John B 45

Trading Precision for Power

In reading some of the posts here I was wondering how much precision some guys were willing to give up to gain power.

In my experience no one can shoot a heavy recoiling rifle as well as one of lesser recoil. This is proven out in any form of target competition from sporting clays to Highpower to 1000yd benchrest. Anytime someone figures out how to reduce the recoil and still get the job done they have a distinct edge and the other competitors will either follow suit or get left behind.

A good example of this is the medium 6.5 mm cartridges gain over the old standby 30 cals in 1000 yd competition.

In the hunting fields the smaller cartridges offer even greater advantages in speed and precision due to the various positions the hunter must shoot from and the limited time available in some situations.

So my question is how much precision are you willing to trade for power???

SpyroAndes

John,

That is a rather vague question because it depends on the target.

If the target is paper, I am willing to trade lots of power for precision.

If the target is a Kodiak, I am willing to trade lots of precision for power.

Frankly, for lack of a better answer, my precision vs power needs vary based upon the target and the expected shot.

SA

Wolf killer

If I can not get a rifle to shoot smaller than 1.5-inch groups @100-yards? I sell it regardless of power. I could get by with 2"-groups @100-yards, if I had to?
I sold two rifles that would not shoot better than 1.5"-groups. They were chambered in 257-Weatherby mag & 270-winchester. I have a 7mm-08 that is close to the chopping block?
I have a 375-Remington Ulta Mag that will shoot 3/4" to 1"-groups as long as I do my part.
I also have a 25-06 that will shoot 3/4" to 1"-groups.
Both rifles are fun to shoot. You just need the right attitude/mind set to shoot the 375-R.U.M. well.

huntnmuleys

when im bowhunting, although i dont pull a ton of weight, my bow is set enough for anything im gonna hunt here in north america, so i guess im not really sacrificing anything

brad

Sniper151

Accuracy and precision shooting are priority one. If you need more energy, use a larger caliber. I will never sacrifice accuracy for additional energy.

James B

I seem to be one of the few that thinks there is ENOUGH power at some point. And yes for the reason you mentioned, TO MUCH power. Now that there is no Rambo left in me, I refuse to accept any more recoil than it takes to do the job. I can stand a shot or two from a high recoiling rifle but you can bet that I will only shoot it if I have to. Therefore No extra practice, Zero, Zilch, Nada.

BareBack Jack

It's up to the person behind the trigger to realize their threshold for pain and accracy.If you can't punch the center of the target with a 30-06 then don't hunt with a 300.I can use any gun I own and get consitent 2inch groups,now unlike WK I feel 2in groups are sufficent for hunting.I have a select few that will do better than 1in@ 100yds.I have a .338 that will touch all 3 rounds and a 25-06 Ruger #1 that will do 1/2 inch groups when I do my part,I have a .223 that I can shoot a playing card to confediy with Winchester 40 gr HP.Several of my 300's would do 1-1/2 groups.It's all up to the shooter if you can shoot big guns well IMHO why not use the bigger guns.
BBJ

John B 45

Wolf Killer,

I hope don’t mind but I am going to use your two rifles (25-06 & .375 RUM) as examples because they are perfect choices for my question.

Rifle #1 is 25-06 and the load is a 115 Berger HPBT VLD at 3100 fps. (My load of choice)

Rifle #2 is .375 Remington Ultra Magnum and the load is a 260 gr Accubond at 3100 fps.

Both shoot very well and can consistently put 5 shots into less than 1” at 100yds.

Both have identical scopes and are set up the way each of you wants. In my case that would be with a custom Drop Compensating Turret.

Now let us pretend we won a trophy bull elk hunt and only have those two choices for the rifle we would use on the hunt. We will be hunting large bulls with the possibility of a 400” a reality.

Conditions are typical of real trophy elk hunts and the shot opportunities can come both close and far.

The hunt will be on public ground in a limited draw unit so we will have to contend with other hunters.

In my case there will also be the additional cost of a camera man and I will be expected to be able to either put the bull on his nose or have him travel a very short distance after the shot. If I wound him or require a barrage of shots to finish him it will be viewed by thousands of people and could have very real impact negative on our TV show.

Under the above conditions I would absolutely choose Rifle #1 in 25-06.

In my opinion it is with out doubt the better elk rifle due to the fact it allows me much more real world precision than Rifle #2. I would give up the very small advantage in Power Rifle #2 offers for the great advantage in real world precision Rifle #1 offers.

Could I take a bull at 400 yds with Rifle #2? Almost assuredly, but I would need more time and a better rest than the same shot with Rifle #1.

Would I have that time and rest available? Maybe and maybe not so I would not chance it.

What about you guys??

BareBack Jack

Well,
John B thats a good senerio but I have in my life lost 1 elk and it was with my Beloved 25-06,115 gr Nosler.I absolutly love and trust this rifle I have killed cows with it and a few big Mule Deer with it and @ 400 yds the 25-06 is not a elk rifle,with with precision you give up power.
He was as far as in your senerio.I remember the day like yesterday.
He was coming down the ridge behind a large herd of cows,the wind was barely wispering,I could see the cows coming through the trees,ther was a small clearing that the would cross maybe 100 yds wide.I laid down prone in the snow,rifle over my pack,here come the cows sloly trotting accross the clearin,space,cow,space here comes the bull he trotts into the clearing and Roy me buddy and brother-in-law gives a squeel on his cow call,the bull stops looks ,BAM!!! he droped like a ton of bricks,we jump up and high 5 hugs all around and look and the bull is up and running,drop to a sitting position,lead BAM!! he his the grond a slides,up again BAM,BAM,WHACK-WHACK.6 of us looked for that bull 3 days and never found him,the weather got warm and the snow melted.The elk was lost and from that day foward I have kicked my self for not shooting my .338 with the same placement he would have been dead.
So I practice and practice with the big .300's and the .338's and I can shoot as good or better than my lighter calibers so like I said I take power.
I'm shure WK will to .375 or beyond.
BBJ

manboy

BBJ, sounds to me like a little bull fever!

in the snow u should have never lost that bull! his tracks alone should have worked to recover that bull! maybe u and your buddies could use my glasses!

i think u maybe hunt with NVMIKE because it is getting deep in here!