Savage 12F/TR

[Yaakov]

I have a 12F/TR (308) and I was wondering if I can shoot 7.62 in this unit. The info in the Savage website only lists 308 and I was unable to obtain this information.
And also the mm size. Does that matter? Thanks for any info. :o

[bootsmcguire]

This is a topic of great debate. Depending on who you talk to you will get different answers. Technically the 308 Win and the 7.62 x 51 are different calibers and as such shouldn't be interchanged. Some people have done it and are still here to tell the tale many rounds later. Others, not so much. The NATO rounds do run at a higher pressure and as such shouldn't be run in 308 Win chambers. Since you are using an F/TR I would think that you would be much happier shooting a match load with a 168 or 175 HPBT. Handloading will let you get the most out of that gun. It would be a shame for it to get damaged by inappropriate rounds. But this is just my standing on it. Maybe someone else has some evidence to prove me wrong........or maybe this is the begging of a thread with much debate? ::)

[Peter_Kirch]

if it is chambered for 308 you wont have a problem. According to SAAMI specs the 308 can have a higher pressure than the 7.62x51. I've shot both in my 308 without any trouble. If you look at the quoted article at the bottom the NATO operational cartridge vs the commercial maximum is very close(58,000PSI vs 62,000PSI). 7.62mm is a 30cal is a .308" bullet, whichever way you want to say it.

Now that you mention it, I do find it funny that they call it a 7.62 because the conversion makes a .308 bullet actually a 7.8mm bullet. Anybody want to fill in the gap about that :-[?

I assume you are asking because mil-surp ammo is cheaper? Just be careful when you buy it, some of it is corrosive. And if you ever get into reloading MAKE SURE to keep the commercial 308 cases and the mil-surp cases separate, the commercial has more volume because of thinner case walls. Also, alot of mil-surp cases are berdan primed instead of boxer primed. Only the creative try reload those ::)

http://www.303british.com/id36.html
"Military ammunition is loaded to maximum average pressure 50,000 CUP (approximately 58,000 PSI using the modern piezo transducer method of measurement). This standard is used to ensure better consistency round to round. It is proofed at 67,000PSI. The ammunition can then be used in a wide variety of firearms with no ill effects.

Commercial ammunition has a SAAMI/ANSI maximum pressure of 62,000PSI. While not every manufacturer may load it to this level, this is the industry established maximum. This is also measured using the piezo transducer method. The proof cartridge pressure is 83,000 to 89,000 PSI. Note the differences between the military test and operational standard vs the commercial one. "

Personally, I've always thought this was a silly argument, just know and understand your equipment(if you don't understand then ask! so it looks like you are heading down the right track :) ).

[Yaakov]

Awesome...thanks for the info :D

[Balljoint]

I have an F/TR in 308 also at the 2008 Savage shoot i was using some mil. match to get my scope on paper then switched to hand loads to get my groups to tighten up.

[bootsmcguire]

Hmmm, I guess I never looked up he pressures in my book. I was taking my information from an editorial in a 2008 issue of American Rifleman in which a reader had written in with the question of 223 Rem vs. 5.56, and the editor said what I said in my above post, and said the same applied to the 7.62x51 vs the 308 Win. I am glad to see that you guys have proved me otherwise, I must be remembering the article wrong. This is why I love this site. No matter how much you think you know, if your wrong there is always someone to set you straight. ;)

[Peter_Kirch]

Hmmm, I guess I never looked up he pressures in my book. I was taking my information from an editorial in a 2008 issue of American Rifleman in which a reader had written in with the question of 223 Rem vs. 5.56, and the editor said what I said in my above post, and said the same applied to the 7.62x51 vs the 308 Win. I am glad to see that you guys have proved me otherwise, I must be remembering the article wrong. This is why I love this site. No matter how much you think you know, if your wrong there is always someone to set you straight. ;)


Yeah that is how I keep them straight. The 223 is a lower pressure rating than the 556. But even those cartridges numerous people have said it wont have a problem(including Fred, which if he says something I lbelieve it), especially in bolt guns

[King Ghidora]

A Savage rep told me that my .223 LRPV could handle the 5.56 x 45 stuff with no problem. When I'm in doubt I try to go back to the source. I've shot 5.56 though my rifle and it seems to be more accurate than most of the .223 stuff I've shot but I haven't shot enough to be sure about that. I just bought the rifle a couple of weeks ago.

I would definitely ask a Savage rep just to be sure. That way you can always come back on them if something goes wrong. And you might want to tape your phone call just to be sure. A speakerphone helps a lot. It's legal to tape conversations when one person knows there is a recording happening in most states. I know that's how it is in my state (Ohio).