Are 7.62 and .308 the same round?

ir0nw1l · Jul 31, 2013

What is the difference/ Are the actually the same round measured in Metric and English measurements? Are the rounds different from what an AK-47 uses?

I am considering a .308 for deer hunting and because I have heard it can be used for larger game.

Inigoes · Jul 31, 2013

7.62 rounds are various

7.62X39 = AK
7.62X45 = VZ52
7.62X51 = .308
7.62X54 = Mosin

Franklin · Jul 31, 2013

No, they are not the same perse! 7.62nato is a down loaded version of the 308 althought they are the same dimensions. really, i dont think you will find a bullet in 7.62nato that is legal to hunt with anyway. a 308 gun will shoot them both.

OSOK1776 · Jul 31, 2013

ir0nw1l said:
What is the difference/ Are the actually the same round measured in Metric and English measurements? Are the rounds different from what an AK-47 uses?

I am considering a .308 for deer hunting and because I have heard it can be used for larger game.

.308 is a pretty great round. I do not hunt but I know many that do use it for that. Its also awesome for target shooting (600-1200 yards).

As for the differences - 7.62 has many varieties -

7.62 x 17 x21 x 25 - pistol rounds

Rifle Rounds:

7.62x35 - (Also the 300AAC Blackout)
7.62x39 - (AK 47 / SKS round)
7.62x51 NATO (similar to the .308 winchester)
7.62x54R - Mosin round
7.62x63 - 30-06 round
7.62x70 - .300 Lapua Magnum
7.62x51R - 30-30 Winchester

Those are some of the rounds that sometimes are referenced as 7.62. As for the difference between the 7.62x51 and the .308 Winchester - They are like the .223 and the 5.56 rounds only the opposite in some ways.

The Civilian (308) is a hotter round. You can safely shoot the 7.62x51 in .308 rifles, but some say that you should never shoot .308 in 7.62x51 rifles. I have personally done it both ways.

Aside from that there are some head spacing differences and load variations.

ir0nw1l · Jul 31, 2013

Thanks for the great feedback! That really helps me understand. I had no idea there were so many different 7.62 rounds.

yellowsled · Jul 31, 2013

Must not forget 7.62x25

JosephIV · Jul 31, 2013

I have a Browning A-bolt II in .308 Winchester that I really like. It was only ever scoped out to 200 yards but hunting white tail in thick mountain laurel and such I never had a shot that long. Military snipers have gone some impressive distances (1,000+ yards) with .308. You can easily shoot off of the shelf ammo as the round isn't anywhere near punishing IMO. North America has been in love with .30 Caliber guns for ages so it's pretty easy to find .308 in your travels. I say go for it!

I plan on owning an AR-10 (.308) at some point so the shared ammo between my A-bolt and the AR would be nice.

On the 7.62 side, I have a WASR in 7.62x39 and the gun and round do well for what it was designed for. Throw lead reliably, if not with precise accuracy. You'd be looking at 7.62x51 which is most comparable to .308 Winchester. I'd just buy something in .308 Win and be done with it.

Docster · Jul 31, 2013

To answer the OP's question, Google 7.62 x 51 and you'll find a plethora of discussions on that subject. For as many that say they're the same, there's as many that say they're not.

obnoxious2 · Jul 31, 2013

308 has a slightly higher psi than the 7.62x51 nato. Shouldn't affect the barrel as opposed to using 5.56 in a .223 chamber.

Bullfrog · Jul 31, 2013

There was an interesting discussion about this topic here last year:

Never use .308 in a rifle chambered for 7.62x51mm

This is the source for the info in the first post of that thread:

.308 Winchester vs. 7.62x51mm NATO

I'm not endorsing the info, just providing the links.

For a visual, in the attached picture from left to right are :
7.62x54r (Mosin food), either 7.62x51 or .308 , 7.62x39 (AK-47/SKS food)

kohburn · Jul 31, 2013

obnoxious2 said:
as opposed to using 5.56 in a .223 chamber.

myth as shown by actual chamber pressure tests. nothing tested to be outside the safe pressures.

can't find the link right now but its been posted a few times before.

sxs · Jul 31, 2013

7.62 is bullet caliber as opposed to the cartidge which is usually designated by the length in the second number specified. My preference is the old venerable 30.06. It's a somewhat more powerful cartridge and can be just as accurate or sometimes moreso than the .308...depending on the load. The primary reason for the development of the .308 / 7.62 NATO is that the NATO round is shorter and can therefore acheive a faster cycling rate in an auto or semi-auto. I have several guns in 30.06 mostly bolts (but also an M1 Garand). I do have just one gun in .308....a Browning BLR. In the Lever gun, I prefer the .308 over the long action 30.06 because the throw of the bolt to load the next cartridge is noticably shorter. I did once upon a time have a 30.06 long action BLR and I just didn't like it nearly as well. I sold that a few years later then bought a really nice used .308 off Gunbroker several years back. I really didn't want 'another caliber' rifle, but finally decided that I just was gonna have to have that 1 .308 caliber rifle. Then again, I've thought about buying another Garand from CMP....this time in .308!

Pinecone · Aug 1, 2013

Also, just to be clear, 7.62 is not always the same diameter bullet.

Most are .308-.309" diameter. But some 7.62 ammo uses a .311" bullet.

byf43 · Aug 1, 2013

Pinecone said:
Also, just to be clear, 7.62 is not always the same diameter bullet.

Most are .308-.309" diameter. But some 7.62 ammo uses a .311" bullet.

CCPatriot · Aug 5, 2013

Nice topic... great replies

DaemonAssassin · Aug 6, 2013

I like these.

So far I've dropped deer at 35 feet, and up to 75 yards away with one of those. We really can't shoot beyond 100 yards in most of the areas where I hunt, so I tend to run a 50/200 yard zero for the 165 SGK handloads I make.

Use the 308 for deer hunting, it is a wonderful all purpose round that will do everything I think you are wanting a hunting cartridge to do, without having a massive amount of recoil.

ir0nw1l · Aug 9, 2013

JosephIV said:
I plan on owning an AR-10 (.308) at some point so the shared ammo between my A-bolt and the AR would be nice.

I have the same line of thinking. Which is why I decided not to get a 30.06 because I felt I have more options for different rifles with that round.

Pinecone · Aug 9, 2013

Be careful, there are a lot of loads there are very good in a bolt gun, that are killer on gas guns due to the high port pressure.

Yes, many have adjustable gas ports, but will you remember to readjust for different rounds?

This is one place I think DIFFERENT calibers make sense.

Vile Shadow · Aug 10, 2013

Franklin said:
No, they are not the same perse! 7.62nato is a down loaded version of the 308 althought they are the same dimensions. really, i dont think you will find a bullet in 7.62nato that is legal to hunt with anyway. a 308 gun will shoot them both.

Why can't you hunt with 7.62x51?

OSOK1776 · Aug 10, 2013

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Are 7.62 and .308 the same round?

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