I am starting to do a lot more night work these days and am not getting any younger The days when I could get away with using peep sights and a mag light are fading fast.

I own several good scopes and at various times I have mounted them on one rifle or another for a client to use. However, having been well bitten by scopes that were mounted too far back on rifles with too much recoil, I have always tended to mount the scope as far forward as the scope will allow, even if this means having to streach my neck forward a little to get a full diamitre picture through the scope (and has the added benefit that the scope cannot shift forward under recoil). I am thinking of perminantly mounting a scope on either a .375 or a 9,3 for general every day use. Thinking of a top of the line Nikkon Monarch 30mm 1.5-6

my question is, Do I mount the scope right forward so that I have to make an effort to get my eye close enough to a full picture (and hense no danger of scope bite) or do I mount it so that when I throw the rifle to my shoulder in a normal standing possition, the eye relief is "just right"???

Don
I recommend that you mount the scope a little far foward. Not so far as to be uncomfortable.
Here is why.

When you shoot a gun with some recoil what hapens is the rifle [and thus the scope], start backwards, and your head goes foward. Especially if your shoulder colaspes.

Bam, your hit in the face with the scope.

If your neck is already stretched out, your head cannot go much farther foward, so when you shoot the head travels back with the shoulder, thus avoiding being hit in the head, by the scope.

On a variable power the eye relief usually is most critical , and shortest at the highest power.

I also recommend you pick a scope with an illuminated reticle. Really helps when you are trying to shoot a black animal in a black hole in the thick jess, even if it a bright sunny day.

Assuming that your length of pull is appropriate for your neck length, it all depends on how you hold your head upon the stock when you throw the rifle up.

Some people, like me, hold their heads upright. Others are what are called stock crawlers. Stock crawlers crane their necks forward as far as their ligaments permit.

The former, straight up types like me, hate scopes that are mounted too far forward.

The latter, stretchers and crawlers, need them mounted as far forward as their stretched out necks can see through.

You need to analyze your shooting style and mount your scope to suit.

Don,have no fear I am here! A single trick to memorize.Take a measureing tape and put one end on the recoil pad and the other to the rim of the scope around the lense you look through.This distance should always be less than 13 inches or you are asking for trouble.Also,always keep the butt of the rifle on your shoulder and not your arm.You will now be safe.