.308 in a 7.62x51

[silverado chevy]

Hey guys, I recently purchased a mossberg MVP rifle in the 7.62X51 caliber. I was trying to find information on using a .308 cartridge in this rifle and if it will be safe to shoot. The rifle is stamped with 7.62x51. If anyone has info or a link I could check out it would be great.
Thanks, Mike

[UnaStamus]

The difference between the two is minimal. Some Googling will yield what the differences are relating to case thickness, pressure limits, etc.
In short, you can shoot a .308 in a 7.62x51. I have owned several 7.62 chambered rifles and fired .308 extensively in all of them.

[silverado chevy]

Thanks for your help

[farmerj]

I have shot .308 in a 7.62 chamber, but consider the brass junk at that point. The 7.62 headspace go gage exceeds the no go on the .308.

You can do it. But I don't recommend reloading that brass afterwards.

There's one camp that says it's OK, another that says it isn't. I'm kind of tossed with a leaning to it isn't.

[usnret]

I have shot .308 in a 7.62 chamber, but consider the brass junk at that point. The 7.62 headspace go gage exceeds the no go on the .308.

You can do it. But I don't recommend reloading that brass afterwards.

There's one camp that says it's OK, another that says it isn't. I'm kind of tossed with a leaning to it isn't.

That's why they make sizing dies!

[farmerj]

I know they make resizing dies. I still would not reload 308 that has been shot in a 7.62

[Seismic Sam]

OHHHH!!! 5 posts and he wants to know about swapping ammo in a rifle!!!

[Flashing message]The 800 lb. reloading troll is out buying n00b sauce and charcoal, and will be back later [/Flashing message]

[silverado chevy]

I'm glad to hear the reloading feedback about this too. I recently purchased a hornady ap press and was going to reload the 308 shells so thank you all for the helpful feedback.

[UnaStamus]

A full length resizing die will solve any problems. I've reloaded .308 shot out of both an M1A and LMT 308MWS and had zero issues. I know a lot of people who reload .308 shot out of autos chambered for 7.62.

[farmerj]

Like I said, there are two camps.

Those that say you can, those that say don't do it.

I lean towards "don't".

The 7.62 chambers are just large enough for me to not care to do it.

Especially if it's been shot out of an auto loader.


Case head separation is a reality in that situation.


But hey, past experience with you has taught me it's a pissin' match to share anything you will disagree with so....

[crbutler]

I also have had no issues with this, and some brass that comes out of an HK91 is pretty fugly.

Of course, case head separation is a possibility in any reloaded cartridge, especially if you work the brass too much and use it too long. If you inspect your brass well, you should not have problems other than throwing out the lot when you start seeing trouble... BTW, the .30-30 (I assume) case above was shot past when it should have been junked...you will see or feel a thinning in the case web inside well before you see that.

Variances in chamber depth are larger than the differences between 7.62 NATO and .308, so if you are reloading properly, the differences are a nonissue.

A bigger difference is that most 7.62 ammo is crimped primers for MG use, which really only affects reloading.

For factory ammo, I definitely would not worry.

[farmerj]

That's nice.

My experience has been headspacing issues with 7.62 vs .308.

It may had had more to do with the .308 being a REM 788. But nevertheless, it was head space issues so I tend to be more conservative with the issue.

[Seismic Sam]

308 brass shot out of an HK91 is fuglier than me and Rodentman together, with Tootsie in the backfield in case expotential fugliness is needed!!

[OldmanFCSA]

OHHHH!!! 5 posts and he wants to know about swapping ammo in a rifle!!!

[Flashing message]The 800 lb. reloading troll is out buying n00b sauce and charcoal, and will be back later [/Flashing message]

SAM,

Back off - give the new members here a chance to learn before grilling them past well done.
You have the knowledge and the ability to answer questions in a manner that is educational and informational to new members and new reloaders.

As to shooting 308 in 7.62X51 chambers, go for it as they are dimensionally the same cartridge, other than the 308 is generally loaded to a higher PSI specification but well within safety limits of modern firearms.
As for a firearm's chamber being out of specification, that is an entirely different issue than the original question.

IF you have a rifle with an out of spec chamber, and don't want to repair it before further use, SAVE all fired brass for that chamber and reload it as a wildcat cartridge with revised chamber specifications. If you only bump the shoulder back 0.002" on the fired brass and resize the neck to hold a new projectile, that wildcat brass can then be used multiple times before case head separation occurs. Then throw the whole lot out for brass recycling.

I have an AR-10 in 7.62X51 and a Rem700 308WIN. Ammo can be interchanged between the two rifles, but best accuracy will not be obtained as such.

Y.M.M.V. = but I hope not. Let's keep things SAFE and FUN for our newer members - not roasting them when asking appropriate questions.

O.P. - You may always PM me for more constructive information (but I will need to clean some junk out of it).

[farmerj]

Dimensionally the same?

Wow.........



That's as far from the truth as you can get.

And being on the phone, not on my computer, I don't care to pull the facts together for that ********.
http://www.fulton-armory.com/%5Cfaqs%5C ... %5C308.htm
Sam is right for wanting to eat him up on this topic. Along with a bunch of others.


I'm outta here now. It's going down hill and I don't care to participate any more.