[BassFish1952]

I have question about shot group.
At this time I use my rifle for hunting only , I normally shoot maybe 5 rounds to check zero then for the last 2 years I have shot 6 deer with 7 shots.

So my question is, How important is worrying about barrel heat and stringing out a group if I can place the first and maybe a second shot in a 1" to 1.5" group ?
Should I worry about barrel heating up or anything else that may happen when shooting more ?


Thanks
Just not sure how far I have to go to ensure this #1 shoots well

 

[michael.nault65]

Before I switched to hunting with a muzzleloader. I sighted my bolt action rifle with just 2 shots. I didn't use my rifles for target shooting. If I had, or was shooting competition or varmints, I'd shoot groups to confirm repeatable impact. I've also shot groups to confirm the quality of a load, scope, sights, or repair, and in some cases an installation, or modification. I've also shot groups for fun and/or practice.

 

[Mark204]

@BassFish1952, I wouldn’t worry about it. As far as damage, it would take a lot of back to back to back shooting to really do anything. I do know a guy who toasted a .22-250 in less than 1500 rounds. He brought 1 gun for a PD hunt, everyone else brought 3 or 4. It shot pretty good, until it didn’t.

 

[Skyhunter308]

I wouldn't worry about it. I "settled" on three shot groups for my hunting rifles years ago. My primary concern is the POI for that 1st round from a cold, clean barrel. My #1-A (6.5x55) puts that 1st round spot on target. I've never needed a 2nd shot with that rifle.
In 47 years of hunting whitetails, I've only needed more than one shot on two occasions. Both times a 2nd shot was required to prevent the animal from crossing a property line.
I'd say if your rifle shoots true on that 1st round, and you've put six deer in the freezer with seven shots in the past two years - you're GOLDEN!! Hunt on Brother.

WYT-P
Skyhunter

 

[smlueds]

Depends on what you're hunting and what the limit is. We hunt mule deer during a "private land doe and fawn season" in Wyoming. When we first started hunting out there there was no limit so knowing how many rounds it took before your hunting rifle started throwing shots was a very good idea.

 

[BassFish1952]

Deer in alabama and you are allowed 1 doe per day and 1 Buck per day with a max of 3 bucks for the season. With a morning and an afternoon hunt . Last year my grandson and I got 2 deer 1 of each in 30 min then 2 the next day and just watched the deer for the next 2 days because I had already gotten 2 the week before and 6 is all we need to go thru a year . I eat deer 5 to 6 days a week . My doctor says it is better for me than beef
Thanks

 

[Corndog]

I never go to the field with a clean deer rifle.

• I take a clean rifle out to check zero.
• I shoot 2-3 fouling shots.
• I shoot 3 zero check shots.
• Assuming the rifle groups the last 3 shots well, I’m done. The rifle stays dirty and gets hunted with the entire season.
• I clean the bore after deer season.
• Rinse and repeat.

 

[Mark204]

I never go to the field with a clean deer rifle.

I don’t either, but it’s usually because I didn’t clean it after the last outing. What’s one more shot anyway?

 

[Bob Lewis]

It seems we all have that habit, shoot for zero, hunt, clean after season, then start all over again next year.

Bass man your thread is in the Ruger No1 section just say'n.

 

[BassFish1952]

It seems we all have that habit, shoot for zero, hunt, clean after season, then start all over again next year.

Bass man your thread is in the Ruger No1 section just say'n.

I guess I should have put the part about #1 at the top

I just bought a Ruger #1, after reading a ton of stuff about the #1 , I was not sure about how much I should worry about how it shoots. After all I mostly just use 1 shot at a time.
and just about any rifle will make a good first shot. Seeing all the posts about Accuracy caused me to (I think ) worry to much.

Thanks for the input

 

[jayhdavis]

I have question about shot group.
At this time I use my rifle for hunting only , I normally shoot maybe 5 rounds to check zero then for the last 2 years I have shot 6 deer with 7 shots.

So my question is, How important is worrying about barrel heat and stringing out a group if I can place the first and maybe a second shot in a 1" to 1.5" group ?
Should I worry about barrel heating up or anything else that may happen when shooting more ?


Thanks
Just not sure how far I have to go to ensure this #1 shoots well

Actually, it's a good question. Since you are using a No. 1, you don't have to worry about heating up the barrel if deer hunting - one or two shots usually do the trick. When sighting in though, unless you clean and let the rifle cool between each shot, you should first fire one or more fouling shots, then do your sighting in. After you sight in, leave the rifle as is until after hunting season.

Actually though, unless you are taking real long shots, it doesn't matter.

 

[jj63]

If you know where your rifle shoots, your are good to go. WHATEVER method you use, if you know how it shoots, thats that. There are no rules that determine how your stuff shoots, it's up to you.

 

[Bob Lewis]

Bassman, Sorry I missed your No.1 reference also I was out of line anyway. Also I'm envious of you who can take more than 1-2 deer a year. Here we can take 2 max both have to be bucks fork or better unless you get drawn for a special hunt.
As far as accuracy goes I pretty much do what every one else does except to get cool (1st shot barrel) I shoot the bull or one of my .22s between shots.

 

[BassFish1952]

Bassman, Sorry I missed your No.1 reference also I was out of line anyway. Also I'm envious of you who can take more than 1-2 deer a year. Here we can take 2 max both have to be bucks fork or better unless you get drawn for a special hunt.
As far as accuracy goes I pretty much do what every one else does except to get cool (1st shot barrel) I shoot the bull or one of my .22s between shots.

That's OK I didn't take as you out of line just asking if I were in the right forum.
I didn't hunt for about 35 years ( let my weight get out of hand) and now I'm not sure what we do is hunting. But living in the south has giving us School fundraising hunts as a means of getting time in the woods. Currently I am going to 2 schools in Alabama that hold Deer Hunting fund drives. Kind of nice they feed you treat hunters like kings and parents of school kids allow a hunter to use their blinds for the 2 day hunt.
Pike Liberal Arts in Troy Alabama and Abbeville Christian in Abbeville Alabama.
As for taking 6 deer , I had 4 and my grandson had 2 last year after processing it lasted us right up to this years hunt .
In the past I used a cz527 in 6mm ARC and a CZ557 in 6.5 CM, but got the urge for a Ruger #1 and bought the cheapest one I could get at the time. A 7mm rem mag thinking that I would use it as a project gun to build what I think would be the perfect southern deer rifle. Now that I have it, it is in much better shape than I thought so I am trying reduced loads for recoil before I go into a full rebuild project, so you will see many more questions from me as I get in tune with my #1

Thanks for the reply

Oh I just saw you were from Northern California, I retired and moved to Florida from there , didn't hunt but Bass Fished all over northern calif. We had a trucking company and transported the school buildings from the Manteca area to all parts of the state. Loved the fishing there but love the cost of living here.

 

[Bob Lewis]

Cost of living here is too high but at my age moving is not likely, also I'm not retired, by choice, as I enjoy my work as a contractor.
I hope you enjoy that No.1 as much as I enjoy mine though they are primarily paper and squirrel guns but the 6.5CM may end up taking a deer or pronghorn at some point as I'm still working up loads for it.