Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing vertical stringing

I recently changed the factory stock on my sako 75 s/s to a sako finnlight stock in an attempt to lighten the rifle.Changing stocks enabled me to loose about half a pound in overall rifle weight.

Both stocks are moulded for the same action so it was a drop in without any modification....However since changing stocks I notice that my groups fired at the range with proven loads seem to be stringing in a pretty much vertical pattern. Any suggestions as to what the cause might be?? Barrel is free floated,groups shot off a benchrest with tripod and bag,barrel allowed to cool after 2 shots....

Only variable changed is the stock....

Check to see if the barrel is still free-floated while resting on the fore-arm. Could be that the stock is not stiff enough to resist flexing under the weight of the rifle when on a rest.

Read this http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/2016724/page/1/fpart/1 recent post, it reiterates what the other poster stated. I would try shooting it off of bags and rest the fore-arm closer and closer to the action on different tries. It the groups tightened, I would suspect the fore-arm is flexing when the bipod is attached. Since this stock is lighter, perhaps the fore-arm is thinner?

Sounds like the previous guys have hit it on the head. One other thought is perhaps you don't have proper torque on the bolts that hold the action to the stock.

Cheers

I had a .300 Weatherby with a synthetic stock. It was very lightweight, and I was using the Leupold one piece base with the opposing screws on the rear of the base, and a heavy variable scope.

After a few shots, the rings would ride up out of the cuts in the base, causing the rifle to start stringing the shots vertically. Each shot would cause the rings to ride up a little more, and I have had it to be shooting 12 inches high after eight or nine shots.

Thanks for your help guys..

like2shoot... Have already tried shifting tripod away from fore arm,towards action. Groups were actually worse vertically strung at around 1.5-2" at 100yards.With proven loads at present(with tripod located towards end of fore arm) I can still get 3shot groups under an inch,but they predominately seem to have a vertical pattern to them which wasnt the case prior to new stock being fitted....

AI fool...barrel is still free floating whilst fore arm sitting on tripod..

I dont have a bipod fitted to the rifle,am only using a tripod when bench shooting.Cal is 260,rifle is used for hunting....

Cervus, I am not certain how the Sakos are made. Is there an integral recoil lug on the receiver? If so, place a piece of plastic in the recess under the lug and re-shoot the rifle. If it shoots better, I would suspect that the fore-end is hitting the barrel. If that doesn't improve accuracy, try placing cardboard or plastic between the barrel and fore-arm after removing the plastic from under the lug. If this helps, I would feel that the stock may need to be full length bedded or to be made stiffer.

I'm not a Smith, but I would ease a piece of match-book under the barrel at the end of the forend. If that solves it there are 100 guys here that can give advice on a permanent fix.

Wayne