Got some range-time in yesterday with my Winchester XPR 350 Legend (here in straight-wall Maryland). Been using this setup for the past three years.
I'm getting pretty consistent 2-MOA groups at 100 yards. Since most of my shots on deer are inside of 75---usually closer to 50---that's good enough for reliable, ethical hunting---really, even 2 MOA at 100 is probably fine for hunting out to 100 on a side-on or quartering away shot. (But I honestly might not risk it.)
Long story short, I want to get better groups so I can be confident at longer distances, recognizing that with the 350L I'll probably never shoot much past 100, and certainly not past 150. I'd like to get to the point where---at least at the range with a very stable rest---I can get closer to or inside 1 MOA at 100. Just wondering what tips people might have for that. I'm trying to work on breath control and trigger pull technique, but would welcome any pointers on those, as well as anything else.
Is 1 MOA even a realistic expectation for this combo (the XPR using Winchester practice ammo)? I tend to blame the shooter not the gun, and I don't think spending $3500 on a NULA Wilson Combat 20S is going to solve the problem.
But I also don't want to beat myself up too badly if I'm up against the limits of my gear.
My scope is a dot reticle maxing out at 9x, which feels like plenty of magnification for 100yds. And I can definitely see the dot moving a little as I aim and shoot---using a front rest and the butt anchored in my armpit. So I'm pretty sure the issue is that I'm not getting things as stable and motionless as they need to be. ...I also feel like the trigger could be lighter, but that's probably a cop-out.
Thanks in advance to anyone who bothers to reply.
I'm getting pretty consistent 2-MOA groups at 100 yards. Since most of my shots on deer are inside of 75---usually closer to 50---that's good enough for reliable, ethical hunting---really, even 2 MOA at 100 is probably fine for hunting out to 100 on a side-on or quartering away shot. (But I honestly might not risk it.)
Long story short, I want to get better groups so I can be confident at longer distances, recognizing that with the 350L I'll probably never shoot much past 100, and certainly not past 150. I'd like to get to the point where---at least at the range with a very stable rest---I can get closer to or inside 1 MOA at 100. Just wondering what tips people might have for that. I'm trying to work on breath control and trigger pull technique, but would welcome any pointers on those, as well as anything else.
Is 1 MOA even a realistic expectation for this combo (the XPR using Winchester practice ammo)? I tend to blame the shooter not the gun, and I don't think spending $3500 on a NULA Wilson Combat 20S is going to solve the problem.
But I also don't want to beat myself up too badly if I'm up against the limits of my gear.My scope is a dot reticle maxing out at 9x, which feels like plenty of magnification for 100yds. And I can definitely see the dot moving a little as I aim and shoot---using a front rest and the butt anchored in my armpit. So I'm pretty sure the issue is that I'm not getting things as stable and motionless as they need to be. ...I also feel like the trigger could be lighter, but that's probably a cop-out.
Thanks in advance to anyone who bothers to reply.
