I recently read a warning not to use 308 in an FAL because the chamber pressure of many 308s exceed that of 7.62 surplus ammo.  I don't remember the internet site, but recall it was one of the sites offering gunsmithing and customization of FALs. What is the correct answer?

Some say the only and slight diference is on chamber specs.  Someother say 7,62x51 is sometimes hotter than .308win to make all combat weapons including MG cycle...hotter or not, diferent specs on the chamber or not, bottom line is that most of the poeple i know (me included), have shot .308win in their fals, and 7,62x51 in bolt action rifles like rems and nothing happened.
That being said, i'm NOT saying that there aren't diferences on each ammo-caliber specs or preasures,  i'm simply saying that those diferences might not be significant.  I could be wrong.

HUNTER.

Thanks Hunter.  There is no substitute for experience.

7.62x51 in a boltgun for me produced signs of high pressure (had to wail up on the bolt to get it up and back).

My new bolt stick will never see surplus! FGMM or handloads only!

My frankenfal1a1 digests anything I feed it!

I second sobrbiker's experiences.

Most civilian .308 bolt guns do not like 7.62x51mm surplus, but most military style rifles in 7.62x51mm will digest standard loads in .308 win.  DO NOT use "high pressure" or "high energy" or "light magnum" loads like Federal and Hornady offer in any semi auto unless you want to destroy your rifle and take your life in your hands.

Good to know about the .308 in a FAL.  I recently ran about 50 rounds of Remington soft points through my DSA StG-58 to see what kind of group I'd get (was thinking about using the rifle this deer season).  I was pleasantly surprised with the accuracy.  All the fired brass looked okay.

One of my friends shot some Portuguese surplus through his Winchester bolt gun.  He got decent groups out of it and never seemed to have a problem with cases getting stuck/hard to remove.

You know, I never thought there could be differences between .308 and 7.62x51.

Fooey Port surplus will get you 2" at 100 yds with a cross wind. .308 in bolt guns, surplus or .308 win in FAL's. I have shot hundreds of Winchester .308 rounds in FALS and tons more Port, Aussie, Korean and Brit 7.62 in the FALS. Spits it all out, no problems. I wouldn't put 7.62 in a bolt gun either though that's like a silk hat on a pig.