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Posted On: 1/6/2021
By: Tony Gonzalez
A: Thanks for reaching out Tony! The store clerk was giving you good information. 308 and 7.62x51 share virtually identical dimensions, so your rifle chambered for 308 will have no problem feeding and extracting 7.62x51. The primary difference between the two cartridges is that 308 is loaded to create slightly greater pressure in a rifle's chamber than 7.62x51. This means your rifle's chamber is actually designed to soak up more pressure than the 7.62x51 is capable of generating.
The two cartridges are SO similar, as a matter of fact, that the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute doesn't even consider it unsafe to load 308 in a rifle that is chambered for 7.62x51. So rest easy, because loading 7.62x51 in a rifle chambered for 308 is extremely common and totally safe. Just make sure you don't accidentally order 7.62x39, because that is AK-47 ammo and won't work in your rifle.
Posted On: 2/14/2013
By: Paul
A: The 7.62x51 is dimensionally identical to the 308 round, though the pressures are lower than the 308. This round will safely fire in your Remington 700. This practice is similar to shooting .223 ammo in a 5.56 NATO rifle.
