The following is quoted from the current edition of Remington’s “Liveready” magazine (essentially a Remington promo/publicity magazine), from an article on the M40A6:
“There are many variables to barrel life in a bolt-action .308 Winchester, but a conservative number of rounds any one barrel can support is probably right around 7,000 to 9,000. An average 6.5mm short action cartridge might get 3,000 rounds, and a 6mm might get as many as 2,000 rounds.”
Is this accurate? Are the smaller calibers really that hard on bores?
The heat and pressure wears the throat faster. But that’s consistent if we’re talking similar parent case. So expect less life from a .243 compared to a .308, .25/06 < .30/06, 6mm Creedmoor < 6.5 Creedmoor.
Not necessarily a function of just the bore size, such as 6 Dasher is supposed to have a longer life than 6 CM.
It also depends on your definition of accuracy. The life for benchrest is different from PRS or hunters.