Vertical stringing

[Joefrazell]

Seating depth is either the first or second step in load development. Its as critical as powder charge. If you cant tune out the vertical, try a different powder. Dont try to tune the rifle with some gadget strapped to the barrel either. Put it on to check velocity after load work is done.

My magneto speed doesn't touch the barrel. I think that doing load development without seeing your velocity numbers per shot is loading blind and a waste of components. Not saying you can't get to the same outcome but your going to waste some components

 

[ron jaege]

Please do inch pounds and not foot pounds..

Im not a gunsmith, but this is the torque on the barrel, so I think the author meant 65 ft lbs

 

[DavidleeCole]

Not saying this is your problem but I used to chamber a round after I shot and then got settled back on target and squeezed off the next and repeated these steps for the entire group. With my .300 Whby mag I would see a flyer after the third or fourth round not so much with my .223. Some years ago I had some training and was taught to unchamder the spent round, leave the bolt open and get back on target, settle in then chamber the next round, and send it within a few seconds of chamber. Culprits were I was letting the round heat up and causing the velocity to increase due to the increased burn rate. I used my thermometer and foun out that my chamber temp would increase by as much as 50 to 60 degrees depending on out side air temp. May be worth checking to see if this is happening for you. I do not have the same problem any more.

 

[Tac-O]

Not saying this is your problem but I used to chamber a round after I shot and then got settled back on target and squeezed off the next and repeated these steps for the entire group. With my .300 Whby mag I would see a flyer after the third or fourth round not so much with my .223. Some years ago I had some training and was taught to unchamder the spent round, leave the bolt open and get back on target, settle in then chamber the next round, and send it within a few seconds of chamber. Culprits were I was letting the round heat up and causing the velocity to increase due to the increased burn rate. I used my thermometer and foun out that my chamber temp would increase by as much as 50 to 60 degrees depending on out side air temp. May be worth checking to see if this is happening for you. I do not have the same problem any more.

How long were you letting it sit in the chamber when it would heat up too much? Did you measure the temperature of the cartridge after ejecting it without firing it?

 

[25WSM]

It doesn't take very long for a cartridge to heat up in a hot chamber. It's one of the first lessons I learned shooting benchrest. If a wind change happens and you have to wait, don't shoot that round into your group or use it for dope. The old timers taught me well.
Shep

 

[Joefrazell]

I've always not chambered until ready to shoot. However it can still take 30 seconds.

 

[Canhunter35]

My magneto speed doesn't touch the barrel. I think that doing load development without seeing your velocity numbers per shot is loading blind and a waste of components. Not saying you can't get to the same outcome but your going to waste some components

Having something strapped to ur barrel is changing the tune...that's how barrel timers work by shift the weight fore and aft, honestly you do not need velocity numbers to build and accurate load, you need targets

 

[Tac-O]

Having something strapped to ur barrel is changing the tune...that's how barrel timers work by shift the weight fore and aft, honestly you do not need velocity numbers to build and accurate load, you need targets

Nothing is touching the OPs barrel. It's on a Wiser mount

 

[Laguna Freak]

Having a problem with vertical stringing, vertical flyers. Here's what I have

Rifle is a trued rem 700 with a 26" bartlein barrel. Mbm beast brake. Hs precision stock, Timney trigger. 300 win mag

Load is adg brass, fed 215, 225 ELDM, rl26 brass has now all been fired and shoulders bumped back .002, .002 neck tension .010" off the lands

So it seems the problem is with multiple powders, bullets. My load currently is 73 gr. Is right over 2900 fps with es of around 20. Yesterday morning and this morning I shot 4 shot groups at 410 yards. 3 went into about 1.25" but had one flyer that strung vertical. It seems I've had vertical stringing issues with this rifle since the start of the new barrel. I thought it was a bedding issue but I've swapped stocks and re bed the rifle twice. I thought it could be a rear bag issue but I've tried two different bags. Tried a bipod and a front rest and still having the issue. What's everyone's thoughts? I have lost faith in the Smith for other reasons so I don't want to take it back to him. Should I have another Smith check it out? Could it be a seating depth issue? I'm at my wit's end with the rifle and don't know where to go. It wants to shoot .25 min groups most of the time but I just can't seem to get it together.

I would run through seating depth progression. 3 shot groups at 0.005" intervals. Recommend reviewing Precision Rifle Blog articles on the subject. I bet you find at least one accuracy node that is 0.003" to 0.010" wide somewhere between 0.045" and 0.120" jump.

Its way more fulfilling than chasin' yer tail...

 

[Joefrazell]

I plan on running a seating depth test. If it doesn't work then It will be going to a Smith

 

[Laguna Freak]

I plan on running a seating depth test. If it doesn't work then It will be going to a Smith

If you are near max load now, I recommend backing off a couple grains as pressure will increase somewhere along the seating depth progression.

 

[L.Sherm]

My magneto speed doesn't touch the barrel. I think that doing load development without seeing your velocity numbers per shot is loading blind and a waste of components. Not saying you can't get to the same outcome but your going to waste some components

Why are you going to waste components, the only reason I shoot over a chono is to get a baseline of velocity with a new barrel after that i don't care the target dictates everthing after that.
After im satisfied with my load I run it to get F.P.S for my drops at distance and barrel speed up.
You've been given some great advice its up to you to use it or not.

 

[greenejc]

Not saying this is your problem but I used to chamber a round after I shot and then got settled back on target and squeezed off the next and repeated these steps for the entire group. With my .300 Whby mag I would see a flyer after the third or fourth round not so much with my .223. Some years ago I had some training and was taught to unchamder the spent round, leave the bolt open and get back on target, settle in then chamber the next round, and send it within a few seconds of chamber. Culprits were I was letting the round heat up and causing the velocity to increase due to the increased burn rate. I used my thermometer and foun out that my chamber temp would increase by as much as 50 to 60 degrees depending on out side air temp. May be worth checking to see if this is happening for you. I do not have the same problem any more.

I didn't think of that for this discussion, but that would cause vertical stringing. I generally let the chamber/barrel cool between shots when shooting for groups, though. I will shoot rapid strings sometimes in my 25-06 to see what it does to groups with that rifle, but its a varmint barreled Ruger No. 1 and doesn't really heat up unless I shoot more than 6 or 8 rounds quickly. I do that because I'm in target-rich prairie dog environments quite often, and might have to defend myself multiple times in just a few minutes. By the way, I don't think you have a seating depth problem. If you did, you wouldn't get the kinds of first three round groups you're getting. I'm also sure that you're not using brass with mixed headstamps or any other of the novice mistakes that have been brought up. But David is right about chamber temp causing heating of the cartridge and a higher pressure/velocity, and it can happen pretty quickly.

 

[Dirtrax]

I would run through seating depth progression. 3 shot groups at 0.005" intervals. Recommend reviewing Precision Rifle Blog articles on the subject. I bet you find at least one accuracy node that is 0.003" to 0.010" wide somewhere between 0.045" and 0.120" jump.

Its way more fulfilling than chasin' yer tail...

How does the OP determine baseline CBTO? I strongly recommend the Alex Wheeler method. I had doubts before I tried it. It is repeatable and can clear up where one really stands before getting random numbers that later on will cause issues.