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Bart B. · October 7, 2012, 02:22 PM

4runnerman, the 7.62 NATO round was designed around 147 to 150 grain bullets for the most part. Duplex loads put two lighter bullets in them to increase the number of projectiles goind down range for each shot. 172-gr. bullets were used for match ammo. No arsenal anywhere on this planet loaded 168's into this round until the 1980's when Lake City did in their M852 match ammo.

The commercial version called the .308 Win. was also designed around 150-gr bullets but Winchester (and later Remington, Federal and others) also put heavier ones in their factory ammo; none were 168 grains. The first commercial .308 Win. match ammo was loaded by Western Cartridge Company with either 197 or 200 grain bullets in 1958 and 1960. 168's were not loaded commercially until the mid 1960's.

168's were never put in these cases (as far as I know) until 1963 when a civilian did with his handloads to win the high power Nationals.

And as far as what it's great at or good for, the smallest series of 10-shot groups ever fired at 600 yards I know of were done with a .308 Win. back in 1971. Nobody, even with today's benchrest marvelous cartridges, has done that well with any other cartridge. 'Course with one's personal set of objectives, conditions and standards, any centerfire cartridge could well be number on on their list.

October 7, 2012, 02:22 PM	#12
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	4runnerman, the 7.62 NATO round was designed around 147 to 150 grain bullets for the most part. Duplex loads put two lighter bullets in them to increase the number of projectiles goind down range for each shot. 172-gr. bullets were used for match ammo. No arsenal anywhere on this planet loaded 168's into this round until the 1980's when Lake City did in their M852 match ammo. The commercial version called the .308 Win. was also designed around 150-gr bullets but Winchester (and later Remington, Federal and others) also put heavier ones in their factory ammo; none were 168 grains. The first commercial .308 Win. match ammo was loaded by Western Cartridge Company with either 197 or 200 grain bullets in 1958 and 1960. 168's were not loaded commercially until the mid 1960's. 168's were never put in these cases (as far as I know) until 1963 when a civilian did with his handloads to win the high power Nationals. And as far as what it's great at or good for, the smallest series of 10-shot groups ever fired at 600 yards I know of were done with a .308 Win. back in 1971. Nobody, even with today's benchrest marvelous cartridges, has done that well with any other cartridge. 'Course with one's personal set of objectives, conditions and standards, any centerfire cartridge could well be number on on their list. Last edited by Bart B.; October 7, 2012 at 02:31 PM.