7.62x54 mm ammunition is one of the most widespread in the world. Moreover, it is very actively used in domestic open spaces. Suffice it to say that the 7.62 is used in both machine guns and sniper rifles. This raises the question of whether there is at least some difference between these cartridges. In the end, he is equipped with fundamentally different types of weapons.
In fact, everything is quite simple in the history of the 7.62x54 mm cartridge. Initially, it was one single "rifle" ammunition, which was loaded into all types of weapons to which it approached. However, the weapon did not stand still and was constantly evolving. However, very soon in Russia they began to make two different cartridges of the mentioned caliber. The first was marked "L", the second was marked "D". These were light and heavy bullet ammunition. This continued until 1953.
It is worth recalling that the middle of the 20th century is the active development of intermediate calibers all over the world and the unification of existing ones. It became unprofitable to continue making different types of ammunition of the same caliber. Of course, enterprises still made special cartridges: tracer, incendiary, armor-piercing. However, the "common" machine gun and rifle "L" and "D" were replaced by a single cartridge "LPS", created by Soviet engineers.
It was hoped to introduce it even before World War II, but the situation at that time did not allow bringing the matter to an end. The bottom line is that "LPS" is a light bullet, but with a steel core. It is good because it fully covers the needs of all types of weapons, primarily machine guns. It was also suitable for snipers, but the unification of the caliber did not last long.
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Initially, the USSR did not develop a separate 7.62x54. It was too expensive, since replacing the cartridge with a heavier one was fraught with the need to change all the sighting devices on the rifles. However, when the SVD appeared in the country, a separate sniper ammunition marked 7N1 was released, and after some time another, 7N14. The last was the 7N37 ammunition.
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The main difference between sniper cartridges is that they are heavier, have armor-piercing cores, less often - tungsten. However, it is still possible to load and fire a machine gun cartridge from the SVD. True, the sniper will have to take a different correction for the wind.
Continuing the topic, you can read about why special forces around the world value submachine guns so highly, not a rifle.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/180120/53136/