Quick scope question

[Huntndog]

I have a question which may seem idiotic to those of you who are far more technical than I am,but I need to get my rifle ready.
I have a NF 4x32x 50 scope that I had put on my elk rifle. The rifle is sighted in ok and the bullseye on the target is clear at 100 yds on four power ,but when I zoom to a higher power it loses focus.
I know I have way more scope than ability , but nevertheless , I need to understand it so I can go elk hunting.

 

[RedSmoke]

Are you adjusting your parallax to each shooting distance?

 

[Chris in TN]

Focus it at the highest power, with the parallax set at or very close to the correct distance.

Also, what sort of elk are you hunting with 32x?

A couple years ago I went on a guided hunt and another guide with another client on a neighboring property missed a chance at a really nice bull because his client had his scope set on 20x when it popped up close at dusk. I was in the truck with my guide when they met up after dark and they got out of the vehicles but I could still hear the other guide ranting. It was mildly humorous and made me check to be sure my scope was turned down (it was).

 

[Huntndog]

Ok. Thanks for both replies. I need to look at the parallax. I don’t intend to shoot at 32 and am not comfortable taking long shots. I am embarrasingly unfamiliar with the scope . Just now getting to this part of preparation. Job and family stuff has been overwhelming. Thanks for the. Imput.

 

[RedSmoke]

Ok. Thanks for both replies. I need to look at the parallax. I don’t intend to shoot at 32 and am not comfortable taking long shots. I am embarrasingly unfamiliar with the scope . Just now getting to this part of preparation. Job and family stuff has been overwhelming. Thanks for the. Imput.

I should have also mentioned making sure your diopter is correctly set.

Nightforce has a video on this: Nightforce diopter adjustment

once you know the scope is setup correctly for your eyes, you can then use the parallax adjustment on the scope to focus the scope to each target range. Adjusting the parallax will give you the clearest possible image, and it will also ensure your reticle and your target are in the same focal plane. This will reduce point of impact deviation due to head position. Scopes often have the yardage marked on the parallax knob, but they aren't always precise. The way to verify your parallax is setup correctly is to do a head shake test. Move your head side to side, up and down, while maintaining a good sight picture and pay attention to what the reticle is doing. The reticle should remain exactly in the center of the target regardless of where your head is. If the reticle is shifting around, your parallax is off.

Also keep in mind, scopes can lose clarity and brightness at their higher settings. This shouldn't be drastic, but it is quite normal for a scopes image to be clearer below it's maximum power. I don't have experience with that particular scope, but I have handled scopes that look noticeably better backed off the max power just a little bit.