Author Topic: 7.62x51 NATO THE SAME AS .308 WINCHESTER (Read 1904 times)

tpic402 · « **on:** July 19, 2006, 01:41:48 PM »

AIM has enfield-2a in stock, they list the caliber to be 7.62x51 and or .308 winchester.I would like an enfield and the idea of it being a .308 is even better but aren,t the pressures of these rounds substantialy different is it safe to fire with factory .308 ammo or surplus .308 ammo. please help I AM EXTREMMELY ALLERGIC TO EXPLODING RIFLES

jh45gun · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2006, 02:07:02 PM »

Go ahead perfectly safe with factory 308 ammo as long as you get the gun checked out by a competent gunsmith as you should with any milsurp. I will tell you though I would buy a K31 before a Ishy 308. The K31 will shoot rings around it. I had a ishy that looked like it had a perfect bore. I even scoped it with one of those crappy scoop mounts you can get for them a no gun smithing one and I had to work at it to get it solid but I did and no matter if I used the open sights or the scope and factory 308 or English match milsurp the best that gun would do was about 3 to 4 inches at 50 yards and yes I had the crown checked! It was a total disapointment. Now not saying the gun you get may shoot that crappy but just letting you know there is a possibility it may. I have not seen that issue with the K31's which would be in the 308 power range.

tpic402 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2006, 06:03:22 PM »

Thanks for info Mikey, I already have a k-31 and yes it is very accurate. I have always wanted an enfield I would prefer .303 though. Have not had much luck at gun shows. Will keep up the hunt(half the fun)

Roudy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2006, 01:26:33 PM »

I have to agree that the K31 is a better rifle. A couple years ago I bought an Ishapor .308. Ugly rifle when it arrived but the bore was good and it has that wonderfully smooth SMLE action. All the metal had been painted, as I understand that all of them were. I wire brushed (wire wheel) ALL the paint off, added an after-market fiberglass stock and Williams rear apperature sight. Now I have a $160 truck gun that I enjoy shooting. If you are more economically conscious you can use the old sights and cut down the stock.

These rifles make good project guns even if they are not tack drivers like the K31. Oh, BTW, I enjoyed myself while I was working on the rifle, that's worth it for me

Roudy

rockbilly · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2006, 04:48:55 PM »

Years ago I bought a pamplet from the NRA on sportrizing the .303 Enfield. At that time I could buy them all day for about $20. bucks. The gun, a $40. semi-inleted stock from Herter's and a little work produced a good looking rifle. They were fairly accurate and made excellent deer/elk guns. If someone wants a copy of the NRA pamplet, let me know and I will try to scan and e-mail it to you. Sportrizing one will make a good winter or off season project.

1911crazy · « **Reply #5 on:** July 23, 2006, 07:37:15 AM »

The 7,62 nato and 308win are different rounds. The 7,62 nato has 40k breech/chamber pressure and the 308win has 52k+ in chamber/breech pressure. After checking the headspace on the enfield it should be able to handle both rounds. I have heard that some of these enfields can be very accuturate if you get one in good condition(bore). The fun is figuring out what it likes to eat to be accurate sometimes its not a given with every gun even some of the swiss rifles have been known to have accuracy problems too. I have heard great things about the latest mosin sniper 91/30's being offered too. There accuracy is awesome too. I like them all.

Becareful with "308" rifles there are 308win, 7,62 nato and 308 cetme. Some of the 7,62 nato rifles have fluted chambers so the 308 win round shouldn't be used in them because of the thinner walled case.(cetme)
The higher pressure 308win in a 7,62 nato fluted chamber can cause a serious accident if the case ruptures in the chamber. If the rifle says 7,62 nato i only shoot 7,62 nato out of it just to be safe with the lower pressure round in the semi-auto's.

jh45gun · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2006, 11:30:30 AM »

I do not think I have seem very many of any claims of the Swiss rifles not shooting. Not saying you could not get a worn out one but from what I have seen of the guns I looked at and the one I own and what others say on the web that would be rare.

Airsporter · « **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2006, 02:53:39 PM »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62_mm_NATO

R.W.Dale · « **Reply #8 on:** August 27, 2006, 03:17:25 PM »

Quote

7.62x51 NATO THE SAME AS .308 WINCHESTER

NO not even close as far as milsurps are concerned.

http://surplusrifle.com/shooting2006/308vs762nato/index.asp

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2006/308vs762nato3/index.asp

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2006/762ishy/index.asp

" DO NOT use commercially loaded .308 Winchester ammunition in ANY rifle chambered for 7.62 NATO!

bluebayou · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2006, 02:31:43 PM »

"The 7,62 nato and 308win are different rounds. The 7,62 nato has 40k breech/chamber pressure and the 308win has 52k+ in chamber/breech pressure. After checking the headspace on the enfield it should be able to handle both rounds"

Not trying to be difficult but, how can you say that if you check the headspace then it is okay to have a 12,000 psi difference in operating pressure? If I had a modern rifle chambered in for 7.62 like a Knight or Stoner MAYBE, but a 100 odd year old design that was refurbished by some guy in India? No way.

bbqsnbeer · « **Reply #10 on:** September 04, 2006, 07:59:22 AM »

The 2a / 2a1 were not refurbished . They were manufactured for 7.62nato
The diff between 7.62n and .308win are noted , but....
Gibbs Rifle Co. made the No7 Jungle Carbine from 2a's and I wonder just how many of those "sportered" rifles went through commercial .308win..I'll bet alot. Many of these were used for hunting also.
How many of these rifles had "complications" using .308win....I've never heard of one.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #11 on:** September 04, 2006, 08:08:23 AM »

Quote

Military ammunition is loaded to maximum average pressure 50,000 PSI using the modern piezo transducer method of measurement. This standard is used to ensure better consistency round to round. It is proofed at 67,000PSI. The ammunition can then be used in a wide variety of firearms with no ill effects.
Look for the NATO compatibility mark. It indicates that the cartridge is safe to use in any 7.62x51mm NATO firearm in good repair.

NATO mark found on the outside of ammunition containers and the bottom of each case rim.
Commercial ammunition has a SAAMI/ANSI maximum pressure of 62,000PSI. While not every manufacturer may load it to this level, this is the industry established maximum. This is also measured using the piezo transducer method. The proof cartridge pressure is 83,000 to 89,000 PSI. Note the differences between the military test and operational standard vs the commercial one.

The worst case scenario for shooters of 7.62 NATO rifles is as follows. Using a commercially made, maximum pressure cartridge with long headspace, fired from a weak action (ex. converted 93/95 Mausers)! The weaker action is a possible final piece of the 308 vs 7.62 NATO puzzle.
Perhaps no single element will cause your rifle to fail. Maybe you've used your rifle for a while with no ill effects. Usually a rifle will take some abuse before failing. Like a lot of things in life, Murphy's Law - If something can go wrong, it will - could very well catch up with you.
Personally, I don't like the odds.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/shooters/7_62vs308.htm