The ‘Pie Plate’ Grouping

[MikePal]

I was cleaning out the freezer yesterday and found a Deer heart from a 4 point buck I shot back in 2015. So having just read a recent thread where the term “Pie Plate’ was used it got me to thinking, I wonder if guys realize how accurate that grouping really is.

So here it is….

A 2.5 yr old deer heart on a 10” pie plate;



This is a 1” MOA dot, you can see how small an area that actually is in regards to the heart;



That is why when guys say 'Pie Plate' is good ...they aren't kidding.

I guess we've all become so used to using rests, 9x scopes and looking at pictures of the 'Bull's Eye' hits with pictures taken from 12" away, that we think that you 'need' to shoot MOA, but reality is even 5" grouping will still hit the heart.

Yes...we should strive to make the best shot possible, but a lot of hunters don't have the opportunity to shot often or desire to become 'snipers'. I know at my camp the pie plate fixed to the post at 50 yds is the benchmark

[MikePal]

I remember years ago I when I first got my .45 Kentucky patch and ball ML, I posted a pic of the target panel after my first day shooting free hand. I was putting most of the shoots into the black 5’ circle, so I made the comment “at least they’re Pie Plate, good for hunting”. The usual keyboard experts didn't agree.

I still have that old target panel, cut to the size of the pie plate. This comparison of it to the same heart. Makes for a good visual. Easier to see that when the term ‘Pie Plate’ grouping is used, it is in fact kill shot. Especially for larger caliber bullets like a .303, .45 ball or shotgun slugs.






Back then, I posted that same target paper fixed to the side of my Doe decoy to show the relative size of the vitals on a deer and then put the decoy out at the 50 yd panel to show the actual visual distances to the target with open sights.



I can been seen, that the 'kill zone' of the vital area at 50 yds is quite large and a fairly easy to shot with even open sights.

[ninepointer]

Something I recommend that all deer hunters try is get off the bench and shoot 3 rounds, standing off-hand, into a pie plate sized target at 100 yards. Trust me, it can be humbling.

[Snowwalker]

Yes. Many people forget that you should always be the best shot you can be. By that I mean...try to have the best groups you can get....with arrow, bullet, or a musket ball. If you normally take shots on game at 100 yards with a rifle, get good out to 200 yards. You will have more confidence for the 100 yards, it may even feel like point blank range. In fact out to 200 yards you can setup most calibres to be point and shoot, because you will be "IN THE PIE PLATE".

So once you have the best groups you can get, just ask yourself if it passes the 6 inch circle test( the size of the bottom of your 10 inch pie plate). If so then you should be making humane kills on any thing bigger the a coyote( coyotes need the 4 inch plastic lid test).

[rf2]

I guess it all depends on how a grouping was obtained. If someone is shooting from a bench with a solid rest and is getting 4 or 5" groups at 100 yards, in my opinion, that is marginal for a 100 yard shot under "field" conditions (without a solid rest), because those groups will open up considerably under field or hunting conditions. If someone is getting that same group shooting offhand or with an improvised rest, I'd say that is pretty good!

[Fox]

I guess it all depends on how a grouping was obtained. If someone is shooting from a bench with a solid rest and is getting 4 or 5" groups at 100 yards, in my opinion, that is marginal for a 100 yard shot under "field" conditions (without a solid rest), because those groups will open up considerably under field or hunting conditions. If someone is getting that same group shooting offhand or with an improvised rest, I'd say that is pretty good!

All the better reason to sight in off a bench and shoot in field conditions, learn your gun and shoot it, don't just sight it in every Oct for a 1 week season then leave it for the year.

[SongDog]

If my gun my shooting "minute of pie plate" I wouldn't use it for hunting. Sure it may kill a deer every shot but that's not good enough for me. I like my guns shooting dead on where I aim....then when I miss I know it's my fault and not the gun..


See so many guys with poor shooting technique or just don't have their gun set up right and shoot a 8" group at 100 yards. "Good enough to kill a deer" then they pack it up and don't shoot again until an animal is in front of them. Then wonder why they wound game or miss. Blame it on the cartridge or bad scope.

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[SongDog]

If my gun is shooting "minute of pie plate" I wouldn't use it for hunting. Sure it may kill a deer every shot but that's not good enough for me. I like my guns shooting dead on where I aim....then when I miss I know it's my fault and not the gun..


See so many guys with poor shooting technique or just don't have their gun set up right and shoot a 8" group at 100 yards. "Good enough to kill a deer" then they pack it up and don't shoot again until an animal is in front of them. Then wonder why they wound game or miss. Blame it on the cartridge or bad scope.

Piss me off and half the reason I hunt by myself most of the time.

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Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[rf2]

All the better reason to sight in off a bench and shoot in field conditions, learn your gun and shoot it, don't just sight it in every Oct for a 1 week season then leave it for the year.

??????

[TPM]

I hate the pie plate analogy as it's only true for a perfect broadside shot. If the deer I'd quartering in any way that pie plate quickly becomes a tall oval.