7.62 NATO Israeli Mauser....308?
- Thread starter tobnpr
- Start date
No issues with the rifle. Just avoid "surplus" 7.62NATO Israeli ammo. On principle.
A friend got 500 rnds of what we later learned was Israeli mfg, early 80s. The stuff was physically dingy (dirty). 100rnds fired out of various AR 10 type rifles. 11 failure to fire, 17 cases cracked (just above the head). It was accurate, but...
My friend swore he would never again buy any ammo without opening the box and looking at it first. I did pull down the rest and salvage the bullets. Some of the pulled slugs had discolored lumps of powder stuck to their bases.
SO, I would say avoid that stuff.
The Mauser (once checked for headspace) should be fine.
A friend got 500 rnds of what we later learned was Israeli mfg, early 80s. The stuff was physically dingy (dirty). 100rnds fired out of various AR 10 type rifles. 11 failure to fire, 17 cases cracked (just above the head). It was accurate, but...
My friend swore he would never again buy any ammo without opening the box and looking at it first. I did pull down the rest and salvage the bullets. Some of the pulled slugs had discolored lumps of powder stuck to their bases.
SO, I would say avoid that stuff.
The Mauser (once checked for headspace) should be fine.
Cheapshooter
New member
Woa boy, get the popcorn, were in for a ride!
K, I'll bite...why?
FWIW, it was from CIA, one of the Czech BRNO K98K's "U Fix 'Em's", in case anyone was interested...
Seems to be missing only the rear action screw, and whatever hardware (haven't checked yet) to fasten the sling to the slot in the buttstock.
I can post some pics if anyone cares.
Cheapshooter
New member
Thought, like usual, there would be a bunch of comments on this!
Do a little research. You will find that most reports of "higher pressure" do not take into account the different scales that military 7.62 and commercial .308 are measured in. Take a look at all the manufacturers' labeling that states both .308 and 7.62x51 on the same box. Would they do that if there was the slightest hint of liability? Take a look at the history......7.62x51 developed by the military and given to Winchester to sell commercially as the .308W. Military 7.62 and commercial .308 chambers can be slightly different. The internals of 7.62 and .308 brass can have a few differences. Other than that, factory loadings of .308 and 7.62x51 (the same thing) are perfectly interchangeable.
End of story. Anything else is nothing more than internet fantasy and myth.
End of story. Anything else is nothing more than internet fantasy and myth.
Wow, you seem very knowledgeable about the subject, perhaps you should contact SAAMI and the American Rifleman to inform them that they don't know what they are talking about and are wrong in the information they publish. I'm quite sure they will be amazed and gratified to receive such information.
Why, if I wasn't a life member I would immediately cancel my subscription. I for one am very glad you set me straight on the fact that all these organizations have been printing myths and fantasy's
Why, if I wasn't a life member I would immediately cancel my subscription. I for one am very glad you set me straight on the fact that all these organizations have been printing myths and fantasy's
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Well, I am more than fairly knowledgeable about the subject, and if SAAMI and some old edition of the American Rifleman state that the .308 and 7.62x51 rounds are different and not interchangeable.......they are wrong.
The myth that they are different is old news and has been proven to be incorrect. Unfortunately, people, internet and industry experts alike, persist in repeating the same old crap with an uncritical eye. Do your own research and you will be enlightened and liberated.
The myth that they are different is old news and has been proven to be incorrect. Unfortunately, people, internet and industry experts alike, persist in repeating the same old crap with an uncritical eye. Do your own research and you will be enlightened and liberated.
When you measure 7.62x51 in CUP (50k) and 308 Win in PSI (60k), it is easy to think that the 308 Win is loaded to a higher pressure. You cannot reliably convert between the two scales, but both cartridges use the same load data from government and civilian sources so I am of the opinion that there is no functional pressure difference.
What 7.62x51 NATO spec ammo must do that 308 Win is not required to do is meet specific gas port pressure standards for use in machine guns and semi-automatic rifles. This is why you should not load just any 308 Win load in an M1A, AR-10 or 7.62 Garand. The same condition exists in 30-06, that there are loads that meet the specifications for use in the M1 Garand, and there are loads that do not. But no one is arguing that military 30-06 isn't spec'd to the same pressure as civilian 30-06.
But this myth will never die, at least not in my lifetime.
Jimro
What 7.62x51 NATO spec ammo must do that 308 Win is not required to do is meet specific gas port pressure standards for use in machine guns and semi-automatic rifles. This is why you should not load just any 308 Win load in an M1A, AR-10 or 7.62 Garand. The same condition exists in 30-06, that there are loads that meet the specifications for use in the M1 Garand, and there are loads that do not. But no one is arguing that military 30-06 isn't spec'd to the same pressure as civilian 30-06.
But this myth will never die, at least not in my lifetime.
Jimro
I agree with this, particularly the wording. Note that it says "interchangeable", and not "identical". No one can argue that a load that lists a 150gr @ 2750fps is identical to one that lists a 150gr in the 2900fps range.
But functionally interchangeable? I'd say yes, no question. Now, what your particular rifle likes best? (and what's best for it, overall?) That's a whole different matter.