Help with Horizontal Stringing

Looking for help…

Bought a LH Sako Carbonlite a few years back with intentions of using it on Stewart Island, but found it was too nice for bash-crash through the bush. Decided to repurpose it as a LW medium range rifle and so I rebarelled it with a 24” trueflight barrel in 7mm08 which I bought second hand here. Have tried 2 powders (RL17 and 2208) and 6 projectiles (154g SST, 150g Gamekings, 150g Ballistic Tips, 145g Speer Hot-Cor, 140g Gamekings and 120g Ballistic Tips). All shoot groups that are good vertically (1/2-3/4”) but rubbish horizontally (1.5”-2.5”). Have tried playing around with seating depth and powder charge but nothing seems to change. Have tried 2 different scopes.

I found I had to screw the sizing die further into the press than I am used to to get easy chambering, not sure if this is relevant or not.

Not sure whether to try a third powder, or to get the rifle bedded.

Any ideas?

Assume you have ruled out the human factor??? Lightweight rifles can be interesting to shoot well. Possibly try different hold/ firmer hold plus different shooter just to see???

Good news I reckon. Vertical stringing is most often due to loads and bedding.

I don’t mind horizontal stringing as it is normally your bench position and the rifle not recoiling in a consistent and controlled manner.

My experience only.


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Normally it's associated with shooter inputs. As mentioned technique is key. The "Three Finger Technique " that I posted a thread on recently was a gamechanger for me, probably halved my groups with light rifles. It's originated and taught by Norway on here, he's thlr on you tube

Fire more rounds so you get some vertical to make the group look round

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Assume you have ruled out the human factor??? Lightweight rifles can be interesting to shoot well. Possibly try different hold/ firmer hold plus different shooter just to see???

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Member at Mcclean Island Shooting Club? Always enjoy swopping rifles, looking over gear, beyond my finances. Lots of experience there.

Does it shoot in a same pattern with factory ammo?

I am also thinking bedding, shooter consistent position and hold.

I'm thinking possibilities of the bedding around the Knox being slightly different between the truflite and the factory barrel, and possibly the the chamber might be slightly shorter if you just screwed the barrel onto your action that was chambered for a different rifle?
Recently fitted a truflite to my mk v and it's an absolutely amazing barrel shoots incredibly well and not fussy at all.
I had the get the bedding around the Knox redone as the taper from the chamber was different from the factory barrel on my rifle.

Thx everyone. My normal shooting technique is nothing special but I use a lead sled frame at the range (the Handloaders at McLeans Island) and get generally good results. Thinking about bedding the rifle in case the trueflight sits differently in the stock.

Another thing to consider is scope parrallax

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Originally Posted by rossm-96

Thx everyone. My normal shooting technique is nothing special but I use a lead sled frame at the range (the Handloaders at McLeans Island) and get generally good results. Thinking about bedding the rifle in case the trueflight sits differently in the stock.

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Mate you need to quit the lead sled, they tend to exacerbate shooter inconsistency but lead the shooter to think they have a good hold . . . The invention of a marketing guru not a marksman

At the range NZHLA Wednesday, 10am to 2 ish. Bunch of us old boys, refered to us as, the last of the summer wine.
PM me if you want a hand.

Update!

Tentman suggested dumping the Leadsled. I thought “bollocks” but thought I should humour him. Tried 3 different projectiles (120 NBT, 145g Speer and 150g NBT) with 2208. 0.7-1.0” groups with no horizontal element. Who would have thought?

Thx everyone,

Bloody good of you to report back. Well don't tentman....

Haha bloody good, some days ya can shoot and others, well might as well stay at home.

Today was a good day for me:

Attachment 287201

Shot as fast as I could, certainly less than 2 minutes for 10 cause it was pissing down

Well bugger me. I have exact same thing happening to my old win m70.

Ol Tentman, seems to know his stuff. Thanks for reporting back.

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Originally Posted by Tentman

Haha bloody good, some days ya can shoot and others, well might as well stay at home.

Today was a good day for me:

Attachment 287201

Shot as fast as I could, certainly less than 2 minutes for 10 cause it was pissing down

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Noticed that lately with my shooting, groups shot fast are better. All that tecnique, slow steady, breath control, concentration.
Remember watching an old girl shooting 22 at a club, Husband would comment she's bugger that shot up, ask why as 9/10 he was right, he reckon the first bead on the target is the clearest, after that alsorts of factors come into play.