I was looking over a bunch of old targets over the last couple days and noticed that I tend to shoot groups that are somewhat taller than they are wide. It seems to carry over from rifle to rifle. It is more noticeable at two and three hundred yards than at fifty or one hundred. I know with pistol shooting, technique often shows up in change of point of impact. This sure looks like it is a technique problem. The groups I was looking at were all benched shots. I usually use a sand bag with blocks to get elevation in the front and a heel bag in the back. Any idea what I might be doing wrong?
Thanks
Bfly

Barrel is probably heating up and moving against the bedding. What is your interval between shots?

Are you snuging the rifle down into the bags the same way each time. I found an elevation change was often caused by different "settling" of the bag if I was in any way inconsistent in the techneque used to set the rifle on them. Fill density in the bags can make a difference.

Von Gruff

Could be the load vertically stringing.

Shoot an Audette's test at 500 yards to find the load.

I ws looking at a lot of old targets that I had stockpiled. They ranged from 222 to 416T. It seemed that most targets had similarly shaped groups. That's why I thought it must be me. I generally shoot three shots at a time, then let the barrel cool. I usually pick up a different rifle or pistol and shoot that at a different target. Can't say for sure whether I did this on all of them, but it is how I normally shoot.
It might be the way I snug the forend to the bags, that makes sense. Next time I go to the range, I'll have to do some experimenting.
Thanks
Bfly

Putting pressure on the rifle as you shoot. Leaning or weight not scaring it. If you were shooting a sling I'd say breathing or cheek weld.

I would guess that in thinking about how I hold a rifle on a rest, it would be that I am consistently inconsistent. I've probably just gotten sloppy. Need to work on that.
Thanks for the help,
Bfly

.....and another cause of vertical stringing is shooting off a front rest that is too hard, which allows the rifle to bounce a bit.