Minute of Angle (MOA)

Minute of angle, or MOA, is an angular measurement shooters use to describe rifle accuracy and to make scope adjustments. It defines the relationship between the size of a shot group and the distance at which that group was fired. Mastering MOA helps you evaluate a rifle's precision and make correct adjustments when sighting in at different distances.

• An angular measurement, MOA is 1/60^th of one degree. The value gets larger at greater distances. 
• At 100 Yards: One MOA equals approximately 1 inch, the standard reference point most shooters use.
• At 200 Yards: One MOA equals approximately 2 inches, since the measurement scales proportionally with distance.
• At Longer Ranges: The same proportional relationship continues to hold, so 1 MOA equals roughly 5 inches at 500 yards and 10 inches at 1,000 yards.

• Definition: A rifle described as "sub-MOA" is capable of producing shot groups smaller than 1 inch at 100 yards.
• Significance: Sub-MOA performance is a common benchmark among precision hunting and target rifles, and it scales the same way standard MOA does at longer distances.

• Click Value: Rifle scopes are commonly adjusted in MOA increments, often 1/4 MOA per click, to adjust the point of impact.
• Application: Knowing your scope's click value lets you calculate the exact adjustment needed to correct a shot that lands off target at a given distance.

• Browning rifles have consistently demonstrated sub-MOA performance in real-world testing. The AB3 Pro Composite SPR produced a sub-1/2-inch four-shot group at 100 yards and remained a confident shooter to 300 yards. The X-Bolt 2 Speed achieved sub-MOA accuracy at ranges from 200 to 500 yards, connecting on a six-inch steel plate as far as 826 yards.

• Links: AB3 Pro Composite SPR test · X-Bolt 2 Speed test