BEN SANSING was chatting with ALL  on 09-09-96 at 20:05
BS}Simple (and hopefully not too dumb) question -
BS}Is it safe to shoot 7.62 NATO ammo in a Savage 99 lever action
BS}chambered for  .308 Winchester?
Yep.
BS}I've heard assorted assertions that "the two ctges. are
BS}dimensionally  identical" as well as "no, they're slightly
BS}different". I've never had  trouble shooting 7.62 NATO in a
BS}bolt action .308, but I've never had  occasion to try it in
BS}any other action type.
It's all true. There are SMALL differences in the CHAMBER specs, 
but not in loaded ammo. Military chambers allow for dirty ammo.
BS}Also - I've heard that 7.62 NATO is loaded to higher pressures
BS}than (SAAMI- regulated) .308 Winchester.
I wouldn't be surprised. I'd look in my "Cartridges of the 
World," but I figure that you've already done that.
BS}What it boils down to is, I *may* be getting a Savage 99 in
BS}.308, and since  7.62 NATO ammo is currently *cheap* and
BS}plentiful at gun shows and  elsewhere, I thought maybe I could
BS}use some of that ammo to plink with - if  it'd work okay.
Sounds like a plan. SAAMI specs are pretty conservative, the NATO 
spec came first, and the 99 is a pretty strong action. I wouldn't 
worry about it.
        -=Bob=-             Internet: bob@deltanet.com
        Ontario, Calif.     09/10/96 7:17PM
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