7.62×51mm NATO
Work that would eventually develop the 7.62×51mm NATO started just after World War I when the large, powerful .30-06 Springfield cartridge proved difficult to adapt to semi-automatic rifles.Thus when war appeared to be looming again, only a couple of decades later, the .30-06 Springfield was the only round available, and the M1 Garand provided U.S. troops with greater firepower than their bolt action-armed opponents.One of the most common complaints was the limited-capacity, eight-round en-bloc clip, and many experimental designs modified the weapon with a detachable box magazine.They had spent considerable time and effort developing the intermediate-power .280 British (7 mm) cartridge with an eye towards controllable fully automatic fire.Around the same time Britain and Canada adopted the Belgian FN FAL (L1A1 SLR British) as the L1 followed by the West German army designated as the G1.In addition, the originally issued wooden-stocked versions of the M14 were susceptible to warping from moisture in tropical environments, producing "wandering zeroes" and other accuracy problems, which caused the adoption of fiberglass stocks.U.S. troops were able to carry more than twice as much 5.56×45mm ammunition as 7.62×51mm NATO for the same weight, which allowed them an advantage against a typical NVA unit armed with Type 56-1s.Regardless of the M14 having disadvantages in jungle warfare, 7.62×51mm NATO rifles stayed in military service around the world due to several factors.Shorter, easier-to-handle 7.62mm rifles like the G3 stayed in service due to their accuracy, range, cartridge effectiveness and reliability.They used heavier and more aerodynamic bullets that had a higher ballistic coefficient than standard ball rounds, meaning they shed velocity at longer ranges more gradually.[11] Maintaining velocity is important for accurate long-range shots because dropping from supersonic to transonic speeds disturbs the flight of the bullet and adversely affects accuracy.[12] The 7.62×51mm NATO round remains in use in designated marksman rifles such as the Heckler & Koch HK417, SIG 716, FN SCAR, L129A1, Colt Canada C20 DMR and LMT MARS-H based riles to take advantage of the effective range and accuracy potential compared with intermediate rifle rounds.These have been replaced to a considerable extent in the light machine gun role by 5.56×45mm NATO weapons, such as the widespread use of the M249 SAW, but the 7.62×51mm NATO fully powered cartridge is still the standard chambering for the M134 Minigun and GPMGs such as the M60E4, FN MAG/M240, HK21, MG3, AA-52, Vektor SS-77, UKM-2000 and MG5 and flexible mountings such as helicopters, jeeps, and tanks.The bullet is redesigned with a copper jacket and exposed hardened steel penetrator, eliminating 114.5 grains (7.4 g) of lead with production of each M80A1 projectile.[20][19] The U.S. Special Operations Command plans to begin fielding of the 6.5mm Creedmoor cartridge in early 2019 to replace the 7.62×51mm NATO round in semi-automatic sniper rifles.The same rifles can use the new cartridge, as their similar dimensions allow the same magazines to be used and the weapon only requires a barrel change.This shorter cartridge allows a slight reduction in the size and weight of firearms that chamber it, and better cycling in automatic and semi-automatic rifles.[75] Radway Green, which is currently owned by BAE Systems, continues to produce ammunition for the Ministry of Defence and export customers.
.308 Winchester7.62 mm caliberriflingVietnam WarSix-Day WarYom Kippur WarIran–Iraq WarFalklands WarThe TroublesGulf WarWar in AfghanistanIraq WarLibyan Civil WarSyrian Civil WarYemeni Civil War (2014–present)Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.300 Savage.30-06 SpringfieldNATO EPVATrimlessrifle cartridgeM14 rifleM60 machine gun5.56×45mm NATOintermediate cartridgeassault riflesfully powered cartridgedesignated marksman riflessniper riflesmedium machine gunsgeneral-purpose machine gunsM24 Sniper RifleM240 Medium Machine Gun.300 Winchester MagnumWorld War Isemi-automatic.276 PedersenM1 Garandbolt actionWorld War IIKorean Warbox magazineSpringfield ArmoryFrankford Arsenal.280 BritishCanadian Armybull-pupRifle No. 9Winchester7.62×54mmR7.62×39mm5.45×39mmFN FAL(L1A1 SLR British)West GermanCETME rifleHeckler & Kochfully automaticrecoilbipodsbarrels.22 caliberflechetteType 56VietcongNorth Vietnamese Army.223 RemingtonMk 14 Enhanced Battle RifleM25 Sniper Rifledesignated marksmansniperballistic coefficientHeckler & Koch HK417SIG 716FN SCARL129A1Colt Canada C20 DMRintermediate rifle roundshit ratesterminal ballisticsbattle riflesM13 linksmedium machine gungeneral-purpose machine gunM1919A4.303 BritishBren gunlight machine gunM249 SAWM134 MinigunFN MAGVektor SS-77UKM-2000low-rate initial productionU.S. Special Operations Command6.5mm Creedmoorballistic tableNATO EPVAT NAAG-LG/3-SG/1Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institutetracer ammunitionFN HerstalTR and VPAM body armor standardsCS/LR4QJY-201QBU-203West GermanycannelureM24 SWSIsrael Defense Forcesminute of angleMatch-gradesnipingIMI SystemsIsraelSouth African MintOperation TelicRadway GreenKynochBAE SystemsGreenwood & BatleyRaufossEnerga grenadeM240 machine gungilding metalsaboted light armor penetratorsaboted light armor penetrator tracer