Does anybody have any input on what they consider to be the most accurate cartridge? Does the shooting distance have anything to do with what cartridge is the most accurate? Yes, it obviously does, but how much?

The ones that come to mind for me would be:
22 long at 50 yards.
one of the 22 caliber BR or PPC calibers at 100 yards.
one of the 6mm or 30 cal. BR calibers at 200 yards.
308 Win. at ranges from 300 to 800 yards.
??? at longer yardages.

I do not have any actual ideas if the specific cartridges are the "best" at the mentioned yardages, they were just the ones that came to mind as having great potential.

.408 cheyenne tactical - 3000+ yds

for more info on this new cartridge see:

www.cheyennetactical.com

It seems like every year there is a new "most accurate". The cartridge that has won the most matches this year is the 6.5x284, I think the "most" last year was a 6mm wildcat. The "most" before that a .308 etc.get the picture. Next year the "most" probably be a wildcat based on the 300wsm. Maybe a 6x300wsm or a 6.5x300wsm. I quit keeping up when in the 70's the .308 replaced the .30-06 as the "most".

Real world shooting of the best guns available inside the Houston Warehouse, indicate that the most intrinsically accurate cartridge is the .22PPC. Take it outside and with the wind it becomes the 6mmPPC out to at least 300 yards. The best 100 yd 5 shot groups, inside, no wind, perfect conditions, with the .22PPC were consistently .05 inches, with the 6PPC about.07, and the .308 was .10.

After that, I am not sure, it becomes so much more dependent on the shooter than the cartridge. His ability to read wind etc.

A couple of guys who are shooting prarie dogs at 3000 yds or so are using a .308 AI and a .338 Lapua. Longest recorded(and witnessed) kill is currently just over 3100 yds with the .338. Using a 300 gr Sierra, I believe. Went back and looked up the article, the flight time for the .338 bullet at 3100 yards is 7 seconds and a bullet drop of a mere 720 feet. Now that takes some real Kentucky windage.

I would suggest that after a few hundred yards, within reason, it is more the shooter than the cartridge.

[This message has been edited by Gatogordo (edited 06-04-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Gatogordo (edited 06-04-2001).]

If you look at what the bench rest boys shoot, then it must be the 6PPC.

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saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

This is a question that are close to inpossible to get a good answer on.

Saeed point in the direction of 6 PPC at closer ranges up to 300 m or so. This little round is hard to beat for sure. There is many factors that play a inportant rule in this comparing of cartridges though.

The PPC was develloped for some different important factors. Of course the presision is important but the mild recoil is a factor that play a big role when shooting a BR-rifle. A .30/.378 Weatherby is a really accurate round but it would be pretty hard to get two shots to toutch at 100 yards with a LV weight rifle, at least for me

So the choise is not all that easy, if the rifle could be built in any configuration ther could be many different rounds that could be useful for extreme precision.

Just my 2c worth.

Stefan.

I would have to say that PPC in 6mm or 22 is the most accurate cartridge.
I have always felt that the 308 is the most accurate "hunting" cartridge. It is the only cartridge of the type that is capable of producing competitive BR level accuracy.
The BR cartridge, 6 & 22, comes close to the PPC but not quite there. Keep in mind that BR level accuracy is a whole different deal than anything else. Regards, Bill.

A lot of good info here, but my question would be "what's the range?" For shooting out doors there are long range factors that change constantly that affect accuracy. Wind, temperature, humidity and whatever. Indoors at 20 feet a good pellet rifle will make one ragged hole. Bench rest guys can do the same thing, but what's the range? It's not 1000 yards to be sure.

I'd be more concerned about who's behind the rifle than what he's shooting with. I've seen too many hits on man sized targets at 600 meters with rack grade rifles to really care how big the group is.

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Surely we must all hang togather, for seprately we will surely all hang.

Short range the 22PPC+6PPC LV+HV
Long range the 30-378 in a 41 pound 31 inch barreled custom built Lilja barrel rifle. The 6.5-284 is doing well at 1000 yards. In benchrest the 30BR is gaining strength. The 30 caliber bullet bucks the wind much better than the 6PPC round. It would not surprise me to see the 30 Br become the accuracy king in BR at 100+200 yards LV+HV very soon. The ever changing scene in paper the punching accuracy game is as the ocean currents. Always moving to the next beach and level, as the tides move up and down. We all must strive to keep those tides moving in a posotive direction.
The most accurate cartridge has not been chambered as of yet. It is still in the mind of the inventor whom has yet to build that rifle. Be safe, shoot straight, and cherish the many wonders of nature. The most accurate cartridge and rifle will be the round you chamber that will pass through the same bullet hole of the previous round fired no matter what the weather conditions are where you are shooting. If and when that day arrives, what challenges will the accuracy shooter be facing to improve his shooting skills????? I believe the cartidge and not the rifle is the key to that accuracy.

Well said, and well met, indeed, sir!

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Happiness is a 200 yard bughole.

The most accurate cartridge at 1000 yards is a wildcat based on the venerable .300 H&H, the .300 Voneida named after the shooter who developed the cartridge and set the current record. At the Pennsylvania 1000 Yard Benchrest Club the record stands at 3.15 inches, 8X for a TEN shoot group at 1000. Nothing and no one has come particularily close to that mark since that I am aware of. It's the ten shoot string for score required that set this one apart from the rest. A serious test of the loading, rifle and shooter.

The most accurate 100 yard group from a given cartridge is still the .222 Remington with which Gail McMillan put five shots through a single hole many years ago. After sending in the target to the national headquarters and much handling they called it a .007" group or some such and it is widely thought that all the handling enlarged the hole.

Generally, the 6mm PPC is considered to be the best outdoor 100-200-300 yard cartridge.

There seemed to be no upper limit to caliber....
The 16 inch Naval gun wins the the 20+ mile accuracy award.
Jim

It seem's there are two answer's to this question, the first being "absolute accuracy" and the 2nd being "practical accuracy".

Im interested in the results shooters are having with the 300 WSM.....anyone shooting it long ? It seem's to me this round would have an awful lot going for it, for both accuracy groups that is.

The benchrest group would have all the advantages of the .308, including bullet selection and case construction ; While, The practical bunch would have the advantage of a highly lethal round that can be had in carryable pkgs while retaining the power to down our biggest NA game.

When I buy a light mountian rifle you can bet I'll be looking hard at the 300 WSM. I'll also be looking to retain a 24" tube and will ,no doubt, add a few hundred to the cost of the rifle for accurizing, attempting to bring out all the round has to offer...........10