Long range precision rifle. 308 or 223?

Take a look at the 2016 ORA Match FTR Scores 300 out to 900 meters and you'll see how the 223 holds up to a 308 in winds up to 42 MPH during the 3 day match.

http://www.ontariorifleassociation.ca/Match_Results

Look at the scores for 2016 ORA Annual Matches (2016 ORA Annual results.pdf)

Pay particular attention to FTR scores for VANDUYSE, PAUL as he only shoots a 223.

BTW he was shooting 80 grain SMKs and a 1:7 barrel twist.

Spoiler alert...
He does very very well against 308s shooting 185 Berger Juggernauts
 
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My plain jane sps tactical .223 is probably my favourite rifle to shoot. I've taken it out to 500 meters just fine. Bushnell 10x scope was clear as day. No recoil.

I enjoy shooting it far more than my .308. But devils advocate, I'm not in a position right now where I have much of a spot to shoot more than 100 yards. If I had a 1000+yard range I'd probably turn around and lean on the .308 a lot more.

Also the 1-9 twist doesn't like the 77grain work ammo we're issued, so we'll call that a negative also. ;)
 
It sucks that so many rifle manufactures are afraid to produce 1:7 twist rates in production 223 rifles. It helps run heavy bullets and helps with fragmentation and terminal performance.

Even Alberta Tactical has avoided 1:7 223 because guys cry about the crappy accuracy with 55 grain mil surp ammo which wont shoot well in a fast twist rig.

In reality the 1:7 is the key to making a performer out of a mouse gun by running tipped 80 grain SMKs which perform almost identical to a 308 with good bullets but without the recoil.

For the average guy the 1:7 223 is all the rifle they need. If the guy is a hand loader he can work up a load in no time for 1000 yard competition. On a calm day (up to maybe 10 mph wind) he can hold his own against a 308 quite well out to 1K, and even win with frequency. If it gets blustery the 223 will perform as well as 308 out to about 600, but further than that tends to fade in the pack, but not always.

For most guys that's still awesome and they aren't beat to hell by the end of the day.

The wind conditions are almost always the key factor. I've seen guys with 308s beat all sorts of custom calibers and wild cats in calm conditions. In blustery winds the hot high BC loads tend to take the lead. On the other hand anomalies are out there that tend to defy the science. At the F Class nationals this year the twins beat everyone using their 308s. There's something going on in flight that ballistic calculators don't yet seem to recognize. I think it has something to do with bullet destabilization when hit from multiple wind directions during flight and for this the heavy round must have some sort of advantage that goes beyond BC.

Read up http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2016/08/15/
 
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^^^this. I have a 1-7 Krieger 223 wilde chamber on a m700 action - no problem hitting pop cans at 700 yds, and a 10" gong at 1000 - Dope is almost identical to a 308 175 smk. Wind does play havoc tho!
 
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