I shot some 25 yard groups to get a starting point and put 5 shots through the same hole with just a slight off center on one shot. Used a rifle rest and took my time. Moved to 100 yards with same loads, same rest, same shooting method, ( breathing out squeeseing the trigger, etc) moved scope to 20 powder to see better and the best group is 1.5"-2". Had a 1" target at 25 yards and a 3 inch with a 1" dot at 100 yards. What could make this much differance in such short distance?

Frist off did you reajust your parellax. On 20 power one should be shooting at a very small dot I normally shoot at a 1/8th in dot or so at that power. Remember when shooting at a 1 in dot you are touching off any place on the dot so side to side you could be a inch of your next shot with out accounting for gun error.

Smaller target make sure the scope is ajusted properly. A .250 in group at 25 yards in at least a 1 inch group at 100. 25 yards is ok to get started but does not really tell you any thing about the gun or the load or your self.

Aim small, miss small. I shoot at the edge of the spot that I am shooting at at 100 yards. I have a bunch of 2 inch white stick on circles that I stick to a piece of cardboard.I then shoot at the very bottom or top edge of the circle. I can see the holes from the bullets in the cardboard or the circle. The smaller you aim, the better you will shoot.

It might be nothing at all.

For sake of discussion, say that your 25 yard group was 1/4". At 100 yards, that's an inch, and a lot more exposure to cross wind.

A firearm that averages 1" five-shot groups at 100 yards will routinely print groups as small as 1/2" and as large as 1 1/2", with absolutely no change in the rifle, technique, shooter, or optics. Three-shot groups are weaker than that.

Basic rules of shooting:

The further you are from the target (all other things being absolutley equal) the larger your group will be.

The larger the target, the larger the group.

The greater the "power" of an adjustable 'scope, the more likely you are to lose resolution.

I was shooting at a three inch paper plate with a 1 inch orange stick on target with black cross hairs on it in the center. I did shoot better with a 3 x 9 than the 6.5 x 20. I had shot a few times with the 3 x 9 and it was 3/4 ". I understand the "aim small miss small thing and don't have any problem with deer but haven't did to good lately at the range. I am soon going to my .260 and hope I do better. Thanks for the info.

I adjusted the scope so it was at it's clearest when switching to 100 yards. But asee what you mean about the 1 inch circle and the need to get smaller. I have a good rest for the rifle so need to get smaller on the target. Will try it this Saturday.

If you have fine crosshairs or duplex reticle, try a 4" black square on white background for good contrast. Then, aim at one of the corners of the square by simply putting the intersection of the crosshairs at the corner and making fine adjustments until there is just the very faintest hint of white showing between the crosshairs and the black square. All this assumes your scope is properly focused for your eyes and you have adjusted the parallax correctly. Also, if you wear prescription glasses, wear them (or corrective lenses in your shooting glasses). Optometrist convinced me it was futile to buy corrective lenses if you have astigmatism and not wear them when using optics-scopes, binoculars, etc. He said you could correct near- and far-sightedness through focus adjustments, but not for astigmatism. Made sense to me.

WE all have our own way of shooting for group, but I like to take a scope and set it at about 6X, then shoot at a 1" dot at 100 yards. It seems to me that 6X is just enough magnification to allow the dot to slightly show past the crosshairs. Center up and take your shots.
Again, it works well for me... (And I agree that the greater the magnification, the smaller the dot should be.)

Will try the black square on white back ground. I was just wondering about the differance when 10 shots are shot through the same hole at 100 yards (a couple retired Marine snipers did a few weeks ago with .308s) and the group at 25 had to be the same. There must be something I am doing wrong because though I don't expect to shoot like they did, I have placed almost 10 shots through the same hole at 25 yards and can't get better than 1.5 at 100.