Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

I am beginning to wonder if my Winchester Apex is what I made it out to be. Could it really be Spanish Junk?

Iwent out today and shot her again. As you all know from my previous posts, I just recently sighted her in 2 inches high at 60 yards and dead on. I used those Powerbelt AeroTips and 100 grains Pyrodex. I won't go into all of the details. To make a long story shortI know she's sighted in at 60 yards and I was getting decent groups.

Today I had to go and shoot some because of the nice weather. Having used most of my bullets sighting in I only had 6 left. I figured, hey I'll go and see what this thing can do at 100 yards. I'll get all the bullets to touch. THINK AGAIN!!!! I fired five times in arow at the target and didn't even hit the board. This is one of those big targets for sighting in. I had it stuck on an old archery target and therefore was shooting at a 2 foot diameter target. I could not even hit that. I swabbed between each shot with solvent followed by dry patches, had a rest, and did everything perfect. I was using the same load as usual. Why couldn't I hit it!!!!???
I am not a perfect shot but I have never missed a target that size 5 times in a row at 100 yards.

To make things even more weird, I went up to 60 yards with my last bullet and hit 3 inches high and just a tad left(which was an ok shot for where I had sighted it). I'm out of bullets and completely frustrated. I've had my ups and downs with the gun but I am PISSED. I'm almost ready to return it again. Why mess with a gun that won't shoot predictably?

There was a crosswind--probably 15 mph. I don't honestly think that this could have altered the POI by feet though. Please help me out! If I have a piece of crap gun I'd better figure it out soon before it's too late to return it. Am I a lousy shot or this a piece of Spanish junk???!!!!!!!

RE: Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

Look at some of the other discussions on longer range shooting. It appears that a crosswind really can wreak havoc on where a bullet lands. I would give it another try under more favorable conditions. I haven't moved out to 100 yds. yet with the Kodiak but I will report my findings when I get the chance.

RE: Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

I think the answer to that question is none of the above. Look at your trajectory below. Would 9.68 inches take you off target? What if the crosswind was actually 18 MPH or 20 MPH? Play with it at
http://www.handloads.com/calc/index.html. Also where was your point of impact at 60 yards relative to your last outing (windage POI)?

RE: Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

The crosswind is actually 18 mph as of now. According to that chart it should have been 6 inches off.

I did think I saw some hitting the ground underneath though. I just saw the spray of snow. This happened with several and then I had one that I could've sworehit the top of the target.

I believe that it could be many things. I just wonder if it could be because of a cheaper barrel partly. Is it worth it to get an Omega? That was honestly the gun I wanted and kind of settled for that one. I can get the Omega Z5 for 60 dollars after returning this one. Would it be worth it just to end the doubt in my setup? I would just like to feel confident. I feel more confident in my old TC than this one right now. It just seems so predictable and trustworthy. I know an Omega would end my doubt. I know it's been an up and down struggle with this one although I love the gun. It just seems so hopeless. I've tried everything. Should I give it one more chance or go for the ultimate?

RE: Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

According to that chart it should have been 6 inches off------that is whatI came up with.

RE: Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

There are a number of things I would check. First the mounting blocks for the scope and the rings to make sure they are not loose. then the higth of the scope if its mounted high then maybe your bullet is still climbing at 100 and going ove the target. The quality of your gun is usually better than most in that price range so I suspect that it is something loose or a miscalculation. Lee

RE: Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

Maybe someone here can back me up or correct me on this but if you're sighting in your rifle by firing shot after shot, you're warming up the barrel. A heated barrel may not put the bullets the same spot as a cool barrel. This can change bullet impact dramatically, even at short ranges. Therefore, if you've finally got your rifle sighted in with a warm barrel and you go home then days later decide to head back to the shooting range on a beautiful day and shoot some more, those bullets shot through that cooled down barrel may not go where you expect them to go! If you're going to be hunting with this rifle, you definately want that first shot from a cool barrel to be on the spot because that's the shot that you're likely going to be firing at agame animal.

When you sight in, allow the barrel to cool down completely between shots that way every shot is like it's the first shot.

Good luck

RE: Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

At 18 mph, I'm getting 11.62 drift. As far as getting an omega, do whatever you want to do. Iam convinced thatmy apex is better than an Omega with conicals as I am getting sub-MOA elevation groupings to 80 yards with the OPEN sights. Learning how the wind affects your precision and accuracy is part of muzzleloading. You can go to sst's or to shockwaves in 250 or 200 weights and reduce the windage deflection greatly. I've said this before, light weight powerbelts are a piss poor choice for long distance shooting. Most of these people claiming they got no penetration probably gut shot their hapless deer in conditions similar to the one you experienced today.

Oh and by the way, I'd consider buying your apex, I think Frontier Gander would also.

RE: Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

Any chance if your gun has a scope you banged it on something? One day it shoots good another it's off? Maybe you already checked your sights, I don't know. Good luck, let us know what you find out.

RE: Spanish junk??? Please help!!!!!
 

This is just my opinion, but if you can return that gun for an Omega Z5 without getting to beat up on price, go for it.