Problems grouping

[tigerstripes]

I have a 300 wsm Abolt stalker that strings the shots horizontally any ideas or suggestions.

[beemanbeme]

What calibre and loading? Synthetic stock?  Have your checked that all screws are tight?  Have you tried scope on another rifle with a known track record?  Is the forearm touching anywhere it shouldn't?  (I'm not saying free float it if it has a pressure point, that's not a cure all) Have you done any bedding on the rifle yet? What is your bench set up? How good is your bench technique?

questions, questions, always more questions.

[tigerstripes]

Synthetic stock and it does not touch the barrel, we have shot from a cabellas gun rest and used 3 different brands of factory ammo, same results.

[beemanbeme]

What cartridge?  When you say "we", are more than one shooter getting same results?  How flexible is the synthetic forarm?  Can you move it about with hand pressure?  Does it not touch at all for the length of the forearm? This is sounding like a bedding prob.

Try shooting it with the forearm merely sitting on your front rest. Do not hold it. Use your left hand to adjust the toe of the stock and your right hand to lightly hold the wrist (pistol grip) of the rifle and pull it against your shoulder but not any sort of death grip.  You're wanting the rfile to recoil as straight back as possible.  Watch your eye.

[Lone Star]

The .300 WSM is an accurate cartridge, and since three different brands show vertical stringing the problem may be in the rifle.  Did you try different bullet weights, or all the same?  I'd place some business cards in the forarm channel so that there is a slight upward pressure on the barrel, this sometimes calms group-damaging vibrations.   Trying to get a hunting rifle to group better by not holding the forend is hardly practical. 

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[KRP]

Was the wind blowing?

[Headache]

tigerstripes,

The first thing I would try is shooting it from sand bags.  You may have movement in the rest you are using.

Headache

[beemanbeme]

It would be very practical if you're trying to determine if the problem(s) lies with the rifle or the shooter. Shooting it free recoil will be a first step. Also, as posted, make sure you are shooting from a solid bench and rest. 

[tigerstripes]

Thanks for all your help,  we're going to start over and re mount the scope.

[beemanbeme]

A little dab of lock tite or fingenail polish on the scope mount screws won't hurt.

[SHOOTALL]

just a guess , but does it string in one`direction or back and forth ?
never heard of the rest you are using have you shot it without the rest ? were results the same ?

[Brithunter]

I have a 300 wsm Abolt stalker that strings the shots horizontally any ideas or suggestions.

  Normally this is a indication of poor bedding. However it could be something as simple as a flinch. Checking the beddign is easier than checking or admitting that it's a flinch. Of course checking the scope and mounts should already have been done and illiminated as the problem. Starting over as you say is a good place to start however the bedding would be my guess at this point and I would examine it carefully and check for any movement.

[Muskie Hunter]

Are you letting the barrel cool completely between shots? Barrels heating up will cause vertical stringing. When I shoot for the best group possible, I do not hold the forearm either.Free recoil is the best way. You have to take as much of the human element out of the shot as possible.

[glshop20]

It is time consuming but when I set up a rifle for hunting I clean and re-oil and let the barrel cool after each shot.  I adjust my sights/scope accordingly.  I am trying to simulate the state the gun will be in for my first shot as this is probably the most important when hunting.  Most rifles will shoot slightly different when they warm up and the barrel is normally dirty.

[sniperVLS]

It is time consuming but when I set up a rifle for hunting I clean and re-oil and let the barrel cool after each shot.  I adjust my sights/scope accordingly.  I am trying to simulate the state the gun will be in for my first shot as this is probably the most important when hunting.  Most rifles will shoot slightly different when they warm up and the barrel is normally dirty.

Nothing wrong with that. Instead of always lugging all my cleaning gear to the range(which I do at times), I take note where my cold bore shot goes. POI never shifts and it's dead on @ 200y. Once the barrel warms up and gets dirty, the groups drop about 1" and move slightly to the left, which is still accurate enough to where I don't bother with elevation when target shooting. Knowing that the CBS is dead on makes me sleep better at night.

Far 2 many people get their barrel dirty and sight it in and think their 1st shot at the range the next time will be where it was the last time they shot.