The Firearms Forum - Gun Community - View Single Post

Archie · 08-01-2009, 06:46 PM

.308 Winchester and 7.62x51 NATO are the same cartridge dimensionally. Military rifles chambered in 7.62x51 are generally chambered 'looser' than commercial rifles to insure reliability of chambering. So rounds fired in military chambers require a little more resizing - BUT the same resizing die does it and I've never had a problem in that regard.

The NATO round is a lower pressure round. So, barring some really unfortunate factory loading mistake, the NATO round isn't going to blow up a regular commercial rifle - barring some really unfortunate rifle manufacturing mistake. (I deal with lawyers too much; I over qualify everything!)

Having all that in mind, look at the cases and rifle designs.

Some surplus and Wolf, et al, ammo is made from steel cases and other brass alloys that may or may not be as ductile and friendly to use as commercial rifle brass. It (the surplus stuff) may tend to stick in chambers more than commercial brass. Some surplus and Wolf, et al, ammo is somewhat more 'vague' in dimensional discipline; so it may stick more.

I'd bet on a stuck in chamber case to break an extractor sooner than on overload.

The bottom line is, "You're on your own". Check out the ammo you shoot and just understand that cheaper ammo is just that, cheaper.

Carry on.

08-01-2009, 06:46 PM	#13
Archie V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hastings, Nebraska; the Heartland! Posts: 294	Re: 308 vs 7.62 Nato .308 Winchester and 7.62x51 NATO are the same cartridge dimensionally. Military rifles chambered in 7.62x51 are generally chambered 'looser' than commercial rifles to insure reliability of chambering. So rounds fired in military chambers require a little more resizing - BUT the same resizing die does it and I've never had a problem in that regard. The NATO round is a lower pressure round. So, barring some really unfortunate factory loading mistake, the NATO round isn't going to blow up a regular commercial rifle - barring some really unfortunate rifle manufacturing mistake. (I deal with lawyers too much; I over qualify everything!) Having all that in mind, look at the cases and rifle designs. Some surplus and Wolf, et al, ammo is made from steel cases and other brass alloys that may or may not be as ductile and friendly to use as commercial rifle brass. It (the surplus stuff) may tend to stick in chambers more than commercial brass. Some surplus and Wolf, et al, ammo is somewhat more 'vague' in dimensional discipline; so it may stick more. I'd bet on a stuck in chamber case to break an extractor sooner than on overload. The bottom line is, "You're on your own". Check out the ammo you shoot and just understand that cheaper ammo is just that, cheaper. Carry on.