204 ruger and vertical stringing

[snipersam]

Due to the ridiculous powder shortage in Canada I did some load development with cfe 223 as it was available. 100 yard groups were good on the hotter end of the data. 9 shots in just over half inch was the final group.

Gun is a weatherby vanguard sub moa so its got the bell and Carlson varmint stock. The action is bedded as well as the first 3 inches of the barrel. the barrel is a pacnor super match 3 grove 1-11 twist shooting sierra 39 gr bk.

So I head out to 300 yards to try some groups. I shot over half a dozen 5 shot groups with it. All of them were 1 inch wide and 2-3.5 inches vertical. Usually just one opened it up past 2 vertical. Id be happy wit 2 inches vertical. I have no idea whats causing the vertical. I took some older rounds loaded with r-10x and got the same thing. I tried different techniques, preloading the bipod legs, not preloading them, head heavy on the stock, or light. Best results were when I kept my head light on the stock, heavy was really bad vertically. Otherwise everything shot the same.

So just for kicks I brought out my tikka t3 light in 223 rem shooting 50 gr nosler bt. Its got a bell and Carlson stock, not glass bedded though, just the bedding block in the stock. It shot a 2 inch 5 shot group nicely rounded best group of the day, 4 of them were in 1 inch. I cant figure the 204 out.

[TEXAS222]

Hello snipersam. I don't know that I'm as qualified as some of the other shooters on this forum but I'll throw out my 2 cents worth. Sometimes stock torque can eliminate or help with vertical stringing. Instead of 60 in/lbs, maybe try 50 or 70. Sometimes this helps especially with stocks with bedding blocks. That being said, I have a heavy barrel 22-250 in a B&C stock with H380 & 55 grain NBT that will shoot small 1 hole groups at 100 yards but at 200 it will only give me 1 1/2" to 2" groups. A bench rest shooter at my range told me the bullet/powder/velocity combination just wasn't stabilizing past 100 yards. Changed to IMR 8208 with the same bullet & no more problem. A note, I never achieved the amazing 100 yd groups as with the H380 but they were still sub 1/2 moa. Good luck to you. Jim D

[snipersam]

You were right. I tightened the front action screw tight and just snugged the back. I usually just tightened it to tight. I don't have a torque wrench so I was going by feel. Shot 15 shots at 300 yards and 14 of 15 stayed in just under 1.75 vertical. One went up an inch from the top of the group. One out of 15 I think I can live with tat. Much better than it was before.

[TEXAS222]

Good, I'm glad it helped out. Jim D