Joined
·
20,112 Posts
.308 and 7.62x51 are the exact same thing
they are not the same.7.62x51 is .308
308 is not safe to shoot in a 7.62nato chambered firearm. the lead on the throat in the 7.62nato is much shorter than a 308winchester chamber. longer ogived bullets you find in some off the shelf ammo can cause dangerous overpressure levels in a 7.62nato chamber.
its the same difference as 556 and 223 except the civvy version in this caliber is the more versatile chambering.
if you have a 7.62nato and the owners manual doesnt say it is safe to use 308winchester do NOT use ammunition off the shelf for 308winchester in it. stick with 150grain bullets or less. if you reload and want to use heavier bullets in a 7.62nato you need a chamber gage of some sort like the hornady locknload bullet comparator and chamber gage so you can find the proper lead from the ogive.