focusing the reticle (eyepiece adjustment)

[boy412]

Got my Nikon Monarch X mounted and bore-sighted...all on my own. Piece of cake!

:)

http://idisk.mac.com/ericbullock//Public/IMG_0396.JPG

Now I'm trying to establish focus on the reticle. Nothing I do with the eyepiece ring (NOT the lockring!) seems to change anything when looking at the reticle at 10x. Experiencing a similar "problem" with the target focus (this scope has a SF knob).

Am I doing something wrong? I have the scope pointed at a white wall and no matter how many rotations of the eyepiece the reticle does not seem to change.

???

[Skunce]

The wall is probably too close to focus on, most of my scopes won't focus at under twenty yards.

[xhogboss]

Unless I'm mistaken, the reticle adjustment makes the crosshairs clear and crisp, regardless of the distance to which the scope is focused. This adjustment is pretty fine - takes a lot of turning to see a difference.

And this is one where you have to look quickly and evaluate how crisp the crosshairs are - if you continue to look through the scope as you adjust, your eye will try to focus the crosshairs. Look at it, turn two turns and look again. Keep going until you find the point where the crosshairs are the clearest.

[Uncle Jack]

I usually focus the reticule by looking at a blank wall or the sky or a white table lamp shade with the lamp on....just anything that is neutral that will not distract your eye from the reticule. Make sure you are wearing the glasses (assuming you wear them) you would normally wear at the range or out hunting.

uj

[Don - LongRangeSupply]

Drape a white cloth over the objective and shine a light on it from a nearby lamp or just point it out a brightly lit window.

Than go through the focus process working from a point turned INWARD until it is blurry, then turn it outward until it is a sharp focus. For a non quick focus eyepiece, depending on the threads you may need to turn it quite a few rotations to see any visible change. I have some scopes that require about 5 full rotations inward before the reticle gets blurry. With a quick focus eyepiece the change should be instant and dramatic.

Don't stare at the reticle, but rather turn the eyepiece a few turns then look at the reticle. If you are staring at it with a non fast focus design you won't get it where it really needs to be because your eye can compensate quite a bit for an out of focus reticle.

Here are a couple of web sites that talk about this in more detail.

http://www.abousainc.com/objective%20parallax.htm

As for the side focus, the main reason for that is to remove parallax. A sharper focus of the target usually matches the zero parallax point but not always.

http://www.6mmbr.com/parallax.html

[BobT]

The older I get the more trouble I have focusing my scopes, my distance vision is still 20-20 but I have to wear reading glasses. I have had some luck backing my eye away from the scope until I can only see about half the field. This makes the reticule appear a little bolder to me and a little easier to focus. My target dots are the hardest to focus, I'll think I have it then get to the range and see 2 dots on the target!

Bob

[boy412]

Thanks for the info everyone. This is definitely not like focusing a camera lens! The tip about not staring at the reticle while focusing was news to me. That's exactly what I was doing and I didn't understand why it wasn't changing while adjusting the focus ring. I was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with the scope!

[Dennis]

I had a similiar issue and was advised to put my reading glasses on when focusing my scope. 150% difference! Now I allways shoot with reading glasses!

PS: I was seeing a double reticle and two dots on my target scopes without glasses! I thought it was a paralax adjustment. I would get my focus close using an eye chart @ 100yds. Still was not correct.

With reading glasses, adjusting, shooting, and everything focus related is perfect now!

[Don - LongRangeSupply]

I had a similiar issue and was advised to put my reading glasses on when focusing my scope. 150% difference! Now I allways shoot with reading glasses!

PS: I was seeing a double reticle and two dots on my target scopes without glasses! I thought it was a paralax adjustment. I would get my focus close using an eye chart @ 100yds. Still was not correct.

With reading glasses, adjusting, shooting, and everything focus related is perfect now!


I am pretty sure that a double image means you have some major astigmatism and you reading glasses probably clear that up more than your long vision lenses.

[Dennis]

I don't wear glasses, just need reading glasses.

Somebody has the same issue I was having and suggested I shoot with my reading glasses on as it worked for him!

Again, Works for me too!