Weather is finally starting to cooperate enough to let me get out to the range and start testing the new 110 Apex Stainless XP package rifle. Still colder than a witches ta-ta on both days hovering just below freezing, but beggers can't be choosers.

Range Day 1

First day out (last Friday) I mainly just wanted to get the rifle zeroed in and maybe shoot a couple groups as I had two other rifles with me to get dialed in for upcoming reviews as well.

Things started off well after bore-sighting by looking through the bore. First shot was about 6 minutes low and two minutes left so I adjusted. Second shot was about 3/4 minute high and 1 minute right. Gave the clickers another small tweak and called it good.

Shot two 3-shot groups after that, both of which were right around an inch and were right on with my aim point. Third group the point of impact shifted about 2 inches to the right. Thought maybe it was me as I had on a heavy Carhartt jacket making it hard to get get the butt properly positioned in the pocket of my shoulder.

Fired a fourth group and it was two inches right as well.

Went downrange and hung a new target, and when I shot the fifth group it jumped to 7 inches right of my point of aim. WTH Willis?

Called it a day at that point as I wanted to check to make sure nothing had come loose before wasting more ammunition. Everything proved to be good and tight so either the Vortex Crossfire II took a crap or it was bound up internally and the recoil finally jarred it loose.


Range Day 2

Expected to have to adjust the windage today after last weeks big shift tot he right, but my first group was right in line with my aim point horizontally. Different ammo from the previous session so it was printing about an inch high, but no big deal. Proceeded to shoot 10 groups without any issues so the problem seems to have sorted itself out. Most of the groups were in the 3/4 to 1 MOA range.

Switched over to some hefty 180gr loads with Barnes TSX bullets and shot 10 groups with it, but the Apex didn't much care for it. Most groups were over 1.5 MOA, but oddly enough the very last group I shot formed a nice little 3/4 MOA cloverleaf.

60 rounds total for the day, shoulder's probably going to be a little tender later but that's a good thing, right?