Ammo questions.

[Nick9130White]

I was wondering, what does the "win" mean in .308 win? Was it made by windchester first or something?

Is .308 the same as 7.62x51?

What does NATO mean?

Could I shoot 7.62x51 out of a saiga .308?

What is the best brand of .308? Accuracy wise.

How do they measure 7.62x54R? I measured it with a micrometer and I got roughly 3.01x47.

What is 7.62x54R equivalent to in our caliber?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm just wondering.

 

[essohbe]

Yea, the "win" means Winchester and denotes commercial ammo from military specs.

Commercial .308 isn't quite exactly the same a 7.62 NATO, and NATO means North Atlantic Treaty Org.

The best brand of .308 is debatable, accuracy has allot to do with it, the bullet itself, the rifle as well as the shooter.

7.62x54r I just call a .30 caliber standard measurment.

 

[Nick9130White]

Thank you for the quick response with answers.
Another question,

If it's a .30 cal, that's not to much bigger then a .22. But it physically is bigger then a .22, why?

 

[PIGMAN]

1) Win means the cartridge was developed by Winchester Arms Corp.

2) Yes 7.62 is the metric equivalent to .30 of an inch.And the 51 is the metric length of the case in millimeters. The .308 is a .30 cal bullet seated on a 51 mm case.There have been several ways of naming cartridges developed over the years and there is no one rule that applys to them all.

3) NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was formed after WW II by the western powers for mutual defence in responce to Sino/Soviet Aggression. The 7.62Nato cartridge was adopted as a uniform cartridge by the member nations so everybody used the same ammo in their small arms.

4) Your Saiga will shoot both .308 or 7.62x51

5) What AK platforms are famous for is reliabilty not accuracy.The best ammo for your rifle depends on what your individual rifle likes to eat.

6) The 7.62x54 is metric measurement. Since you got a .30 reading on the bullet I am guessing your micrometer is SAE.You will need to get a micrometer calibrated in millimeters in order to measure in millimeters. This cartridge is comparable to the .308

7) The .22 is .22 of an inch and the .30 is .30 of an inch.

 

[Qtiphky]

Be Careful!

The 7.62x54R is not the same as a 7.62x51 or 308 Win. It is a Russian round that is longer in the casing than the 308 win. It would be closer to a 30-06 round than a 308 round and will not work in your Saiga if it is chambered for 308/7.62x51 NATO. I don't have my reloading manuals in front of me at the moment, but I do recall that they are very different rounds and are not interchangeable.

You can load the same projectile (bullet) into each as they are both 30 caliber, but finished rounds are very different. Just like I can load the same bullet for my 308, 300 WSM and 30-06 when I am handloading, but the finished products coming out the other end of the reloading press are not interchangeable.

 

[PIGMAN]

The 7.62x54 is BALLISTICALLY comparable to the .308 not INTERCHANGABLE.

The 7.62x54 it is not comparable to the 30/06.The 30/06 has a 63 mm case and has substantially more powder capacity.

 

[kraigwy]

To add to the confusion:

The "R" on the 7.62X54R means its a rimmed cartridge.

30-30, 30-40, 45-70, etc. the first number is the caliber, the second number is the amount of black powder the cartridge will hold.

30-03, 30-06, the second number is the date. the 30-03 was the 30 Cal. US, or the pre 1906 30-06 but a tad longer neck to hold the 220 bullet used back then. Then in 1906 the Army changed to a lighter bullet, shortened the case and the new round was called the 30-06.

30 cal. bullets range from .308, 311, 313 in diameter. .44 cal is 429-430, and 45 are 451-454.

8mm rifle bullets are from .318 to 323.

Trying to keep up will have you babbling in your porridge.

 

[Qtiphky]

Thanks for clarifying

I wasn't completely clear in my post. The point I was trying to make is that, while they may be able to shoot the same projectile, they are definitely not interchangeable as far the finished product.

I reload for 308 and 300 WSM, but have never reloaded for the 7.62x54R so have never really studied it, other than reading the cursury stuff.

Thanks.

 

[a7mmnut]

..one further note...

The "R" in any metric or European chambering denotes a rimmed case. The large rim around the base was used to implement a simpler way to head space the cartiridge in the chamber(as in the American .30-30).


-7-

 

[emcon5]

Here is a decent way to kill a couple hours:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rifle_cartridges

 

[Rifleman1776]

If it's a .30 cal, that's not to much bigger then a .22.

I don't know if this question was completely answered.
The difference between a .22 cal. bullet and a .30 cal. bullet, in terms of 'gun power' is quite significant.
Usually, the .30 round is designed for a considerably more powerful powder charge and gun. I did say usually as there are some .22 center fire rounds that are whomper stompers. But, put another way, for the most part the .22 cal. rounds are for varmint type shooting and the .30 cal. rounds are for larger game like whitetail deer on up to moose size critters.
A little weight difference in the projectile can make a big difference in terms of killing power. Ask a scientist why. I just accept it for what it is.