Horizontal stringing

[Newtosavage]

I'm working on a load for my Howa Alpine 7mm-08. This one has shown promise over the past few sessions, but every time I get 2-3x as much horizontal spread as I do vertical spread. (Disregard the duct tape) this group is only 0.2" vertical spread, but 1.6" horizontal, for example. Other groups I've shot have been similar - never more than 0.5" vertical, but often 1-1.5" horizontal.

I'm letting the barrel cool for at least 5 minutes between shots, since it's a pencil barrel.

Any ideas? Seating depth adjustment is fairly limited with the 2.8" box. They are sitting at 2.775" right now.

Thanks.

 

[LaHunter]

Assuming that target is from 100 yards, and assuming that the wind was not a significant factor, it could be your technique. Are the shots ‘walking’ in a certain direction, or are they just random in the horizontal? For me, if I am not managing recoil properly I can get some horizontal spread. Also the firing hand control / pressure on the rifle can result in horizontal spread. Where is your scope reticle after you break the shot? Is your rifle torquing slightly during recoil? When this happens to me ( poor recoil management) I will get some horizontal spread.
Hope this helps.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Walking away from the rifle may be part of the issue as well. If you don't have a very consistent "shouldering" of the rifle and cheek weld, consistent bipod loading (if you are using a bipod), etc. you might see similar stringing. Try shooting a couple of pairs next trip to the range without changing your body position. For example, two shots without getting off of the gun, then take a lap, let the barrel cool, etc and another 2 shots. See if those pairs string horizontally or not.

This all assumes everything else in your reloads and reloading technique is squared away, but looking at that target, I would put my money on the shooter over the load. (That's not meant as an insult, just troubleshooting).

 

[JRMiller]

I have the exact same issue with one if my creedmoors.
I know its not me or technique because i can sit down and shoot my other creedmoor or my grendels and they shoot perfectly fine, under 1moa, usually .5ish, with all the same bags/bench
Then i go back to the problem child and sure enough horizontal stringing every time. 2-3moa.
I've tried everything i could think of ( different loads/bullets. re-attach and torque scope bases, lap scope rings, remove and re-torque scope, replace the scope, remove and re-bed the action, check lug bolt alignment to the bore) to no avail.
And this is a heavy contour Criterion match barrel. And this barrel used to shoot great, .3moa on good days, .5 all other.
I have surmised that possibly during cleaning the crown was damaged, i admit i do it from the muzzle end, but i use a fiberglass rod and plastic jag.
Its been sitting for a while i hadnt had the patience to mess with it more lately

 

[VernAK]

If the stock is too long and the shooter isn't getting the butt into the shoulder pocket, stringing will often occur.

 

[HOT ROD]

If U are using a steady bench and on sand bags than its Ur load... As long as Ur scope is tight action screws are tight.. It has to be Ur load try to shorten the oal… I all ways start my loads as long as the magazine will allow and if it will chamber into the rifle... Even if its just touching the lands this makes it pretty simple then.. There is only one way to go then and that's shorter oal..

 

[Harvey_NW]

A lot of times horizontal stringing comes from incorrect parallax adjustment. I've noticed on a few scopes that the 100yd hashmark on the dial isn't perfectly correct, and I always fine tune it by getting the rifle stable and rested on target and moving my head side to side while looking through the glass until the reticle is stationary and there is no visual parallax.

 

[Newtosavage]

Assuming that target is from 100 yards, and assuming that the wind was not a significant factor, it could be your technique. Are the shots ‘walking’ in a certain direction, or are they just random in the horizontal? For me, if I am not managing recoil properly I can get some horizontal spread. Also the firing hand control / pressure on the rifle can result in horizontal spread. Where is your scope reticle after you break the shot? Is your rifle torquing slightly during recoil? When this happens to me ( poor recoil management) I will get some horizontal spread.
Hope this helps.

I suppose that could be true, but it wouldn't explain why the other rifle I was shooting printed a 0.6" group at the same time.

 

[Newtosavage]

Walking away from the rifle may be part of the issue as well. If you don't have a very consistent "shouldering" of the rifle and cheek weld, consistent bipod loading (if you are using a bipod), etc. you might see similar stringing. Try shooting a couple of pairs next trip to the range without changing your body position. For example, two shots without getting off of the gun, then take a lap, let the barrel cool, etc and another 2 shots. See if those pairs string horizontally or not.

This all assumes everything else in your reloads and reloading technique is squared away, but looking at that target, I would put my money on the shooter over the load. (That's not meant as an insult, just troubleshooting).

Understood, but I walked away from the other rifle too. And it was nearly 1/2 MOA under the exact same conditions.

 

[Newtosavage]

If the stock is too long and the shooter isn't getting the butt into the shoulder pocket, stringing will often occur.

If anything, this stock is too short for me by about 1/2"

 

[Newtosavage]

If U are using a steady bench and on sand bags than its Ur load... As long as Ur scope is tight action screws are tight.. It has to be Ur load try to shorten the oal… I all ways start my loads as long as the magazine will allow and if it will chamber into the rifle... Even if its just touching the lands this makes it pretty simple then.. There is only one way to go then and that's shorter oal..

That's good advice. I'll try that. Thanks.

 

[Newtosavage]

A lot of times horizontal stringing comes from incorrect parallax adjustment. I've noticed on a few scopes that the 100yd hashmark on the dial isn't perfectly correct, and I always fine tune it by getting the rifle stable and rested on target and moving my head side to side while looking through the glass until the reticle is stationary and there is no visual parallax.

Good advice. I'll check for that. Thanks.

 

[Wrench]

Does it cold bore in the same area every time or is it a coin toss?
How's it track?
Has anyone ever shot it?

 

[rayporter]

as i have said before, if you are on a bench with good bags it aint your fault. the fact that you can shoot another rifle proves this. usually it is wind but the other rifle eliminates that. more shooters need a second rifle to double check things.

so, it is the rifle. bedding, barrel or scope. distant fourth is load. or a combination of all.

crowns can be horrible =even hack sawed off and not shoot that bad.

 

[Brent111368]

And wind is ALWAYS a factor, just saying. Until you shoot over flags, you will never be as consistent as you could be.

 

[Newtosavage]

Does it cold bore in the same area every time or is it a coin toss?
How's it track?
Has anyone ever shot it?

The "cold bore" was my waiting 5 min. between shots, but I'm going to do a "1st shot" series over the next week to confirm. Because really, that's all that matters.

Track? Not sure what you're asking.

Yes, someone has shot it. Me. I suspect you mean has anyone else ever shot it? The answer to that is no.

 

[Newtosavage]

And wind is ALWAYS a factor, just saying. Until you shoot over flags, you will never be as consistent as you could be.

Not that day. It was dead calm and I was at 100 yards. Plus my Howa mini shot a nice and tidy 0.6 in between shots with my Alpine.

 

[Upstate SC]

A lot of times horizontal stringing comes from incorrect parallax adjustment. I've noticed on a few scopes that the 100yd hashmark on the dial isn't perfectly correct, and I always fine tune it by getting the rifle stable and rested on target and moving my head side to side while looking through the glass until the reticle is stationary and there is no visual parallax.

This is good advise. I started doing the same thing to make sure my parallax is correct and my groups got smaller (horizontally).

 

[rayporter]

tracking it how it moves in the bags during recoil. usually results in vertical. i can make you shoot a line from 4 o clock to 10 oclock and change the rest and make you shoot 7 to 1 o clock on the target.

also if the rest or bag is under the center of the rifle you will get goofy groups - you want the rest near the front of the stock and the rear bag near the end of the butt.

but 2 inches of horizontal? no

 

[Newtosavage]

As far as I know, I put both rifles on the bags the same way. And the Howa mini Grendel? 0.6" round 5-shot group.