7.62×51 mm NATO
Full power
Full-power NATO standard cartridge: backbone of medium machine guns and precision rifles.
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Overview
Derived from the civilian .308 Winchester and NATO-standardized in 1954 via STANAG 2310, it is the first full-caliber cartridge common to the Alliance. Bottlenecked case, heavy bullet and very high energy, ideal for long ranges and machine-gun use.
Specifications
- Bullet diameter
- 7,82 mm (.308")
- Case length
- 51,2 mm
- Overall length
- 69,9 mm
- Bullet weight
- 9,5 g (147 gr, M80)
- Typical muzzle velocity
- ≈ 833 m/s
- Typical energy
- ≈ 3300 J
- Max pressure
- 415 MPa
- Introduced
- 1954 (NATO)
Pros
- +Excellent range and penetration.
- +Wide availability of match and tracer rounds.
Cons
- −Heavy recoil: ill-suited to sustained automatic fire from the shoulder.
- −Heavy cartridge weight.
History and use
Adopted on M14, FN FAL, HK G3 and a whole generation of battle rifles. Today dominant on medium machine guns (M240, MG3, PKM, FN MAG) and DMR rifles (M110, HK417, FN SCAR-H).
Weapons adopting it (33)
Beretta ARX-200ItalyGalil GalatzIsraelRemington M24 SWSUnited StatesRemington M40United StatesU.S. Ordnance M60United StatesM240BelgiumM134 MinigunUnited StatesFN SCAR-HBelgiumCS/LR4ChinaQBU-202ChinaGestamen G224HungarySumitomo Type 62JapanType 67 GPMGJapanUKM-2000PPolandSIG Sauer SSG 2000SwitzerlandB&T APRSwitzerlandFN FALBelgiumUgramIndiaSSS Defence ViperIndiaFR-F2FranceBeretta BM59ItalyAutomatgevär fm/54SwedenMPT-76TurkeySAR 762 MTTurkeyMMT-76TurkeyPMT-76TurkeyKNT-76TurkeyKale KN-12TurkeyMekanika UirapuruBrazilK14South KoreaFN MAGBelgiumHK G3GermanyC6Canada
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