What am I doing wrong?

[mobilehomer]

They main thing you are doing "wrong" is overthinking it. You are comfortable with open sights. You have shot that way for years. You are relaxed. With magnification your normal movements are exaggerated. This leads to tightness from trying too hard to remain motionless, which leads to even more motion and less trigger control. Give these a try. Get the reticle centered on the bull. Without moving, shut your eyes and count to five. If the reticle has moved when you open your eyes, then shift your whole body and/or rifle until the crosshair remains as close to centered as possible. This helps remove unneeded muscle involvement. Then there is follow through. Instead of thinking about shot placement, watch the pellet strike the target. At this time make no adjustments to the scope. After you get comfortable with the scope, then adjust it to zero.

[north country gal]

Ben, lots of good advice so far. Let me just add that using a scope is simply something that takes practice and the higher the magnification, the more experience needed to get comfy with it. Stay focused on the crosshair, even if it moves around a bit, same as you would on your iron sights and shoot. The basics of shooting are the same.

[NorthernBallistics]

What Rifle?
What Scope?
What Distance?
What Pellet?

[Hoosier Daddy]

Are you taking a breath and holding it to try and steady it?
 If so ... stop.

B.R.A.S.S.

B=Breath, R=Relax, A=Aim, S=Sights, S=Squeeze

 Breath deep and slow to calm your heart rate, then shoot at the end of the exhale.
Relax completely. Minimal muscle tension, take aim and then concentrate on the sight (crosshair) and squeeze the trigger using the pad of your index finger (not the tip or first knucke joint) the trigger release should almost come as a surprise... then "follow through" and watch the pellet hit the target without moving.

[bantam5s]

One word......Parallax.

Do any of your scopes have AO adjustment to compensate for this?

Exactly,  I do most of my shooting at 20yds or less and until I got an adjustable parallax scope my groups were all over the place.
I'd start getting it sighted in then the group would move.

I no longer have the scope because I'm a peep sight lover, but that adjustable parallax scope made all the difference in the world.

[Ash]

I was considering parallax as a factor, but not to the extreme of his target. My personal experience with parallax caused me to shoot groups that looked like multiple groups on one target. They would group in clusters, I didn't have single holes spread out like that. But I was shooting a semiauto .22lr, not a break barrel where you have to completely reset the rifle for every shot. I was leaning towards it being a contributing factor, but not the main cause. I'm thinking a combination of things like parallax, inconsistent eye positioning, a high mounted scope, inconsistent canting of the rifle, a hold the rifle doesn't like, etc.

[Hoosier Daddy]

What Rifle?
What Scope?
What Distance?
What Pellet?

This...I will also ask
Rx Glasses?

[Hoosier Daddy]

Are you taking a breath and holding it to try and steady it?
 If so ... stop.

B.R.A.S.S.

B=Breath, R=Relax, A=Aim, S=Sights, S=Squeeze

 Breath deep and slow to calm your heart rate, then shoot at the end of the exhale.
Relax completely. Minimal muscle tension, take aim and then concentrate on the sight (crosshair) and squeeze the trigger using the pad of your index finger (not the tip or first knucke joint) the trigger release should almost come as a surprise... then "follow through" and watch the pellet hit the target without moving.

I have been doing this for decades and still have to focus on the basics when things go "south". 

[Hoosier Daddy]

OH... One more trick...
Mount the gun, prepare to shoot, then close your eyes.
Count to 5 and reopen it.

Did your point of aim change?

If so your body position is wrong.
Adjust your body position (mount) and repeat that process until when you open your eye it is exactly where you left off.
 

I had an instructor way back when beat into my head "Chipmunk cheek" on the stock.

[KevinJBrown]

OH... One more trick...
Mount the gun, prepare to shoot, then close your eyes.
Count to 5 and reopen it.

Did your point of aim change?

If so your body position is wrong.
Adjust your body position (mount) and repeat that process until when you open your eye it is exactly where you left off.
 

I had an instructor way back when beat into my head "Chipmunk cheek" on the stock.

This is also a way to test if your scope mounting is correct. 

[uglymike]

Ive owned and enjoyed airguns for roughly 7 years now. I have never been able to get decent groups using a scope. Ive tried different holding techniques, pellets, scope brands, scope mounts, even going as far as to have it "professionally mounted" by a local armorer. It never fails that as soon as i rip off the optic im getting dramatically tighter groups with iron sights. I am at a total loss and would love to have this resolved without throwing out any more money. As far as research goes ive read and watched countless tutorials. I use locktite on the bolts and dont max out the turrets. The latest optic costs more than the rifle itself and it hasnt made a difference.

Where do you live in Nebraska my fellow CornHusker? I'm retired, have worlds of time and an indoor, heated, 50 yard, members only range to shoot in. Let's get together, bring your rifles, I'll bet we can figure it out.
 

[Nomadic Pirate]

What Rifle?
What Scope?
What Distance?
What Pellet?

This...I will also ask
Rx Glasses?

Hahahahahaha

[RwP]

What Rifle?
What Scope?
What Distance?
What Pellet?

A must know to come close for help.