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.308 Win vs 7.62 NATO

Yes - that's correct!
I used .308-WIN in a No 4 SMLE conversion (.303 to 7.62) for target shooting and was aware of the differences in the potential chamber pressures between both.
Never had an issue with light loads and the rifle shot like a champion!
Interesting, I read somewhere that during the .303 to .7.62 conversion, the chamber pressure test was 1.5 the max. load.............. if it survive that it was good to go (only one "pressure" test round was performed)
 
Manufacturers interchangeably load, package, and label the "two" rounds, and anyone who has done any amount of shooting knows they are the same thing. The problem is when you try to load max commercial .308 loads into thicker (internally) military 7.62 cases.
 
jonnyc said:
Manufacturers interchangeably load, package, and label the "two" rounds, and anyone who has done any amount of shooting knows they are the same thing. The problem is when you try to load max commercial .308 loads into thicker (internally) military 7.62 cases.
Click to expand...
That is not even possible, and no reputable manufacturer would try it. If there are two or more types of brass in circulation with significant differences in capacity, it is not possible to find a single load that accurately and repeatably performs the same in all available weapons. And that is if you are lucky. It is only a matter of time before a thick-walled, small capacity case is stuffed into a light, tightly-chambered weapon and something gives way. And then we are all back to good old-fashioned quality control.
 
I'll put something in later but, like most things, there is an awful lot of misconceptions, folkloric issues (here-say turned into supposed facts) and other problems with regards to the differences between 7.62×51 NATO and the 308 Winchester. This is because it is not simply a cartridge, a chamber (including lead) and a pressure regime issue, but how the two rounds are used, as mentioned in above link.
 
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