Target Shooter 1

Three bullets compared. Left to right: 145gn
standard RG 7.62mm from1980, note the
crimping groove; 155gn 2004 RG 155gn ‘Bisley Match’;
155gn Sierra Palma MatchKing (older model), a far superior
product
improved long-range performance.
Actually, the .308W version
appeared first in 1952, Winchester
having been involved in T65
development and recognising its
commercial potential. The military
had to wait for new weapons to
arrive – Britain didn’t adopt
the L1A1 ‘SLR’ rifle until 1957.
Nevertheless, civilian shooters didn’t
rush to the new cartridge even in
the USA. American deerhunters
were initially unconvinced this ‘little’
cartridge could provide enough
performance, and the country’s target shooters
were critical of its ‘over-short’ neck, erroneously
believing the .308 was less accurate than the tried
and trusted ‘Oh-Six’ for some years. It soon
became popular amongst British
deerstalkers, but it took the end of 0.303” Mk7
ammunition production at the Radway Green
factory in the early 1960s for the NRA to start
planning a replacement for Service Rifle,
Target Rifle (TR) that started up during 1967/8
and used military specification 7.62mm.
7.62mm v .308W
I’ve used ‘7.62’ and ‘308’ interchangeably,
which to some extent the cartridges are,
but they, and their rifles, are not identical.
The former has a slightly lower specified
peak chamber pressure, its chamber is a
little bit roomier and longer with a greater
acceptable headspace variation to ensure
reliable operation with dirty or damaged
ammo. There are differences in throat
specifications, but the most significant
variation is in bullet and barrel dimensions.
The NATO bullet is 144-147gn (although
the Americans preferred slightly heavier
models), and usually a marginally smaller
diameter than found in commercial 0.308”
bullets – sometimes as low as 0.3072” while
Bullet bases compared – left: 155gn RG; right:
155gn Sierra. The RG FMJ has an open base and
deep cavity – undesirable accuracy-wise as
gasses overtaking the bullet at the muzzle can
catch it and influence bullet behaviour randomly
The 7.62mm rifle our NRA turned its
collective nose up at, a short-barrelled
version of the famous FN FAL adopted in
modified form by Britain as the Rifle, L1A1
Target Shooter 69