Accuracy On A Budget

Plain and simple, I can't afford a "Custom Rifle". Judging by what I see at the gun range on any given weekend, I am not alone.

My definition of a "Custom Rifle" is: A rifle that is assembled by a gunsmith using top notch components and set up to your specifications or set up based on a discussion with the smith.

My definition of a "Factory Rifle" is: A rifle purchased off the rack or ordered from the book at your local gun shop or discount store

Factory rifles fit my budget. Does that mean I am settling for lessor quality and accuracy? I guess that depends on who you are talking to.

"Factory" Ruger 308

"Factory" Ruger 220

"Factory" Remington 243

I think if you asked the game animal on the receiving end, they pretty much don't care what kind of rifle you're using if your shooting like this. While we are not planning to take these rifles to a competitive shooting event, for the sake of hunting, just how good does it have to be? I am pretty sure that any bullet on the above targets would have hit in the "kill zone".

Certainly, there are "factory rifles" that don't perform right out of the box and some rifles that won't be made to shoot with anything short of replacement. But I have yet to meet any such rifle. Granted, I have not owned very many rifles but have been able to improve the accuracy on all that I have owned by simply performing some fine tuning type work on them.

Now my definition of "Accurate" is: Putting 3 to 5 bullets in as tight a group as possible, day after day, year after year.

I don't consider "Accurate" to be a group larger than 2.5 inches at 100 yards either. Consistent, maybe but not accurate.

If I can't get a group under 2.5 inches at 100 yards, I know that I have not done everything possible yet.

Now that we know what I expect from a "Factory Rifle", lets take a look at some things that I do to accomplish this. And for the record, the Ruger .308 in the first target picture shot excellent groups from the start. I followed the "break-in-procedure" and lapped the scope, that's it.

First off, whether the rifle is new or used, I follow this break-in procedure

Once that procedure is complete, then you can start the fine tuning process.

Bill

Last Modified: Sunday, May 24, 2009 9:07 PM