Don't rule out a Bad Scope period!!, In the last couple of years I have never seen so many optic problems in scopes, it really doesn't seem to be any single co. This season we went through 2 Pentax, one bad from the Get-go, the next lasted one range session, Last year we had a Burris "belly-up". They gave an argument with the Burris, Itook the Rep. to the range and told him to "Have at it" end of story!! He replaced the scope. it really "Tees a guy off to spend money on shells, time at the Range, only to find the scope is bad, and then start all over. (sorry for the rant!! but I know what you are going through) Good Luck, Doc