Munitions

7.62x51mm NATO cartridge

Also known as
  • 7.62 NATO
  • 7.62 mm NATO
  • 7.62x51 NATO
  • 7.62 x 51 mm NATO
  • 7.62x51mm
  • 7.62 x 51

The 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge is a rimless, bottlenecked service round standardized for rifles, precision rifles, and machine guns across NATO-pattern small-arms families. This relationship-only page treats the cartridge as ammunition context rather than an independent conflict-use entry, linking it to cataloged weapons whose sources document 7.62x51mm NATO chambering or firing use.

7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, NATO-standard rifle and machine-gun cartridge, Munitions
Image source: Cartridge 7.62x51mm NATO CC BY-SA 4.0 by Grasyl.jpg
Profile / Specs

Specifications

Cartridge family
7.62x51mm NATO / 7.62 NATO
Case type
Rimless, bottlenecked centerfire rifle cartridge
NATO standardization
7.62mm ammunition STANAG 2310 ratified in 1957; FN Herstal describes the caliber as NATO-adopted
C.I.P. 308 Win / 7.62 x 51 maximum case length
51.18 mm cartridge case length; 71.12 mm maximum overall cartridge length
Representative M80 ball data
U.S. Army data lists a 146-grain M80 projectile at 2750 fps measured 78 ft from the muzzle
Representative long-range load
M118 long-range ball data lists a 175-grain projectile at 2640 fps
Documented platform class
Rifles, sniper rifles, and machine guns, including M14, M24, M60, M240, FN MAG, HK21, and M134-family systems
Commercial interchangeability caution
SAAMI warns that military 7.62x51mm NATO and commercial .308 Winchester markings/headspace standards should be matched to the firearm
Standard And Cartridge Notes

7.62x51mm NATO is best read as a standards-backed ammunition family, not as a single load. U.S. Army data sheets list multiple 7.62 mm cartridges for M14, M60, M219, M240, M24, M40A1, and related weapons, while FN Herstal describes the caliber as a NATO-adopted cartridge family for rifles and machine guns.

Service role

Full-power rifle and medium-machine-gun cartridge used across battle rifles, precision rifles, and belt-fed machine guns.

Sources: FN Herstal 7.62X51MM NATO; TM 43-0001-27 Small Caliber Ammunition.

Common U.S. load examples

M80 ball, M62 tracer, M82 blank, M61 armor-piercing, M118 long-range ball, and M852 match appear in Army ammunition data.

Source: TM 43-0001-27 Small Caliber Ammunition.

Commercial caution

SAAMI treats 7.62x51mm NATO and .308 Winchester as a military/commercial comparison where firearm markings and headspace standards matter.

Source: SAAMI Firearms and Ammunition Interchangeability.

Variants

Public military and manufacturer sources identify the cartridge family through ball, tracer, blank, armor-piercing, and precision-oriented match or long-range loads rather than a single projectile configuration.

  • M80 ball
  • M62 tracer
  • M82 blank
  • M61 armor-piercing
  • M118 long-range ball
  • M852 match
Rifles And Precision Rifles

The cartridge links back to cataloged rifle and precision-rifle records whose sources document 7.62x51mm NATO chambering or equivalent 7.62x51 mm service-cartridge use.

Firing weaponWeapon typeFiring evidence
Heckler & Koch G3, 7.62 mm select-fire battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsHeckler & Koch G3Battle rifle

The G3 SALW Guide documents the Heckler & Koch G3 as chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO, so this cartridge is fired by the rifle.

Sources: HK G3 SALW Guide

FN FAL, 7.62 mm battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsFN FALBattle rifle

Royal Armouries and the ARES field guide document the FN FAL as chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO cartridges.

Sources: Centrefire automatic rifle - FN FAL, Identifying & Tracing the FN Herstal FAL Rifle

Galil assault rifle, Selective-fire assault rifle family, Infantry WeaponsGalil assault rifleAssault rifle

Small Arms Survey lists the Galil and close derivatives in 7.62x51 mm chambering, documenting the Galil assault rifle as compatible with this cartridge.

Sources: Galil (& close derivatives) Weapons Identification Sheet

Beretta BM59 rifle, Battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsBeretta BM59 rifleBattle rifle

Forgotten Weapons describes the BM59 as chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, documenting the rifle as compatible with this cartridge.

Sources: BM59: The Italian M14

M14, 7.62 mm battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsM14Battle rifle

The U.S. Army M14 operator manual lists authorized 7.62 mm NATO cartridges for the M14 and M14A1 rifles.

Sources: TM 9-1005-223-10: Operator's Manual for Rifle, 7.62-mm, M14

MPT-76 rifle, 7.62 mm battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsMPT-76 rifleBattle rifle

Sarsilmaz lists the MPT 76 SH as a 7.62x51 mm rifle, and Turkey's defence-industry project page documents the MPT-76 family as a Turkish Armed Forces rifle program.

Sources: MPT 76 SH, MPT-76H Project

M24 sniper rifle, Bolt-action sniper rifle, Infantry WeaponsM24 sniper rifleSniper rifle

Minot Air Force Base identifies the M24 Sniper Weapon System as a 7.62x51mm NATO rifle.

Sources: The M24 Sniper Weapon System

AR-10 Super SASS, Semi-automatic sniper rifle, Infantry WeaponsAR-10 Super SASSSemi-automatic precision rifle

ArmaLite lists the current SuperSASS Gen II in 7.62x51 NATO, documenting the rifle family as firing this cartridge.

Sources: AR-10 A-Series SuperSASS Gen II

AK-308 rifle, 7.62x51 mm battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsAK-308 rifleBattle rifle

Kalashnikov identifies the AK-308 as chambered for 7.62x51 rifle cartridges.

Sources: AK-308

Commercial Cartridge Relationship

The catalog keeps 7.62x51mm NATO and .308 Winchester as separate records because standards and firearm markings matter even when dimensions and use overlap.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
.308 Winchester cartridge, Centerfire rifle cartridge in .308 Win, Munitions.308 Winchester cartridgeCommercial rifle cartridge

C.I.P. lists 7,62 x 51 as an alternate name on its .308 Win table, while SAAMI warns that military and commercial cartridge standards, chamber geometry, and headspace can differ.

Sources: C.I.P. 308 Win. TAB. I, SAAMI Firearms and Ammunition Interchangeability

Machine Guns And Rotary Guns

Machine-gun records in the catalog document 7.62x51mm NATO chambering from general-purpose belt-fed guns to electrically driven rotary guns.

Firing weaponWeapon typeFiring evidence
HK21 general-purpose machine gun, 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsHK21 general-purpose machine gunGeneral-purpose machine gun

The HK21 family is documented as chambered for and firing standard 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition.

Sources: Heckler & Koch HK21 - Wikipedia, The HK21E Machine Gun - Small Arms Review

FN MAG general-purpose machine gun, 7.62x51mm NATO general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsFN MAG general-purpose machine gunGeneral-purpose machine gun

FN Herstal's 7.62X51MM NATO ammunition page lists the FN MAG as a machine-gun use for the cartridge.

Sources: 7.62X51MM NATO

IWI Negev NG7 general-purpose machine gun, 7.62×51mm NATO general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsIWI Negev NG7 general-purpose machine gunLight/general-purpose machine gun

Israel Weapon Industries lists the Negev NG7 in 7.62x51 mm, and Indian Ministry of Defence material identifies a 2020 order for Negev 7.62x51 mm light machine guns.

Sources: IWI NEGEV NG7 Product Page, Ministry of Defence signs Rs 880 crore contract for Light Machine Guns with Israeli firm

M60 general-purpose machine gun, 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsM60 general-purpose machine gunGeneral-purpose machine gun

The U.S. Army M60 operator manual identifies the M60 as a 7.62 mm machine gun and describes metallic-link belted feeding.

Sources: TM 9-1005-224-10 Operator's Manual for Machine Gun, 7.62-mm, M60

M134D Minigun, Externally powered 7.62 mm rotary machine gun, Infantry WeaponsM134D MinigunRotary machine gun

Dillon Aero identifies the M134D and M134D-H as 7.62x51 mm systems.

Sources: M134D - Standard 7.62 x 51mm, M134D-H (Hybrid 7.62 x 51mm)

Media

7.62x51mm NATO cartridge Images

7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, NATO-standard rifle and machine-gun cartridge, Munitions - view 1
Source: Modern-rifle-cartridges-cases.jpg
7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, NATO-standard rifle and machine-gun cartridge, Munitions - view 2
Source: 7.62x51 NATO dimensions.png
Related Weapon Systems
5.56x45mm NATO cartridge, 5.56x45mm NATO small-arms cartridge, MunitionsMunitions5.56x45mm NATO cartridge5.56x45mm NATO small-arms cartridgeThe 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge is the NATO-standard small-arms cartridge family built around FN Herstal's SS109 lineage, standardized by NATO in 1980 and produced by many ammunition makers. This entry tracks both its technical family context and direct conflict evidence, including Canadian 5.56 mm ammunition supplied for Ukraine, U.S. Army M855A1 fielding in Afghanistan, and 5.56 x 45 mm ammunition recovered from Islamic State forces in Iraq.
.308 Winchester cartridge, Centerfire rifle cartridge in .308 Win, MunitionsMunitions.308 Winchester cartridgeCenterfire rifle cartridge in .308 Win.308 Winchester is a centerfire, rimless bottleneck rifle cartridge introduced by Winchester in 1952 and still loaded by major ammunition makers for hunting, match, and sporting use. C.I.P. lists 308 Winchester and 7,62 x 51 as alternate names, while SAAMI cautions that chamber fit alone does not guarantee safe interchangeability. This relationship-only page records the cartridge family and its rifle links without inheriting any conflict-use claims from a parent weapon page.
.308-caliber precision rifle, Bolt-action or semi-automatic precision rifle class, Infantry WeaponsInfantry Weapons.308-caliber precision rifleBolt-action or semi-automatic precision rifle class.308-caliber precision rifles are scoped small arms chambered in .308 Winchester, 7.62x51mm NATO, or closely related .30-caliber service cartridges, depending on the model and markings. The class spans law-enforcement, military, sporting, and long-range precision roles. In the 2022 Haitian Gang Conflict entry, the sourcing supports illicit trafficking of .308 rifles into Haiti and gang-linked demand for higher-powered rifles, but it does not identify a specific model or prove a documented firing incident.
.338 Lapua Magnum cartridge, 8.6 mm long-range centerfire rifle cartridge, MunitionsMunitions.338 Lapua Magnum cartridge8.6 mm long-range centerfire rifle cartridge.338 Lapua Magnum is a Finnish 8.6x70 mm centerfire rifle cartridge developed from .338/416 work into a long-range military, law-enforcement, and precision-rifle round. C.I.P. lists Finland as the country of origin, while Lapua and Nammo sources show current tactical, target, armor-piercing, hunting, and special-purpose load families. The linked rifle relationships stay limited to cataloged weapons whose sources document .338 Lapua chambering.

Sources

HK G3 SALW GuidePublisher: Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies | Note: Supports the G3's 7.62x51mm NATO chambering, which documents the cartridge-to-rifle relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Galil (& close derivatives) Weapons Identification SheetPublisher: Small Arms Survey | Note: Supports the Galil family's documented 7.62x51 mm chambering for reciprocal cartridge compatibility. | Accessed: 2026-07-04BM59: The Italian M14Publisher: Forgotten Weapons | Note: Supports the BM59's 7.62x51mm NATO chambering and the cartridge's compatibility with that rifle. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AK-308Publisher: Kalashnikov Group | Note: Supports the AK-308 chambering claim and the cartridge-to-rifle relationship context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AK-308: SpecsPublisher: Kalashnikov Group | Note: Supports the AK-308's chambering and official specifications context for the paired rifle entry. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Heckler & Koch HK21 - WikipediaPublisher: Wikipedia | Note: Supports the HK21 family's documented 7.62x51mm NATO chambering and cartridge compatibility context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04The HK21E Machine Gun - Small Arms ReviewPublisher: Small Arms Review | Note: Supports the HK21E family's 7.62x51mm NATO chambering and firing relationship to the cartridge. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Federal 7.62x51mm NATO Gold MedalPublisher: Federal Premium | Note: Supports the 7.62x51mm NATO designation and a representative factory load for the cartridge family. | Accessed: 2026-07-04RWS 7.62x51 NATO Ball M80Publisher: RWS Technology | Note: Supports the cartridge's standard tactical-cartridge role and compatibility with NATO-approved firearms. | Accessed: 2026-07-04The M24 Sniper Weapon SystemPublisher: Minot Air Force Base | Note: Supports the M24 sniper weapon system's 7.62x51mm NATO chambering and representative precision-rifle background. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Centrefire automatic rifle - FN FALPublisher: Royal Armouries | Note: Supports the FN FAL being chambered for 7.62 x 51 mm Rimless NATO, which documents the cartridge-to-rifle relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Identifying & Tracing the FN Herstal FAL RiflePublisher: Armament Research Services | Note: Supports the FN FAL being chambered for the 7.62 x 51 mm NATO cartridge family. | Accessed: 2026-07-047.62X51MM NATOPublisher: FN Herstal | Note: Supports the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge's NATO-adopted ammunition-family role and FN MAG/FN SCAR-related machine-gun and rifle compatibility context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04NATO Small Arms Ammunition InterchangeabilityPublisher: NDIA / U.S. Defense Technical Information Center | Note: Supports standards background for 7.62mm NATO ammunition, including STANAG 2310 ratification and early NATO qualification context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04TM 43-0001-27 Small Caliber AmmunitionPublisher: Headquarters, Department of the Army | Note: Supports U.S. 7.62mm cartridge-family data, including M80 ball, M82 blank, M118 long-range ball, M852 match, tracer, armor-piercing, dummy, frangible, and supported weapon classes. | Accessed: 2026-07-04C.I.P. 308 Win. TAB. IPublisher: Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes a Feu Portatives | Note: Supports dimensional and nomenclature context for .308 Win / 7.62 x 51, including cartridge length and projectile diameter values. | Accessed: 2026-07-04SAAMI Firearms and Ammunition InterchangeabilityPublisher: Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute | Note: Supports the caution that 7.62x51mm NATO and .308 Winchester can be dimensionally similar while military and commercial standards, firearm markings, and headspace still matter. | Accessed: 2026-07-04TM 9-1005-223-10: Operator's Manual for Rifle, 7.62-mm, M14Publisher: U.S. Department of the Army | Note: Supports the M14 and M14A1 rifle relationship to authorized 7.62 mm NATO cartridges. | Accessed: 2026-07-04MPT-76H ProjectPublisher: Presidency of Defence Industries | Note: Supports Turkish MPT-76 family background for the 7.62x51 mm rifle relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04MPT 76 SHPublisher: Sarsilmaz | Note: Supports the MPT 76 SH 7.62x51 mm chambering for the cartridge-to-rifle relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AR-10 A-Series SuperSASS Gen IIPublisher: ArmaLite | Note: Supports the AR-10 SuperSASS Gen II 7.62x51 NATO chambering for the cartridge-to-rifle relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04IWI NEGEV NG7 Product PagePublisher: Israel Weapon Industries | Note: Supports the Negev NG7 7.62x51 mm chambering for the cartridge-to-machine-gun relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Ministry of Defence signs Rs 880 crore contract for Light Machine Guns with Israeli firmPublisher: Press Information Bureau, Government of India | Note: Supports the Negev 7.62x51 mm light-machine-gun procurement context used for the cartridge-to-machine-gun relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04TM 9-1005-224-10 Operator's Manual for Machine Gun, 7.62-mm, M60Publisher: Headquarters, Department of the Army | Note: Supports the M60 7.62 mm machine-gun relationship and metallic-link feed context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04M134D - Standard 7.62 x 51mmPublisher: Dillon Aero | Note: Supports the M134D 7.62x51 mm rotary-machine-gun relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04M134D-H (Hybrid 7.62 x 51mm)Publisher: Dillon Aero | Note: Supports the M134D-H 7.62x51 mm rotary-machine-gun relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Cartridge 7.62x51mm NATO CC BY-SA 4.0 by Grasyl.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge photograph. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Modern-rifle-cartridges-cases.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a comparison image that includes 7.62x51mm NATO. | Accessed: 2026-07-047.62x51 NATO dimensions.pngPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a cartridge dimensions diagram. | Accessed: 2026-07-04