I have owned only 2 FX rifles, a Crown and a Royale 400, both in .22. The Royale has been one of the most dependable air rifles I've ever owned. If I need to grab a rifle quick for pest control, it's either the Royale of the Taipan Veteran. I know that either one will shoot where I aim. The Crown was not a keeper for me, due to issues similar to your current experience. If I put it in the case and drove to a hunting site, I would have had no confidence at all in the rifle without checking for zero. And frankly, even after that I would have worried about the slightest bump in the woods. A lot of folks have fun sitting at the bench and tinkering with all the gadgets that FX is proud to provide, and that's great, but it's not for me.