

On the other hand, if we would hit every shot we make while hunting, it would be boring.

So, Luis, enjoy every shot you can make, no matter if it is a hit or a miss. Be thankful you were able to shoot. Even shooting won't be available for us forever.
 
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Once I have a gun dialed, I focus on one shot groups. The only shot that matters to me is the first shot of the day. Throughout my journey with guns and bows with the proper work put in, good groups at the weapons max intended range became a little mundane. Now I judge everything, including my own ability on the first shot. It can take some work sometimes. Sometimes as much or more than getting those little groups.
 
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Vetmx said:
Once I have a gun dialed, I focus on one shot groups. The only shot that matters to me is the first shot of the day. Throughout my journey with guns and bows with the proper work put in, good groups at the weapons max intended range became a little mundane. Now I judge everything, including my own ability on the first shot. It can take some work sometimes. Sometimes as much or more than getting those little groups.
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I agree, that first shot is what matters after my guns are zeroed.
 
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I generally do three shot groups just to save air and ammo. I think 3 is statistically enough to demonstrate the accuracy of the gun at that time. If something is wrong with the gun or tune, 3 shots usually catches it.

If things are looking good I might go to 5 shots for grins but then it becomes more about me than the gun.

But I shoot half inch, red dot targets with 20 per page. Three shot groups per 20 dots tells me what I want to know and I save 40 shots Vs 5
I don’t compete so it works for me.
 
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When your neighbor calls late at night and says the “garbage raider skunk“ is down by the creek. It’s a 150+ yard shot at night with a gun that’s been sitting for who knows how long. I hustle out to my porch and shoot it in the head with my first shot. To me, way more gratifying than shooting groups. Will that gun shoot good group after good group at a piece of paper. Yes. But I can’t. I get bored and lose focus. Possibly even develop a little target panic. Then I start to blame the gun and the tools come out. Sometimes we have to protect ourselves from ourselves and adjust our shooting accordingly.
 
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I shoot every day. Bench only to sight. Then offhand, on sticks or resting on something. I hunt with springers, never take a shot over forty yards. And hopefully only need that one shot. 🙏 rabbit season starts here August 1st and there's a bunch of them this year in my area.
 
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When I am trying to figure out what pellet a new gun likes I normally start with 3 shot groups at 25 or 30 yards. If it will not put 3 shots into an acceptable group how is it going to put 5 in an acceptable group? My P35-22 put three H&N Baracuda Match into a group essentially the same size as one pellet makes. I knew what ammo it likes with that one group. I later ordered a different head size by mistake and it did the same thing. It is still the only gun I've shot a 200 on the 30 yard challenge with. Surprisingly good for an under $500 airgun.

My ultimate sort for pellets if it isn't obvious like the P35-22 was is to shoot some 30 yard challenge targets. What we really want to know is if the gun using that ammo and tune will reliably put the pellet where we are aiming. Not how small a group it will shoot. Maybe that's just me but I don't think so.

I agree with the first shot comments but would add in my experience it is as much tuning as anything. On some of my guns if I lower velocity too much with the hammer spring it makes the first shot noticably slower than the rest. I guess I think that it always has the effect but it shows up at different decreases from peak velocity. I just turned the hammer spring up a little on my Caiman X yesterday, for instance. I had it shooting about 850 when I can get 18s up to 940 with it's 100 bar regulator setting. That's almost 10% under and it was too much. It seemed to be more than just the first shot that was effected. The end of my 30 yard challenge targets looked great but the first 5-8 shots were not great at all. I turned it up to about 890 which is still a little over 5% but when I tested it this morning the first shot went to where I was aimed at 30 yards and was less than 20 fps lower than the highest. A little low but not enough to affect first shot accuracy. I'll shoot some targets with it and decide if I want to go up to ~900. It is shooting H&N Baracuda 18s (prefers them to FX and JSB). My P35s seem to need smaller decreases from the peak to keep the first shot going where it should.

I like my guns tuned such that I can put out a target and start shooting it immediately without an issue. That's the sort of accuracy I want if I am going to use it on an animal.
 
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I shot some "groups" on Sunday with my springers at 55 yards. I figured I was doing great, didn't miss the target once!

The target is 12 x 18 inches and stapled to a backstop 😀😀😀

Seriously, groups are overrated. I rarely miss a can or a starling so who cares!

Groups, we don't need no stinkin' groups! 😀😀😀
 
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You have the right to shoot whatever groups you choose. In my mind, 3 shots is fine for quickly checking a zero and for stander practice too.

That said, 3 and 5 shot groups are pretty much statistically bankrupt when testing accuracy or zeroing.


For establishing a zero or testing ammo, it’s pretty much only worth it if you go to a 20 shot group or more
 
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Get one of these
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