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Springfield Armory M1A chambered for .308

2K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  eastexsteve 
#1 ·
Perhaps y'all already know this, but I didn't.

I noticed on the SA web site that when I looked up the M1A, and its variants, they all said that they were chambered for .308. That was a big surprise, as everyone knows the M1A is chambered for 7.62 x 51mm.

So I called to see when (which serial number) they changed from being chambered for 7.62 to .308.

The customer service rep told me that SA has always made their M1As for .308, so they could shoot both calibers.

Did everyone but me already realize that?

Dave in Hudson, FL
 
#4 ·
The M1A will chamber all SAAMI spec .308 Winchester ammunition, but all such ammunition is obviously not safe for the operating system. The M1A will also chamber most 7.62 NATO ammunition, although some foreign made surplus ammo may be too large.
 
#6 ·
Wise to ask questions. Your rifle should work just fine with either .308 or 7.62x51 marked ammo. Rule of thumb is to keep the bullet weights under 180 and be cautious when using soft point ammo.
Enjoy your rifle and don't be afraid to post a few targets you have punched holes in.
 
#17 ·
Tends to mash the soft lead points. Great if you enjoy shooting around corners.
Actually, bullets are surprisingly tolerant of tip damage/irregularity. Test have been done where the tip intentionally cut off in a asymmetrical manner and tested. The major factor in the dispersion was shift in CG due to the removal of material not so much the change in tip geometry. However, bullets are very sensitive to base irregularities.

That is why match bullets are made with the solid base and the open tip.
 
#13 ·
That’s interesting with the soft tip thing; I’ve never heard that before. In all my experimenting so far 165gr Sierra Gameking soft point boat tails (SPBT) have been by far the best performers in mine. They do mash the tip a little, but I’m still getting 1.5moa or better. So it can’t be that bad, can it?
 
#14 ·
It amazes me how often false statements about these cartridges come up. Unfortunately even so called experts parrot this inaccurate and false idea.

Read this link and pay close attention to the fact that while the specs are slightly different they don't create any issues with being able to use either round in either chamber.

NO, NATO ammo (on average) isn't hotter than commercial ammo, then again most commercial ammo (on average) isn't hotter than NATO ammo.

No, the chamber isn't so different that your commercial ammo is going to blow up your military surplus rifle (with the possible exception of rifles made around the turn of the 20th Century, some had surface hardened receivers).

No, NATO ammo isn't of any substantial difference compared to commercial ammo so putting it in your .308 isn't going to blow it up.

Yes, some military surplus ammo has caused problems in commercial .308 rifles but that's because the military doesn't sell ammo unless it doesn't meet some standard that they have, it's their rejected ammo, so why would you expect rejected material to work properly. It's why I don't recommend any military surplus ammo, some will work reliably and I'll use it my own rifles but I won't recommend it to anybody since it could be a problem in their rifle.

The confusion came about from people not understanding the mechanics of how the pressure standards were set. My basic comment has always been;

If there is a difference between a 7.62 cartridge and a .308 cartridge then show me the 7.62 resizing die, there aren't any, there are only .308 Winchester resizing dies.

The bottom line is that the commercial Springfield M1A rifle was always chambered in .308 Winchester and they have always been capable of shooting either ammo.
 
#22 · (Edited)
No, the chamber isn't so different that your commercial ammo is going to blow up your military surplus rifle (with the possible exception of rifles made around the turn of the 20th Century, some had surface hardened receivers).
I have an HK91 that will blow the primers out of their pockets with most 308win ammo. It's a dangerous situation because they will occasionally end up down in the trigger group and cause a slamfire. It behaves perfectly with any 7.62x51 ammo I have ever used in it.

No, NATO ammo isn't of any substantial difference compared to commercial ammo so putting it in your .308 isn't going to blow it up.
I would add the caveat that as long as it will properly chamber. I have three rifles with 308win target chambers that won't chamber 7.62x51 no matter how big a hammer you use.

If there is a difference between a 7.62 cartridge and a .308 cartridge then show me the 7.62 resizing die, there aren't any, there are only .308 Winchester resizing dies.
And RCBS will also sell you one set of dies for both .38 special and .357 magnum. That doesn't mean they are the same cartridge. Aside from thicker webbing, the milspec for 7.62x51 allows for a .002" greater length from the bottom of the neck to the base of the case than .308win. Most major manufacturers of 7.62x51 (IMI and Lake City are two that come to mind) will construct their ammo to the upper end of this spec to promote better accuracy. This will also cause this round to not chamber in some .308win rifles.
 
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