Am I being too picky?

[Dexter Grayson]

Wind was minimal but the heat mirage was horrible.

 

[Barrelnut]

Was the mirage boiling ( target image moving up and down or was the mirage moving with the wind (target moving left and right). Mirage might explain the horizontal spread.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

The wind was minimal, so I guess it was boiling.

 

[USCGLongBow]

I was just reading a machining article and had a crazy idea about this thread. You said you were putting the rifle in the car to cool. I took this as a good thing because you are starting with a cooler barrel, but what if that were the issue? You heat the barrel by firing and it "expands", put it in the car to cool and the metal contracts, possibly not evenly, depending on how close to the A/C, take it out and expose the barrel to hot air, then fire it and heat the barrel yet again. This might not be the issue, and I always advocate a cool bore for accuracy, but if the barrel were unevenly heated and cooled it could slightly changed the bore direction, possibly enough to see the issue you are having. I also agree it could just be mirage, but I thought of this and thought you might consider it.

 

[moombaskier]

I think your horizontal stringing is a result of how you are holding the rifle. Does it recoil straight back?

 

[CBS]

I'd agree. This may be operator inconsistency. What are you using for a rest and are you gripping your gun pretty tight? After recoil is it pulling to one side consistently? When you get ready to shoot can you close you're eyes and take a couple breaths, open them and have cross hairs in the same place? These are all issues I've had in the past

 

[RHC]

It wouldn't be acceptable by my standards. I could have 2 different groups. One were all the holes are barely touching but do not form a uniform group or one were none of the holes touch but it is a very uniform group. I have found working with uniform groups is easier and in the ender, smaller than non uniform grouping.

 

[gillettehunter]

I'm going to throw one other variable into the mix. I have a Tika T3 in a .300 WSM. I was running TTSX's in it. It will give me 1/2 min groups for the first 10-12 rounds and then the groups open up significantly. By 20 rds it is a 2 inch gun. Get the copper out and it is back to 1/2 min. Bruce

 

[86alaskan]

I agree with the copper being a probable issue. My 338WM tikka would shoot great for 25 or so rounds, then just the same, open to about 2", but it was a consistent 2". My 25-06 tikka will shoot sierra's all day long into 1/2", but htrow a dozen barnes down the barrle and I can't pay for a 1" group. Try a really thorough copper cleaning and try your groups again. Also to help the horizontal, the tikka trigger can be adjusted very easily, its outlined in the manual. I turned mine both down to the lower limit which is 2lbs , and they are very clean and crisp, that will help a lot at longer ranges.