TargetTalk

What scores are used to determine the National Rankings? Are they the scores shot during a particular time frame (e.g. the last 12 months)? Is there a maximum number of shots used in the computation? I see some shooters with 720 shots. Also, how frequently are the scores/standings updated?

Shadow:

Sorry nobody more knowledgeable has taken a stab at your quesitons; i will attempt to help.

Short answer: very problematic in recent history; many changes made recently; not sure about current status but substantive changes have been made.

1. Any score sent in by a match director for an event approved by the USAS. This has created some confusion etc. in the past. Generally your buddy at the range can whip up a score sheet, send it in with some money attached, and the scores go into the database. Not sure how USAS is vetting the scores now- like I said, there have been some problems in the past. It's supposed to be made up of "official" scores at "official" (USAS sanctioned) events submitted by "official" officials. PTOs count; yes indeedy they do! Not NRA matches though- unless the MD has "dual sanctioning" (both NRA and USAS) for the match. Some clubs have done this successfully.

2. As to the "moving average" nature of which scores count- this has changed a couple of times in the last few years- not sure what they are currently using. At one time it was based on "current calendar year" (February to February) then "the most recent X shots fired" and now I believe is supposed to be "most recent in Y calendar months." Or it could be static snapshots every Z months. Competitions division at USAS should be able to tell you.

3. I have never seen a "maximum number" per se (see above).

4. Updated infrequently. USAS are very busy, understaffed, and national rankings have *never* been any kind of priority for them. That's one of the reasons why the listings have been traditionally somewhat errr "casual." USAS has promised on occasion to make the rankings more significant, meaningful, and legitimate. I believe they are making progress in that direction (a bit of cleanup has recently been accomplished for sure) but I can't say exactly where they are now.

Hope that helped. Short answer: very problematic in recent history; many changes made recently; not sure about current status but substantive changes have been made.

I'll be little help past what I've seen with my own personal scores/ranking:

I only have recorded shots from 12/8/2007 ~ scores from 2/3/2007 are not included.

I have fewer recorded shots than others, so I haven't hit a ceiling on number of shots.

This might be the exception to the rule, but my scores from the Olympic Trials were posted before I made it home (within 24 hours of my last submitted score). On our local PTOs, it seems to take about 6 weeks. But I'm not sure how much of that time is taken up by the scores and money sitting on someones table here, time in the mail, time on someones desk at the OTC, etc...

Brian