Are We Still Talking About This?

Are we still talking about MOA rifles?  Back in 1957 Townsend Whelen said that "only accurate rifles are interesting", and I suppose that's so.  I recently stumbled on this guys channel, and I like the way he thinks.  He's generating conversation, although I believe he is missing one important point.

Can any manufacturer guarantee a rifle that will shoot MOA?  The devil is in the details. Rifles, ammunition, temperature and weather vary plenty before you take the nut behind the stock into the equation.

I've been shooting rifles for decades, and with a good hunting rifle, consistent ammunition, and a steady rest, most hunting rifles will flirt with MOA shooting. What I've learned about hunting rifles is that while groups are important, what is really important is what I call the cold-bore group.

Where is that first shot gain?  Are you confident that at the time you squeeze the trigger, at the range the animal presents itself, in the cold or heat of your climate, that the shot you take will reliably strike the aiming point with sufficient force for a humane kill.  If you are not, don't take the shot.  Luck plays a big part in the hunting fields, but luck should play no part in taking the shot.

I've said before, and I'll say it again, that practice is important.  The guy who shoots 100 shots a year will probably do better in the game fields than the guy who shoots 10 shots per year. Practice, certainly, at the ranges you intend to hunt.  Know your rifle, your ammo, and your scope.  Sort all that out on the range so it isn't an ussue on the game field.  But most importantly, know where that first shot is going.