gamboolman 0 Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 1st off thanks for the help on this forum ! I have ordered a Saiga 308 after reading and posting here for advice. My next question is ammunition for the Saiga 308. Can I safely shoot my 308 ammunition that I use for deer hunting in my Remington bolt acitons in the Saiga? Is 7.62 x 51 surplus ammunition OK? I am sure this is a easy question but I seem to be having trouble searching the Internet to get it answered - ( likely operator error ) Thanks for any help and advice gamboolman.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SaigaNoobie 66 Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I'm pretty sure any 7.62x51 or .308win ammo is A-OK for the s.308. But maybe a more veteran member will give you a more definitive answer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loki0629 55 Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 You can shoot either. As a matter of fact, both 7.62x51 and .308 Win are stamped on the side of the receiver. However, try different brands as your weapon might prefer certain loads over others. As far as surplus ammo goes some people have cautioned against the Indian or Pakistani stuff while others have said they have no problem with it. Keep in mind if you end up with both NATO and .308 rounds and plan on reloading the brass, you MUST separate both types as the NATO brass is slightly thicker brass. Also, the saiga 308 dents up the brass pretty good. There are threads dealing with trying to keep this from happening with various levels of success. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wdavid431 0 Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 (edited) I have read in 3 or 4 places not to use 308 ammo. The 7.62 should be used. Cannot remember where I read that. Seems the 308 round is too hot or something. Suggest you check this out. Edited January 10, 2008 by wdavid431 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SaigaNoobie 66 Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I have read in 3 or 4 places not to use 308 ammo. The 7.62 should be used. Cannot remember where I read that. Seems the 308 round is too hot or something.Suggest you check this out. That's for 7.62x51mm chambers only. Given that the .308 is a .308win, the chamber is designed for the higher pressures. the lower pressure 7.62 NATO round will have no problems. Now if this were a 7.62x51mm Milsurp rifle, then yes, the .308 would be an issue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loki0629 55 Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 From 6mmbr.com: .308 Win vs. 7.62x51--The Straight Scoop Before we go much further, we want to address the oft-posed question "Are the .308 Winchester and 7.62x51 NATO one and the same?" The simple answer is no. There are differences in chamber specs and maximum pressures. The SAMMI/CIP maximum pressure for the .308 Win cartridge is 62,000 psi, while the 7.62x51 max is 50,000 psi. Also, the headspace is slightly different. The .308 Win "Go Gauge" is 1.630" vs. 1.635" for the 7.62x51. The .308's "No-Go" dimension is 1.634" vs. 1.6405" for a 7.62x51 "No Go" gauge. That said, it is normally fine to shoot quality 7.62x51 NATO ammo in a gun chambered for the .308 Winchester (though not all NATO ammo is identical). Clint McKee of Fulton Armory notes: "[N]obody makes 7.62mm (NATO) ammo that isn't to the .308 'headspace' dimension spec. So 7.62mm ammo fits nicely into .308 chambers, as a rule." You CAN encounter problems going the other way, however. A commercial .308 Win round can exceed the max rated pressure for the 7.62x51. So, you should avoid putting full-power .308 Win rounds into military surplus rifles that have been designed for 50,000 psi max. For more information on this interesting topic, read the following articles: Gun Zone's 30 Caliber FAQ; Cruffler.com Technical Trivia, June 2001; and last, but not least, Steve Redgwell's .308 vs 7.62x51 Analysis, which really provides a definitive explanation. Reloaders should also note that military ammo often is made with a thicker web. Consequently the case capacity of 7.62x51 brass is usually less than that of commercial .308 brass. You may need to reduce recommended .308 Winchester loads by as much as 2 full grains, if you reload with military 7.62x51 brass, such as Lake City or IMI. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cedricxerxes 0 Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 From last week: http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=21818 I think GunnyR has it right, although my Kalashnikov-USA Saiga 308 only has 7,62x51 stamped on the receiver. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loki0629 55 Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 my Kalashnikov-USA Saiga 308 only has 7,62x51 stamped on the receiver. Seriously? When was it manufactured? So it is only chambered for the NATO round? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 The Saiga can only be described as "robust". I can see no problem with milsurp Nato or civvy .308. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cedricxerxes 0 Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 my Kalashnikov-USA Saiga 308 only has 7,62x51 stamped on the receiver. Seriously? When was it manufactured? So it is only chambered for the NATO round? 2000. The owner's manual says to use cartridges, cal. 7.62x51 (.308 WIN). I have only shot .308 Win through it. No problems. I personally think it isn't a problem to shoot either through it. My point was not all of Saiga 308's out there necessarily have both .308 Win and 7.62x51 stamped on the receiver. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macbeau 902 Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 The Saiga .308 is fully functional with BOTH - .308 Win and 7.62X51 NATO... All from the published liturature, the stampings on the side of the receiver - and my humble experience... (good luck in finding your fired cases - if you re-load). Like any other AK, It eats just about anything and I have never head of a KB with a Saiga....(in any caliber...). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gamboolman 0 Posted January 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Thanks !! I have ordered the Saiga 308 and am going to order a bunch of surplus 308 ammo. I appreciate the feedback and advice. I am sure I will be asking more questions. Again, many thanks to all the replies. gamboolman.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 cheap indian make surplus is inconsistant. im sure you;ve seen the posts around the world about it, on all the forums. the saiga line of firearms is hard to beat, at any price, let alone the BOTTOM price.........you CANNOT GO WRONG buying one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SOPMOD 254 Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 I like Portuguese and South African milsurp for plinking but they seem a little underpowered and don't throw the brass very far. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jakemccoy 0 Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 I bought Wolf from Cabela's because it was cheap. Price went up though. It shoots good enough I guess. I haven't compared it to anything else. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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