Causes and Cures for Vertical Stringing

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Scragbait

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Hello Tight Groupers

I'm not sure if this is the right area for my question but I figure I'll get some interesting info from the precision group. I'm after some general information and advice on dealing with vertical stringing but I'll share my specific problem as well:

I have a Ruger #3 in .223 that is fabulous horizontally (1/2MOA or so) but okay to dreadful vertically (1 MOA to 4 MOA). I'm shooting handloads off a good rest with a forend stop so that the area of contact between the rifle and rest is repeatable. I lost the forend clamp but the forend makes contact beneath the barrel a bit forward of the halfway point along the barrel. The contact area is a saddle-like raised area at the end and the wood is relieved from the barrel elsewhere. The scope mounting blocks are attached to the barrel above the chamber and throat area. They are spaced about 3" or so apart. When I shoot, I let the rifle cool for a bit between 3 to 5 shot groups in case the stringing is agravated by barrel warming and strain from the scope.

To remedy the problem, I'm going to continue with load development and see if the groups improve as I work up my powder charges. I may consider bedding the forend and I'm aware of a modification to Ruger #1's to the forend hanger rail and the forend that is supposed to improve accuracy but I'm not quite ready to try that yet unless I don't get improvements with simpler approaches.

Any thoughts or similar experiences with Ruger #3's or #1's?
 
When you're done all the gun tuning...if you still have vert. stringing...check your reloads. Vert. stringing can be caused by inconsistent neck tension. In high vel. rounds this can be caused by varying neck wall thicknesses for the most part and can be fixed by neck turning/reaming. Also check the accuracy of your powder measure if you're not weighing every charge. Case length should also be watched for differing dimensions.
 
You need to work on the forend spring and preload on the barrel.

Do a google search for tuning these falling blocks. There are some very different needs to stop your issues. Load will not do it alone.

You can look at Brownells to see some of the aftermarket parts designed to address some of your issues.

Not enough experience with this platform to give concrete advice but have seen a few shoot exceedingly well for a falling block.

Good luck...

Jerry
 
Sounds like barrel vibrations and harmonic issues, ie caliber, twist rate and barrel length. How's the barrel set up, floating, bedded. I think this should be the focus.
 
All things being equal and assumng the load and shooter are proven (pressure on the barrel from the stock, flinching with heavy calibres is a common culprit, sometimes the scopes will not hold a POA in a particular axis), I feel that 4 MOA is probably more than just a harmonic issue and sounds more like an issue related to heat and asymetrical expansion that just happens to run vertically. I've seen this happen with a barrel that was fine until it was fluted.
 
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No experince with the falling blocks (other than shooting a #1 for a while) but with a bolt or Lever rifle I have had great success with floating the bbl, with a lever this is partially floating the bbl or removing pressure points.
Not sure where the pressure points would be on that particular set up as I have never really looked at them too closely.
 
ben hunchak said:
When you're done all the gun tuning...if you still have vert. stringing...check your reloads. Vert. stringing can be caused by inconsistent neck tension. In high vel. rounds this can be caused by varying neck wall thicknesses for the most part and can be fixed by neck turning/reaming. Also check the accuracy of your powder measure if you're not weighing every charge. Case length should also be watched for differing dimensions.
Click to expand...

Further to what Ben said, annealing your case necks might uniform the bullet pull weight. When I load for accuracy, I prefer to seat the bullet so that it is in firm contact with the lands as this creates a condition where the bullet 's initial movement is under uniform pressure. Unfortunately this is not a satisfactory solution for use with a falling block action due to difficult chambering. If you use a bullet with a crimping groove, crimping will also give you a more uniform round to round bullet pull weight.
 
In between the vertical group and the horizontal group loads is a screamer, tiny group... quote from the Houston Warehouse article... add more powder, or change the primmer... play, play , play... it is there somewhere... just do more test'n

And shoot over a set of flags....
 
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I think it's safe to assume the #3 will act just like the #1. It is beneficial to have pressure on the barrel at the forarm tip but not too much. 5 to 7 pounds odf pressure is about right.
The other real improvement which can be made to these rifles is to lighten the hammer. I think Volquhartson makes a replacement hammer. Alternatively, the factory hammer can be lightened by drilling. This reduces locktime considerably and also reduces the disturbance of the rifle by that heavy hammer striking upward.
One more possible culprit is, believe it or not, a loose or improperly fitted buttstock.
The ammunition might also be at fault but I always look to the rifle first. Regards, Bill.
 
vertical flyers

what kind of brass are you using? does they have the sama inside volume? a variation fo inside volume involve avariation of pressure and a variation of velocity, so ,weight your brass and regroup them by weight ,you will notice a improuvement. trs.
 
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