North American Ammunition, common

[David Collison]

Although I do not own firearms, there comes a time in every Mans life where he should explain ammunition to his children;

In the case of 7.62mmx51 NATO vs .308 Winchester it is not okay to use .308 Winchester in a 7.62x51mm NATO, it is however okay to use 7.62mmx51 NATO in any .308 Winchester chambered rifle. Such as the SMG Remanufactured FG42 MKII in .308 Winchester.

The opposite side

For the .223 Remington vs the 5.56x45 mm NATO the opposite is true as 5.56x45mm NATO creates greater chamber pressure than a .223 Remington any rifle chambered for such cannot use 5.56x45mm NATO. ANY 5.56mm NATO chambered rifle can use .223 Remington.

https://www.shootingillustrated.com/...he-difference/

https://www.topbrass-inc.com/blogs/n...the-difference

When buying a rifle;

.308 Winchester chamber good
7.62x51mm NATO chamber bad
5.56x45mm NATO chamber good
.223 Remington chamber bad

Do not look at anything but 5.56x45mm (M16, SAW, M4, AR15, etcetera or .308 Winchester, SMG FG42 MKII or 7.62x51mmn (M60, FN FAL, several M1 GARAND's POST 1950's were chambered in 7.62x51mm, M14)

If you want an M1 make sure it's in 7.62mm or better .308 Winchester (same size cartridge, .308 has a larger powder load this resulting in higher chamber pressures) Why you wouldn't want to use .308 commercial rounds in a military 7.62mm chambered weapon, but 7.62x51 NATO ammunition will fire nicely from anything chambered in .308 Winchester.

Now when talking about 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition they have a greater powder load producing higher chamber pressures than commercial .223 Remington ammunition. So if looking for something more common and with a lot less kick (recoil) than a 7.62x51mm NATO/.308 Winchester go for a 5.56x45mm NATO not a .223 Remington.

Understand the importance of .308 Winchester > 7.62x51mm NATO and 5.56x45mm NATO > .223 Remington

When looking to purchase a firearm I am putting a restriction on you only getting .308 Winchester, 7.62x51mm only if used Military Surplus, or 5.56x45mm NATO.

.9mm Parabellum in handguns, .45 ACP if you insist on a traditional 1911.
.357 in a revolver as it can also fire .38 special ammunition, .357 Magnum ammunition chamber pressures would detonate any .38 special chambered handgun.

Common small arms ammunition of North America;

.12 Gauge shotgun

9mm Parabellum - Luger P08, BDA, MP40, M3 Grease Gun, MP5, UZI, MAC11, GLOCK 19, Beretta 92F

.45 ACP - 1911 pistol, M1A1 Thompson, M3 Grease Gun, UZI, MAC10, Colt Commander pistol

5.56x45mm NATO - M16, AR15, M4, C7A2, STEYR AUG, C8A3, C9A2 LMG, SAW

.308 Winchester - Hunter, SMG FG42

7.62x51mm NATO - M60, FN-FAL, C3A1, C6, M60, M14 Battle Rifle

40mm grenade - M203, M79

.30-06 Springfield - M1 Garand, BAR M1918A2, M1919 .30 Cal Browning MG

.30 Carbine - M1 Carbine, M1A1 Paratrooper Carbine

.30-30 - common for lever action rifles

.50 cal - squirrel misting Browning M2

.303 - Lee Enfield

7.92x57mm Mauser - MG42, MG34, KAR98k, FG42 MKI, FG42 MKII

7.62×33mm Kurtz - Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr V1.5, Sturmgewehr44

7.65mm longue - MAS38

6.5x50mm SR Arisaka - Japanese issue Beretta Type I

7.62x54mmR - Degtyaryov machine gun DP27/28, Mosin Nagant M1891 Rifle, Dragunov Sniper Rifle

7.62x38mm - Nagant M1895 revolver

7.62x25mm Tokarev - TT33 pistol, PPS sub-machine gun, PPD sub-machine gun

7.62x39mm aka 7.62 Russian - Avtomat Kalashnikova 47 aka AK47

[Johnny Peppers]

While the .308 Winchester is loaded to 62,000 PSI, and 7.62X51 Nato is loaded to 58,000 PSI, that is not enough difference to cause a dangerous situation. SAAMI offers no caution about mixing the ammunition in a firearm safe to use either ammunition. I have a Steyr import FN/FAL that is marked .308 MATCH on the side, but has had many thousands of rounds of each ammunition fired through it with zero problems.

Where the rub comes in is using 7.62 X51 loading data in a .308 Winchester case. The Winchester case has less capacity than the NATO brass, which could cause an overload situation. Also, 7.62X51 chambers tend to be a bit larger than .308 Winchester to accommodate variances in ammunition manufactured all over the world.

[David Collison]

While the .308 Winchester is loaded to 62,000 PSI, and 7.62X51 Nato is loaded to 58,000 PSI, that is not enough difference to cause a dangerous situation. SAAMI offers no caution about mixing the ammunition in a firearm safe to use either ammunition. I have a Steyr import FN/FAL that is marked .308 MATCH on the side, but has had many thousands of rounds of each ammunition fired through it with zero problems.

Where the rub comes in is using 7.62 X51 loading data in a .308 Winchester case. The Winchester case has less capacity than the NATO brass, which could cause an overload situation. Also, 7.62X51 chambers tend to be a bit larger than .308 Winchester to accommodate variances in ammunition manufactured all over the world.

I reckon this is sound information, as it is also contained in the article linked below. I tend to err on the side of caution with the boy. He's still at that rough stage where mechanical things just seem to break for no reason, I was in my 40's when I came out of that stage. I attribute it to either becoming more gentle or just weaker.

Thanks for contributing!

[Johnny Peppers]

I reckon this is sound information, as it is also contained in the article linked below. I tend to err on the side of caution with the boy. He's still at that rough stage where mechanical things just seem to break for no reason, I was in my 40's when I came out of that stage. I attribute it to either becoming more gentle or just weaker.

Thanks for contributing!

Any time you put something right in front of your face that generates 60,000 PSI there is an element of danger, but we seem inclined to continually take that risk. I do err on the side of caution and don't shoot low number 1903's.

[Willi Z.]

That is why when I shoot any of my pre-1920 German military or target arms, I develop cast bullets loads with reduced "target" powder charges. I cringe when folks shoot Gew 88s with jacketed bullets and get close to military powder charges and velocities.

It is pretty much an industry standard to manufacture (and mark) firearms relating to .308 vs 7.62mm, and .223 vs 5.56mm, as .308 and 5.56mm.