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When I began shooting a centerfire rifle back in the late '50's, the "minute of angle" standard was the Holy Grail for varmint rifles and target rifles. Factory Model 70 Winchesters in calibers .30 and above were not expected to shoot MOA groups, and in most cases did not. Glass bedding was a thing of the future and bench rest shooting was in its infancy.

Since then, a lot has changed. Rifles have been designed which are more inheritantly accurate and shooting a MOA group with an out of the box factory rifle is no longer anything to marvel about. Applying those standards to rifles made earlier makes no sense to me.

When I shoot my MS carbines off the bench, I don't treat them the way I would one of my target rifles, which are expected to fire respectable ten shot groups rapid fire in time limits of 60 to 70 seconds. I usually take two or three carbines with me to the range and set up a multi bull target. I then shoot the rifles alternately, giving each some time to cool between shots, This practice tends to shrink five shot groups, but not usually to MOA size.

However, I am shooting with hunting scopes, not high power target or varmint scopes. My hunting scopes generally have post and crosshair reticles and are no greater power than 4X or 5X, not ideal for shooting tiny groups. If my 6.5X54 MS carbine keeps all its shots inside the 3" X ring of the NRA 200 yard high power target, then I am more than pleased.

This applies equally to my 1930's vintage Mauser Model S sporters, also full stocked.

Older rifles can be made to shoot better with glass bedding and other accuracy related tweaking, but I prefer to shoot them as they are, and limit my shots to ranges I can be reasonably sure of getting a lethal hit.

There is a kind of high power rifle competition which has recently gained in popularity, sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program. It involves shooting "vintage" military rifles at relatively short range (200 and 300 yards), and the rules require the use of military rifles in "as issued" condition. No glass bedding or target sights. Barrels can be replaced, but only with barrels identical in dimension to the original, and weight of trigger pull must conform to the military standards. It is a challanging form of competition, both for the experienced shooter and the novice, but it gives present day competitors a good taste of what it was like to shoot when the older rifles were on the cutting edge of technology.

Hunting with unaltered "vintage" hunting rifles provides the same experience for me.

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