I recently went on a deer hunt and shot a couple of Does at about 50 to 60 yards with excellent results. However when I took a shot ( ok several) at about 150 to 200 yards the deer just stood there looking around wondering what the heck I was doing. I sighted in my gun which is Browning A Bolt .270, with a Nikon Monarch Mildot 4-16x42. The problem I'm having is when I put my cheek on the stock I have a hard time seeing my target, I guess its the parallax that's throwing me off, I have to move my head around on the stock to get my target in the scope. Not sure what to do about this, I'm a newbie at this and want to feel comfortable enough that when I'm hunting I make the best shot possible. I also know I'm anticipating the shot and pulling my shots. I would love any feedback and even would like to get with a pro to help with my shooting skills. I know this is the optics forum so any suggestions on use of my scope would be appreciated. Constructive criticism appreciated!

Just to add, when I sighted in my scope I was 1" high at 50 and bulls eye at 100 yards. Perhaps I should have put it 1" high at 100 yards but at the shooting range I go too, not the best in the world for tables and a sturdy support. So not sure if what I'm shooting is actual or just lucky.

may not be a scope issue at all if you feel you are pulling the shots, you probably are, and that gets amplified at 200 yards much more so than at 50 yards.

practice shooting at 150-200 will make a difference, but honestly if you are pulling shots any practice you can get will help.
dry firing may be a good thing for you to practice to see if you are pulling too, but if you know there is no recoil it may not help other than muscle memory. a snap cap may be the best thing to load in there so that way you don't know its coming.

Did you mount you own scope? You should be able to shoulder rifle with your eyes closed and when you open your eyes you are seeing perfectly through the scope. You may have to move the scope forward or backward as well add some shims to the cheek piece...really not difficult. Also, It doesn't sound right that you can be 1" high at 50 and dead on at 100....most scopes are about 2" above the barrel, making that a 3" rise in 50 yards...really doubt that would be on at 100. For the best advise, JG Fireman is usually around and will probably post here sometime soon. Take his course, best money you could ever spen, he'll have you hitting steel at 800 yards within a few hours.

P_102

A .270 Win sighted in at 100 yards would only hit about 4 inches low at 200 yards, so that isn't an issue here. I assume you mean the scope picture is going partially black on you, is that right?

Continued...my scope is 2.125" above the barrel and when zeroed at 100 I'm 1.1moa low at 50 yds., (about a half inch). Your bullet is rising twice as much as mine....are you sure you were an inch high at 100? I ask because you are using a mil. scope.

Rezero that scope perfect at 100 yards. No need to zero a MIL Reticle high at 100. Make sure all screws are tight, action screws, base screws, ring screws.

If you can't get steady, you can't get a solid zero, fix that issue.

Shoot small at 100 yards before moving farther.

He said the problem is that he can't get a full sight picture. (I think that's what he is saying.) That is because his stock doesn't put his eye directly centered in the scope and the correct distance behind it. I think this problem is magnified with high-magnification scopes.

If it is an eye relief problem, place the scope in the rings with the magnification at max power. Close your eyes, get comfortable behind the rifle, open your eyes. If you have tunneling, move the scope until edge to edge clarity is seen. Start over with eyes closed and go again. Once eye relief is corrected, level the scope, and lock down the rings.

If there is a height issue, two problems mean two different remedies. If the scope is too low, higher rings are in order. If the scope is too high, a Triad Tactical stock pack will raise the cheek to the proper height after some adjustments.

This is just X and Y, if natural point of aim behind the scope is not possible, good shooting is much more difficult.

In addition to the above advice, how sure are you of the 150-200 yard distances? Are those estimates or actual verified data? Not flaming you, but if you are a newbie you might also not be a good judge of distance (many people aren't anyway, new or old).

After all the good advice, I probably ought to keep my mouth shut. But that has never been easy for me. IF you are pulling your shots in the field, you are probably pulling shots at the range. Being a newbie, is the recoil of the 270 too much? I have shot 270s for years and it doesn't bother me. But for some it does. But the main thought I wanted to throw out there is-do you have someone that can go to the range with you? If so, let them load the rifle for you. Sometimes putting one in the chamber and sometimes not putting one in there, obviously not telling you if there is a live round in there or not. And then let them tell you if you are pulling and how bad.

Not sure if someone said it or not but if it's a SFP scope you'll hit the POI will be different then POA @ different magnifications (won't make them off center, just higher or lower). When you can't see thru the scope good, is the magnification turned all the way up to 16? Usually that creates a smaller 'eye box' & more difficult to see thru the scope w/out a black haze on the perimeter of the scope lens.

Point of impact with a SFP scope does not change w/ magnification if using the crosshairs, only when using mil/moa hash marks.

P_102