You are using the dot in the Athlon the wrong way
Don’t dab it on the target, rather visualize the bullet hitting at 12 o’clock on the dot and use the top center of the dot as your aiming mark
That occurred to me, thanks, the first time I sent a round downrange. It's the only way to shoot for group with this or any other scope with a thick center aiming point or thick reticle (or with irons). But every other scope I own works just fine putting the crosshairs where I expect the bullet to impact.
The Athlon is a great scope and I'll keep using them on the two rifles I've got them bolted on. At 2x in low light they are truly awesome which is not the case with any other FFP scope I can think of off the top of my head.
But there seemed to be a general consensus that the Athlon was better in all ways for all purposes vs their equivalently priced competition, which was not the conclusion I came to. For dinging steel and busting rocks I prefer the Sightron. If someone needs the extra elevation and doesn't mind the thicker reticle, more power to them.
