7.62 nato in my savage

[Polinese]

I have a savage Edge/Axis and my dad bought me a box of cheap ammo from a local store that is labeled 7.62x51 on the box rather than 308...

Now I know that the general consensus is 7.62 is fine through a 308 but not the other way, however when I called savage whoever I talked to, Alan?, said none of the savage 308's can handle a 7.62 nato

 

[precision_shooter]

I've fired plenty of 7.62 Nato in my Savage 12 in .308. The only problem I had, was some lots had a longer OAL and did not want to chamber easily...

 

[Polinese]

So i should be ok then. i kinda thought maybe it was some kind of warranty or liability thing to say that it couldn't shoot the nato rounds.

 

[sdbirddog]

I have the egde in .308 and i have use the 7.62 in it ans worked just fine.

 

[wogpotter]

a box of cheap ammo from a local store that is labeled 7.62x51

What exact kind of cheap ammo?
Brass or steel case?
NATO spec (with a NATO stamp cross in a circle), or just any old 7.62?
What's the headstamp?
More info needed to give an answer that is accurate. There is some 7.62mm that I would not fire in a 7.62 rifle. Not because of any .308/7.62 concerns but because there is some truly horrible ammo floating around that has been proven to be nasty stuff, regardless of the designation.

 

[Polinese]

Here's what it was, he didn't buy it from CTD but same stuff.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/AMM725-5.html

Worked just fine when I shot it today.

 

[pendennis]

Your Savage Axis...

...is a bolt-action rifle well capable of handling NATO Spec 7.62x51 ammunition. NATO ammunition must be capable of firing in rifles such as M14's, which require less overall and port pressure. (If the pressure is too high, you can end up with a bent operating rod). There are very slight differences in chamber sizes, but for all practical purposes, the rounds are interchangeable.

 

[csmsss]

for all practical purposes, the rounds are interchangeable.

Yup. A hoary old myth is that somehow the pressure of 7.62x51 NATO is outlandishly higher than .308 Win. As it happens, they were just certified using different instruments which measure pressure differently. But the myth dies hard.

 

[Polinese]

I read up as much as I could on the subject when I was first learning about the differences, but once I actually had my rifle paranoia set in so I wanted to double check everything again. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[jimbob86]

IIRC ..... and my memory ain't what it used to be...

...... 7.62x51 is loaded to lower pressure than it's civilian equivalent, the .308 WIN, and 5.56x45 is loaded hotter than it's civilian equivalent, the .223 Remington ......

was some lots had a longer OAL and did not want to chamber easily...

...Ummmm ....errrr..... "didn't chamber easily" as in bullet hit the lands and you pushed it further into the case? That can cause pressure problems ..... what did the case head and primer look like? Just curious, is all .....

 

[wogpotter]

Not according to any reloading manuals I have.

 

[wogpotter]

Worked just fine when I shot it today.

Then the question is answered isn't it!

There is some decidedly dodgy ammo marked as 7.62mm though, so be careful with "bargain basement ammo" some of the CAVIM is horrible & some is fine. The same with some of the Izzy "TZ" stuff there are batches of both out there that have destroyed perfectly good rifles.

This is crappy ammo though, not any (imaginary) difference between .308 Win & 7.62mm NATO.

 

[wogpotter]

7.62x51 is loaded to lower pressure than it's civilian equivalent, the .308 WIN

Not according to any reloading manuals I have.

 

[Kreyzhorse]

You'll be fine shooting 7.62 out of your .308 without issue.