Different shaped groups and what they could mean

[Wodez]

I seem to have my days with shooting good groups or not. But most of the time I have 1 flyer out 3(probably me). My bad days seem to have different patterns. A horizontal spread or a vertical spread and some days I am very good at forming a perfectly spaced triangle.
Just wondering what these pattens might mean?

These are with the same proven loads (to the best of my ability) out of my 243 and 300wm.
Photo of 243 groups. .6gr difference. Both loads have shot great on other days. Today One horizontal spread and one triangle.

 

[Rob5589]

Two guns, same result, my guess is the shooter.

 

[trailrider121]

Lots of things could be causing issues. First would be rifle loads, and your 243 win loads in the picture have 1.5% charge difference. If rifle loads are not in a good node, then your going to see different patterns and point of impact. Notice the POI shifted on your target.?Shooter induced deviations can cause lots of issues as well, need to be consistent. We all have our days on shooting groups.

 

[rayporter]

the horizontal is a perfect weather report. which equals wind. with out wind flags you have not got the information you need to shoot groups.

 

[Lawnboi]

Your looking at three shots. That’s barely a group. Throw 8 or ten up there and your looking at a more realistic idea of what your rifle will do

 

[Wodez]

No doubt some of this is my bad form. Just trying to help improve. Example-could the vertical string be inconsistent loading of the butt? I am sure it isn’t inconsistent powder weights.

I only shot 3-5 per load yesterday but I have shot the same loads 5 other times on different days. So far 4 out of 6 times they are shooting good.

The charge difference in the photo is after using the ocw system and finding 43.2, 43.5 and 43.8 shooting good groups(that day) in the roughly same poi. But just to confuse me even more yesterday 43.5 shot twice as bad as the others.

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

the horizontal is a perfect weather report. which equals wind. with out wind flags you have not got the information you need to shoot groups.

Exactly!!

 

[Harvey_NW]

Horizontal stringing can also easily be caused by parallax if you're using an optic with adjustability. Make sure it's properly tuned and not just set to the number of yards you're shooting.

 

[Wodez]

Horizontal stringing can also easily be caused by parallax if you're using an optic with adjustability. Make sure it's properly tuned and not just set to the number of yards you're shooting.

I always adjust parallax and move my head around to try find the best tune but it’s never perfect. Crosshairs seem to still move 1/5moa. I have tried shooting with moving my head back a little causing the black shadow around the view. I then center the view in the black shadow. Would this help or still cause inconsistency?

 

[WCB]

If it not constant but vertical one day horizontal the next and good the next and the ammo is from the same loading session/batch. I would say just shooter error. Horizontal could be grip/trigger pull, wind. Vertical could be breathing.

If you are always "throwing" a shot pay attention to that. If it always seems to be the same shot in your string it is not ammo. The chances of every third round being the flyer is near impossible. Could be YOU are throwing the shot trying to force a good shot.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I always adjust parallax and move my head around to try find the best tune but it’s never perfect. Crosshairs seem to still move 1/5moa. I have tried shooting with moving my head back a little causing the black shadow around the view. I then center the view in the black shadow. Would this help or still cause inconsistency?

I would stay in the sweet spot of the relief, double check the parallax is tuned, and focus on getting a consistent cheek weld. If you're running a traditional sporter style stock without a raised comb I would check out tactical sharpshooter rifle stock packs, I run them on all of my rifles.