Reload ?

[Lemmitt]

Can one reload 308 and 7.62 NATO just the same or do you have to worry about differences between the loads. I ask because I have a mix of the two but don't know if it is worth keeping the NATO because I don't have many of those brass...

 

[RSW]

NATO brass is thicker and requires less powder. Lyman says to drop a few grains. Think of backing off 2gn.

First step is to separate NATO from other brass. You don't want to intermix the two.

What are you shooting it in?

 

[M67]

Real questions is what are you shooting it from?

If you're looking for plinking 308 for an AR-10, FAL, etc. then don't even worry about sperating it. Chances are you won't be loading max anyway. I've loaded NATO brass and commercial the exact same way for plinking ammo and both have worked fine.

 

[Lemmitt]

Shooting it out of a 308 Ruger American

 

[Electronrider]

I always sort by head stamp with my .308 brass.

I always work up loads for each head stamp.

If you follow that, you will never have any problems or concerns with your brass.

I have taken it one step further lately, and use a particular head stamp for a particular bullet, just to keep things that much more OCD.

 

[red_zr24x4]

I've never sorted brass for .308, 30-06, or 223, but I don't load mine to max either. I shoot mine in an M1A, M1,and a AR. I find my best load for what given bullet I'm using and load it.
Now the stuff for my .223 bolt gun is different than my AR. Different powder and bullet. But I still don't sort that brass either.

 

[jwh20]

Can one reload 308 and 7.62 NATO just the same or do you have to worry about differences between the loads. I ask because I have a mix of the two but don't know if it is worth keeping the NATO because I don't have many of those brass...

Yes, both are reloadable and can save you a bunch of money. If you are just reloading to have ammo to go shooting, then choose a conservative loading and run the same in both cartridges. If you want to load right to the limit or was totally consistent performance, then take the difference in cases into account and adjust your loading accordingly.

By the way, I have noticed that there is not necessarily any difference between what is labeled ".308 Win" and "7.62 NATO". Indeed some NATO ammo is slightly different but some is the same. The specs overlap.

As always, start a little light and work your way up to maximum loading. I find the best tool for evaluating loads is a chronograph. I have a Chrony F-1 which is very simply and inexpensive but works great.

 

[Iroquois]

I agree that this load should be safe if you followed normal protocol and started out loading a tad light. Unless you had compressed loads in the military brass you probably won't notice a difference. Down the road you may notice that the military brass is getting stress marks because some of them have very hard/brittle metal ... if you notice this or cracking lips retire this brass. I've had head separations on military brass that had been full length sized one too many times..especially in loose chambered military guns...

 

[Broom_jm]

Posts #5 and #6 show an interesting dichotomy in how ammunition is reloaded. One is for accuracy and consistency, while the other is for safety and volume. Neither is "wrong", but they have decidedly different objectives.

Since I reload for precision, I sort by headstamp for ALL bottle-necked cases. The group size obtained at various yardages, coupled with good terminal effects on big game, are the two reasons I reload. Neglecting to sort by headstamp would potentially limit how accurate my ammunition is, so I don't take chances. Besides, it's not like I need to load 500 at a time, for a bolt-action or single-shot rifle. I take my time, batch-loading on a single-stage press...sorting by headstamp is among the least of the steps I take to get better accuracy from my rifles.

If you're just out there banging away with a standard semi-auto in 308 or 7.62 NATO, stick to a middling charge and have fun! If you've got a repeater that you'd like to get the best possible accuracy from, start by sorting your cases and then follow precision reloading techniques. The choice is yours.

 

[Slow Hand]

Posts #5 and #6 show an interesting dichotomy in how ammunition is reloaded. One is for accuracy and consistency, while the other is for safety and volume. Neither is "wrong", but they have decidedly different objectives.

I have a .308 FNH that I consider my 'precision rifle'. It'll shoot one hole five shot groups at 100 yards when I don't screw up. I've got 100 rounds of FGMM brass that I always keep loaded up for it as well as some other federal brass I use for accurate shooting.

Last fall I traded into a nicely built 700 in .223. I had a chance to run tire range in some crappy weather but wanted to try it out. I put a couple known accurate loads into whatever brass I had primed, a mix of various military and commercial head stamps. Trimming to a consistent length was the only case prep they got. That rifle still grouped in 1/4" @ 100 in the cold, sleeting weather! I know consistancy is a major component of accuracy but when I see stuff like that it makes me wonder!