Acceptable Groups

[mausernut]

Not sure if this is where to ask this. Am currently reloading for sporterised BSA No 1 Mk 111 That has a Parker - Hale barrel on it.
Best groups so far are 2 " or slightly less. My question is should I keep trying for a better load or is this as good as it will ever be?

Information

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[browningautorifle]

There are a couple dozen variable here that need to be considered. If the rifle is stock and your ammo is good quality reloads, without us being there then those groups are decent... We have to guess at the range and your shooting position, weather conditions...so very many things. Factors in the firer's control and factors outside the firer's control...see?

[mausernut]

Scope off of bags at a shooting bench. 100 yards sporterised rifle. Have been reloading for awhile now. Have had good luck loading for other rifles. Just wondering how accurate a Lee Enfield can be.

[browningautorifle]

Just wondering how accurate a Lee Enfield can be.

Well, I know the man that had the record 1000 yd kill in Korea with a #4T rifle...in our regiment. So they can do a great deal.

There's lots of guys here that shoot them for competition in Australia for instance, they'll be along shortly I should think.

[mmppres]

2" to some shooters is acceptable as a group. Most hand loaders keep tring till the shots are touching. each firearm is different. small change could be just the grain or two in powder or even shape of bullet.

[CINDERS]

I can hold an inch at a hundred with my T a friend shot it as well and clover leafed a 3 shotter, as Jim said lots of variables here as you just say scope we do not know how it is mounted or type of scope is it one of those "No drill mounts".
Have you had the rifle for a while or is it just a recent addition, what is the condition of the bore, cond of the draws, are all the screws tight meaning the front trigger guard screw including the inner barrel band, butt screw as well, head space is this correct etc.
Have you walked the scope round the target to see if it is tracking correctly or is it a brand new scope just purchased or came with the rifle.
What load are you using most of us here use the 174SMK's as with any rifle they can show preference how many loads have you tried with it I used to use 2208 (Varget) but get better results with 2209 (H4350) as it burns more progressively, primers, cases used do you crimp the rounds some do some don't.

Have you let someone else shoot the rifle and if they did what were their results!
Cheers.

[ireload2]

If you test the resolving ability of the human eye at 100 yards (100 meters is close enough too) you will find that a healty normal human eye can barely resolve alternating 1 inch wide back and white bars.
That means 1" is about the best you can manage to align sights with a target without using a scope sight.
I watched 2 world class women shooters testing Eley ammo lots with Anschutz rifles many years ago. Their 10 shot groups hovered around 1 inch at 100 yards. If you put aperture sights on your Lee Enfield you would be able to hold that type of precision with a quality barrel and quality ammo. Given that your groups are larger at 2", the extra 1 inch dispersion is a combination of your vision, less that the best sights, less than a perfect barrel and less than perfect ammo fired in less than perfect conditions.
I would say compared to most iron sighted rifles yours is very good.
Rather than blame your rifle or ammo I would expect that 2 things would improve your groups. Add a quality set of aperture sights and shoot off of a quality bench rest.
I bought a high quality bench rest and leather bags about 30 years ago. The result was instant accuracy improvement for all of my ammo and all of my rifles.
Expensive yes, but I think mine has paid for itself several times over by the components saved while performing load development.

[mausernut]

The rifle had a Parker Hale mount with it when I bought it. Scope is a Bushnell Elite 3200. I shoot off of bags at a bench. The loads are with H4895 running from 36 to 39.5 grains. Federal 210 Match primers 150 grain Hornady bullets. I am using 150 grain bullets and a little faster burning powders because this gun has had a 20.75 " barrel put on by Parker Hale. Thought I had better groups with this gun using the same recipe with 210 primers but the info was lost during renovations. Was trying the match primers because of 70 to 80 fps velocity variations. Just for information here is a group from my 6.5 x 55 1899 Oberndorf with iron sights and PMC target ammunitiiion.


Attachment 82954

[ireload2]

In Lee Enfields, 1891 and 1898/09 Mausers I get the best results with the 174 grain RN Hornady .312 and the Sierra 180 grn spitzer .311 bullets. The longer bullets have longer bearing surfaces and the lengths match up to the rifling twist better. Like you I will use Fed 210 primers when I can get them. When Federals are scarce both Rem 9 1/2 and WW WLR primers work well too. I use either of the 4895 powders.

The rifle had a Parker Hale mount with it when I bought it. Scope is a Bushnell Elite 3200. I shoot off of bags at a bench. The loads are with H4895 running from 36 to 39.5 grains. Federal 210 Match primers 150 grain Hornady bullets. I am using 150 grain bullets and a little faster burning powders because this gun has had a 20.75 " barrel put on by Parker Hale. Thought I had better groups with this gun using the same recipe with 210 primers but the info was lost during renovations. Was trying the match primers because of 70 to 80 fps velocity variations. Just for information here is a group from my 6.5 x 55 1899 Oberndorf with iron sights and PMC target ammunitiiion.


Attachment 82954

[browningautorifle]

I bought a high quality bench rest and leather bags about 30 years ago.

I on the other hand use two shotgun shot bags filled with a plastic bag and sand. As stated, the difference between using what happens to be on the rage, freehand and a proper rest are vast. There are so many other variables, we'd need to be there with you to see what's happening.