Yes, somewhere around here I have an American Rifleman article on this very subject. They received their data from Remington. Remington guaranteed their 40X rifles to shoot half MOA, (at least for a 308 Win), so the factory was conducting accuracy tests on rifles. And the trend was, the bigger the boomer the worse the group. Magnum cartridge groups were significantly, and statistically larger, than small cartridges.
I don't have any pictures of my cleans with my 223 Space Gun, but that thing would regularly shoot high X counts cleans at 300 yards, in high power competition, and I have noticed, just how much easier it is, to have good X counts with sub caliber hunting rifles, at CMP Talladege.
Such as this
not a click adjustable scope so I just piled them in there without using a coin to move the turrets, but good group with a 6.5 Swede
View attachment 1018597
View attachment 1018598
good group with a 270 Win, more kick, but not causing flinches
View attachment 1018599
View attachment 1018600
Bart B claims the 30-06 cannot shoot straight, but it shoots straight enough for me
View attachment 1018601
View attachment 1018602
View attachment 1018603
But, my 35 Whelen absolutely kicks the tar out of me.
I put on a heavier than normal barrel, and the stock is heavy, and I cannot shoot as tight of groups with this thing as the 30-06 and smaller crowd this may be my best ten shot group at 300 yards.
View attachment 1018604
not uncommon to get one like this.
View attachment 1018605
View attachment 1018606
A 200, 225 or worse, the 250 grain bullet going 2500 fps absolutely knocks me out of position and I have to reposition me and the front rest each shot.
Now I have been told by the 50 caliber Browning crowd they regularly shoot clover leaf groups at 300 yards, with military ball ammunition! But take a look at the weight of the things, an AR-50 is 34 pounds, a Noreen 32 lbs, someone makes an 18 pounder, the recoil must be excruciating.
All things consider, the less recoil, the tighter the groups.