6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer

I picked up a 1912 Greek MS barreled action that has been converted to 7x57 cheap on Gunbroker recently -- a little project rifle. It had the flip over side mounted pachmyer bases on it. A little bit of patience on gunbroker and I found just the right rings for $25. Still need a stock, bottom metal, trigger and screws. Piece by piece...
Does it feed? ~Muir
 
Ah. Something I left off the list of parts needed: a bolt. But it does feed (and headspace) with the bolt off my 1903 Jeffery in 6.5x54.
 
Ah. Something I left off the list of parts needed: a bolt. But it does feed (and headspace) with the bolt off my 1903 Jeffery in 6.5x54.
That's a big one. Glad it will feed but you may end up buying another gun to get your bolt. I gave away my last MS1903 action years back and regretted it later on. ~Muir
 
Scotland requires a min 100 gn bullet and 2450fps muzzle velocity. The Kynochammo is doing 2,700 fps. The original load was a 160 odd gn bullet at 2350 ish fps and that's they are often considered obsolete.
Hmm. According to the Ballistics Calculator App (I can’t be bothered to do the maths) a .243 100 gn bullet and 2450fps muzzle velocity yields c.1333 ft lbs of energy. Increase velocity for the same bullet to Viht’s (other powders are available) top-end load of 2,900 fps and this increases to 1867 ft lbs. Add some more powder (at your own risk of course) to get 3,000 fps with the 100 grainer takes you up to 1,998 ft lbs. All of these of course meet the scottish requirement.
Now the geriatric MS 160 gns bullet trundling along at a mere 2340 fps actually gives 1945 ft lbs i.e. right up there with the warm to hot .243 100 grainer! Shocker! This might come as a surprise - especially to anything shot with one ’cos I bet it really, really stings!
Maybe someone could let Holyrood know and yes, of course they will listen…….
🦊🦊
 
Maybe someone could let Holyrood know and yes, of course they will listen…….
🦊🦊
Actually the de jure ban on the 160 grain factory loading came at the urgings of a well known still extant British "deer welfare society" and not the SNP.

A fine efficient calibre that had been used for nearly a half century and more on the hill in Scotland made illegal overnight thanks to them. Old school stalkers will say how they liked the 6.5mmx54 as you could hear the "thump" of a good hit against the "plop" of a bad hit.

And equally stupid but de facto ban on the 6.5mmx54 is in the BASC's advice of "suitable calibres for boar" despite, again, the cartridge and its 160 grain factory loading being used for a similar long duration in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire as a excellent boar cartridge.

"BASC recommends that rifles chambered for the . 270 cartridge are the minimum that should be used for hunting boar."

It seems that "stupid is a stupid does" is still alive in the 21st Century as it was in the 20th Century with regard to the 6.5mmx54 and its 160 grain bullet.

The 6.5mmx54 and its 160 grain blunt round nose bullet is and was an excellent model of low recoiling killing power in an easily controlled calibre that was an excellent dual role deer and boar cartridge.

Indeed its modest velocity was irrelevant as its over long for calibre bullet with the blunt round nose profile was what made it so effective in both woodland and more open land.

Shame isn't it that BDS and BASC were so ignorant of that fact. But whilst the cartridge worked and worked well and on moor, field, wood and heath presumably it didn't work well in ivory towers!
 
Last edited:
Hmm. According to the Ballistics Calculator App (I can’t be bothered to do the maths) a .243 100 gn bullet and 2450fps muzzle velocity yields c.1333 ft lbs of energy. Increase velocity for the same bullet to Viht’s (other powders are available) top-end load of 2,900 fps and this increases to 1867 ft lbs. Add some more powder (at your own risk of course) to get 3,000 fps with the 100 grainer takes you up to 1,998 ft lbs. All of these of course meet the scottish requirement.
Now the geriatric MS 160 gns bullet trundling along at a mere 2340 fps actually gives 1945 ft lbs i.e. right up there with the warm to hot .243 100 grainer! Shocker! This might come as a surprise - especially to anything shot with one ’cos I bet it really, really stings!
Maybe someone could let Holyrood know and yes, of course they will listen…….
🦊🦊
Things like the 30-30, 416 Rigby, 375 H&H with 300gn bullets, 45-70, 470 NE etc also all fail the Scottish requirements thanks to lower velocities.

I suppose these requirements were imposed when 4x scopes were the norm, there were no range finders and on the open Scottish hill you do want a flat shooting cartridge to make up for errors in range estimation. The lower velocity cartridges have a pretty short point blank range and do drop quite considerably over a pretty short distance - which could easily result in wounded rather than missed beasts.
 
Actually the de jure ban on the 160 grain factory loading came at the urgings of a well known still extant British "deer welfare society" and not the SNP.

A fine efficient calibre that had been used for nearly a half century and more on the hill in Scotland made illegal overnight thanks to them. Old school stalkers will say how they liked the 6.5mmx54 as you could hear the "thump" of a good hit against the "plop" of a bad hit.

And equally stupid but de facto ban on the 6.5mmx54 is in the BASC's advice of "suitable calibres for boar" despite, again, the cartridge and its 160 grain factory loading being used for a similar long duration in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire as a excellent boar cartridge.

"BASC recommends that rifles chambered for the . 270 cartridge are the minimum that should be used for hunting boar."

It seems that "stupid is a stupid does" is still alive in the 21st Century as it was in the 20th Century with regard to the 6.5mmx54 and its 160 grain bullet.

The 6.5mmx54 and its 160 grain blunt round nose bullet is and was an excellent model of low recoiling killing power in an easily controlled calibre that was an excellent dual role deer and boar cartridge.

Indeed its modest velocity was irrelevant as its over long for calibre bullet with the blunt round nose profile was what made it so effective in both woodland and more open land.

Shame isn't it that BDS and BASC were so ignorant of that fact. But whilst the cartridge worked and worked well and on moor, field, wood and heath presumably it didn't work well in ivory towers!
The recommendation of .270 minimum for boar probably came from Europe, I seem to remember it was the min in Spain and Portugal and theres quite a debate in Sweden about continuing use of the 6.5 for boar, bear and moose.
Personally I’d use a lighter bullet than 160, say 120 or 140 and opt for a bit more velocity but its your money so your your choice.
I had a guy come over and shoot a sika with the 156 bullet in a Swede, he flattened it, the bullet went through and there was minimal meat damage. Loopy as hell tho’.
 
Hmm. According to the Ballistics Calculator App (I can’t be bothered to do the maths) a .243 100 gn bullet and 2450fps muzzle velocity yields c.1333 ft lbs of energy. Increase velocity for the same bullet to Viht’s (other powders are available) top-end load of 2,900 fps and this increases to 1867 ft lbs. Add some more powder (at your own risk of course) to get 3,000 fps with the 100 grainer takes you up to 1,998 ft lbs. All of these of course meet the scottish requirement.
Now the geriatric MS 160 gns bullet trundling along at a mere 2340 fps actually gives 1945 ft lbs i.e. right up there with the warm to hot .243 100 grainer! Shocker! This might come as a surprise - especially to anything shot with one ’cos I bet it really, really stings!
Maybe someone could let Holyrood know and yes, of course they will listen…….
🦊🦊
Does a politician listen to anything from those who know! Those old enough to KNOW about these elderly cartridges also KNOW how good they were/are. God save us from idiots & clever people!
 
Back
Top