The best bullets are 308 mb caliber cartridges. 308 Winchester: the workhorse of sniping
In this section we will tell you and provide data about the speed of the bullet and its power at different distances. By studying the tables below, you will know what speed a 7.62x51 (308 Win) bullet has at various distances, while you will also learn about the power of the bullet and its deflection from the wind.
BULLET VELOCITY AND BALLISTIC DATA OF CARTRIDGE 7.62Х51 (308 WIN)
Using the given data from the tables, keep in mind that the speed of a 7.62x51 caliber bullet is calculated based on average data. That is, this means that the speed of a bullet at different distances, especially beyond 500 meters, will differ from reality depending on weather conditions, air temperature, batch of cartridges, type of bullet and other characteristics of the weapon. So, for example, if the barrel length is short, then the muzzle velocity of a 308 Win cartridge will be less than that of a long barrel. But this does not mean that the data given in the table on bullet speed cannot be used. Although the given data differs from reality, such a difference is not significant, so you can safely use the ballistic data of bullet speed from the table.
TECHNICAL DATA IN THE TABLE: Table 1 shows the distance in meters, the speed of the bullet at different distances in meters per second, the power of the bullet in joules, the time of flight of the 308 Win cartridge bullet to the target at different distances and the absolute drop of the bullet in centimeters. Table 2 indicates the deflection of the bullet from the target depending on the wind speed, which is indicated in meters per second, and the deflection of the bullet in centimeters. To calculate the bullet speed and its ballistic data, the following data was used, the initial bullet speed was 862 meters per second, 9.7 grams, and the ballistic coefficient was 0.43.Bahing308 09-12-2010 01:01
Good day everyone.
I decided to check the accuracy of domestic 308 caliber cartridges.
I bought half a bucket of the cheapest ones from Barnaul.
and several boxes of Novosibirsk regular and increased accuracy.
Tiger gun, distance 100 meters, no wind, temperature +15, prone position from rest.
Barnaul gave a spread of 15 MOA.
Novosibirsk and both are 4 MOA.
I still don’t understand why increased accuracy is better than regular ones.
But when shooting at the opika, I see that the barrel still sways a little.
I decided to check the accuracy without swaying.
I attach a laser, place a video camera aimed at the target and film everything.
I repeated the shooting.
I pulled out photographs from the received recording. I catch the last frame and with a laser point, at the moment
shot it disappears, after 4 frames a hole appears in the target. I combine both photos and measure them
distance and direction from the laser point to the hole. And so every shot.
The results obtained are somewhat better.
The Barnaul ones gave a spread of 14 MOA.
Novosibirsk and both 3 MOA.
What's wrong with the Barnaul ones?
I decided to weigh them on an electronic scale (accuracy 0.01 g)
The lightest weighed 21.83, the heaviest 22.28. Why are they so different?
I disassemble the heels of cartridges and weigh the bullet, gunpowder, and cartridge case separately.
Everyone's gunpowder is very accurate. The sleeve runs +- 0.03 g. The rest of the imbalance is due to the bullet.
If the whole problem is only in the pool, then you can sort them without disassembling them.
I find 2 dozen that weigh exactly 22 grams.
I repeat the shooting with a laser and a video camera.
The result amazed me: 1.5 MOA. Everyone lay down in a circle of 4 centimeters from a distance of 100 meters.
Just like a cool imported cartridge.
Mikhail74 09-12-2010 09:07
those. Has accuracy improved from 14MOA to 1.5MOA with the same cartridges?
You need to outweigh yours, though 7.62x54R.
Bahing308 09-12-2010 09:45
14 MOA was achieved because individual bullets flew haphazardly and off the target
Bahing308 09-12-2010 09:59
By the way, about 54 rounds. You need to know exactly the rifling pitch of the barrel, sometimes 240 and sometimes 320. If the rifling is 240, then you need to use an army cartridge, a 13gr bullet with an ejection speed of 760 m/s. If the pitch is 320, then it is chambered for a hunting cartridge of ~10 g. speed 850 m/s. If you mix it up, there will be no accuracy. In one case, the bullet is under-twisted and begins to chatter. Otherwise, it is twisted, the gyroscopic effect will begin to lift the nose of the bullet upward.
Bahing308 09-12-2010 13:11
I'm interested too.
I bought an electronic scale at a hunting store.
Somewhat similar to a cell phone, very convenient.
sbekin 10-12-2010 13:00
Interesting note. I will think and weigh!
Bahing308 10-12-2010 19:04
I would be glad if I helped anyone.
aboss 10-12-2010 19:35
I haven’t weighed them, I won’t lie, I have these high-accuracy ones in my Browning Bar Match, every fifth one doesn’t reload the cartridge. I don’t know if it depends on the weight of the cartridge case or something else, but I gave it up. Centaur is fine.
Bahing308 14-12-2010 09:15
Barnaul misfired for me. 2 cartridges. When reloading they fired normally. Still, Barnaul is Barnaul. You can't make a Mercedes out of a Lada.
yag mort 27-03-2011 11:01
My 5 kopecks. I’ve been using this selection for many years, I’ve been practicing TPZ. In the store I still sort by appearance and quality, although people around me ask questions, but I don’t have time for them. Caliber 223 belt weight 4 grams. This is relevant in the regions. The best group was 17 mm. Sincerely, A.
bagrov 02-04-2011 16:50
I want to try to take the Centaur 308 in the same way. I weighed two packs and it turned out that only the cartridge case was jumping. I sorted several groups by weight and will try to find the heap weight of the cartridge for my barrel. And then in the store, outweighing, pick up two hundred pieces. Has anyone tried this? By the way, as far as I remember, the 320mm pitch on the tiger seems to be more suitable for a light 9.7gr bullet. And the 240 pitch was created to the detriment of accuracy for firing heavy armored vehicles and tracers. And in Barnaul, in front of witnesses, I collected two series of five from a tiger, 13mm and 18mm. The Hansa didn't count because there were stickers on the target.
Bahing308 16-04-2011 23:16
There is an idea to disassemble and reassemble Barnaul.
But with an adjusted heap speed and bullet landing depth.
bagrov 17-04-2011 05:35
Report. The centaur was not allowed to change the weight in the store. They said buy everything. But I flew a regular Novosib with bimetal for 24 rubles. I'm happy as an elephant. Some series turned out to be 03 MOA. No sorting by weight. I bought 300 pieces and set up a calculator for them, I think it’s enough for hunting.
Bahing308 22-07-2011 15:24
Centaur SPBT 10.7
declared speed 814 m/s
My short tiger flew 785 m/s
That the positive spread in speeds from 3 shots was +- 3 m/s
In ordinary Barnaul +- 30 m/s
Poltan-off 09-08-2011 22:45
on the Izh-94 for the 54 cartridge, can anyone tell me the rifling pitch?
Bahing308 13-09-2011 13:32
Yesterday I shot from a standing position. open sight. Distance 100m.
Tiger 308 cal. Barnaul FMJ. Accuracy was 10 MOA.
What’s most interesting is that a friend was laying a smooth trunk nearby.
Also standing and from the open. 12 gauge Polev 2 bullet.
The result is the same, also 10 MOA.
Without a doubt, the .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO) is the world's most popular military and law enforcement sniper round, and for good reason.
This bullet is powerful enough to handle most situations a police or military sniper might encounter, yet it is not a heavy magnum bullet that produces a lot of recoil. And it has a sufficient lethal effect even on suspects “under a dose” with one targeted shot.
Unfortunately, I am aware of the opposite cases involving several police sniper shootouts in the United States, where the suspects were reliably hit by .223 caliber bullets, but went on to kill hostages or police officers before being incapacitated. If you compare the data we provide, you will notice that .308 ammunition has significantly more energy, better resistance to crosswind drift, and maintains greater velocity over longer distances. Due to its higher muzzle velocity, the .223 has a slightly better trajectory than the .308, which is the only area in which it compares to 7.62mm ammunition.
Due to its widespread use, we know a lot about the .308 bullet, there is a sufficient variety of match or quality bullets for almost any application. Our ballistics data covers both the civilian 168-grain .308 Federal HPBT match bullet and the military M118 Long Range ammunition, as there are small but noticeable differences between them, despite the fact that both leave the barrel of the rifle at speed. 2600 feet per second. The somewhat better performance of the military ammunition reflects the 7-grain higher bullet weight. Indeed, I hope to convince you that the essence of long-range precision shooting is recognizing and taking into account even the slightest differences that you may encounter.
Ballistic advantage of the .308 Winchester
The term “ballistic advantage,” used often in this book, refers to the large advantage you have over a possible enemy because of the characteristics of your .308 caliber ammunition.
SNIPER BULLETS.308 caliber: (left column, top to bottom), Hornady 165 grain TAP Barrier bullet; 165 grain Federal Tactical; collapsing Longbow; (middle column) 155 grain Hornady TAP A-Max; 168 grain Hornady TAP A-Max; 168 grain Sierra HPBT; Black Hills 175-grain moly-coated Sierra HPBT; (right column) 147 grain M80 bullet; M993 army armor-piercing bullet; military tracer bullet; 173-grain M118 Special bullet (obsolete). On the left is a false cartridge for dry firing. |
I coined this term so that snipers could clearly understand that at ranges beyond about 400 yards, their rifles are inherently more accurate, more powerful, and more lethal than their opponents' assault rifles. At shorter ranges, assault rifles with a larger magazine capacity and higher rate of fire give the enemy an advantage.
Therefore, imagine yourself as a long-armed boxer who keeps your opponent at arm's length, where you can strike and use this huge advantage. Equally, you must understand that allowing your opponent to get close poses mortal danger.
Since this advantage is an inherent property of the ballistics of the respective ammunition, let's carefully consider their relationships. Our first table compares the energies of the .308 Federal Match bullet and the Soviet 123-grain 7.62mm PS bullet and the 53-grain 5.45mm bullet fired from an AKM assault rifle. (A foot-pound is the amount of energy required to lift a mass of 1 pound by 1 foot. 1 foot-pound = 0.1385 kgm or 1.385 J.).
At the muzzle, the .308 bullet has nearly twice the energy of its competitors—meaning it will hit with twice the force, penetrate twice as deep into an obstacle, and so on. But as we go further, the benefits of the heavy, tapered .308 bullet become even greater. Once it reaches 600 yards, the bullet hits with four times the force of its opponents. To put this into perspective, you have to understand that an AKM bullet at 600 yards has much less energy than a conventional 9mm bullet at the muzzle, which has 350 ft-lbs of energy. (You should also respect the 9mm as a lethal round, but remember that your concealed sniper position must provide protection from direct light weapons fire.)
Next, consider the wind drift benefits of your bullet when it comes to 10 mph crosswinds, shown in the table above. Again, there is an immediate superiority of your bullet, which increases with range. By the time a 7.62mm AKM bullet travels 400 yards, it will have deflated by an amount equal to two full case diameters. Imagine how your opponent would be hopelessly wrong on his “gut judgement” when shooting at 500 yards or more in this or even stronger crosswinds.
The rounded trajectory of the bullet shows its decline from the moment it exits the barrel, aimed parallel to the ground, and shows the amount of adjustment the shooter must make when shooting at long ranges. Here the advantage over the 7.62x39 cartridge is obvious, but the faster 5.45x39 cartridge retains a trajectory comparable to the .308 match bullet.
Our final comparison is speed, and here the advantage of the .308 bullet is clearly visible, despite the initial superiority of the 5.45x39 bullet. Because the heavier .308 bullet retains momentum, it overtakes the 5.45x39 bullet at 400 yards, and at 600 yards it significantly outperforms any AKM bullet.
Now let's combine the ballistic results. The .308 match bullet has significantly more energy on impact, and this advantage increases as the distance increases; it hits more accurately and its trajectory is straighter in crosswinds; it has a flatter trajectory than the bullet of the 7.62x39 cartridge and almost the same as that of the bullet of the 5.45x39 cartridge; and the .308 caliber bullet is significantly faster than these bullets at ranges over 400 yards. Overall, this is a decisive ballistic advantage.
Add to this the sniper's significantly higher quality match ammo, the greater accuracy of his rifle, and the superior optics of his scope, and all together, you have a huge advantage for the sniper when engaging targets over 400 yards away.
Legality of open-nose match bullets
At first glance, match bullets with empty space under the jacket—such as the 168-grain Sierra and Hornady and the 175-grain Sierra MatchKing—might appear to violate regulations that prohibit “projectiles or materials designed to cause unnecessary suffering.” In the past, this clause covered so-called “dum-dum” bullets, which, when hit, took on a mushroom shape, or expanded greatly and split into pieces. Boxes of civilian match ammunition are labeled "HPBT," which means "High-Tail with Hole in the Tip." Does this mean that such ammunition is illegal? Is it a war crime to use them?
The U.S. Army Special Operations Command requested a formal review of snipers' use of hollow point match ammunition, which led to a study by W. Hays Parks, Chief of the Military Judicial Command and the Department of the Army's most senior civilian lawyer. A Vietnam War veteran and Marine Corps Reserve Colonel, Parks is an experienced high-power rifle shooter who reloads his own ammunition, making him perhaps the best technical and legal expert on the subject. Here's the conclusion of his study: “The 7.62mm open-nose MatchKing bullets are designed to provide maximum accuracy at ultra-long ranges. Like most 5.56mm and 7.62mm jacketed bullets, it can break apart on impact, although it is not as likely to break as some military grade jacketed bullets currently in service in some countries. Bullet breakage is neither a design characteristic nor the purpose of using the MatchKing bullet by US Army snipers. The wounds caused by MatchKing bullets are similar to those caused by fully jacketed military grade bullets that are a legal means of warfare when compared at the same distances and under the same conditions. The military necessity for their use lies in their ability to provide maximum accuracy at very long ranges - and is complemented by the high degree of selectivity they provide when used by a trained sniper. This not only meets, but exceeds the requirements of the US laws of war applied in combat operations.” Thanks to Colonel Parks' research, a similar opinion was expressed by the head of the US Navy's Office of Military Legal Affairs, which also applies to Marine Corps and Navy SEAL snipers.
The Ultimate Sniper:
An Advanced Training Manual for Military
and Police Snipers
Maj. John L. Plaster, USAR (Ret.)
It is now difficult to prove the connection between the active lobbying on the part of the United States for the new military cartridge 7.62x51 for adoption by the NATO bloc in 1954 and the “release” of its commercial version onto the civilian market two years earlier. If such information exists, it is not yet available for research, not only for reasons of protecting trade secrets, but also for political reasons. However, what is certain is that the appearance of the civilian .308 Winchester cartridge served as another “pro” in favor of the adoption of the military cartridge by the Alliance. The subsequent development of both “partners” - commercial and military - occurred in parallel, at almost the same pace. Winchester, which became one of the main manufacturers of military and civilian ammunition, was not left behind either. The popularity of the commercial version of the 7.62x51 cartridge called .308 Winchester is difficult to overestimate. It can be argued that at present the .308 Win is perhaps the most common sporting and hunting ammunition in the world.
As we have already noted, the commercial career of the 7.62x51 cartridge began somewhat earlier than the military one. In 1952, Winchester, part of the Olin Corporation, officially introduced this ammunition for sale on the civilian market under the commercial designation .308 Winchester. The main competitor of the new cartridge at that time was the old army .30-06 Springfield. Soon, many hunters and shooters felt the benefits of the .308 Win. Compared to the .30-06, the new compact ammunition had less recoil, and the weapon for it had a shorter bolt stroke. In addition, 7.62x51 was slightly cheaper. A significant advantage of the old cartridge remained the versatility of reloading, because. its case allowed equipment with a wide range of bullets weighing up to 14.3 g. However, at present, a wide variety of equipment options have been developed for the .308 Win, and this caliber is produced, probably, by all cartridge companies in the world without exception. Thanks to this, with the help of .308 Win you can catch medium and, with some reservations, large game, and when using light jacket bullets, you can shoot a wolf, a fox and even a bird. For medium-sized animals, the 308 Win is most effective at distances up to 200 m. Factory-made cartridges have bullets weighing from 9.6 to 13 g and an initial velocity in the range of 745-880 m/s. The .308 Win cartridge has gained a reputation as an accurate sniper cartridge, thanks to the participation of weapons of this caliber in a number of varminting, benchrest, CISM competitions, etc. For target shooting, many companies produce special cartridges with increased accuracy. For example, high-precision cartridges of the Diamond Line series from the Swedish company Norma have a molybdenum coating on the bullet, which reduces wear on the rifling of the bore.
Unfortunately, the scope of a journal article does not allow for a detailed analysis of commercial options.308 Win. Let us dwell only on some of the manufacturers that have gained popularity in our market. This brief review, of course, should start with the Winchester company, which “released” the .308 Win cartridge. Currently, this manufacturer offers a wide range of equipment options in this caliber. In the Supreme Elite and Supreme series, the .308 Win is available with 9.72 g solid polycarbonate E-Tip ballistic tip bullets, semi-jacketed lead core bullets and 9.72 g polycarbonate XP3 ballistic tip bullets, with semi-jacketed bullets with a lead core and a polycarbonate ballistic tip Ballistic Silvertip weighing 9.72 and 10.89 g and the famous Sierra Match King BTHP bullets weighing 10.89 g. In the “budget” Super X series, .308 Win cartridges are equipped with bullets with a lead core and a hole in Power Max Bonded head section weighing 9.72 g, semi-jacketed bullets with a protruding lead core Power Point weighing 10.89 g and semi-jacketed bullets with a lead core and a Silvertip aluminum alloy ballistic tip weighing 11.66 g. For target shooting, cartridges with jacketed FMJ bullets weighing 9.52 g.
Another, no less well-known American company, Remington, also offers a wide range of cartridges. 308 Win: with semi-jacketed bullets with a lead core that fills a small hole in the tip Premier Core-Lokt Ultra Bonded weighing 11.66 and 9.72 g; with semi-jacketed bullets with a lead core and a Premier Accutip plastic ballistic tip (manufactured by Hornady) weighing 10.69 g; bullets with a thick-walled variable-section jacket with a lead core and a Premier Scirocco Bonded plastic ballistic tip weighing 10.69 g; with solid-pack bullets with a Premier Copper Solid plastic ballistic tip weighing 9.72 g and a hollow-point bullet with a protruding core Core-Lokt Soft Point weighing 11.66 g. For target shooting and various shooting competitions, Remington offers cartridges. 308 Win, loaded jacketed bullets with a small hole in the tip of Premier Match (Match King bullets from Sierra) weighing 10.81 and 11.34 g.
Among European manufacturers of this caliber, RWS occupies a special place. Their line of bullets has long become a classic in the world of cartridges. For the .308 Win, the German company offers options for equipping bullets ID Classic weighing 9.7 g, KS weighing 9.7 and 10.7 g, DK weighing 10.7 g, HMK (H-Mantel) weighing 11.7 g, Uni Classic weighing 11.7 g and Evo (Evolution) weighing 11.9 g.
The Czech company Sellier&Bellot produces a very practical range of cartridges. 308 Win. Basic loadout options include four types of bullets: semi-jacketed SPCE weighing 9.7 and 11.7 g, classic SP weighing 11.7 g, and NPC bullet weighing 11.7 g with an expansion hole closed by a brass ballistic tip. In addition, S&B offers bullet options in this caliber with improved ballistics and expansion, all weighing 11.7 g: XRG (solid brass body with expansion hole covered by an aluminum cap), Nosler Partition (half-jacketed with a split core), Sierra SBT GameKing ® (semi-shell with a tapered back) and PTS (half-shell with a tapered back and a hole in the tip covered by a plastic ballistic cap). Cartridges for target shooting are equipped with jacketed bullets with a rear cone FMJ weighing 11.7 and 9.55 g. For match cartridges, HPVT bullets weighing 10.9 and 11.7 g with a hole in the tip are used.
308 Win. vs 7.62 mm NATO
The question of interchangeability of 7.62 mm NATO and .308Win cartridges. still remains one of the most controversial. There is a well-established belief that commercial and military ammunition are NOT interchangeable due to the difference in maximum chamber pressure between commercial and military firearms, with a difference of about 12,000 PSI (12,000 pounds per square inch). It is believed that the maximum operating pressure for commercial weapons is 62,000 PSI, and for military - 50,000 PSI. Let us repeat: we are talking specifically about the pressures in the chambers of the weapon, and not in the cartridges. Based on these data, a popular opinion was born that, for safety reasons, it is not recommended to shoot commercial cartridges from military barrels. It would seem that everything is clear and understandable. However, it is worth considering in more detail the sources of data on pressure values and, most importantly, the methods for measuring their numerical values.
There are two main organizations that develop technical specifications and standards for commercial firearms and ammunition. This is the American SAAMI - Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (Institute of Manufacturers of Sports Arms and Ammunition) and the European CIP - Commission Internationale Permanente pour l’Epreuve des Armes? Feu Portatives (Permanent International Firearms Testing Commission). These are civil organizations that develop various specifications for the needs of their own associated members. Other market participants may use the specifications of these organizations or adhere to their own standards. Previously, all military and civilian organizations used one common method to measure pressure, based on measuring the deformation of a copper ball under the influence of powder gases in the chamber of a weapon. This technique was called the Copper crusher method, and the conventional units of pressure measurement in it were Copper Units of Pressure, abbreviated CUP. Currently, a more accurate Piezo method (piezoelectric method) is used to measure pressure in the chamber, in which quartz crystals are used instead of a copper ball. Using this method, pressure is measured in pounds per square inch - PSI (pounds per square inch). SAAMI and CIP have been using the Piezo method, measured in PSI, for quite some time. The American army and the NATO alliance use their own technical requirements and testing methodologies, which are different from each other. NATO uses a special system of comprehensive testing using EPVAT (Electronic Pressure Velocity and Action Time) instruments and computer technology, which records measurements in PSI units. The US Army measures pressure using the old method in CUP units. This difference in measurement techniques and methods certainly creates confusion when comparing data, a prime example of which is the issue of interchangeability of .308 Win cartridges. and 7.62 mm NATO. Already when comparing the seemingly identical measurement systems SAAMI and CIP in PSI units, some differences arise in the final data due to different methodologies for placing pressure measuring sensors in the chamber. US Army measurement techniques are based on a completely different method with CUP units, which are not equal to PSI units. In the case of the 7.62x51 cartridge, this difficult measurement situation was aggravated by a trivial error in which the value of the maximum pressure of 50,000, expressed in CUP units, migrated from old US Army technical manuals to new ones (for example TM-43-001-27), but already in PSI units. And if previously the army indicator of 50,000 CUP was approximately equal to the commercial indicator of 60,000 PSI, then after an error in the units of measurement, the notorious 12,000 PSI difference appeared out of nowhere. Of course, there is an actual difference in military and commercial pressure ratings, but it does not exceed 2000 PSI. This value is not so significant, because such deviations in the actual pressure value can be observed even during measurements under the influence of natural causes, for example in hot weather. Finally, in the mid-1990s, the Americans raised the maximum pressure threshold for the M118 LR sniper bullet cartridge to 52,000 CUP, thereby equalizing it with the commercial 62,000 PSI.
In addition to the maximum pressure value, other criteria for the interchangeability of cartridges are the dimensions of the chamber and sleeve. The difference in chamber size specifications between SAAMI and the US Army is so small that it is no more than 0.013″ (0.005 mm). Thus, it does not affect the type of ammunition used - either commercial in military weapons, or vice versa. Geometric dimensions of cartridges.308 Win. and 7.62 mm NATO are almost identical and differ mainly within the technological capabilities of each specific manufacturer. Military ammunition only has cartridge cases with thicker walls and, accordingly, a smaller internal volume, but this is due to the need to create a safety margin and increase the level of reliability and safety when used in automatic weapons.
Born in the USSR
The history of the appearance of the domestic 7.62x51 cartridge is rather vague, which, however, is a completely common situation for most domestic ammunition. There is a legend about one high-ranking leader of the USSR, who was given a carbine chambered for .308Win, and his personal need for cartridges of this caliber led to the highest order to develop a domestic analogue. It is now difficult to guess who this mysterious “high-ranking leader” was. It is only known that in 1967, the writer Sholokhov gave Secretary General Brezhnev an American carbine model 88 from Winchester in exactly this caliber for his 60th birthday. Later, Brezhnev, an avid hunter, had other samples of the .308, which, perhaps, served as the main impetus for the start of domestic production of the 7.62x51 cartridge, and subsequently - his own samples of hunting weapons in this caliber - high-class self-loading carbines MTs -125 and commercial “Bear-3” and “Los-4”.
However, in the design of new ammunition, Soviet designers went “their own way.” In the absence of technological drawings of cartridges and chambers of rifles of foreign caliber, it was decided to take measurements of several available samples of weapons and cartridges and, based on the data obtained, to develop our own technical documentation. The result was a cartridge that differed from both the military 7.62 mm NATO and the commercial .308Win. In addition to some minor geometric deviations from the basic samples, the main difference was the smaller powder charge, which did not allow the use of foreign cartridges in domestic carbines, which developed greater pressure of the powder gases in the barrel.
In the early 1970s. production of pilot batches of the new cartridge was established in Klimovsk, and by 1975 the cartridge was finally standardized in GOST 21169-75, and its gross production began at the Barnaul Machine Tool Plant (BSZ, since 2003 - CJSC Barnaul Cartridge Plant). The new cartridge received the domestic designation 7.62x51A, where the letter “A” denoted the cartridge being equipped with a semi-sheathed bullet (SP - Soft Point) with a lead core protruding 3.7 mm. The letter "B" denoted cartridges with a jacketed bullet (FMJ). However, cartridges with the “B” bullet were not mass-produced, as were the flanged versions of the cartridge with both types of bullets, which were developed at the same time. Half-jacketed bullets weighing 9.7 g were initially loaded into brass cartridges, and a little later into varnished steel cases. It is noteworthy that on the bottom stamps of the cartridges, in addition to the 7.62x51 caliber designation, there was no manufacturer’s stamp, because the cartridges were intended only “for supplies to the domestic market.” A charge of gunpowder brand "VT" (or brand "OSNF 38/3.77") weighing 2.95-3.01 g created an average powder gas pressure of 3100 kgf/cm2 in the barrel bore. The length of the semi-jacketed bullet in a tombak shell was 24.8-25.1 mm, and the total length of the cartridge was 72 mm. Another distinctive feature of the new ammunition was the actual diameter of the bullet according to the “Western” model - 7.83 mm, in contrast to Soviet standards, in which bullets with a nominal caliber of 7.62 mm had an actual diameter of about 7.92 mm.
After the collapse of the USSR in the early 1990s. Russian manufacturers of the 7.62x51 cartridge were faced with the need to “adjust” the domestic cartridge to Western CIP and RMK standards, which in the future opened up great commercial opportunities for the cartridge industry of the former Union. In this regard, the overall length of the cartridge was reduced, and the design of the cartridge case was modified to take into account the possibility of using a charge that developed pressure in the barrel bore up to 3600 bar. A new KV-27N igniter primer with a larger diameter of 6.47 mm was adopted for the cartridge, replacing the old “revolving pistol” KV-26 with a diameter of 5.0 mm. The modernized cartridge in a varnished steel case was designated 7.62x51M, and its production was continued at BSZ. The basic model of the 7.62x51-9.1-PO cartridge had a slightly shortened semi-jacketed (SP) bullet in a bimetallic jacket weighing 9.1 g and a total cartridge length of 68 mm. Since the mid-1990s, BSZ began production of cartridges with jacketed bullets (FMJ) weighing 9.4 g with indices 7.62x51-9.4M-O (in a varnished steel case) and 7.62x51-9.4-OB (in a steel case). brass sleeve). Later, the production of cartridges with galvanized casings, as well as with bullets with a conical tail - FMJBT (10.9 g) and SPBT (10.9 g) was launched. Since mid-2009, BPZ has been offering a series of cartridges under the general brand name “Centaur”, which have polymer-coated cases and bullets from the American company Hornady Manufacturing Co. - jacketed FMJBT weighing 9.7 g and semi-jacketed SPBT weighing 10.7 and 11.7 g. Unlike the bimetallic jackets of modern BPZ bullets, American Hornady bullets use a tompak jacket. Currently, sporting and hunting versions of the 7.62x51 cartridge are also produced by the Novosibirsk Low-Voltage Equipment Plant (since 2003 - Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant CJSC) and Tula Cartridge Plant OJSC. Novosibirsk cartridges are produced with a wide range of “bullet + cartridge case” combinations. Brass and bimetallic sleeves can be loaded with FMJ and SP bullets weighing 9.2-9.4 g in tombac and bimetallic jackets or high-accuracy FMJ bullets weighing 12.0 g in tombak jacket. It is interesting to note that since 2008, NZVA has been producing 7.62x51 cartridges in bimetallic cases with an annular knurling in the lower part of the case above the annular groove. This structural element is designed to compensate for the deformation of the locking unit by “straightening” the knurling when fired. At the same time, the extraction of the cartridge case is improved, transverse ruptures of the cartridge cases are eliminated and the reliability of the weapon as a whole is increased. The technology for manufacturing cartridge cases with ring knurling was developed and experimentally tested by the famous Soviet author of the fundamentals of designing weapons and cartridges, professor, Major General ITS V.M. Kirillov. This technology for producing cartridges found its first practical application back in the 1970s. during the development of experimental 6x49 rifle-machine-gun cartridges, but only recently has it found itself in full demand in the production of Russian commercial cartridges 7.62x51 at oil refineries and .30-06 at BPZ.
Among modern Russian military developments, we can mention the new 7.62x51 RS-51 cartridge with a bullet of increased penetration, mastered in the early 2000s at the Barnaul Cartridge Plant as a promising export model. The design of the bullet with a heat-strengthened core weighing 9.45 g is similar to the design of the bullet of the Mosin 7N13 cartridge. Distinctive features of the new ammunition are the purple varnish coating of the joint between the bullet and the cartridge case, as well as a circular 4-segment crimp in the capsule mount. The marking on the cartridge case remained standard commercial - the plant logo (BARS) and the designation of the cartridge type - 7.62x51M. The cartridge with the RS-52T tracer bullet was also tested, with the top of the bullet painted green.
Based on .308
The .308 Win cartridge served as the basis for the development of various conversion models aimed at meeting the ever-increasing demand for cartridges for special tasks. The fate of the “clones” turned out differently - some of them “took root” and conquered their segment of the international shooting market, others found only local application.
The first such cartridge was the .243 Winchester, developed in 1955 primarily for shooting all kinds of rodents at long distances - varminting. Thanks to a number of positive properties, such as the flat trajectory of the bullet and its high speed, the cartridge quickly conquered the market and is successfully produced by almost all of the world's largest ammunition manufacturers. The production of the cartridge has also been launched in Russia at the Barnaul Cartridge Plant in two versions of ammunition with Hornady tombak-jacketed bullets - full-shell (FMJBT) weighing 5.8 g and semi-shell (SPBT) weighing 6.5 g. In the Barnaul catalog, the cartridge is additionally designated in metric system - 6.16x51. The second model, created on the basis of the .308 cartridge case in the same 1955, was the .358 Winchester cartridge, which served as a kind of replacement for two older models of a similar caliber - the .35 Remington and .348 Winchester cartridges. The fairly popular .35 Remington cartridge was less powerful, and the .348 Winchester welt cartridge was produced for only one rifle model - the Model 71, produced from 1936 to 1958. However, the cartridge did not become more widespread except in the United States. Two other “Winchester” cartridges based on the .308 Win cartridge case, created in 1982 in a welt version, received the same limited distribution - the .307 Winchester cartridge and the .356 Winchester cartridge. The cartridge, converted to caliber .307, became quite popular in Spain, and as an equivalent to the .308 Win ammunition, which was banned for civilian use in this country due to the identity of its dimensions with the military 7.62x51 NATO. The .356 Winchester cartridge was a welted version of the .358 Win. cartridge, designed as a more powerful ammunition for hunting big game to replace the .30-30 Winchester and .35 Remington cartridges. Both cartridges were intended for modified versions of the legendary Browning Model 1894 rifle - the Winchester Model 94 Angle Eject. In 1987, the production of rifles for these calibers was discontinued. Between 1983 and 1986, Marlin produced 2,441 Marlin 336ER (Extra Range) rifles in .356 Winchester, but this was more of a tribute to competition. One way or another, the .307 Winchester and .356 Winchester cartridges did not receive further development and distribution.
Remington participated in the creation of two more variants of cartridges based on the .308 Win cartridge case. The first is the 7mm-08 Remington cartridge, developed by Remington in 1980 for active promotion with several models of rifles of its own design. The ammunition enjoys a certain popularity among fans of accurate shooting at long distances from a benchrest machine. The second ammunition is .260 Remington, created in 1997 by re-compressing the .308 Win cartridge case to cal. 6.5 mm. It is interesting to note that in 1996, the American company A-Square submitted specifications to the SAAMI organization for a cartridge of a similar design of its own production called 6.5-08 A-Square. The differences in the overall dimensions of the sleeves from both companies were very minor, but for some reason SAAMI accepted the Remington specifications, although they were submitted several months later than the A-Square specifications. This is where the double designation of this cartridge comes from, sometimes used in various sources - .260 Remington and 6.5-08 A-Square.
Among recent developments, it is worth noting the 2006 model - cartridge 338 Federal. The positive features of the new cartridge are power, the ability to use heavy bullets of different designs and the compactness of the weapon used. This caliber was popularized in the commercial market with the Finnish Sako M85 rifle.
Here is a brief summary of all the information on the .308 Win cartridge today. Of course, the ammunition industry does not stand still, and soon we will be able to observe and even actively use new modifications of this famous ammunition or its “clones”. Maybe the history of the 7.62x51 will be as long as that of the famous 7.92x57 Mauser. Time will tell. At the very least, the constant innovation in the development of new materials, components and propellants in the modern ammunition industry suggests that the career of the .308 Win is far from over.
Mar 20, 2013 Andrey aka Pulkin Donets and Dmitry aka Treshkin Adeev official IAA members
vtorov 16-12-2009 12:24
Please tell me, is there a difference in caliber (diameter by margin and rifling) between .308 and 7.62 weapons (for example, Tiger and Vepr) of domestic production? As I understand it, imported bullets differ in diameter from ours. By the way, what is the diameter of domestic bullets for 7.62x51 cartridges?
Tartarin 16-12-2009 12:58
Domestic 7.62 cartridges in the imperial system have a dimension of 312 versus 308 for imported “thirty calibers”. The diameter of the weapon barrel differs accordingly. The domestic cartridge 7.62x51 corresponds to size 308 and is interchangeable with 308Win. Using quality .308 bullets in our 7.62 rounds is acceptable and often produces better results. It usually doesn’t occur to anyone to use 312 bullets in 308, because it’s pointless.
BEDUIN 16-12-2009 03:36
quote: because it's pointless
and extremely dangerous.
HalfOK 16-12-2009 06:48
It usually doesn’t occur to anyone to use 312 bullets in 308, because it’s pointless.
How is that? like, take a bullet from an SKS cartridge and stuff it into a 308 Win cartridge? Well, somehow the thought doesn’t even arise :-)
vtorov 16-12-2009 15:41
Thanks for the information on the 7.62x51 cartridge. This is all understandable, but the main question was about the trunks, who can say what, if possible from personal experience.
Tartarin 16-12-2009 15:59
Should I measure it?
Dominius 16-12-2009 18:39
quote: Originally posted by Tartarin:
Should I measure it?
Here the author of the topic is trying to find out the difference in the sizes of the bores of weapons intended for firing with these calibers. So, knowledgeable people will correct me, the difference in the calibers of these two cartridges is that our domestic calibers were measured by the fields of the rifling, while in the West it is customary to measure the caliber by the bottom of the rifling. (I may be confused here, correct me, but this is their fundamental difference).
flint 16-12-2009 20:45
vtorov 17-12-2009 12:13
Why then are there bad results when shooting foreign bullets from our 7.62 weapons, if the barrels of both theirs and ours are the same?
Tartarin 17-12-2009 02:15
What bullets, from what cartridge, from what weapon, and what does bad mean? The barrels are never the same, even though both have 7.62 rifling. Can you ask the question clearly?
vovgun 17-12-2009 02:22
quote: although both are 7.62 in rifling
Uh-uh... Gleb?
Tartarin 17-12-2009 02:36
So I say, you need to dig STANAG 2310 and SAAMI materials, and GOST standards of course.
Solidol 17-12-2009 05:58
quote: Originally posted by Dominius:
Here the author of the topic is trying to find out the difference in the sizes of the bores of weapons intended for firing with these calibers. So, knowledgeable people will correct me, the difference in the calibers of these two cartridges is that our domestic calibers were measured by the fields of the rifling, while in the West it is customary to measure the caliber by the bottom of the rifling. (I may be confused here, correct me, but this is their fundamental difference).
Is it okay that the 300 Vin Mag has the same rifling and rifling diameters as the 308 Vin?
And the difference in the nominal diameter of the rifling was described by uv. Tartarin.
I can add that the nominal diameter of the fields is the same - 7.62 mm.
The field value for 7.62x54, emnips, is 7.92, and for Western 300 calibers - 7.82 (also emnips).
vtorov 17-12-2009 14:10
As I understand it, the whole difference is in the depth of the rifling. If in the fields both there and there are 7.62.
Andryxa Sl 17-12-2009 15:08
quote: Originally posted by BEDUIN:
and extremely dangerous.
It's pointless - that's understandable, but I'm sorry, what could happen? what is the danger?
BEDUIN 19-12-2009 21:58
quote: what could happen? what is the danger?
- but here it’s definitely only the Lord....
I myself don’t undertake to call or contribute. Either the breakthrough of gases, or the excess of the bullet diameter along the rifling (not the fields), or the burning speed of the gunpowder is not the same... Well, why experiment?...
Wise Hunt 22-12-2009 12:01
If I understood the starter correctly, there is a difference. 7.62x54 has a bullet thickness of 7.92 mm, and 7.62x51 has a bullet diameter of 7.85 mm.
vtorov 22-12-2009 16:05
it turns out that despite the different bullets, the barrels are the SAME. Naturally, different manufacturers have their own characteristics.
Tartarin 22-12-2009 19:26
it turns out that despite the different bullets the barrels are the SAME
Do you do this because you can neither read drawings nor text?
1. What is the difference between the barrels of manufactured carbines chambered for 7.62x54 and .308 cartridges (except for the chamber) - internal diameter, pitch, depth, shape, number of rifling, safety factor, etc.?
1. In practical terms - nothing.
Tartarin 23-12-2009 12:17
Montclaire 25-12-2009 10:47
In short, it's simple:
if you have 7.62X51 NATO on your barrel, then you can easily load .308WIN. If the Barrel has .308WIN, then only put them in and make sure that .308WIN is written specifically on the pack. All snipers and some hunting rifles with bolts are available. 308WIN, AR10, other options such as Mosada, Scar, machine guns (anything specifically military) are available in 7.62x51.
The same thing with 5.56x45 vs .223. (military vs. hunting)
Split-S 25-12-2009 13:25
quote: In short, it's simple:
if you have 7.62X51 NATO on your barrel, then you can easily load .308WIN. If the Barrel has .308WIN, then only put them in and make sure that .308WIN is written specifically on the pack.
Dr. Watson 03-02-2010 11:53
.308 Win vs. 7.62x51
Before moving on, I would like to answer a frequently asked question: “Are .308 Winchester and 7.62x51 NATO interchangeable?” The simple answer is NO. They differ in chamber parameters and developed pressure. The maximum SAMMI/CIP pressure for the .308 is 62,000 psi, while the 7.62x51 has a maximum of 50,000 psi. In addition, headspace (Mirror gap. Simply put, in d.sl. the distance from the shutter mirror to the middle of the sleeve slope) is slightly different. The "pass" caliber 308 Win is 1.630" versus 1.635" for 7.62x51. The "no pass" .308 is 1.634", but 1.6405" for the 7.62x51. This means that you can safely shoot military cartridges in civilian rifles (though not all military rifles are created equal). Fulton Armory's Clint McKee notes, "Nobody makes the 7.62mm (NATO) any different from the .308 in terms of headspace. So the 7.62mm generally fills the chambers of the .308 just fine." However, you may create problems for yourself because... a commercial .308 Win cartridge can exceed the maximum chamber pressure under 7.62x51. So you should avoid "hot" .308 Win in older military rifles rated up to 50,000 psi
http://talks.guns.ru/forummisc/blog/432/206079.html
Parshev 03-02-2010 13:23
quote: Originally posted by vtorov:
As I understand it, the whole difference is in the depth of the rifling. If in the fields both here and there it’s 7.62.
That's right. For the three, the groove depth is 0.15 mm, for the 300 Western - 0.1 mm. The diameter is the same across the fields.
sullen 03-02-2010 18:34
quote: Originally posted by john:Split is already ahead. Not only are the pressures different, but the sizes are 308VIN / 7.62NATO too.
According to 223rem/5.56NATO - it’s a little different there, 5.56 is designed for higher pressure.
no sizes are the same standard...