Missing The Last Shot

Have an old shooting buddy in Co, who will only shoot 3 shot groups. His logic is that he has never had to shoot over 3 times at game. I just can't convince him that it takes a min of 5 shots to START to determine accuracy, and ten shots even much better. Just wonder if there are any others who would ascribe to the 3 shot theory?
 
No, not me. It's like those that will only shoot 2 or 3 shots over a chrono and insist they know the average and standard deviation. Would be nice if it worked but the truth is that reality gets in the way.
 
my long thin whippy 243 is a 3 shot gun too.
it can handle more but they start wandering away from the center of the group, not by a mile but by enough to not bother shooting any more than 3.
it doesn't see long strings of fire in the field, it mostly sees 1-2 shots and a 15 minute-2hr cool down period between shots as I move from rock pile to rock pile and search for the chucks in between each set-up.

so knowing where the first cold barrel shot is going is more the type of information I need than how well it does for 20 rounds.
 
I check for group the same way I plan on using said gun.
Hunting rifle/handgun, it may take me 2-3 hours to shoot a 5 shot group. My thoughts, I don't care about the group. I want to know exactly where the first one will hit out of a cold barrel. FYI my barrel is fouled by at least one shot before season. Not cleaned really maybe a nylon brush and a dry patch is it. I have had way more issues from oil residue on a first shot than anything else I can think of.
My IHMSA guns is way different. I shoot for group slowly on initial runs of a load. If it's good, I then run 5 shots in 2-3 minutes. My bullseye loads a follow the same as if I were going to shoot a match.
Jeff
 
I like to just keep putting them there! If they were meant to go they all commingle! If there is a radical in that group he goes out!
Don't like too many radicals!
 
When I do work ups I shoot what ever it takes to get from the bottom to 80% of the load window. Usually in 3 shot steps . When I have a idea of where to look in a load window then I work it in with 5 loaded 3 on target and 2 more to verify a good load . I've had several rifles that will shoot 3 then toss the last 2 out .

I did shoot some 10 shot strings this weekend ,the answers at the end , for hunting grade guns at my level of skills round count means zip if the load is good . My shooting degrades as I get deeper into the recoil therapy. It's only fair the 2nd day . I shot 6 rifles and almost 200 rd at ranges of 70,94 and 260 yd in loads from mild cast to moderate jacketed to rattle your caps .
My last group this morning was 10 rd at @94 yd the 2" dead of winter load was 2x4 and 10" high . Same rifle and load at 260 1st string put 3 of 10 in solid impact on an 8" gong.

I think that yes longer strings will show up more abortions but most of the abortions can be mechanically eliminated . Crimp,cases,bullets, seating, sizing etc . All that leaves is powder,primer,bbl, sights ,and machine work . Out side of that lies induced abortions ,now a lead sled and external trigger device can fix those ,but then you could just machine a bbl and locking breach in a 200# slab of steel square stock anchored to 1000# granite. Consistent but not terribly portable and it should remove all human error .
 
I take a load from the book which looks like it will do what I need done & load a couple hundred. I shoot those loads & if they show promise I'll play with things from there. But sometimes if I'm happy I just leave things as they are. Example: I loaded the RCBS 30-180-FN bullet for my 30-06 with 20 grains of 2400. I shot this load across the hay field [just under a 100]. I walked to the target & they were all in 1 1/2". I quit searching. After a few years of reading the Cast Boolit Board I decide to sell the mould 'cause it didn't cast large enough. A .308 die only cleaned the bullet. Wish I'd kept the mould as it shot just fine in my '06 & 30/30 at .308".
 
if it works it's big enough.
I prefer to not go grossly oversized.
225 in the 223
358 in the 358 win.
324 in the 8 mauser.
 
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