Scopes

This may seem like a silly question and probably is. In my aging years my eyes are getting bad. At times there is a brown fog caused by small blood vessels bursting. A condition common to diabetes unfortunately complicated by eyeglasses. I picked up an old familiar 22 rifle with a 3x - 9x scope and found I could not get the crosshair to focus on the fifty foot target. It seems I have an option of focusing the crosshairs or focusing the target. Now the question. If it is possible, how to adjust the scope properly for sighting the target. You have to be able to see it before you can sight it in!

I know you must loosen the locknut and turn the eyepiece but is there a correct procedure for obtaining optimal focus?

Focusing the rear lens only affects the focus of the crosshair. To focus properly on a distant target you need a scope with an adjustable front element. The front element corrects for 'paralax' and sets the image of the target in the same plane as the reticle. Most scopes for high powered rifles are set to have no paralax at 200 yds, and most scopes for rimfires are set for about 50 yards. To really focus at 50 ft the paralax should be adjusted for that distance (usually by shimming the front lens out). It sounds like your situation may be more complicated that just focusing the scope, and perhaps you should see an optometrist.

Good luck,