Where are all these 1/2MOA Savages coming from?

[RC20]

I once shot a sub 1/8th moa 5 shot group with a stock 243 Mod 11 with factory Rem. 80gr corelokt... Does this mean it's a sub 1/8th moa rifle ? I don't think so.

I take at least FIVE groups of 5-shots and average the results. Then I declare what the rifle really is.

Best Factory Savage barreled rifle I shot is a 10-fcpK 308win that averaged 0.6moa with handloads and 0.7moa with FedGMM 168smk. Shot the odd 1/4moa groups with it, but no way in hell was it a real 1/4 moa rifle.

I take a bit different tack on it, though I do not excuse things.

Mostly it seems to me that if I do my end, I can shoot 5/8 MOA groups or better, I have not had one of those 5 holes in one groups. 1/4 is the best.


If I can shoot 5/8 MOA, I suspect the rifle is good for 1/4 MOA. That's just a guess.

I have done that a few times, not consistently. Some days its been a number of those 5/8 and below, other days its closer to 1 inch.

I think the upper end is me not the gun.

I had one odd flyer show up, got annoyed and put 4 more into the group. 9 shots were 5/8, the flyer took it out to 3/4 or so. I think that odd one was me.

Short of putting it into a fixture its a hard one to say.

It would be interesting to find someone who has done that.

[Mozella]

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If I can shoot 5/8 MOA, I suspect the rifle is good for 1/4 MOA. That's just a guess. .......... snip.........

Poor guess. Unless you're REALLY bad, which I suspect you are not, the 5/8 MOA groups you shoot are not going to be 1/4 MOA groups in the hand of an expert. I assume we're talking 5-shot groups @ 100 yards.
Getting most any decent gun to shoot 1/2 MOA groups take some care with reloading, pretty good shooting skills, and proper rests, etc. But it can be done even with box-stock Savage rifles without too much trouble. Groups measuring 5/8 MOA, like yours, should be achievable with half decent factory ammo and ordinary sand bags.

Going from there to .333 MOA groups is very much more difficult, usually starting with a high-end barrel swap, premium reloading components, and ultra careful shooting/reloading procedures.

To get down to 1/4 MOA groups is another HUGE leap and very very few people shoot 1/4 MOA groups with any reliability. You can recognize them because they're usually called "Champion".

Of course, sometimes all five rounds lurch into the same hole for unknown reasons. That is NOT the same as having a rifle good for 1/4 MOA. Luck is not the same as precision, as we all know.

Try this: Put five bucks down on the bench and invite the guy next to you to pick it up if you can't put the next five rounds into less than (fill in the blanks here) MOA. I'll do that in windlass conditions at 1/2 MOA but only for two of my rifles, both of which often win 600 yard F-TR and 600 yard BR matches. But that's my personal limit. Anyone guaranteeing 1/4 MOA for the next 5 shots should be suspected of being a space alien.

[Mountain Man]

Poor guess. Unless you're REALLY bad, which I suspect you are not, the 5/8 MOA groups you shoot are not going to be 1/4 MOA groups in the hand of an expert. I assume we're talking 5-shot groups @ 100 yards.
Getting most any decent gun to shoot 1/2 MOA groups take some care with reloading, pretty good shooting skills, and proper rests, etc. But it can be done even with box-stock Savage rifles without too much trouble. Groups measuring 5/8 MOA, like yours, should be achievable with half decent factory ammo and ordinary sand bags.

Going from there to .333 MOA groups is very much more difficult, usually starting with a high-end barrel swap, premium reloading components, and ultra careful shooting/reloading procedures.

To get down to 1/4 MOA groups is another HUGE leap and very very few people shoot 1/4 MOA groups with any reliability. You can recognize them because they're usually called "Champion".

Of course, sometimes all five rounds lurch into the same hole for unknown reasons. That is NOT the same as having a rifle good for 1/4 MOA. Luck is not the same as precision, as we all know.

Try this: Put five bucks down on the bench and invite the guy next to you to pick it up if you can't put the next five rounds into less than (fill in the blanks here) MOA. I'll do that in windlass conditions at 1/2 MOA but only for two of my rifles, both of which often win 600 yard F-TR and 600 yard BR matches. But that's my personal limit. Anyone guaranteeing 1/4 MOA for the next 5 shots should be suspected of being a space alien.

I'll take consistent luck over precision any day

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