Focusing a Scope

Q: I have an older Bushnell 6-18 power scope. The crosshair is blurry, so the scope, my eyes or both are going bad. In case it's the scope, what is the procedure for focusing it? — Race W.

A: The ocular, or eyepiece, is adjustable to suit the range of individual vision differences, so even if your eyes are bad, you should be able to adjust the scope so the crosshair is in focus. To make the adjustment, hold the scope at the proper eye relief so that the entire field of view is visible. Now, look through the scope at a blank wall or the open sky. The crosshair should appear crisp, and solid black. If not, loosen the eyepiece lock ring and turn the eyepiece until the crosshair is in focus. Take the scope away from your eye for a moment so your eye can rest, then try looking through the scope at the blank wall again. Repeat the adjustment steps until the crosshair is in focus. If you can not get the crosshair in focus, your scope may need repair.-sem