I was out shooting on Wednesday and my Elite 3200 2-7x32 that's on my Remington 7400 30-06 changes point of impact when I zoom the power ring. Last time I shot this gun was last deer season. The POI was shifting a tiny bit during shooting sessions when I went from 2x up to 7x, but I never gave it much thought, I figured it was just me and my shakes at 7x. But when I shot it at the range Weds. , POI went from 2" high at 100yds (my zero) to 10" high and 4" left went I went to 7x. Off the bench.
Shot a couple of groups at other powers to comfirm the shift. It gradually gets worse as I go from 2x to 7x. Just wondering if anyones had good/bad service from the repair department at Bushnell. I'm going to send it off this weekend.
That POI changes explains a horrible shot I made last year on a doe at around 85yds. It was offhand, quartering to the right a bit. I held to put it low in the ribs angling forward, and the shot hit smack in the middle of the right rear ham.
I felt horrible about the shot, and couldn't believe that I muffed it that bad. I'm not the best offhand shooter, but I can generally keep them centered in an 8" target at 100 yds, so I'm confident enough to take offhand shots that far.
When the doe came out, it there wasn't much light left, and she was still in a brushy area, so I zoomed it up to 7x to have a better picture to see if there were any obstacles between us, where she was standing. At the shot, she dropped straight down, I figured it was a bang-flop, until I got up to here and saw the mess I'd made. A quick head shot ended the suffering, but I still feel bad about it.
This the 4th variable scope in the last two years that's had issues internally, with either the adjustments or the POI changing with the power. One Elite, one Trophy, one Nikon, and one Simmons. The Trophy was the cheapest of the bunch (it had also been on 7 different guns and probably 4000 rounds with several different zero's, so I forgive that one). I've had the POI problems in the past with other brands including Leupold and Burris, but none were severe enought to affect my shooting.
I've always been a fan of fixed power scopes, and now I'm an even bigger fan as I get older. I've never had any issues with any fixed power scope I've owned, from cheap stuff up to ones costing $300 or more. I can see most of my variables getting traded or sold for fixed power ones in the near future.
