If I had a bottle of whisky for every time I got asked what the best round is I could start my own bar. I’d like that actually. Maybe I’ll start asking for booze as a form of payment. Anyway, my answer would be clear every time. The best round is the 308 or 7.62 NATO round.

The 7.62 NATO round was introduced in the U.S. with the M14 rifle and M60 machine gun in the late 1950s.

And in case you didn’t know, the .308 Winchester cartridge and the 7.62 NATO are the same.

Why is this my round of choice for a primary weapon system? In my professional opinion, because of two reasons. Utility and availability

The Round’s Utility 

A testament to the 7.62 NATO round’s utility is that the round remained the main machine gun round of NATO members for nearly four decades.

The round gets the job done out accurately out to 800 meters, a bit more if you really know what you’re doing. I see the round as a survival, hunting, and self-defense tool.

Additionally, you’ll find many affordable rifles that will match up to this versatile round.

The 7.62 NATO Round’s Availability

Not only is the bullet readily available, but it also’s affordable. The round is everywhere!

Wallmart, Bass Pro, Big 5, Joe’s Discount Ammo, your local gun shop, pretty much everyone sells this round. It has to be one of the most commercially available rounds in North America. And when (not if) the pandemic zombies come you’ll want a round that you can easily replenish and which can be used across firearms.

So save your money on the many specialty rounds out there. The 7.62 NATO round just gets the job done.

I am happy to answer your questions in the comments below.