Hunting Newbie - how good does my marksmanship have to get?

djwarner · Rookie Member Joined: Dec 23, 2009 Posts: 10

I've reached the age of 63 before getting the hunting bug. Here in Florida, game will be wild boar and small Florida deer.

I learned to shoot in the Air Force but havent handled a rifle in 30+ years until I bought a Marlin 336 in 30-30 for Christmas. It came with a 3-9x 40 scope that I have sighted in with 150 gr Federal at 1.5 inches high at 50 yds.

Now that I've got the rifle setup, I am wondering just how accurate do I have to be in the standing, sitting, kneeling and prone positions? Or more accurately, how precise for a given game at a given distance?

Since I don't have a steady rest, I sighted in the scope sitting with my weak side arm wrapped around the sling and both elbows on the table. When finished sighting in and adjusting the reticule focus, I was reliably able to shoot a 2.5 MOA group.

I saw a blurb that talked about the kill zone on a deer being expressed in MOA as defined by the size of the deer and distance. As long as your group accuracy MOA falls within the target's size in MOA, your golden. This seems a workable technique. Does anyone have practical example to go by?

Suzanne

djwarner!! Welcome to the forum!!
Some one will be along shortly I'm sure. My experience is with deer hunting and limited at that (4 total) but I have to say it sounds like you have a handle on the particulars. I think most deer are taken within 100yds. All mine were taken with a 30-30 and I think the longest distance was about 100yds. You have about a 10inch kill zone they say, although it's probably larger than that. I would give a try at 100yds and see what you come up with, because if you can keep it in the 10 inch area you're good to go. I've been bench resting 3 different rifles (30-30, .270 and 30-06) and for some reason the 30-30 is more accurate for me. I hand load and probably just by chance I've come up with a decent 30-30 load. Anyway I figure if I can bench rest and get my kill zone then my shot while hunting will be good too. My first off-hand shot is usually darn good, after that maybe not.

squaw logic
Suz

Aloysius

My rule: look at the black of a paper target (and you're right Suz, that's about 10" or a pie if you wish). Now for me one can shoot large game at any distance in that carriage (sitting, laying, standing, upside down, ...) you can put 5 successive shots in that black. (and a lot 'stecher'-users will see at least 1 shot go totally wrong because they don't have 'trigger-feeling' and a shot goes of before they want it to be).

And additional: don't forget you also need enough energy, so don't do the test fooling yourself with a recoilless gun!

So for me: my Winchesters in 30/30 Win (with optics) will suit me till about 150 yards.

Pumpkinslinger

Hi DJ, and welcome!

I also started hunting kinda late, I was about 40 or so. I've been shooting since I can remember, just never hunted. I kick myself now for waiting so long!

It sounds like you've got a good rig for the game in your area. I'd like to make a couple suggestions.

They make full size deer targets, showing the vitals, that will help you with figuring your best shot and distance. Or you can try a 6" paper plate for a target.

When shooting lever actions be careful of sling tension. You can change the way the fore end, magazine and barrel inter-relate, causing larger groups. I just don't use the sling for shooting my lever guns.

With your point of impact (POI) 1.5" high at 50 yards you're actually zeroed for about 165 yards and the POI at 100 yards is about 2.5" high. That will work for deer. Personally however, I'd just zero at 100 yards (or about 0.25" high at 50) and call it good.

I keep my variable power scopes turned to the lowest magnification when hunting. That way I can make a close shot quickly without having to fiddle with it. If the game is far enough away that I need more magnification then I usually have time to adjust it.

I wish you much fun and success hunting! One of these days I want to get down to FL to try those hogs!

djwarner · Rookie Member Joined: Dec 23, 2009 Posts: 10

Actually, I sighted in the gun for Hornady's 160 gr LeverRevolution and Federal's 150 gr. Trajectory of both these are quite similar, giving +3 inches at 100 yds and -3 inches at 230 yds. I figured this would handle the extreme range I would ever expect in hunting with the Marlin. It also works out to give zero at 100 yds when shooting Winchester 170 gr.

So I should use a 10 inch diameter kill zone for deer and a 6 inch diameter for wild boar?

Vince

Gidday DJ and welcome to "The Nut". Grab a beer mate and pull up a stump.

If you work on a 6" - 8" diameter kill zone, you will have no problems with any deer or hog mate. To test your abilities, put a round paper plate out at 100 yards, and if you can put all your shots on it from any position...prone unsupported, sitting unsupported, kneeling unsupported and standing unsupported (off-hand)...then you are ready to get out there and fill your freezer mate. Remember...practice makes perfect, and its a helluva lot of fun too.

Good luck mate. Cheers

Cheers, Vince

Suzanne

Vince!! you forgot a few positions....maybe we should discuss that in private.

Hey DJW! I've tried the lever revolution pointy bullets too, they really have a flatter trajectory. I had to re-sight-in my scope to shoot em. I bet you can get pretty range with those. Never hunted with them though, I can't get away from the round nose habit, it just does so good for me. I think you've got it dialed in!

Suz

Vince

Suz wrote:

Vince!! you forgot a few positions....maybe we should discuss that in private.

I thought I had touched on all positions Suz....hmmm...ok...which one/s did I miss out on mentioning...of course there are all of the supported positions...but they are the easy ones. Very Happy

Cheers, Vince

Suzanne

Vince!! I thought you were married! Ok well there's the one where you use a trapeze, there's the missionary, (taught to us from missionaries) the cowgirl, the reverse cowgirl, (taught to us by cowgirls), the cowboy and probably a reverse cowboy but I dunno bout how those things twist or bend or whatever, and well I can think of some other rodeo related ones, but there's also some vehicle related ones and the list goes on and on just use your imagination....

Mirrors, whips, handcuffs..
Suz

Bushmaster

If you can hit a 9" paper plate at 100 yards standing you will have no problem putting down most deer sized game.

Welcome to this fine site. You DO have one of Vinces beers don't you? Pull up a stump and enjoy.

Of course Vince is married...To his country and his firearms... Very Happy

stovepipe

Brush busting with the lever gun for boar = loose the sling and practice being quiet, stalking and... snap shots! You'll be shooting off hand and stay downwind. You will be very close 99% of the time and the sight pic will be a quick one and I'd use iron sights if possible for 50-60y. Catch the walking bullet trap on the quatering away getting into the boiler room under the gristle plate with that 30-30 and an expander or get precise with a solid and pop the heart. Keep shots short on the hogs, they are very tough to find in the thickand will flat run off and survive a lot of shots in the open. CARRY A BACK UP REVOLVER TOO with punch-out's not hollow points cuz hog is dangerous game and I don't care what anyone says. Never go into the thick after one, find him and lever in some shots wait 20 min, rinse and repeat. Bring rope and don't go alone.

Vince, yer outta beers mate and all this tounge waggin's makin' me thoisty! Mad

Vince

Sorry mate....was too busy readin' Suz's post and didn't notice the Esky gettin' low. Pourin' one fer ya now and its all restocked mate.

Hey Suz...you mean thems positions Surprised

...hey mate...I's married...don't know nuffin' 'bout that sorta stuff. Razz

On a serious note (as if runnin' outa beer ain't serious)...DJ...I must reiterate Stovey's words on being VERY careful with the hogs mate. They can be exceedingly dangerous when cornered or injured. Not sure if the hogs you will be hunting are the same as the razorbacks we have out here in Australia...but a razorback with big tusks out here will kill and gut a dog in a heartbeat... and go lookin' for his mate. Quick accurate shots are the name of the game mate...not from the hip, but the shoulder, although you will not always have time for a "well aimed" shot.

Be careful, my Dad carried a nasty scar to his grave (at 89 yrs) from a pig tusk injury in his teens.

Cheers, Vince

djwarner · Rookie Member Joined: Dec 23, 2009 Posts: 10

Vince wrote:

I must reiterate Stovey's words on being VERY careful with the hogs mate. They can be exceedingly dangerous when cornered or injured. Not sure if the hogs you will be hunting are the same as the razorbacks we have out here in Australia...

Florida Wild boar run from 150-200 lbs. They were introduced by Spanish Conquistadors in the 1500's. Every time I've seen them along the side of the road they're a family of 6 or 7 rooting for food. Here's a couple pictures.....

Vince

This will give you a bit of an idea of the pigs we have out here in Aussie. Note the tusks...nasty.

Pig Hunting in Australia

Cheers, Vince

stovepipe

Well- there ya go... ferget the 30-30, train a gator to fetch!

Them beer pics made me THIRSTY!