shot stringing

[Bob S.]

I know this has been discussed in the past but several searches has not turned up what I'm looking for. Terminology may be the problem.

What are the usual causes for shots to string vertical and also horizontal.

I'm shooting hand loads with each powder load scaled and col as consistent as I can get them. time between shots about two minutes with 5 shot strings between target retrieval and gun swapping. I'm having my shots string vertically up and to the left with each round down range.
I suspect it may be barrel heat as the whole process starts over when I go back to this particular gun.

The gun is a ruger varmitter in 22-250 bull barrel and laminated stock with no barrel interference.

 

[Guest]

check you cheek weld and hold....

under recoil you cheeck weld can push you left and up...

also if you hold hard you could be torquing your rifle under recoil....

just a athought

 

[drags]

My brother had a ruger #1 heavy barrel that did the same thing we couldn't solve the problem so he sold the gun. If the barrel is not stress relived this will cause vertical stringing.
Drags

 

[Larry Morris]

Ric,
You make a good point about cheek weld and since I am having problems with my 22-284 it just dawned on me that I could have a problem in this area.
I thought that my groups were stringing down and to the right but it could be that those are the ones that I have correct cheek weld and they are actually stringing up and to the left. Hmmmmmm.
I will pay closer attention in a little while when I go to the range.
Thanks.

Larry

 

[Bob S.]

I too will be keeping tabs on my cheek weld. I'm also thinking some mirage effect is taking place here, the breeze was very light and steady R-L and as the barrel was warming up maybe... I don't have a shade for my scope could this help? All in all I was satisfied with the group size but would like to tighten it up by keeping it from stringing out.

 

[BountyHunter]

1. Freefloat the barrel if not now.

2. Increase neck tension on the bullets if reloading. Go up in .001 increments until about .004-5 neck tension.

3. increase powder by .01 and see if that helps.

4. Horizontal is cheek or hand pressure normally.

BH

 

[JR]

A lot of times if your vertical string, too slow powder..What powder are you using? Are you shooting these over the chrono?

JR

 

[Mysticplayer]

Let's assume that load, shooter and bench/rests are ok. if not sure, check here first.

Stringing at short range is due to a large part to poor bedding and conditions.

Stringing at long range is compounded by poor powder burn ie velocity variations.

Jerry

 

[Bob S.]

I don't have a chrono but have access to one and will try to use it next trip to the range. I am using 37 gr varget pushing 50 gr v max 22-250. I was using h380 before and don't know if I had this problem because I was using it to break in the barrel. I don't think its a bedding problem but I guess I should not rule it out. I was thinking velocity variations could cause it to go vertical but it is also going horizontal. Maybe I'm doing something wrong as well. I will play some more and see what gives. Thanks for the input guys.