I have a Spanish FR8 in 7.62 Nato. I want to use it for deer hunting. I was wondering does anybody know where I can get JHP or JSP loaded to Nato Standard. I would like to find something in the 147 grain range. I Have read it was not good to use .308 winchester ammo in this rifle.

This is a tough question, but since no one else has responded, I will. FWIW, I have never seen a SP or HP .308 loaded to NATO standards. Nor have I seen any 147 gr HP or SP bullets. Check around a little more and see if you can't just use standard .308 Winchester loads that use good 150 gr bullets, such as Nosler Ballistic Tips or similar rounds. If you still don't think these rounds are good for your gun, then the next best bet would probably be reloading. That would be the best way of getting bullet type and velocities you want. But since you may be down by as much as 50 fps in velocity at the muzzle or more, use bullets that have good performance over a wide range of velocities. This will ensure they perform well. And if you aren't a reloader, I am sure you have a shooting buddy or acquaintance who is.

your fr-8 is based on a large ring mauser design. It should handle .308 without any problem.

There was another version <fr-7?> that had issues with sammi spec ammo. The fr-8 does not.

Not a gun smith but i did a little research on this when i bought mine. Shoot it and enjoy it. One hell of a tough action and rifle.

mike

Does Anybody have any suggestion then of a nice .308 hunting load. I dont want anything that is really hot, also keep in 147 to 150 grain range.

There are many good choices in .308 Win. hunting ammo. One that should do well for you in that weight range is the Federal Premium loaded with a Nosler 150gr ballistic tip bullet.

This would be a great excuse for you to get into reloading. You could load your own hunting ammo just for the FR-8, and they would be better than anything you can buy off the shelf for a lot less money.

I would love to get into reloading but right now, I have space (lack of) issues, as well start up cost. Heck I really have not shot inawhile since I am tight on funds. I am thinking about trying some Federal Gold Match.