.308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO) Ballistics

Ballistics and Drop for the .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)

.308-winchester-(7.62mm-nato)

Cartridge Type: Rifle
Height: 2.015"
Width: 0.473"
Average FPS: 2681
Average Energy: 2617
Average Gr: 164
Recoil: 1.95
Power Rank: 4.4 of 20

The .308 Winchester / 7.62x51mm NATO was created in 1952 and is based on the .300 savage round a round created in 1920. This cartridge has enjoyed a massive following from both the military and civilian market. The .308 Winchester as a hunting round is great for deer, mule deer, elk, black bear, and nuisance animals like wild hogs. The 7.62x51 NATO is a superior round to the .223 in terms of knock down power, this fact has been tested in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What makes the .308 such a good round? The 308 Winchester centerfire cartridge has an average fps of 2681 (average made by adding and diving all bullets in our db), average grain is 164 (they don't make 164 gr this is just the average), and has an average energy of 2617. These figures give this bullet a 4.4 out of 20 power rank using our algorithm. So it's not a shocker that the .308 would be a good cartridge.

So in quick summary the .308 Winchester also known by it's military name the 7.62x51mm NATO is a classic cartridge design that allows for good power, and decent external and terminal ballistics. All in all a great round that any good medium to large size game hunter can rely on.

*Casing image above is an artist rendering and not a real photo of .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO) Ballistics cartridge. While we have went to great lengths to make sure that it's as accurate as possible this rendering should not be used to generate specs for casings.

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Handpicked .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO) Ballistics Videos from YouTube

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Known Rounds

.308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Winchester XP3, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Hornady TAP-FPD, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Sellier & Bellot SPCE, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Lapua Scenar, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Hornady TAP-FPD, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Cor-Bon Scenar, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Federal Sierra GameKing BTSP, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Federal Soft Point, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Remington Core-Lokt Pointed Soft Point - Managed Recoil, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Federal Nosler Ballistic Tip, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-USA (Winchester) Full Metal Jacket, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Remington Core-Lokt Soft Point, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Winchester Silvertip, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Ultramax Speer Boat Tail, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)-Black Hills Hornady A-MAX,

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Other Cartridges with Similar Widths (cartridges not bullets)

7mm Remington Ultra Magnum, .35 Remington, .243 Winchester, 7mm Dakota, .30-06 Springfield, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data), .38 Super Auto Colt, .25-06 Remington, 9mm Luger (9mm Parabellum) (9x19mm), .30 Luger (7.65mm), .38 Special (.38 Smith & Wesson Special), 7x64mm Brenneke, .38 Smith & Wesson, 7.62x39mm Russian, .22-250 Remington,

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Other Cartridges with Similar Length

7-30 Waters, .243 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, .307 Winchester, .32 Winchester Special, .25-35 Winchester, .38-55 Winchester, 7.82mm (.308) Lazzeroni Patriot, .300 Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum, 6.71mm (.264) Lazzeroni Phantom, 6.17mm (.243) Lazzeroni Spitfire, .260 Remington, .375 Winchester, .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO),

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Bullet Database

Image Cartridge Type FPS Energy Power Recoil Length
.17 Aguila rifle 1850 152 0.37 0.16 0.618
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire rifle 2483 246 0.45 0.19 1.06
.17 Mach 2 rifle 2078 163 0.35 0.17 0.714
.17 Remington rifle 4145 877 0.95 0.45 1.796
.204 Ruger rifle 3935 1272 1.46 0.6 1.84
.218 Bee rifle 2760 778 1.27 0.56 1.345
.22 Hornet rifle 2719 706 1.17 0.54 1.017
.22 Long rifle 898 52 0.26 0.14 0.613
.22 Long Rifle High Veloci rifle 1341 152 0.51 0.22 0.613
.22 LR rifle 1061 99 0.42 0.19 0.613
.22 Short rifle 896 52 0.26 0.13 0.421
.22 Winchester Magnum Rimf rifle 2000 342 0.54 0.34 1.055
.22-250 Remington rifle 3787 1624 1.93 0.9 1.912
.220 Swift rifle 3845 1674 1.96 0.9 2.205
.221 Remington Fireball rifle 3097 958 1.39 0.67 1.4
.222 Remington rifle 3167 1091 1.55 0.74 1.7
.222 Remington Magnum rifle 3525 1241 1.59 0.79 1.85
.223 Remington (5.56x45mm rifle 3148 1254 1.79 0.8 1.76
.223 Winchester Super Shor rifle 3766 1826 2.18 0.95 1.67
.224 Weatherby Magnum rifle 3650 1627 2.01 0.9 1.92
.225 Winchester rifle 3570 1556 1.96 0.9 1.927
.240 Weatherby Magnum rifle 3396 2432 3.23 1.46 2.5
.243 Winchester rifle 3179 1952 2.77 1.25 2.045
.243 Winchester Super Shor rifle 3198 2228 2.55 1.37 1.67
.25 Auto (ACP) handgun 814 68 0.74 0.17 0.615
.25 Winchester Super Short rifle 3155 2387 3.41 1.57 1.67
.25-06 Remington rifle 3123 2360 3.4 1.57 2.494
.25-20 Winchester rifle 1460 407 1.26 0.57 1.33
.25-35 Winchester rifle 2230 1292 2.61 1.18 2.043
.250 Savage rifle 2820 1765 2.82 1.27 1.912
.257 Roberts rifle 2790 2039 3.29 1.47 2.233
.257 Weatherby Magnum rifle 3408 2836 3.75 1.76 2.549
.260 Remington rifle 2856 2282 3.6 1.73 2.035
.264 Winchester Magnum rifle 3170 2766 3.93 1.91 2.5
.270 Weatherby Magnum rifle 3335 3333 4.5 2.05 2.549
.270 Winchester rifle 3536 3775 4.81 1.82 2.54
.270 Winchester Short Magn rifle 3238 3166 4.4 2 2.1
.280 Remington rifle 2896 2793 4.34 1.95 2.54
.284 Winchester rifle 2880 2762 4.32 1.93 2.17
.30 Luger (7.65mm) handgun 1210 296 2.2 0.52 0.85
.30 M1 Carbine rifle 1987 964 2.19 0.99 1.29
.30-06 Springfield rifle 2815 2920 4.67 2.19 2.494
.30-30 Winchester rifle 2373 1888 3.58 1.6 2.04
.30-378 Weatherby rifle 3382 4520 6.02 2.55 2.908
.300 Dakota rifle 3183 4206 5.95 2.6 2.55
.300 H&H Magnum rifle 2880 3314 5.18 2.34 2.85
.300 Remington Short Actio rifle 3034 3494 5.19 2.36 2.015
.300 Remington Ultra Magnu rifle 3066 3610 5.3 2.64 2.85
.300 Savage rifle 2518 2280 4.08 1.78 1.871
.300 Weatherby Magnum rifle 3229 4074 5.68 2.63 2.811
.300 Winchester Magnum rifle 3026 3517 5.23 2.39 2.62
.300 Winchester Short Magn rifle 3078 3576 5.23 2.36 2.1
.303 British rifle 2540 2406 4.27 1.98 2.222
.307 Winchester rifle 2510 2518 4.52 1.93 2.015
.308 Winchester (7.62mm NA rifle 2681 2617 4.4 1.95 2.015
.32 Auto (7.65mm Browning) handgun 957 136 1.28 0.29 0.68
.32 H&R Magnum handgun 998 197 1.78 0.42 1.075
.32 Short Colt handgun 745 99 1.2 0.27 0.65
.32 Smith & Wesson handgun 680 88 1.16 0.27 0.605
.32 Smith & Wesson Long handgun 758 124 1.48 0.35 0.92
.32 Winchester Special rifle 2250 1911 3.83 1.95 2.04
.32-20 Winchester rifle 1210 325 1.21 0.55 1.315
.325 Winchester Short Magn rifle 2213 2174 4.43 2.78 2.1
.327 Federal Magnum handgun 1427 452 2.86 0.67 1.2
.330 Dakota rifle 2925 4369 6.73 3.11 2.74
.338 Lapua Magnum rifle 2927 4831 7.43 3.33 2.774
.338 Winchester Magnum rifle 2819 3916 6.26 2.93 2.5
.340 Weatherby Magnum rifle 3033 4615 6.85 3.3 2.825
.35 Remington rifle 2120 1876 3.99 1.87 1.92
.35 Whelen rifle 2638 3538 6.04 2.64 2.494
.356 Winchester rifle 2460 2687 4.92 2.22 2.015
.357 Magnum handgun 1294 528 3.68 0.89 1.29
.357 SIG handgun 1379 515 3.36 0.76 0.865
.38 Special (.38 Smith & W handgun 876 235 2.42 0.53 1.155
.38-55 Winchester rifle 1320 986 3.37 1.51 2.085
.380 Auto (9mm Browning Sh handgun 980 194 1.78 0.41 0.68
.40 Smith & Wesson handgun 1074 423 3.54 0.74 0.85
.41 Remington Magnum handgun 1276 763 5.38 1.23 1.29
.44 Remington Magnum (Pist handgun 1317 897 6.14 1.45 1.285
.44 Smith & Wesson Special handgun 911 361 3.58 0.81 1.16
.44-40 Winchester rifle 1060 499 2.12 1.07 1.305
.45 Auto (.45 ACP) handgun 937 403 3.88 0.93 0.898
.45 GAP (Glock Automatic P handgun 959 414 3.9 0.92 0.76
.45-70 Government rifle 1680 2274 6.1 2.43 2.105
.470 Nitro Express rifle 2134 5055 10.67 4.84 3.25
10mm Auto handgun 1199 546 4.1 0.96 0.992
6.17mm (.243) Lazzeroni Sp rifle 3618 2470 3.08 1.37 2.05
6.53mm (.257) Lazzeroni Sc rifle 3750 3122 3.75 1.69 2.8
6.5mm Remington Magnum rifle 3118 2655 3.84 1.72 2.17
6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser rifle 2673 2078 3.5 1.72 2.165
6.5x57 Mauser rifle 2543 1881 3.33 1.62 2.232
6.8mm Remington SPC rifle 2600 1696 2.94 1.41 1.686
6mm Remington rifle 3156 2145 3.06 1.4 2.233
7-30 Waters rifle 2700 1942 3.24 1.46 2.04
7.62x39mm Russian rifle 2363 1587 3.02 1.29 1.528
7mm Remington Magnum rifle 3024 3106 4.63 2.06 2.5
7mm Remington Ultra Magnum rifle 3121 3330 4.81 2.13 2.85
7mm STW (Shooting Times We rifle 3239 3494 4.86 2.31 2.85
7mm Weatherby Magnum rifle 3199 3476 4.89 2.2 2.549
7mm Winchester Short Magnu rifle 3134 3314 4.76 2.06 2.1
7mm-08 Remington rifle 2827 2448 3.9 1.8 2.035
7x57mm Mauser rifle 2602 2255 3.9 1.68 2.235
7x64mm Brenneke rifle 2818 2662 4.26 1.85 2.51
8mm Remington Magnum rifle 2900 3734 5.8 2.77 2.85
8x57mm Mauser JS rifle 2466 2511 4.59 1.81 2.24
9mm Luger (9mm Parabellum) handgun 1138 357 2.82 0.65 0.754
Cartridge Image Type FPS Energy Power Recoil Length

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Power Rank

The PowerRank is an estimation of the cartridge power. The first number is the value of this cartridge, and the last number is the value of the most powerful round in our bullet database.

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