7.62X54R is it 308 or 311??? the world wonders

[Alan B]

I have been examining some 7.62x54r ammunition and have found examples of commercially loaded cases that range from .308 for the Russian military surplus ball to .311 for the commercially loaded 180 soft points from the Russia and CZ. (some of the Silver tip sniper is actually .307)

What is the diameter supposed to be for the Mosins Nagants, SVD, Romack 3s and all the rest of the guns that use this cartridge?

Or is every one of these rifles different? I even looked in several reloading books and guess what some list .311 and others list .308.

 

[hksigwalther]

Well, got this from Cartridges of the World, 7th ed., 1993:

"Although bullets measure .309-.311-inch in diameter in military ammo, .308-inch bullets will work fine for reloading."

The nominal bullet diameter for the 54R in my Accurate Smokeless Powder Loading Guide Number One is set at .311.

- Ron V.

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[Oris]

.310-311 bullet diameter. Works in all
MNs, SVD, etc..except some Finish MNs,
which are chambered for cartridge loaded
with .308 dia. bullet.

 

[Gattling]

The models with the tighter bore are:
m28 and m28-30.
Shooting .308" bullets from the looser bores is somewhat baddish idea since the blowby will increase the barrel wear on the edges of the rifling lands.
I suppose that the bullet diameter is .310-.311" due to the vast supply of .303British bullets on the market before the turn of the century. It had sort of a set the industry standard on the dimensions of usual .30cal barrel and projectile during that time.

BTW, there is allso an old silhouette pistol WildCat round called 7,62Löppö which is a 7,62X39m43 necked down to accept .308" bullets.

On the other hand one shouldn't vorry about the Fenno MN's accuracy even with the looser bore, they weren't accepted to service unless they could shoot 1,5" or less @100m with VPT's ammo loaded with D-166 boattail bullets. I'd recall that sierra makes matchKing in .310-.311" allso...

Gattling =