Really appreciated the replies to my other thread, thank you.

I ended up going with a Vortex 1-6 and I’m enjoying playing around with it. Will get it zeroed in at the range next week. Had the store mount it for me—and they were able to bore site it too.

Ok, now my question is about posture. Been reading a ton about it and will probably pay for some private instruction at the range too, since there’s only so much you can get from reading or watching a video. But one thing that’s got me confused is the issue of head-tilt, especially when shooting in the standing position. I don’t think I’ll be hunting this way, as I’ll be in a stand, probably with a bipod, but I’d rather learn to do this right rather than develop a bad habit.

Once I’ve got the rifle in the crook of my shoulder and I get my cheek on the stock and my eye behind the scope, my head is definitely tilted. Not to some extreme angle, but noticeably. It’s the only way I can get a clear view through the scope.

Some websites say this is bad form, but I’m not seeing how it’d be possible not to do this and still have a cheek weld and see through the scope. And in some videos I’ve watched, shooters do have a tilt like mine.

Just wondering if folks here have any advice about this. Should I focus on what works for me? Is there a tutorial about this that you’d point me to?

Question for you MD . Are you shooting with both eyes open or closing one eye ? When you shoulder the gun to your form standing , do you have to wiggle around to see the full scope to make the black ring on the lens go away , or do you instantly see the full lens and crosshair . By the way. Going with the 1x6 scope was the right choice

I close the other eye. And I definitely have to wiggle a little to get the right alignment and see the crosshair. (I’m hoping to make this all happen a lot faster with practice.)

A lot of conflicting guidance and pictures out there. Some folks seem to anchor the butt of the rifle in the shoulder. Others seem to have it practically at their collarbone. I guess everyone’s built a little differently, and rifles vary too.

I realize this thread isn’t about optics per se, but since it has to do with positioning via the scope, I figured it might make sense to put it here.

Do you have to lean your head forward to see the full lens or backward once you shoulder the rifle ? its the little things that count to fit your positioning of the scope.

Fortunately that bit feels just right to me. The stock length of the XPR Sporter fits me well, so I’m not leaning my head forward or backward—it’s pretty lateral.

So your wiggle is focused on left and right and not forward and back to see the full lens with no black ring around the lense . Unfortunately it might be the scope itself that is finicky with no room for error. Vortex is a good scope for the money , but I prefer Leupold. I had the same issue as you with a Bushnell scope and a slight issue with an older Burris scope. not bad though with the Burris . But the Bushnell was horrible in getting the full view of the scope. If your scope position fits you well , then its a matter of practice practice and more shouldering practice until its second nature . With my Leupold 1x6 firedot its instant. the second my gun hits my shoulder I have full vision through the lens . No wiggling whatsoever .

Appreciate this. And I don’t mean to suggest that it takes more than a second or two to lock in, just that I had to angle my neck a bit to make it happen. I’m sure with repetition I’ll get a feel for it.

Practice.

A few hundred repetitions and you'll be naturally finding the scope comfortably.

Do it safely. Unloaded. Verify it's unloaded.

Then, if you're able to, take it outside and just pick various marks. Then shoulder your rifle and get your crosshairs onto the mark.

Smooth repetitions. You can do this from your easy chair picking out marks on the wall even. But be safe.

- jake

will do—thank you

Personally, I always make sure I am setting up my scope for height and forward vs. aft position such when I address the rifle, eyes closed, my scope is centered in front of my eye when I open it. Learning to fit a poorly positioned scope is a fool’s errand. Setting the scope properly on top of the rifle to align to a proper head position in a proper shooting technique will always be more fruitful.