My own opinions. Why AEA, simply it's what I could afford it. Best out of the box, my experience and apparently many others, "No". But I knew that upfront and don't mind having to work on something to get it how I want it. In the end the I'll know every part of the gun and how it might be adjusted.
As for choosing a regulated gun it wasn't about shot count. For me it's consistency between every shot without having to think about a bell curve. I can't claim to have never missed, especially with a bow or crossbow. Deer react can quickly when you're shooting subsonic. Miss then wait a few hours for another to wander in and you've now got to factor a the POI change because your pressure has changed. Forget that in the heat of the moment while looking at a huge buck and a good shot becomes a bad wounding shot, and possibility an unrecoverable deer, no matter how much power your shooting. For me yardage, elevation, and windage are enough consider on the fly while my heart's pounding. And if I'm sacrificing some speed and power for accuracy well a good slow shot is always better than a fast bad one. And if I can't make a good shot, I'll let it keep walking.
As for range shooting a big bore. Off the bench is turning till it's where you're satisfied with how it's shooting, which is different for everyone, and sighting in the scope. After that again it's about consistency. But for the me, not the gun. Even a professionally tuned gun can only perform at it's shooters level. Everything I hunt with, I range shoot regularly as if I would when hunting, not off the bench. I'm just not a dozen rounds to check sight in just before season type person. I do it so when I shoulder something in the woods it a natural act, not something I'm thinking about. For me it's practicing with the tool I'll be using. I can plinck steel with my .22 and pip squirrel with it, but it's not my crossbow, nor this big bore which I still new to.
But to each his own opinion
The praise of a good shooter? Priceless…
