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Hello everyone, right I'm not new to shooting but struggling to get to grips with my .223, if I go out with my .17hmr I can shoot rabbits no problem and hit bullseye time and time again but the .223 question is this after cold bore shot and practice to warm up I let rifle cool and aim at bullseye and hit close to it depending on me obviously but then when I do a further two shots still aiming at bullseye for both shots and they can be to left low or right high basically anywhere but bull (not a group) but then if I send one down range at blank paper and aim my next two shots at the first poi I can get a cloverleaf group, my question may seem thick but why can I get a tight group aiming at the first random poi but not get a good group when aiming at the bull all the time or am I missing the point totally somewhere ??

Could be a simple solution. What distance are you shooting at and how big is the bullseye? If it's 100m distance with a 1" bullseye it might be hard to maintain a group since your reticle will be aimed "somewhere" within that inch. I'm assuming your point of impact is your point of aim, so if you shoot at a blank piece of paper and you aim at previous bullet house then you will get tighter groups. I've found this to be the case for me, the solution (for me) was to use/print off targets with a smaller bullseye.

They are the small shoot n see targets mate

Smaller aiming mark = smaller margin of error

The .223 is usually a very accurate cartridge so just a thought, how are you supporting the rifle? Is the forend contacting the barrel? I saw this with a 22-250 just the end of last year.

It could be down to position.

When aiming at a bullseye your natural point of aim might not be exactly where the bullseye is so you are forcing the rifle to aim at the centre by using muscles. It would be difficult to keep all the shots together as your body will move differently with each shot.

When you fire one shot at a plain piece of paper the POI will most likely follow your natural POA as you haven't tried to force the sights and rifle to meet an existing mark. Your next shots will follow the first as you haven't altered your position or natural POA and your group will be smaller as a consequence.

You can't "group" at a bullseye target but cloverleaf your shots against a blank piece of paper? As stated there appears nothing wrong with your capability or indeed, the accuracy of your rifle/ammo combo. Cheap scope that's not focused I would think.

Read AG's Book of the Rifle....

Larger targets = larger aiming errors
i.e. aim at an enemy soldier & chances are you'll miss.....aim at a button on his shirt & you'll increase chances of a hit

saddler wrote:
Larger targets = larger aiming errors

Is that why you can't hit your own ar$e with a banjo...?

What is the rifles barrel twist 1 in:7/8/9/10/12 and what bullet weight are you using, wrong weight bullets for the twist can make a difference.
Have a look here.
http://www.gunsandammo.com/ammo/pair-ba ... ates-ammo/