Rimfire can refer to so many shooting disciplines that qualifiers should be used to make sure we don’t get into an apples and oranges scenario.
For the purposes of this post I’m referring to unlimited rimfire benchrest shot in ARA sanctioned matches. It’s a relatively simple matter to use the ARA scoring database to compare the winning season aggregate and create a simple graph.
I favor using season aggregates over a single tournament simply because the dataset is much larger. I believe that indoor chronology is more appropriate to use than outdoors but I collected both datasets just for grins!
Naysayers can pick apart this approach and I’ll agree that attempting to select an approach to define “accuracy advancement” may be a personal preference. I’m offering both an approach to defining rimfire accuracy advancement as well as data that suggest rimfire benchrest accuracy has advanced.
The dataset I’ve generated and am displaying here shows tabular and graphic displays for both indoor and outdoor environments.
View attachment 5294
Here’s some observations to chew on:
Indoors - For six years between 2013 and 2018 the winning season aggregates averaged 2329 and ranged from 2300 to 2358.
Then, beginning in 2019 and continue through 2022 aggs averaged 2380 and ranged from 2345 to 2400.
That’s a 50 point increase in season aggregate averages which suggests a significant advancement in rimfire accuracy. Maybe more importantly, there’s been a steady increase in winning season aggs from 2019 to 2022; with scores increasing from 2345 to 2400.
Outdoors - The winning outdoor season aggs follow the same general trend lines as the indoor aggs which further supports my conclusion that the RFBR community is steadily advancing rimfire accuracy.
Norm, since we have not seen anyone try to define how to measure the advancement of rimfire accuracy, this would seem to be a very analytic approach to determining if accuracy, as measured by match-winning aggs, have improved over the past several years. It would seem the data support that accuracy has advanced! Great job with the data, and now, we can focus on the real question. Since we have seen accuracy improve, what are the potential reasons for that improvement? I propose that one potential answer could be related to the shift away from Eley ammo to Lapua, as we have seen in the recent past. Also, the improvements in barrel manufacturing could also be another potential reason.
Nice work with your analysis!
Tombstone
How do we actually define rimfire accuracy advancement?
Seekers of rimfire accuracy advancement:
How do we actually define rimfire accuracy advancement?
Your LBK and pistol fool friend, Bill Calfee
Bill, this post seems to talk about defining rimfire accuracy advancement, which is why Norm posted his data analysis here. Sorry if it's in the incorrect thread.
Tombstone
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Friend Tombstone:
The word "actually" is the key word in my post..
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How do we actually define rimfire accuracy advancement?
Seekers of rimfire accuracy advancement:
How do we actually define rimfire accuracy advancement?
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Friend Tombstone, I'm a charter member of contemporary RFBR, 34 years now...
I've watched scores grow throughout those 34 years.....
But what happened at the recent ARA Indoor Nationals is completely out of context with that gradual 34 years of rimfire accuracy growth.
This thread is about what "actually" happened at the recent Indoor......OK....
Your LBK and pistol fool friend, Bill Calfee
Mr. Calfee:
I was there and the biggest thing I noticed was on Friday it was in the mid-60's outside. While Saturday was cold and rainy and Sunday was colder, both in the 30s-40s. The barn is not sealed completely with light being able to be seen between the rafters above the walls. That's the difference between the PSL and the ARA tournament.
Here's the raw data for what competitors intended to shot ...
Actions - 2500X 32, Gann 8, Suhl 2, Swindlehurst 1, Trident 4, Turbo 21, Vudoo 5, 10-X 8
Barrels - Benchmark 3, Broughton 1, Hart 1, Muller 32, Other 7, Shilen 41
Triggers - BixNAndy 41, Suhl, 1, Flavio Fare 19, Jewell 11, Other 2, PQP 2, Walther 8
Stock - Factory (?) 1, IvanHoe 2, Lidgard 15, McMillan 20, Myers 2, Other 8, Pippin 1, PWC 32, Self 2, TM 2
Scopes - Athlon 1, B&L 1, Kahles 5, Leupold 4, March 9, Nightforce 42, Other 6, PWC (?) 1, Schmidt & Bender 2, Sightron 12, Weaver 1
Gunsmith - Blevins 1, Brock 1, Bumgarner 2, Calfee 3, Gann 8, Gorham 13, IvanHoe 2, Kerley 3, Langley 2, Other 11, Patterson, 5, Penrod 7, Self 5, Shilen 1, Stiller 12, Wilkinson 4, Vudoo 1
Ammunition - Eley 24, Lapua 61
I post this here to keep it from being lost.
TKH