Accuracy is a product of quality materials and workmanship in a gun and a suitable load; and the cartridge really has very little to do with accuracy.Saying the 308 is the most accurate cartridge is a statement that can never be proven one way or the other.Barrel life is determined primarily by whether or not a barrel is overheated and how it is cleaned and the cartridge is a secondary factor that is only significant if the cartridge is a very large capacity overbore cartridge like the 30-378,ultramags or lazzeroni cartridges.For the average person looking for one rifle to use for all his hunting I recommend the 7mmm rem mag.It is flatter shooting than the 30-06 with similar recoil and more than enough factory load combinations are available for any situation.With proper care the barrel on a 7mm mag will still provide acceptable accuracy after two thousand rounds or more.