How Do You Explain Rimfire?

grauhanen

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I tried to think of a more suitable title for this post but without much luck.

It could be called "What Kind of Rimfire Thinker Are You?"

In any case, this is the result of some of the arguments that rimfire forum readers may often come across. Shooters generally agree on what they see on the target. It's easy to measure a target. Disagreement often comes from what targets mean, why there are as they are.

These arguments are frequently left unresolved and that's okay. Answers are not always clear or obvious. But much of the disagreement begins with where different shooters are coming from. They are often looking at things from different points of view, from different ways of thinking.

The short exercise below is not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.

It’s simply a way to help you see which explanations you tend to rely on first when you think about .22LR ammo, barrels, and lot testing.

Some of the choices may seem obvious, others may make you pause.

In the next post I will give four short questions. Each is followed by two statements. You choose the one you favour most.

I'm not sure where this will go.
 
Assumptions:

• Higher quality match ammo, not bulk .22LR.
• Same shooter, same set up
• Same distance, calm or indoor conditions
• Enough shots to be meaningful

Instructions:

Choose the statement in each pair that is closest to how you think.
This is not scored for points.

1. What determines which lots are “better”?

A) Some lots are simply better quality than others, and better lots give better results across barrels.
B) A lot is “better” when it matches the barrel and that ammo-barrel match is what produces the results on target.

2. Why do shooters test lots?

A) To identify better lots because they shoot well, regardless of rifle
B) To identify the lots that best match the particular rifle because that matching gives better results.

3. If Lot X groups smaller than Lot Y in one rifle, what do you expect in another rifle?

A) Lot X should still group smaller
B) Lot X may not group smaller. Lot Y could.

4. What is the role of the barrel?

A) Barrels send rounds downrange. They don’t change lot quality. Lot quality determines performance on target, regardless of barrel.
B) The barrel and lot work together. A lot that shoots well in a barrel because that barrel “likes” it.

I will offer some details on what your choices may suggest. This may help describe how you think about or explain some key aspects about rimfire.

Remember there are no right or wrong choices.
 
I'm deleting my comment, because it looks like the original post is some sort of drunk dialing run on sentence.
Perhaps the first post seems like a run-on sentence. That was not the intention.

This is not meant to be a "gotcha" exercise. Four questions. Two statements with each. Choose the statement you agree with. That's it.

No one knows how you reacted unless you choose to share.

In the next post, what your four choices suggest.
 
Four questions, four choices. Choose the statement in each pair that is closest to how you think.

There are no right or wrong choices. What matters is the pattern of your choices.

If you leaned mostly toward A) you probably think in terms of inherent lot quality. Some lots are simply better and rifles mainly reveal that fact.

If you leaned mostly toward B) you probably in terms of rifle-lot matching: results depend mainly on how a particular lot and particular barrel work together.

If your answers were mixed it means you rely on both ways of thinking, depending on the situation.

The point here is not to say one side is correct. The point is to see where your thinking starts from. That's it.
 
For each question neither statement (A or B) is satisfactory on it's own. The nuance and interplay of factors can hardly be distilled into a simple one-sentence either/or explanation when it is a combination of both.
 
I am not a competition shooter but I do value “accuracy” in all my rifles.

So where does the following fit in?
A “lot” is a discreet sampling of ammunition by a given manufacturer. The more consistent the ammunition is from one shot to the next, the better and likely more “accurate”. This should be true in virtually any barrel.
Quality barrels are a better tool to measure lot consistency then poorer barrels because they have fewer flaws to interfere with ammunition performance.
 
I tried to think of a more suitable title for this post but without much luck.

It could be called "What Kind of Rimfire Thinker Are You?"

In any case, this is the result of some of the arguments that rimfire forum readers may often come across. Shooters generally agree on what they see on the target. It's easy to measure a target. Disagreement often comes from what targets mean, why there are as they are.

These arguments are frequently left unresolved and that's okay. Answers are not always clear or obvious. But much of the disagreement begins with where different shooters are coming from. They are often looking at things from different points of view, from different ways of thinking.

The short exercise below is not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.

It’s simply a way to help you see which explanations you tend to rely on first when you think about .22LR ammo, barrels, and lot testing.

Some of the choices may seem obvious, others may make you pause.

In the next post I will give four short questions. Each is followed by two statements. You choose the one you favour most.

I'm not sure where this will go.
This sounds like AI and i am suspicious of How our future robot overlords will use this particular survey to oppress or eliminate us?
 
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I mostly tend towards "B" for the answers, but I believe there are so many factors and a number of variables with barrel and ammo play a role.

In the end, precision ammo has been hard to get ahold of and I kinda gotta be happy with whatever lot I get.
 
No matter what you buy for 22lr ammo, super fast ,super cool, rnd nose ,hollow point, lead, copper plated, etc.....it's all cr@p.
It's the filthyest cartridge known to man. Just thought I'd stir the pot.
 
Rimfire is. Elites gate keeping everybody that "target" shoots to think everybody wants to be like them.
Not so bad here, but over at Snipers Hide, what a bunch of Donald Trump, know-it-all, Canadian hating, arm chair f***ing heros. This place is a breath of fresh air.
 
Not so bad here, but over at Snipers Hide, what a bunch of Donald Trump, know-it-all, Canadian hating, arm chair f***ing heros. This place is a breath of fresh air.
Oh yeah. This rimfire forum here is great - lots of good info and quite accepting of people just starting out.

Another thing I like about this particular forum - very little (if any) politics.

As for the questions.... I found myself mostly agreeing withe each statement to a degree. I shoot for fun mostly - still chasing reliable 1/2" groups at 50 - but I don't push much beyond that.

Cheers,
Marlin
 
I don't compete in 3 position smallbore much anymore, but when I did, you could tell right away the difference between a Marksman or Sharpshooter class shooter and a Master Class shooter.
But then, that was before the internet as well when everyone was an " expert"😒
Cat
 
I'm probably not the sort of guy you're looking to poll. Quite frankly I doubt that I can out shoot any of my rifles.

Does ammunition play a part? Of course it does. Am I buying $20+/50rounds ammunition? Not on your life. (see previous statement).

I've come to the conclusion that just about anything "standard velocity" shoots the best, with some brands better than others, but CCI Standard or S&B Match (the budget stuff) are my go-to choices and I certainly don't care what lot numbers they are.

These days I prefer reactive targets - I've lost interest in chasing small groups: give me a can on a string.


https://rumble.com/v79jwh6-sweet-n-short-how-do-you-22.html
 
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