I’m still looking at wood stock BSA & Parker Hale rifles in .243 & 6.5x55
And keep getting the answer “ acceptable accuracy “ WTH does that mean?
I know some are 50/60/70 years old, what is average or best for these rifle
I like wood vintage but vague description's about them are driving me nuts
All the above answers are true. To complicate the obvious...
Acceptable accuracy is salesmans speak much like "good condition for it's age".
That means it's old and worn out but not broken or covered with rust.
If you are collecting and not going to shoot it more than a couple times, then acceptable accuracy should be fine.
If one is serious about what is acceptable accuracy, one must consider their functional requirements.
1. Dangerous game at 50 yards or less
2. Large plains game at 150 yards or less
3. Duiker at 200 yards?
4. Baboons at 600 yards?
5. North American woodchucks or prarie dogs at 300 to 600 yards?
Because recoil is not conducive to consistent accuracy, add to that the power requirements of the bullet at range of impact, i.e. bullet travels xx yards to hit animal, how many foot pounds of energy remain? In the same configuration and weight of rifle, more power means more recoil!
Are your power requirements for:
1. Elephant
2. Buffalo
3. Eland
4. Kudu
5. Smaller antelope/whitetail deer
Finally, how accurate can you shoot?
1. Off the sticks
2. Off a firm rest
3. Prone position which is doable with a 375 H&H, perhaps with a 416, but not for me shooting a 458!
Where are you hunting?
1. Thick brush where 100 yards is a long shot
2. Open country where getting closer than 300 yards is very difficult?
A dangerous game double rifle may be regulated to a maker's standard of both barrels producing hits within a 3" circle at 50 yards. Personally, I'd like a 1.5" group at 50 yards for both barrels but that IS NOT necessary for stopping a large, charging, angry, wanting to kill you creature.
For the same or similar cartridge in a bolt action dangerous game rifle acceptable accuracy for me would be half or less of what is acceptable for a double rifle. Why? A bolt gun has a lot less variables that does a double rifle. I'd also expect to be capable of much longer shots with the bolt action. For those, one can try different factory or handloads until a small group is repeatable. Without having to worry about the two barrels maintaining regulation, the possibilities are almost endless!
To the above with a flat shooting cartridge, I expect to be able to accurately hit a small target at 100, 200, or even 300 yards. Now, 300 yards with a 458 Win or Lott is pushing it because they start dropping quickly after 150 or so yards. With a 375 H&H or similar shooting at small to medium size plains game, 300 yards is doable if one can't get any closer. For a duiker, 300 yards with a 375 may be stretching your luck. The same shot with a "fast" cartridge somewhere between a 22-250 and 300 magnums is easy for a good marksman.
Varmint and target accuracy is certainly higher than that for dangerous game. One minute of angle (MOA) is the least accuracy for these rifles, if not a half MOA.
For military service rifles, 2 MOA is probably enough. Sniper rifles of today are much more accurate, perhaps 1/2 MOA for most.
