Scope focus?

[shooter1054]

I am a self taught shooter, except for some pistol classes I've taken this year. As a hunter, I've learned to shoot my rifles "hunting accurate". I've started trying to shoot a little longer range and more accurate at these ranges. In pistol shooting, we all know the mantra "focus on the front sight". What do you focus on when shooting a rifle with a scope? Do I focus on the reticle or do I focus on the target?

 

[lovemachine]

I'm not sure if this answers your question...

But I'm using an Aimpoint red dot. And I was taught you use both eyes, one eye on the dot, the other on the target, at the same time.

 

[shooter1054]

I am using Nikon Prostaffs on my rifles. I always shoot with both eyes open, rifle and pistol...this could be an entirely different thread...but on my turkey gun I have a red dot.

 

[Lancem]

If the scope is properly focused the retical and the target should both be in focus and appear in the same plane.

 

[shooter1054]

What about in a hunting situation? If I set up for 100yds at the range, then take a 300 yd shot in the field, will everything still be "in focus"?

 

[Lancem]

Yes, focus the scope by looking through it and then focusing it so the retical is sharp and in perfect focus, then lock the focus ring down. You should be good to go from close to far, unless your scope has a parallax adjustment which you will need to set to the approximate target range to have a clear sight picture.

 

[shooter1054]

Yes, focus the scope by looking through it and then focusing it so the retical is sharp and in perfect focus, then lock the focus ring down. You should be good to go from close to far, unless your scope has a parallax adjustment which you will need to set to the approximate target range to have a clear sight picture.

Thank you. I appriciate your information. I will try this at the range this weekend.

 

[rhino]

I have limited knowledge of precision shooting. Given that, Louis Awerbuck (and a few others) suggests that if you need to make a precise shot, you will have better results if you focus on the dot or the reticle itself. Yes, the reticle appears to be on the same plane as the target, but it's not really and your eyes can see the difference if you try. I've used this idea when zeroing, shooting groups, or trying to make a more difficult shot and it seems to work. If time is an issue (which it usually is), look through the scope and see the reticle over the target and rely on good trigger control.

 

[shooter1054]

I can always count on Rhino! Thank you sir!

 

[rhino]

I can always count on Rhino! Thank you sir!

I hope it works for you!

 

[shooter1054]

I will try it out this weekend. I'm shooting up to about 600yds this weekend. I just hope I can ring some steel at distance and not embarras myself.

 

[rhino]

600 yards! Wow! I've never shot past 300 yards (that I know of). Let us know how it goes.

 

[shooter1054]

Got home from the long range shoot. It was a good time....untill the sherriff came over and shut us down. Supposedly an "insufficient backstop". Even though we disagreed, it just wasn't worth pushing the issue. We were on private land aay out of the city. About 50 people and a lot of firepower. Someone got scared and made a phonecall. I was shooting my Browning Abolt in 300wsm. I was able to ring some steel at 209yds, 256yds, and was working on the 650yd steel when we were shut down. A few more shots and I would have had it. I had my 44 mag. rifle ringing the 209 steel fair. I can't wait to do this again. After the beans are out, the land owner is going to move some dirt to satisfy the "backstop issue".

 

[patience0830]

Parallax and Focus

Focusing the ocular lense (eyepiece) on a scope is for the crosshair. look at a light background or the sky and use the ocular adjustment to make the crosshair as sharp as you can at the highest magnification. Look away a couple of times and look back and check so the natural tendencey of your eye to try and focus things doesn't fool you. If your scope has a fixed objective that is the best you'll get. If closer targets appear fuzzy use a lower magnification.
If the scope has an adjustable objective, after focusing the cross hair with the ocular lense, you can set the AO for the approximate distance to the target and fine tune what the target looks like with small adjustments while looking thru the scope. Keep in mind that parallax is not really about focus but about whether the cross hair appears to change position if the rifle is held still and the eye is moved. No parallax error and the crosshair will appear to remain at the same point on the target regardless of where your eyeball is located vertically and laterally in the eyebox area at the rear of the scope.