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My .270 Encore seems to be stringing a bit...5 shot group....

That really isn't bad from that platform. My 280 barrel can do a little better than that. My 204 barrel is a 1/2 inch shooter if I do my part. The 25-06 barrel does an inch except with Accubonds but I never can find them. Sierra 100s for the 25. 139 Horn daddies for the 280. 32gr Vmaxes for the 204.

I've heard a lot of people complain about factory Encore barrel accuracy, but all that I have had have been great. But then of course I don't use it for bench rest, just hunting

John Boy,

That is stringing most any Encore shooter or any rifle shooter can live with!! As Steelie would say "Go kill Sh*t".

Just curious...what .270 reload where you shooting?

Doc

The stringing may not be from a barrel problem but rather from a scope problem; i.e., a parallax problem.

John Boy,

My 250/3000 custom shop barrel had vertical stringing issues until I bedded the forend tip with marine tex. Problem solved. I free float the forend and along with bedding the forend provides upward pressure on the barrel for additional barrel support. This process worked on every Ruger #1 I owned so I just transferred the concept to the Encore.

Doc

Groups like this from any Encore would make me happy.

I would be proud of that five shot group!

I would quit after that group. Very nice.

I did..... Afraid I'd pull one and mess up the group...

John Boy,

What load were you shooting?

Doc

While I am not expert at guessing grouping problems; I do know it take a lot of groups to be sure you are seeing a pattern. I mean random groups are not round. They are random in shape. I would expect one this way and another that way. Like looking up at the stars and seeing a dipper. That is normal for random distributed points.

First you show a slight vertical group then a slight horizontal group. Right off that tells me there is no pattern. Shoot a few more groups and see if there is a trend, then come back and ask. Be consistent, if the first shot is cold and then wait between shots do them all like that. Come back another day with a cold barrel. Or shoot a fouling shot before grouping. Hot barrel can shift poi, so be consistent with dealing with that.

I hope I dont come off like s a know it all, just giving an opinion. Typing on the web it is easy to give the wrong impression- Just tossing out my 2c here.

Another method is to fire every shot at a new aim point and that way you can see if poi shifts higher and higher or random hi then back down. One target with 11 black spots. Start top left and shoot row after row.

Here are some useful targets:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/38...-a-17-50-4-position-paper-package-of-100

Could be a forend to barrel contact issue or even the torque on the forend screws. These encores are famous for vertical stringing, and many insist on resting the forend on the bench bag way back towards the receiver for best results. Some experts say the vertical stringing is also caused by headspace issues. My encore had vertical stringing with several factory loads, but finally shot black hills gold 85gr tsx into tiny groups with no evidence of stringing. Patience is a virtue with these break action guns. But, man, they sure are a joy to carry in the field, and versatile too.

I'd likely not worry about it.

You ain't missing a deer