Are some cartridges more accurate than others?
 

Are some cartridges inherently more accurate than others or is it just a matter of the rifle.

When it comes to long range shooting it seems a lot a guys are shooting cartridges that you don't run down to Bass Pro Shops and buy off the shelves.

So are longer cases less accurate than shorter, etc. etc...

The rifle itself means more...though I understand it to be that shorter/fatter cartridges tend to enjoy more "inherent" accuracy because of how the powder is displaced and starts burning. Look at cartridges like the 6mmBR, and -08 or -284 based cartridges frequently used for competition. Let's not forget that flat shooting and shear power have their place as well--the capabilities of the gun and operator are by far more important.

Probably....many are built on inherently more accurate platforms, to be sure.

Don't know but unless someone chambered a 25 acp, 32 acp, .380 in a gun that has potential it would be hard to argue one way or another.

I find with factory loads the rifle tends to tell you which load it likes the best. To get great fine tuned loads you will usually have to hand load them.

read an article in field n stream I believe it was that said there were only 4 cartridges that were popular in bench rest shooting over the years...

.223rem
6.5-284Norma
.308

forget what the 4th one was that they mentioned...

I think shorter, fatter, rimless cartridges are supposedly more likely to be, or more able to be accurate.

Aside from a custom rifle and handloading, I think a quality factory rifle and finding a load that works best in your rifle is the way to go...

Short and fat...PPC's and BR's...just look at the records...

Bench shooting (competition) accuracy vs hunting accuracy is two different things !!!


Which are you talking about ?

Yes but the most accurate are designed specifically for that purpose.There's not any consideration given towards performance on game though some are fine for hunting just the same.

What I mean is....

30-06 vs. 308
280 vs. 7mm-08
300 WM vs. 300WSM

The shortcased versions is what Im wondering. Say for a 500 yard rifle, 308 over 30-06 going to see inherently better accuracy. Both will kill at that range, no problem.

Im thinking not a bit of difference at this point...

I have always heard that short, fat rounds are inherently more accurate...not sure if I actually believe that though...

What I have seen is this...

.308 > .30-06
.300 WM > .30-06 (I have not tried the .300 WSM and not compared the .308 to the .300 WM directly)
7mm RM > .280 Remington (I have not tried the 7mm-08)

As a whole, I also pay attention to sniper teams recommendations...US military tends to use the .308 (or the .50 Barrett)...German teams use the .300 WM...US Secret Service (guarding the President) uses 7mmRM.

However, most of the bullets that sniper teams use are not applicable to the hunting environment...ex...168 grain .308 Moly-coated FMJ-BTs.

As a whole, I have not found any rounds based on the .30-06 case (.25-06, .270 Winchester, .280 Remington, and .30-06) to be especially "super" accurate, though all were plenty accurate for deer hunting. Maybe it is just me, but I have seen better accuracy with the .308 family and the belted magnums (have not tried the Weatherby versions).