Who uses three shot groups, and who uses 5? Why? How do you measure your groups? Just curious.



Jay

if i'm shooting good 5 if i'm shooting bad 3

Well put sir !!!

5 shot groups for load development or factory ammo change.
3 shot groups for accuracy checks.

In a 5 shot group I measure the three farthest apart from outside to outside.
3 shot group I measure the two farthest from each other outside to outside.
I use a digital caliper.
Then there is the debate whether to subtract the dia of the bullet. I think subtracting half the dia of the bullet is more accurate.


Most of the time I do it the easy way.
Cover a 3 shot group with a dime 1/2" group, cover 3 shots with a nickel 3/4" group, cover 3 shots with a quarter 1' group.

3 is cheaper

3 for me!

4 shot groups cause i can not decide when to use 3 or 5

5 shots
I don"t consider 3 shots enough to call a group. But I do use it to verify POI
Measure outside to outside, minus dia.
or measure center to center .

depends on the rifle and what its for...

sometimes you might want only the CBS, other times you may want 10

I only use 3 shots to verify after adjusting fire. Anymore and you're just wasting ammo.

If a three shot group is good enough for work it is good enough for play.

5 shot, outside to outside, minus bullet diameter, which is the same as center to center.

Because 3 in a tight little group is too easy?
Because 5 is used in competition?
Because 5 forces you to deal with some barrel heat if you are firing your 5 in a reasonable time frame before allowing barrel cool time.

if the dia is the same just measure left side of the hole to the left side or right to right. that is how we measure distance between fastener holes on aircraft.

Since the first shot is the only one that counts in a hunting situation, then a three shot group will tell you what you want to know.

If you are shooting just to be shooting, and trying and make a single ragged hole and shoot up a bunch of ammo, then five shot groups are O.K. I guess.

I shoot 3 shot groups in larger caliber/lighter weight barrels, where heat might become a factor before I can get 5 down the tube. Smaller calibers or heavier barrels, I shoot 5 shot groups.

Measure the same as most, total outside to outside, then subtract one bullet diameter.

Jay

3 shots verifys the rifle
4 shots verifys the loads
5 shots verifys the shooter

Once you have shot your group, and say that you find that your POI is off, how do you use this group information to make corrections?

I correct my desired point of impact to the center of the group. That way I know my farthest bullet should impact within half the group's size of where I aimed.


Jay

for my hunting rifle, I shoot 5 completely cold bore shots.... just like I will be shooting from the stand. It's a pain, and it takes some time, but it gives me confidence. of course, I shoot groups with my hunting rifles too, but when checking point of aim, this is the way I do it..

for target shooting, I always go with 5 shot groups... if I'm feeling lucky, I will shoot 10 shot groups.

I definatly agree with Kyle1974 on the cold bore shoot's. I never thought about it until I grew up and left the parents house. Cold bore shots is definatly it for a hunting rifle for long distance shooting ie. 100yds or more

distance is another issue to talk about...

how many people sight in, and never shoot more than 100 yards at the range, but will take a 300 (or more) yard shot on a live, moving animal?

next time you're at the range, spend the 8 bucks or whatever it is and take a few shots off the sandbags at 300 yards....

That's exactly right. I have the blessing of being able to shoot out in the country out to 500 yards. I go out with ballistic charts for the cartrige and compare that to what my rifle and load is actually doing and make my own charts to tape on the rifle. If you've never printed paper at 200-500 yards they how do you expect to make an ethical kill at that range? I shoot a 3 shot group on new loads, and a 5 shot group on loads that I know works in my rifle.

Usually shoot 3 then swab w/ a clean rag, then another 3 for a group while making sure the barrel isn't hot. I always try to foul the bore prior to hunting. My first shot out of most of my rifles is either high left or high right. After the 3rd shot they tame down where they are suppose to be. The reason I don't clean my bore during hunting season unless it gets wet.

5 for load, 10 for shooter.

you'd be amazed how many people's sphincters tighten up when they read that.

but it makes one better.

For practice, I shoot 5-shot groups (lots of them). To verify POI on a sighted-in rifle, I'll shoot 3's. I've never had to shoot 5 times in rapid succession (other than chasing down a running rabbit with my .357), and figure that a 3-shot group out of a cold barrel is a more accurate representation of actual field performance.

I've shot the LeverEvolution rounds at 300 yds., and can hold a minute-of-major organ group at that range. Given the ballistic limitations of the cartridge, however, I'd simply pass on a shot that wasn't shorter than that.