.308 WINCHESTER
Commercial counterpart of 7.62 × 51 mm
The .308 Winchester is the commercial counterpart of the 7.62 × 51 mm NATO round, introduced in 1952 and now the dominant Western short-action hunting and precision-target cartridge. It is dimensionally identical to the military round but is normally loaded to higher pressure for sporting rifles, so chamber dimensions and headspace gauges must be matched to the ammunition in use.
Full Specifications
Cartridge dimensions
| Designation | .308 Winchester |
|---|---|
| Case type | Rimless, bottleneck |
| Bullet diameter | 7.82 mm (0.308 in) |
| Neck diameter | 8.72 mm (0.3433 in) |
| Shoulder diameter | 11.53 mm (0.4539 in) |
| Base diameter | 11.96 mm (0.4709 in) |
| Rim diameter | 12.01 mm (0.4728 in) |
| Case length | 51.2 mm (2.015 in) |
| Overall length | 71.1 mm (2.800 in) |
Ballistics
| 150 gr (10 g) polymer tip | 860 m/s (2,820 ft/s), 3,590 J |
|---|---|
| 168 gr (11 g) BTHP | 810 m/s (2,650 ft/s), 3,551 J |
| 175 gr (11 g) BTHP | 806 m/s (2,645 ft/s), 3,685 J |
| Test barrel length | 610 mm (24 in) |
| Rifling twist | 305 mm (1 in 12 in); 254 mm (1 in 10 in) also common |
Standards & pressure
| SAAMI MAP | 62,000 psi (427.47 MPa) |
|---|---|
| C.I.P. Pmax | 415.00 MPa (60,191 psi) |
| Primer | Large rifle |
| Interchange caution | Loaded hotter than 7.62 NATO service ammunition; match chamber to load |
Service context
| Introduced | 1952, United States |
|---|---|
| Effective range | n.a. |
| Typical platforms | Bolt-action precision, hunting, police sharpshooting and target rifles |
Dimensional, ballistic and pressure figures are the published C.I.P., NATO and SAAMI reference values for the .308 Winchester cartridge (reference data; ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 centerfire rifle standard). Steadfast production lots are proof tested and certified against the applicable standard. Product imagery is an in-house Steadfast studio visualisation and is indicative only; actual finish, headstamp and lot markings follow the applicable standard and the customer order.
