Re: The Better Round
First off I'd have to say that 'ultimate accuracy" or "inherent accuracy" are primarily determined by the quality of the barrel and the subsequent chambering performed properly with a reamer of a design suitable for the cartridge and bullets to be used.
One thing most competition rifles have in common is a freebore that the length of which is determined by the bullets to be used. Generally it is best to have enough freebore to keep the bearing surface aboce the neck/shoulder junction. This makes for a more accurate rifle while att he same time limiting it's flexibility a bit. The chamber is likely set up on the small side of SAAMI spec or even custom dimension, and likely a tighter neck diameter to limit the amount of play a chambered round can have. The angle of the lead would likely by 1.5 degrees which seems to work better than steeper angles.
The .308 has a shorter powder column but not a fatter one, since both are based on .473 case head size. The shorter powder column of the .308 may contribute to better accuracy.
If both the 30-06 and the .308 print 1/4 moa at 100 yards with the same bullet at the same velocity with the same twist then they should be equally accurate at any range.
But, in a bolt rifle the -06 can be loaded to a higher velocity with any bullet 150 gr or more in a 24" barrel or longer, and with the 190 gr snd heavier bullets the -06 now has a distinct advantage of higher velocity with heavier bullets. And as we all know when the wind blows velocity and BC are nice to have.
The only drawback at this point is the extra recoil that would be generated by the -06. Recoil and the control of recoil is certainly an issue when slung up shooting irons, and even an issue of a bipob shooting prone or even off the bench. The main way to control it is a heavier rifle within the limits of any rules or whatever the shooter is willing to tote.
And then there is the variant of the -06 that is seldom seen yet works so very well, the .30-06 Ackley Improved. Lapua brass, getting close to .300 WM performance with mid weight bullets....Hmmm. In a real Ackley chamber (approximately .004" shorter to the neck/shoulder junction than a standard parent cartridge reamer) out of the box commercial ammunition will still work pretty well to and fireform nicely.
Wish I had the time and money to build a couple of rifles jut to test out the differences and find out if the .308 really is more accurate with the bullets, powders and brass availble today.
First off I'd have to say that 'ultimate accuracy" or "inherent accuracy" are primarily determined by the quality of the barrel and the subsequent chambering performed properly with a reamer of a design suitable for the cartridge and bullets to be used.
One thing most competition rifles have in common is a freebore that the length of which is determined by the bullets to be used. Generally it is best to have enough freebore to keep the bearing surface aboce the neck/shoulder junction. This makes for a more accurate rifle while att he same time limiting it's flexibility a bit. The chamber is likely set up on the small side of SAAMI spec or even custom dimension, and likely a tighter neck diameter to limit the amount of play a chambered round can have. The angle of the lead would likely by 1.5 degrees which seems to work better than steeper angles.
The .308 has a shorter powder column but not a fatter one, since both are based on .473 case head size. The shorter powder column of the .308 may contribute to better accuracy.
If both the 30-06 and the .308 print 1/4 moa at 100 yards with the same bullet at the same velocity with the same twist then they should be equally accurate at any range.
But, in a bolt rifle the -06 can be loaded to a higher velocity with any bullet 150 gr or more in a 24" barrel or longer, and with the 190 gr snd heavier bullets the -06 now has a distinct advantage of higher velocity with heavier bullets. And as we all know when the wind blows velocity and BC are nice to have.
The only drawback at this point is the extra recoil that would be generated by the -06. Recoil and the control of recoil is certainly an issue when slung up shooting irons, and even an issue of a bipob shooting prone or even off the bench. The main way to control it is a heavier rifle within the limits of any rules or whatever the shooter is willing to tote.
And then there is the variant of the -06 that is seldom seen yet works so very well, the .30-06 Ackley Improved. Lapua brass, getting close to .300 WM performance with mid weight bullets....Hmmm. In a real Ackley chamber (approximately .004" shorter to the neck/shoulder junction than a standard parent cartridge reamer) out of the box commercial ammunition will still work pretty well to and fireform nicely.
Wish I had the time and money to build a couple of rifles jut to test out the differences and find out if the .308 really is more accurate with the bullets, powders and brass availble today.
