Why is my gun doing this??

[Rammer]

My Browning A-Bolt Stalker in 7mm Rem Mag is stringing its groups. It never used to do this. What is the cause of stringing?

Load Info:
Fed 215
Remington Brass
65.5gr RL 22
OAL 3.348"

The hole that is by itself is my very first shot of the evening from a cold barrel. Then the next two grouped in almost the same hole dead center and 1/4" higher. Then I moved my scope down 8 clicks and shot a 3 shot group that was .368", I let my barrel cool for a good 5 minutes then shot 2 more for an overral group of the evening of .683". As you can see in the picture there isn't any clover leaf, just a string.....What can I do to fix this?

[skeeter 7MM]

Rammer how do other loads shoot?

If they all string thenpossible bedding issue.

If not then maybe just the load. 140gr Barnes TSX load does a vertical touching string but whenI throw another proven load it prints cloverleafs

ie: (same session - back to back groups with nothing other then allowing the rifle to completely cool down between shooting them)

[jrbsr]

Have you cleaned it real good lately ?

And has the crown on the muzle been bumped on something.
If a nick is on the crown it will make it shoot off.

Try cleaning it real good.

[Ridge Runner]

try shooting a 6-10 shot group and see if it strings or is actualy shooting a group within the group. have you changed anything? lot of powder? lot of bullets? brass?
RR

[stalkingbear]

The browning a-bolts are glass bedded at factory and I've never seen a bad job of it yet. It is possible but unlikely. My vote is onbarrel stress causing it to "walk".

[Rammer]

The gun actually probably has 1000 bullets thru it without a cleaning job.....So I might get ambitious one of these days and give it a thorough cleaning. My other loads all shoot nice lil clover leaf groups in one ragged hole. I might try maxing out the load with powder and maybe adjust the OAL a bit an see what happens. The powder an cases and everything are all the same lot. The powder is coming out of a big jug (I think 8lb bottle), can't remember for sure as its been since September since I did any loading for my 7mm.

I might work up some 139gr SSTs tomorrow, they always used to shoot very nicely for me. Then maybe I'll do a 10shot group or something an see what happens.

[Ridge Runner]

The gun actually probably has 1000 bullets thru it without a cleaning job.....
^^^^^^^^ BINGO!

[Rammer]

Well, I didn't want to state the obvious too soon

Just goes to show that it isn't mandatory to clean every 5 shots to get acceptable accuracy....

[stalkingbear]

Looks like I was baited by assuming you cleaned yer gun.

[skeeter 7MM]

Rammer said his other load (s) don't exhibit the same pattern. So is cleaning really the culprit here? I'd think he'd see other loads exhibit changes vs just this one but maybe not. I don't know as I have never left my rifles more then 30 shots before the bore is completely cleaned.