Probably a tired old question, but are these two cartridges considered to be interchangeable for bolt and semi-auto rifle applications? SAAMI references would seem to indicate so, although it’s a little vague:
7.62 NATO is pretty tame stuff. You could shoot it in a bolt gun but don’t expect precision accuracy.
308 ammo can be fired in any modern semi auto.
The misconceptions about the .308/7.62 and .223/5.56 chamber pressures come from two misunderstandings.
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We use the term PSI for chamber pressure down to our tire pressure gauges. And all pressures listed in TM 43-0001-27 are in psi regardless if the copper crusher or transducer method is used.
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The method used in Europe by CIP in the NATO requirements use a different pressure taking method and registers a higher chamber pressure. If you check the European CIP considers the .308/7.62 and .223/5.56 to be one and the same cartridge.
Below is a cartoon photo I made up years ago making fun of the American SAAMI and The European CIP NATO standards of pressure taking.
As you can see below it is perfectly safe to put 32 pounds of air in your tires but if you put 220 kPa in your tires they will blow up and kill everyone in a 300 yard radius.
And before NATO no one died shooting the 30-06 with factory or surplus military ammunition.
But bigedp51 did get a speeding ticket overseas once because he ran out of fingers converting kPh to mph.
Yep. Hot .308 isn’t good for long term use in a semi auto. I wouldn’t even waste the time firing nato in a bolt gun.
found this over on Fulton Armory’s site