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I have read posts that lead me to believe certain calibers (i.e. 7mm08)are more accurate than others. Why? Yet when I compare the ballistics several other calibers are faster, flatter and deliver more energy. Is the difference significant from a deerhunting perspective?

Vapodog

It's generally conceded that the smaller calibers are more accurate....however I believe is solely because of their effect on a shooter....it's a lot easier to sit at the bench with a .223 than a .375 H&H!!! However, it should be noted that the .375 H&H is very capable of 1/2" groups!!!

In general, I'd not believe some calibers are more accurate than others.....Now for the 6PPC...if you was machined and crafted like this cartridge is, you'd be shooting superbly too...the difference is extremely small, yet enough to get a benchrest fella real excited.....maybe .025 at 100 yards. In standard vermint and hunting rifles extremely few can see a difference.....if in fact one really exists.

Velocity, power, ballistics has little or nothing to do with accuracy.

For a hunting rifle it's almost totally irrelevant.....

There are some that argue that short actions are stiffer and as a result are more accurate. In theory this makes sense.....but in fact it's just more talk. Ask them to prove it once!!!

Here's the bottom line: Unless you're a benchrest shooter used to shooting groups in the 1/ 8" range (100 Yards) there's no caliber more accurate than another and power, velocity is not a factor.

James B

I agree with VAP. Some calibers mostly short action may be a tad more accurate. Though as he says, in the real world of hunting I don't think it makes much difference. The fit of the bolt to the action and the rate of twist of the barrel can make a difference. Finding the right load or factory ammo is the key to accuracy in any decently made rifle. And of course Practice.

bigcountry

Velocity, burning effiency, Velocity spreads, std dev. have a significant amout to do with accuracy especially at long ranges. I learned this in the past few years shooting up to 600 yards with my custom 300RUM. At 100 yards I get .5MOA accuracy @100 yards with 200gr matchkings and 91.5gr of H1000 loaded at 3.625COL with Federal Match 215 primers but with velocity spreads of up to 80 to 100fps according to my chrono. When I moved it out to 600 yards, I see the groups stringing vertically. With my 308Win, I don't see this. The FN SPR I use gets consistently 1MOA accuracy at 100 yards, but I get smaller groups with no veritical stringing at 600yards but I have velocity spreads of 20fps. This is with 168gr matchkings and 47gr of Varget with fed 210 primers.

Pro-Line

Big Country hit it...It's burning efficiency. The 308 win is supposed to be the most efficient caliber. Thus, it's prowess at 1000yds.

jgttechjunkie

While I agree with many of the remarks so far, one must think about consistency. A change in temperature, from a cool morning when a rifle was sighted in to a hot afternoon when a shot was taken at a target, might affect the performance of some cartridges more than others, so the impact point might change more. I don't know if fast and slow powders deliver the same performance in changing circumstances. This would not affect accuracy on any one shot. Here are other considerations: given a powder scale of a certain accuracy, the errors in weighing that are introduced will have a greater effect on a small cartridge case than a large one, will they not? Doesn't the same hold true for tolerances in bullets and cases - i.e. the smaller the caliber the tighter the tolerances must be to get equally consistent shot to shot performance?

Vapodog

Just for grins I asked on a benchrest forum what percentage of 1,000 Yard shooters use the .308 Win...here's the replys so far....

http://www.accuratereloading.com/ubb...t=1#Post505693

bigcountry

Yep, the 308 has lost alot of popularity among the 1000 yard shooter. It has been replaced by 6.5-284, 6mmBR, and several more. I notice the 308 has trouble staying supersonic all the way to 1000 yards. What are you trying to say Vapodog?

mainehunt

Vapodog,
I only saw one response to that question.
Mainehunt

GordonGekko

Accuracy is influenced by a lot of factors. Factors that aren't so important at 300 yards can become very imporatant at 1000 yards? Such at BC of the bullets, and velocity (and velocity retention for some, since it is thought that the transition from supersonic to subsonic can have a negative effect on accuracy). However, the one thing you will notice is that almost all cartridges that are regarded as highly accurate are very consistent, sometimes shooting loads with and ES fo 10 fps or less. This consistency tends to favor shorter fatter cartridges such as the PPC's, the BR's, the 308 and it's kin, the 284 and it's offspring, and recently some have been using the WSM and it's offspring with a bit of success (at least at the 1000 yard matches). This isn't to say that longer cartridges can't do it, with the main point being for the 300 Win Mag which is one of the more popular 1000 yard calibers around, and has a reputation for being easy to get consistent. This consistency affects accuracy positively in several different ways, first since the bullets are moving at very close to the same speed, they are exiting the barrel at the same point in its vibration every time (this is harmonics, which is a whole different discussion), thus with the bullets exiting the barrel with the barrel very close to the same point every time, and with bullets moving very close to the same speed, the impact point should be very close! Thus making for a smaller group. I hope I haven't confused the issue any, but this is my take on why some cartridges are more accurate than others.

Just my 2 Cents.

Gordon