Can I fire .308 in my M14 that is chambered for 7.62x51

MacLellan69

MacLellan69

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Hi I just bought my first Norinco M14 and I'm wondering about ammo. Some ppl are saying that I can fire .308win and some are saying to stick to the NATO ammo. Just looking for some help and some more info on these rifles. Thanks.
 
MacLellan69 said:
Hi I just bought my first Norinco M14 and I'm wondering about ammo. Some ppl are saying that I can fire .308win and some are saying to stick to the NATO ammo. Just looking for some help and some more info on these rifles. Thanks.
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Just google "chamber head space" and do a bit of reading on the topic and you should be able to come to your own conclusion on the matter
 
308Win ammunition comes with a variety of bullet weights, velocities and pressures. Your M-14 is designed and engineered for NATO military ball ammo. You should stick to ammo that approximates the NATO round as closely as possible.

That's my theory, anyway...and I'm sticking to it.
 
.308 is safe to shoot, but your rifle's headspace may not be conducive to good case life for reloading. Ammo loaded with 180 grain bullets will accelerate wear compared to lighter bullets.
 
I've been using federal powershok 150 gr SP for what seems like decades LOL in the norinco rifles, from box stock models to super tuners.
The question you should instead be answering for yourself is ----> do you know how to identify the signs of excess headspace like primer deformations ect ect.
Knowing how to identify a headspace issue by inspecting your fired brass/primers is key to knowing what ammo is safe to use in your particular rifle.
It is common for norinco rifles to accept both .308 commercial loads as well as true 7.62 Nato spec ammo.
With exceptions that apply only to rifles headspacing over 1.640" (.308 upper threshhold) and tighter than 1.632" (7.62Nato minimum threshold)
These are my opinions based on working on a great many of these guns.
My only warning I have repeated a ridiculous amount of times is.... Don't use that red box budget american eagle .308 , it will never go in one of my M14 types again. I don't know about the AE XM ammo, perhaps it has better brass.
That's all I got on this topic this time around.
 
More likely to damage parts. The rifle was designed to shoot 147-165gr slugs at 2700-2750fps. Going above that kind of "power factor" overloads the moving parts of the system. If you turn off your gas port it is theorized that the rifle will take pressures well above what a regular bolt action will. This theory comes from the practice of turning off the gas port and firing rifle grenades using an adapter on the muzzle and a blank that is almost filled full of powder to launch some 2-5lbs of grenade out to a couple hundred yards IIRC.
 
45ACPKING said:
I've been using federal powershok 150 gr SP for what seems like decades LOL in the norinco rifles, from box stock models to super tuners.
The question you should instead be answering for yourself is ----> do you know how to identify the signs of excess headspace like primer deformations ect ect.
Knowing how to identify a headspace issue by inspecting your fired brass/primers is key to knowing what ammo is safe to use in your particular rifle.
It is common for norinco rifles to accept both .308 commercial loads as well as true 7.62 Nato spec ammo.
With exceptions that apply only to rifles headspacing over 1.640" (.308 upper threshhold) and tighter than 1.632" (7.62Nato minimum threshold)
These are my opinions based on working on a great many of these guns.
My only warning I have repeated a ridiculous amount of times is.... Don't use that red box budget american eagle .308 , it will never go in one of my M14 types again. I don't know about the AE XM ammo, perhaps it has better brass.
That's all I got on this topic this time around.
Click to expand...

Roger that! Even the blue box stuff ends up with sloppy primer pockets so fast.
 
Not the same specs. It is not just a metric designation for the imperial .308 cartridge. There are differences. The commercially loaded .308 usually operates at slightly higher pressures than the 7.62x51. It is the opposite of the .223/5.56 situation.
 
Let's simplify this.
Think about it this way. True 7.62 Nato ammo has typically come with thicker brass at the web, the thicker brass minimizes case stretch/expansion.
It's generally "tougher" brass. This is my understanding after all these years.

.308 commerical brass , not being as tough as it's military cousin , expands/stretches much easier.

Now, bearing that in mind, there is a 5thou difference in case dimension running to the datum.
5 thousands of an inch..... Not much difference.

So , with keeping case stretch/expansion/fatigue in mind.... It has generally been accepted that .308 commercial ammo can be used in chambers measuring 1.640" and under. The Vast majority of norinco rifles I've worked on had headspace measurments 1.640" or under.

All my M14 type rifle except for one, will reliably and safely fire both 7.62 nato ammunition and factory .308 commercial loads. Headspace on these 2 is 1.632 (3 thousands tighter than 7.62 nato GO gauge). The third rifle is a 1.630" (308 GO minimum match) and I only shoot federal 150 power shok and federal 168GMM.

Clear as mud yet?

A smart guy will find a way to get his rifles headspace measured with an accurate headspace gauge (not by mic'ing fired brass , that's for reloading needs)
Once you know what your chamber measures on the scale , and you know how to identify signs of excess pressure ect, choosing appropriate ammunition with a MAX grain weight of 174gr, should be a simple task.
 
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