What is good accuracy for a scope revolver at 50 yards?

Help Support Ruger Forum:

Cholo

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Messages
8,211
Location
Georgia
I never kept any of the targets, but I have a S&W 29 Classic with a 2x Leupold that did about 2" with hunting loads at 50 yds. These were 6 shot groups.
 

Pal Val

Buckeye
Joined
May 30, 2006
Messages
1,553
Location
S.E. PA, USA
My best 5-shot group with my SBH hunter .44 mag ( 2X Leupold scope) at the 50- yd line was 2". This, from a rest. I average about 4. The group was shot with a hunting load (240 gr JHP over 24 gr H-110).

I once shot a 3-shot cloverleaf at 50 yds with that gun, but the other two shots opened the group to 5".
 

wwb

Hunter
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
2,867
Location
wisconsin
From a bench on sandbags with a 2X scope, I can shoot a 6-shot 3" group consistently.... if the stars and planets are aligned properly, I'll shoot a 1-1/2 to 2 inch group. Offhand, with a two-handed grip, it's a 6" to 8" group.

This is with a .44 Mag SRH and full-house 300 grain loads.
 

bigchillymn

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
41
Location
cambridge,mn
With my 657-41 mag, and a 2x burris scope, I shoot fairly consistently, 2.5 in groups, about 3 in average with my 454, with same scope. I feel the groups would tighten up some with better optics.
 

Seancass

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Messages
68
Location
Indiana
I havn't shot my revolver at exactly 50 yards yet, but i'll reply anyway.

My gun is a SBH Bisley Hunter 44mag with a Leupold 2x scope. My first time out with it and factory America Eagle cheapo ammo, at 35 yards(it's what we had) I shot groups inside 2 inches. My best group was 1 5/8". I think i could keep it inside 3" with this ammo at 50 yards.

The next outing, i went to 100 yards. Since i didn't have a sturdy rest, i sat leaned against a truck tire and shot with my hands between my knees. My first group was somewhere on the board, second group was 8", third and final 5 shot group was 4 1/4 inches. This time i was using handloaded ammo that i'd just made for the first time ever.

That's about all the real info i can offer. At 50 yards, i'd like to be inside 2" and eventually near that at 100 yards. I might not get there, but i bought the gun hoping to get near 4" at 100 and i did that the first time i tried. I think consitent sub-2" groups would be "good".
 

WIL TERRY

Buckeye
Joined
Jun 8, 2003
Messages
1,973
Location
Single Chute, SD USA
ANY scoped pistol I have that will not shoot at or under 1 1/2" [ 1.5" ] at 50 yards takes up residence fairly quickly some where else.
There are too many really accurate pistols to waste ammo or components on one that is a noisy slingshot.
 
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
9,675
Location
Dallas, TX
It's not a scope, but I've got a red dot on a GP100. Haven't shot it in a while, but yea, with a mild load in .38, I can manage a 5inch group off hand and less than 2" on a sandbag. A better shot could do better I'm sure, but I'm happy.
 

Jayhawkhuntclub

Buckeye
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
1,229
Location
Kansas
WIL TERRY":2j0r8d5j said:
ANY scoped pistol I have that will not shoot at or under 1 1/2" [ 1.5" ] at 50 yards takes up residence fairly quickly some where else.
There are too many really accurate pistols to waste ammo or components on one that is a noisy slingshot.
What is this 1.5"? Is that every group? Most groups? Some groups? the ocasional group? An average? A certain percentage? Thanks.
 

Zeus

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 25, 2002
Messages
737
Location
Olathe, KS
I'm in there with Wil Terry. My scoped guns are two ten inch Freedom Arms sixguns that are amazing. 1.5" at 50 yards is not an impressive group with these guns. The guns are capable of way better than I am, I'm definitely the limiting factor in the ralationship. you aren't that far away from me if you ever want to try them out :)
 

Jayhawkhuntclub

Buckeye
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
1,229
Location
Kansas
Zeus":l5i5q2cw said:
I'm in there with Wil Terry. My scoped guns are two ten inch Freedom Arms sixguns that are amazing. 1.5" at 50 yards is not an impressive group with these guns. The guns are capable of way better than I am, I'm definitely the limiting factor in the ralationship. you aren't that far away from me if you ever want to try them out :)
I might have to take you up on that. But I think I'll wait until it warms a bit. :wink:
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,150
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
I've had several scoped guns,, and I have seen both good & bad groups at 50 yds. You didn't mention the caliber,,, but I'll pick on my best & worst,,, I had a Redhawk 44 mag that would do 1/2" groups at 50 yds bagged & scoped. I still have the targets around here somewhere. It was one of those rare guns that had the barrel seperation from the frame issue. It's replacement does about 2" groups at 50 yds.
I would say that you should expect an average of 1" to 2" groups from most revolvers like that.
 

Zeus

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 25, 2002
Messages
737
Location
Olathe, KS
Jayhawkhuntclub":3me6yv3a said:
Zeus":3me6yv3a said:
I'm in there with Wil Terry. My scoped guns are two ten inch Freedom Arms sixguns that are amazing. 1.5" at 50 yards is not an impressive group with these guns. The guns are capable of way better than I am, I'm definitely the limiting factor in the ralationship. you aren't that far away from me if you ever want to try them out :)
I might have to take you up on that. But I think I'll wait until it warms a bit. :wink:

Yep, I shot the 500 Line and the FA 454 up at St Joe last week when it was about 12 and the wind was whipping some of the time. 1800+ fps loads from the 454 in that weather are very invigorating to your hands to say the least :) When it warms up, we'll figure a time to meet up and you can give these a test run. GS
 

benchrest500

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
111
OK not bragging but 1" at 100 yards off bench with SRH 44 mag 9.5" and 2x6 (on 6x) Bushnell scope on B-Square (customized) full weaver,, 1.75# trigger with some serious sear work (had to get the pun in there).

All day long on a good warm calm day.

NOW to explain,,,, I have shot 100's if not 1000's of rounds through this gun and most of them through a Chrony. I have yet to shoot a factory load in this gun.

The load I shoot @ 100 yards is a 300 grain Nosler with 20.5 grains of H110,,,, This is a COMPRESSED load and to get down to the crimp groove you will see some deformation of the lead head, I use Lee carbide dies.

They kick like hell but they fly straight.

I had some 180's a guy loaded and gave to me to try and they were almost as good as my 300's @ 100 yards he never told me what they were and I have never been able to duplicate them.

My experience is the fuller the cartridge is the better so choose powders that accomplish that,,, some guys even use fillers.

If you shoot factory loads you may as well have a SLING SHOT!

Also I use a large (24" x 24") target with broad width cross so it's good and visible through the scope. I draw it with a chisel tip Sharpie.

Used to have a Burris 3x9 EER on it but had a LOT of trouble keeping the scope in place do to the recoil and the fact that scope was HUGE. That was before the weaver mount so 2 rings is all I could do,,,, I think you could do fine with it by just adding a third ring.

So in short if you can't do 1" at 100 yards you need to try a different load,,,, any experienced hand loader knows even slight change in powder weight makes a hell of a difference in accuracy sometimes and different powders (and batches) WILL make a hell of a difference.

If you don't have a chronograph you are wasting your time since consistency in speed is KEY.

Also you can have a load perform great in one gun and not worth a crap in an identical gun. It's all in how much time you put into it and maybe a bit of luck.

If I can't get a load in 2" at 100 yards in 6 shots I scrap that recipe and try the next variation. I'll load a MTM box full of 6 each of different variations, go out to my bench, set up the chrony and blast away and hope I find something worth keeping. ALWAYS keep careful notes on your loads just in case you get a good one you can duplicate it. When I get a good load I'll load up a few hundred rounds from the same batch of primers and the same batch of powder.

6 shots at 50 Yards should look like one big hole at worst, at best it should look like one fired shot.

But then if you can't shoot straight don't blame the tools. :p

My friend can't hit 8" at 50 yards with my gun and ammo,,, BUT don't go quail hunting with him because he'll hit as many as the shells he has in the gun and I've seen just 2 wings fall out of the sky before,,,, the bird was vapor,,,,,,,, I said "Maybe let them get more than 10 feet away next time!"

I just start shooting when he's out of shells,,,,,

Go figure huh!!


PB150136copy.gif
 

benchrest500

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
111
These are my new projects, the 500 is quite gentle even with the 700 grain and some VERY hot 500 grain.

haven't even started testing on these yet and won't until spring/summer


IMG_0083copy.gif


IMG_0070copy.gif



After shooting the 500 I realized the 3 rings were overkill

And since I bought both of these at about the same time I cheaped out on the scopes but so far after a couple dozen shots through the 500 and maybe a dozen with the 480 I haven't seen any issues. I worry about the 480 scope but the recoil is not near as "Sharp" as my 44. The 500 has a good "Push" to it but quite gentle.
 

benchrest500

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
111
Buckmark Micro Bull with Green Laser,,, this thing looks like a light saber at night and glows in broad daylight as far as I care to shoot.


IMG_0097.jpg
 

VAdoublegunner

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 24, 2006
Messages
459
Location
Virginia, USA
I have a S&W Performance Center 625-5 in 45 Colt that will consistently do 1-1.5 inch groups at 50 yards with favorite loads. A 250 XTP driven about 950fps works quite well. It will hold those to about 2.5-3 at 100. Since you said revolver we won't talk about T/C Contenders, but those are sometimes simply amazing. My scoped 12" Hunter barrel 45-70 does 1.5" consistently at 100 yards, driving a 300gr bullet about 1700fps. I'm sure a Freedom Arms revolver could hold it's own with the right load, but against a T/C it would be a mighty contest!
 
Top