Horizontal stringing is often times associated with poor bench technique. Make sure you keep the front bag pretty far back from the forearm tip and in the same place on the stock each shot, settle the buttstock straight in the rear bag, uniform pressure on your grip and load the trigger slowly. Bedding problems are much more likely to exibit vertical or horizontal strings. Good luck.

Kinda sounds like stock pressure to me---since you say the barrel is free-floated, have you run a dollar bill betweenthe barrel and stock after shooting to see if there is still adequate clearance? I also believe Stubble is correct. You probably need to check out that scope.

I had a Ruger M 77 Mark 2 SS in .260 caliber that would string horizontal and then vertical. It would shoot .750 then 2.5. 1.5 then .875 then 1.0. tried two factory loads, then 5 different powders, 5 primers, four bullets, two different brand cases and two proven scopes. Then I took it to an expert custom gun maker who makes marine sniper rifles an dhe said it checked out perfect. Barrel was floated, trigger pull down to 3.5 and it would not shoot any consistant rounds no matter what you did. I even let the gun maker mount the last scope. I shot from a firm rifle rest, sand bags, fine sand bags and with the same results. So some times it isn't justa loose screw. I sold the rifle and was up front with the buyer who said he wanteda challenge. Well he got one! Haven't heard from him and he won't answer my e mails! But I told him it was a nightmare!

Charllie brown,i think Roskoe is right, i would go to the scope as well as being your problem. go from that avenue to check out first. A lot of scopes out there now at good prices. vangunsmith

Charlie, give me the gun, I'll shoot it for ya.
I think it is probably the scope. Those Bushnell Sportsman scopes aren't the "top of the line" as we all know. Every one of my Savage's shoot great right out of the box. It may sound a bit silly, but check the rifle's screws holding it on the stock. They may need to be snugged up (action/bedding pressue may be varying. I don't know it it would matter a whole lot but you never know and it won't hurt.