Well shot a few more rounds today through my 260. I tried to take the best rounds from last week and work on them. Getting some puzzling results. I shot 10 rounds loaded with 45.5 grains H4350, Remington case, 120 grain pro hunter bullet and Federal 210 primer.
This round placed 7 shots in a horizonal group 1 7/8 inches long. In that group, starting from left to right, were two .650 then .500 from center to next hole, then three shots .650 group, 3/4 to next hole and two .250. The other three were 1.250 from the center.

10 rounds of 43.5 H4350, Remington cases, winchester primer, 120 grain pro hunter bullet shot 2 through the same hole, the 1.500 inches and 3 through the same hole and 5 1.500 from center.
Puzzling to say the least I can get several through the same hole but several different places in the same group. if I could have get them in the same place I could shoot 5 through the same hole out of 10. What next? Any suggestions? Would a muzzle brake help? I have a very soild platfrom to shoot from and took my time shooting and very careful reloading.

is the barrel free floating?

I think I missed the post on what rifle you are shooting. Assuming you are a competant shot, are you shooting fast, is the bbl. action/bbl. factory beddded? I think more details are needed. FWIW, I don't like ten shot groups, because of bbl. heat. I feel 5 shots are max. unless you are allowing the bbl. to completely cool between each set of 5.

i floated the barrel using a doller bill but may need to peel off some more. Can't bed this stock and would have to buy a diffferent one to get it bedded.
I shot these same rounds in a three shot group last week then loaded up 10 to try for consistant shooting. Out of 10 had 7 through the same hole but in a 1 7/8 long group. Very possible that Im shooting to fast although I did wait some. Might be to fast shooting. Will try next week shooting 3 shot groups and letting the brrel cool down betweeen the three.
Thanks

Blob,did you ever try the R-19?That I sugested in your ruger.
Have you checked the poundage on your trigger? sounds like you may have a heavy trigger getting horizonal groups.Every ruger I have had I had to do a trigger job to get them to shoot good.
I finally got some of the hornady 100 gr bullets and tried them out yesterday using IMR 4064 and R-19 in my rem 260.I had good results with both but think the R-19 still does the best,shot 2 in group @300 with the 4064 and 1 1/2 in with the r-19.Let another fellow at the range shoot my favorite load(R-19==47.5 grs,120 sierra match bullet ) @ 300 yds,his first 2 went in the same hole and the 3rd one went 2 inches high,think he pulled off on that one was his first time shooting at 300 yds.
When I had my ruger I bought a hogue stock for it but it shot worse than the factory stock,even rebedded it and it still shot worse.
Sounds like the load you were using was doing pretty good 7 out of 10 in the same hole,I would try again just shooting 3 shot groups and letting the barrel cool between groups,If the trigger is not too heavy and not making you pull to the right or left you should get some good groups with the H4350.

I shoot a lot of 260 and I can't add anything to the suggestions that you received above.. All three gentlemen are on top of it in my book...

I'd dare say the problems are probably a combination of all three of the above...

Good luck there...

cheers
seafire

You`ve likely got some bbl heat with 10 rds if you didn`t let it cool well. I would take the wind in concideration also, a 10 mph wind will give you almost a inch of drift @ 100 yds with a 120 Sierra at 2800fps.
A little tilt to the rifle or the way it recoils on the bags can also cause some appearent drift. The fact you had good vertical hints that the loads worth playing with.

hey do thank all of you for the suggestions, and I haven't forgot about R-19. I had the rifle checked over real good by an expert rifle maker and he said everything was just fine, at least for factory grade. But I think I will see about a trigger up grade and the load a few a bit lower than 45.5 and come up to it in 1 tenth grains. Yeah sure do need to slow down shooting. Thanks all.