Jul 4, 2015 4 min read

Gunsmith, I am not, but I kept thinking of last week’s article and the thoughts of two local smiths, Fred Carper and Bob Ruffalo. I received quite a few comments regarding the column.

I have opinions of my own on both accuracy and what it takes to reach desired results from a rifle.

First of all, you must understand accuracy is not a goal fixed in stone. As stated in both men’s commentaries, it varies with the application of the firearm. For instance, a lightweight deer rifle might be considered accurate if it is capable of little more than a 1-inch group at 100 yards. On the other hand, such grouping would hardly draw envy or awe from a target or varmint shooter.

I often stated it is a waste of time to go through the steps utilized by bench-rest shooters when loading for a big-game rifle. Weighing casings, turning necks and deburring flash holes might mean the difference in winning or placing 10th in a bench-rest match, but means little in a deer rifle. After all, one-sixteenth of an inch matters at the match, but when shooting big game, the target measures 12 square inches and that little tiny group is hardly important.

It is the heavy-barreled rifle that is to be used in the groundhog fields that is expected to shoot well and we run across the most. Usually, it is chambered for a smaller round, such as the 22-250 or .243, and the owner wants it to shoot better than his varmint hunting buddy.

This is the gun owner the smith deals with the most. This shooter will need a rifle that shoots well if he is to score occasionally on those 500-yard shots but still doesn’t need what the bench-rest shooter needs to win.

I have ideas on what is needed in the varmint field, although my ideas are not etched in stone. I shoot both a medium-weight rifle and one much heavier. I expect better accuracy from the heavy one, but can take groundhogs out at 400 yards with either.

The heavy rifles hold steadier but the light one is easier to handle.

Like all things, it is a trade off.

Another factor that has an effect on shooting those distant varmints lounging in the sun is cartridge velocity. My heavy-barreled rifle has a 3-inch longer barrel than what is on the lighter rifle.

That longer barrel adds velocity, and thus has a slightly flatter trajectory or path of the bullet.

Accuracy needs vary from application to application but seeking it is both fun and informative. We all like accurate rifles better than those that scatter shots hither and yon.

I agree with both gunsmiths on building an accurate rifle. A good barrel is a necessity, as is properly done bedding job.

Good bedding eliminates stress on joining of the stock and barreled action. The bolt needs to be square with the chamber with as much as possible of the locking lugs making contact with the locking recesses.

The average shooter would be surprised to find how little of these lugs actually make contact especially in actions that utilize multiple lugs. The crown has to be square with the bore regardless of type, and the same can be said of the other end of the barrel and its alignment with the bolt action.

But there are two things unrelated to the rifle itself that are of perhaps more importance, the shooter and the ammo.

There is little that can be done about the shooter except to describe proper technique but ammo, factory or reload, can be changed. The best of rifles won’t shoot with junk ammo and the reverse could also be said.

When I was young, there was a small number of bullets and powder from which to choose, but today there is a wide variety of both.

Today’s rifle shoots better than when I was young. I don’t attribute this improvement to better rifles but point to the improvement in ammo and reloading components.

Also not to be overlooked, are the great optics we mount on our rifles. They didn’t exist 60 years ago.

George H. Block writes an Outdoors column for the Observer-Reporter.