Sorry guys, still new to this and I am trying to understand what to look for in a load.

Ex 1: I shoot 5 shots and they string from left to right, but have very little vertical movement.

Ex 2: I string a 5 shot group up and down, but have very little horizontal dispersion.

Which is better? From what I am reading, it sounds like Ex 1. I want the no vertical dispersion, because the horizontal dispersion is probably cause by my trigger pull. Fix my thinking

its a guess at best.
It would help to see the target,Vertical and Horizontal stringing can be caused by many things. you need to aproach each issue one at a time.
it could be mechanical or maybe a hardware issue.
It could be a wimpy light conture barrel
it could be the trigger.
it could be the firing pin
It could be stock flex.
it could be your shooting bag and or style. rifle cant is a big issue.
the wind always come into plays.
its difficult to diagnose a load problem with out knowing velocity and deviation

If you are testing @ 100yds, you want NO stringing, nice round groups rule. At longer range, horiz stringing is liekly the shooter or wind IME. If I get loads tha string either way @ 100yds, I start tweeking or looking for another powder for that bullet. Yes, powders will matter.

Many times, in several calibers, when increasing powder charges, I've observed the shape of the group change (as well as it getting larger and smaller).

Horizontal groups, roundish, vertical, roundish.

I ignore the shape of the group and look for the smallest size group.

Vertical and horizontal stringing usually have a simple (albeit allusive) cause. Find the cause and you're in like Flynn

Round groups are more often a true measure of the guns ability and can be improved usually by glass bedding, free floating, working up better loads and using different bullets. Sometimes recrowning the muzzle helps too.

I'd prefer to have horizontal stringing groups to deal with.....usually it means the scope mounts are loose or the scope is bad.

What caliber are you shooting? Horizontal stringing
can be caused by shooter error when shooting a
"thumper" round. Then again, it could be as
already mentioned, something mechanical.

Vertical stringing can also be mechanical, such as
a need for a bedding job. Then again, it could be a
result of shooting too rapidly....beginning a group
with a cold barrel and ending with a warm/hot
barrel. That too, will cause vertical stringing.

Like vapodog said, the cause/causes may be
allusive but probably something simple to fix
when ya have it figured out.

It may not be your reloading at all......or
it may be......or it may be a combination of
a couple of things.

Lotsa help, ain't we?

I grew up in the benchrest world. and was always told left and right is the shooter. I can hear man dad say : that group is your fault and don't even try to blame it on his rifle.
The only time that rule went out the window is if the wind is blowing in your face or backside But truley it could be anything or nothing

No vertical AT ANY RANGE.

Barrels have lots of movements and you can solve the problem of accuracy by taking advice from this forum.

Horizontal can be caused by just about any uncontrollable factor.

Vertical is usually velocity inconsistency

Check out www.varmintal.com

Lots of barrel harmonic "movies" ....................

and http://www.6mmbr.com/laddertest.html for long range load development....

I've done it and it works!

You guys have no idea how much help you have been with all my questions. It is greatly appreciated. Now, I must go silicone my barrel
I actually have a win70 in 30-06 that I will try this on. Just did a brownells steel bed job on it. I will let you know the results before and after the silicone experiment.