MOA definition

[xDom]

I’m after some clarification of the MOA measurement.
I know it’s Minute of Angle and it equates to 1 inch at 100 yards but does it relate to a single shot or a group?

What I mean is,

I am shooting out to 100 yards and my bullet hits exactly 1 inch to the right of the bullseye then is this considered MOA?.. or If one bullet hits exactly 1 inch to the right and another exactly 1 inch to the left, is this considered MOA, even though there is 2 inches between them?

On one hand, each of the bullets missed by only 1 inch but on the other, it’s a 2 inch group.

Thanks

[bladeracer]

I’m after some clarification of the MOA measurement.
I know it’s Minute of Angle and it equates to 1 inch at 100 yards but does it relate to a single shot or a group?

What I mean is,

I am shooting out to 100 yards and my bullet hits exactly 1 inch to the right of the bullseye then is this considered MOA?.. or If one bullet hits exactly 1 inch to the right and another exactly 1 inch to the left, is this considered MOA, even though there is 2 inches between them?

On one hand, each of the bullets missed by only 1 inch but on the other, it’s a 2 inch group.

Thanks

It is merely an angular measurement. Ideally you need to specify the range and number of shots when claiming any firearm holds a specific MoA of accuracy.
It has no bearing at all on the shot position to your point of aim, that is all down to how you zero the firearm. Your example is 2MoA, but I really wouldn't be equating two rounds to accuracy.

I think the generally accepted "definition" of a one-minute rifle is that it'll consistently put five rounds into one-minute at 100m/yds.

Years ago, lots of places used a system of measuring accuracy based on first determining the centre of the group, then measuring how far the furthest shot was from the centre.

[Blr243]

Shot spread

[Blr243]

A pig or deer hunter is mostly ok with 1 or 2 moa. A rabbit shooter at 300 metres wants a rifle that shoots 1/2 moa. Something like that

[No1Mk3]

G'day xDom,
It can relate to both, but depends on what you are measuring. If you want the size of group you can shoot with your rifle, then it is the size of the circle that encompasses your shots, so all shots in a 3" circle at 100yds is a 3MoA group. If you are after fall of shot, say in a fullbore comp, then you are measuring the distance from your Point of Aim, say V Bull, to Point of Impact, so your 2 shots would be considered 1 MoA off the V. The same consideration is used for measuring wind in MoA, so a fresh wind from 9 or 3 o'clock at 200yds would be said to be a 2 1/2 MoA wind, or pushing Point of Impact 5" off Point of Aim, Cheers.
PS: 2.5" at 200yds is a 303 wind estimate, 7.62 is 1 1/4 MoA.

[SCJ429]

G'day xDom,
It can relate to both, but depends on what you are measuring. If you want the size of group you can shoot with your rifle, then it is the size of the circle that encompasses your shots, so all shots in a 3" circle at 100yds is a 3MoA group. If you are after fall of shot, say in a fullbore comp, then you are measuring the distance from your Point of Aim, say V Bull, to Point of Impact, so your 2 shots would be considered 1 MoA off the V. The same consideration is used for measuring wind in MoA, so a fresh wind from 9 or 3 o'clock at 200yds would be said to be a 2 1/2 MoA wind, or pushing Point of Impact 5" off Point of Aim, Cheers.
PS: 2.5" at 200yds is a 303 wind estimate, 7.62 is 1 1/4 MoA.

Exactly, if your bullet is one inch to the left at 100 yards it is one MOA away, so you wind your scope four clicks to the right. Assuming your rifle is 1/4 MOA per click. If you shoot at 500 yards and your bullet is five inches to the left you again are one MOA off and you wind four clicks right.

[xDom]

Righto, thanks guys.
Where this question came from is when I was sighting in my Tikka .223. It has a 1 MOA out of the box guarantee.
To keep it simple, we’ll say 100 yards. Does this mean that ( in Tikka’s test conditions, temperature, humidity, pressure, lunar phase and with the rifle bolted down) they guarantee that each shot will hit at the most 1 inch from the bullseye or that a group of shots aimed at the bullseye will have a maximum diameter of 1 inch?
Because in the first case there will be potentially 2 inches between holes?

[bladeracer]

Righto, thanks guys.
Where this question came from is when I was sighting in my Tikka .223. It has a 1 MOA out of the box guarantee.
To keep it simple, we’ll say 100 yards. Does this mean that ( in Tikka’s test conditions, temperature, humidity, pressure, lunar phase and with the rifle bolted down) they guarantee that each shot will hit at the most 1 inch from the bullseye or that a group of shots aimed at the bullseye will have a maximum diameter of 1 inch?
Because in the first case there will be potentially 2 inches between holes?

Nothing do with where you're aiming, that's down to where you zero it.
A 1MoA guarantee generally means it'll consistently shoot groups one-minute across between hole centers.

[xDom]

Yep, got it

[bladeracer]

Generally not with the rifle bolted down, best accuracy is usually when the rifle is free to recoil.

[TassieTiger]

12 or so months ago I bought a steyr pro hunter in 30-06 with a Moa guarantee on factory projectiles.
I tried so many different 180-168 projectiles in various configuration and got others to shoot etc. ended up sending rifle back asking for an explanation...

Winchester couldn’t get the rifle to shoot Moa either and then tested 4 more pro hunters and were going to send me the best one...none of those shot Moa either so they refunded me.

So you can do something with the guarantees...

[SCJ429]

He has a Tikka , he will be fine.

[in2anity]

Some guns, for example ones with two-piece stocks (like lever guns and the savage 99), can be mechanically more accurate from offhand than supported crossed arm shooting. Just sayin.