Dpms 308/7.62-51?

[bamacj5]

I snapped up a DPMS Recon used at the local gun store. I cant find where its ever been shot the only damage is where it looks like some one tried to mount a scope on it. My question is the lower receiver says cal 308 the barrel says 7.62x51. I know your not suppose to shoot 308 in a 7.62 chamber and it doesnt actually say 308 WIN anywhere on the gun. The DPMS website lists the gun as a a 308WIN/7.62x51 capable gun the guy who sold me the gun said it was capable of handling both rounds but how much do they know? Any help here? Im not keen on the thing blowing up in my face.

 

[W L Johnson]

308 & 7.62x51 (7.62NATO) are completely interchangeable except for the rare, out of headspace spec mil-surp. The blow up in your face myth comes from people misinterpreting data from when they were pressure tested, 308 with the piezo method using PSI as it's unit of pressure and 7.62x51 was tested using the crush copper method with units of CUP (Copper Units of Pressure) being used.
The results were
7.62x51 50,000 CUP
308 62,000 PSI
People keep changing the letters CUP to PSI and then do a chicken little act.

Tested the same way using the same units they're within a hair of each other in pressure. Check reloading manuals, same loads for both. Consider this, if 7.62x51 really was only 50k PSI then how the heck would it produce the same ballistics as 308? Where would the energy be coming from? No magic allowed. And besides, per NATO specs, 7.62NATO chambers are rated to 75k PSI.

There are however two slight differences between the two which mean zip for 99.9999999% of rifles
1) A slight headspce difference which is only an issue if your rifle's headspace is out of whack.
2) Slightly thicker casing on NATO spec rounds.

Do a search, there must be a couple of dozen thread explaining this

 

[fragout]

WL summed it up well ....above.

With that said, DPMS has it's own list of ammunition to avoid via use of thier rifles, and can void any warranty. ( May not matter since you bought yours used) I spoke with a rep a few months ago, and he confirmed what thier ammo warning states.

http://www.dpmsinc.com/Ammunitions-Warning_ep_59-1.html


More info here. Scroll down to #13.
http://www.dpmsinc.com/Frequently-Asked_ep_55-1.html

Here is the online owner's manual...
http://www.dpmsinc.com/Owners-Manual_ep_58-1.html