.308/7.62x51.... utterly lost

stitchclimber · 09-24-2007, 11:05 PM

Is the 7.62x51 ball ammo okay to be shot out of my .308?

I have a .308 Savage, and last time I was shooting the ball ammo I blew a primer on my second shot and it tore up my ejector...

Is the 7.62x51 a high(er) pressure load than my .308 win?

I was reading about standard .233's not being able to handle the 5.56x45 NATO round due to it's higher pressure.

I was wondering if it was the same thing with the .308...

Help me out I'm a real dunce when it comes to ammo.

M14man · 09-24-2007, 11:56 PM

I'm sorry I don't have more recent manuals that list your .308 Savage; but I believe they are two different cartridges. You can not interchange them. Usually the .308 is loaded to a higher pressure than the 7.62 Nato.

stitchclimber · 09-24-2007, 11:59 PM

I have a box that it labeled as box from the manufacturer... So I think that they are the same cartridge...

M14man · 09-25-2007, 12:47 AM

I still can't find anything on a .308 Savage..Do you mean .300 Savage?
I don't see a .308 Savage cartridge listed anywhere either.

stitchclimber · 09-25-2007, 12:52 AM

CLARIFICATION: I have a Savage 110 rifle chambered in .308 Winchester,

toolman · 09-25-2007, 12:57 AM

Here ya go: 7.62×51 NATO - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

M14man · 09-25-2007, 12:59 AM

The 110 should have no problems with the Nato round.

stitchclimber · 09-25-2007, 01:05 AM

Thanks toolman! Problem solved. If my savage keeps fouling up with the NATO rounds I guess that's one more reason for me to buy an Enfield to shoot the rest up.

toolman · 09-25-2007, 01:13 AM

Glad to help! BTW, do you have an outlet on the Ishapore Enfields up there? I've been looking for one in .308 for a couple of years but they've really dried up around here.

samuel · 09-25-2007, 06:07 AM

I believe that Savage will handle more pressure than an Enfield will.I also think you had some of that junk foreign ammo with weak primers that blew on you or possibly just one flawed primer.It isnt unusual for a blown primer to blow the extractor out of a Savage.I dont shoot surplus ammo in decent rifles because I dont know what the bullet is made of or anything else for that matter. sam.

Deersniper · 09-25-2007, 10:18 PM

The .308 Win is higher in pressure than the Nato stuff, it should be alright. Just the opposite than .223/ 5.56. Yes there are small differences in the cases [ ejector] but most guns will handle it. The Savage/ Stevens is one of them.

stitchclimber · 09-25-2007, 10:39 PM

Thanks.

utahvarminter · 09-26-2007, 02:15 PM

.308 winchester and 7.62X51mm Nato are the same - Like .223 Rem and 5.56 Nato are the same.

One SMALL difference - 308win is hotter than 762Nato, like 556Nato is hotter than 223rem. And, yes I did mean it in that order.

WyrTwister · 10-03-2007, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by utahvarminter

.308 winchester and 7.62X51mm Nato are the same - Like .223 Rem and 5.56 Nato are the same.
One SMALL difference - 308win is hotter than 762Nato, like 556Nato is hotter than 223rem. And, yes I did mean it in that order.

Another difference is 7.62 NATO chambers are often larger than .308 Win and headspace specs are looser .

Your bolt gun should be OK with NATO ammo , if the ammo is OK . Otherwise , if the ammo is bad , all bets are off .

God bless
Wyr

WyrTwister · 10-20-2007, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stitchclimber

Is the 7.62x51 ball ammo okay to be shot out of my .308?
I have a .308 Savage, and last time I was shooting the ball ammo I blew a primer on my second shot and it tore up my ejector...
Is the 7.62x51 a high(er) pressure load than my .308 win?
I was reading about standard .233's not being able to handle the 5.56x45 NATO round due to it's higher pressure.
I was wondering if it was the same thing with the .308...
Help me out I'm a real dunce when it comes to ammo.

7.62 NATO ammo is dimensionally interchangeable with .308 Win ammo ..

.308 Win may be loaded to higher pressure than 7.62 NATO , but if the 7.62 NATO has been stored improperly ( hot environment ) for an extended time period , pressures may be erratic . " Junk ammo . "

At the rifle , 7.62 NATO chambers and headspace may be dimensionally " looser " than .308 Win .

So , if the ammo is not bad ( what country was it from ) , 7.62 NATO should be OK in your Savage bolt gun .

.308 Win may not be OK in a military 7.62 NATO rifle .

And if it is a gas gun , there are other things that arise .

God bless
Wyr

stitchclimber · 10-20-2007, 02:09 PM

I've pretty much figured that these junk rounds expand upon firing, causing them to stick in my tight savage action.

WyrTwister · 10-21-2007, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stitchclimber

I've pretty much figured that these junk rounds expand upon firing, causing them to stick in my tight savage action.

Pull the bullets , save the powder and reload in good brass .

God bless
Wyr

09-24-2007, 11:05 PM	#1
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 1,130	.308/7.62x51.... utterly lost Is the 7.62x51 ball ammo okay to be shot out of my .308? I have a .308 Savage, and last time I was shooting the ball ammo I blew a primer on my second shot and it tore up my ejector... Is the 7.62x51 a high(er) pressure load than my .308 win? I was reading about standard .233's not being able to handle the 5.56x45 NATO round due to it's higher pressure. I was wondering if it was the same thing with the .308... Help me out I'm a real dunce when it comes to ammo. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

09-24-2007, 11:59 PM	#3
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 1,130	I have a box that it labeled as box from the manufacturer... So I think that they are the same cartridge... __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

09-25-2007, 12:52 AM	#5
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 1,130	CLARIFICATION: I have a Savage 110 rifle chambered in .308 Winchester, __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

09-25-2007, 12:57 AM	#6
toolman Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: abilene,tx Posts: 7,343 Blog Entries: 25	Here ya go: 7.62×51 NATO - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia __________________ cosmoline is an aphrodisiac!

09-25-2007, 01:05 AM	#8
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 1,130	Thanks toolman! Problem solved. If my savage keeps fouling up with the NATO rounds I guess that's one more reason for me to buy an Enfield to shoot the rest up. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

09-24-2007, 11:56 PM	#2
M14man Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: FLA Posts: 1,307	I'm sorry I don't have more recent manuals that list your .308 Savage; but I believe they are two different cartridges. You can not interchange them. Usually the .308 is loaded to a higher pressure than the 7.62 Nato.

09-25-2007, 12:47 AM	#4
M14man Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: FLA Posts: 1,307	I still can't find anything on a .308 Savage..Do you mean .300 Savage? I don't see a .308 Savage cartridge listed anywhere either.

09-25-2007, 12:59 AM	#7
M14man Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: FLA Posts: 1,307	The 110 should have no problems with the Nato round.

09-25-2007, 01:13 AM	#9
toolman Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: abilene,tx Posts: 7,343 Blog Entries: 25	Glad to help! BTW, do you have an outlet on the Ishapore Enfields up there? I've been looking for one in .308 for a couple of years but they've really dried up around here. __________________ cosmoline is an aphrodisiac! Last edited by toolman; 09-25-2007 at 01:15 AM.

09-25-2007, 06:07 AM	#10
samuel Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 12,303	I believe that Savage will handle more pressure than an Enfield will.I also think you had some of that junk foreign ammo with weak primers that blew on you or possibly just one flawed primer.It isnt unusual for a blown primer to blow the extractor out of a Savage.I dont shoot surplus ammo in decent rifles because I dont know what the bullet is made of or anything else for that matter. sam. Last edited by samuel; 09-25-2007 at 06:10 AM.

09-25-2007, 10:18 PM	#11
Deersniper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,396	.308 vs 7.62x51 The .308 Win is higher in pressure than the Nato stuff, it should be alright. Just the opposite than .223/ 5.56. Yes there are small differences in the cases [ ejector] but most guns will handle it. The Savage/ Stevens is one of them.

09-25-2007, 10:39 PM	#12
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 1,130	Thanks. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

09-26-2007, 02:15 PM	#13
utahvarminter Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 492	.308 winchester and 7.62X51mm Nato are the same - Like .223 Rem and 5.56 Nato are the same. One SMALL difference - 308win is hotter than 762Nato, like 556Nato is hotter than 223rem. And, yes I did mean it in that order. __________________ When you argue with forum trolls, they win.

10-20-2007, 02:09 PM	#16
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 1,130	I've pretty much figured that these junk rounds expand upon firing, causing them to stick in my tight savage action. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...