6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer
- Thread starter Apthorpe
- Start date
deeangeo
Well-Known Member
No it's maybe not, but perhaps again a special order now. I do have the remains of a box bought 18months ago...maybe I was just lucky finding it, but since I always hand load, I wasn't interested in factory stuff.
With so many out there you would think it would be something they produced. After all they produce plenty of weird ones.
I am glad to hear you got some as I thought I was going mad then as I was sure I'd seen it about.
I am glad to hear you got some as I thought I was going mad then as I was sure I'd seen it about.
deeangeo
Well-Known Member
Aye, true enough, one would think there'd be lots of factory ammunition around.
Still, after the Scots decided the 160gn 6.5x54 too soft to kill humanely & many of these rifles disposed of for more modern ones, it seems only collectors or enthusiasts want them and not necessarily use them for their intended hunting purpose.
I view them as a working enthusiast and will hunt deer with mine.
Still, after the Scots decided the 160gn 6.5x54 too soft to kill humanely & many of these rifles disposed of for more modern ones, it seems only collectors or enthusiasts want them and not necessarily use them for their intended hunting purpose.
I view them as a working enthusiast and will hunt deer with mine.
And so you should, I think taking game with a rifle you have an attachment too makes it a little more special.
Guys,
Thank you for your invaluable advice. I have just unexpectedly found a Redding die set very reasonably priced from a large and well-known gun shop in Exeter. Now to start accumulating the other materials and try not to blow anything up. I am planning to gather all the load data i can find on the internet for 6.5x54 into a spreadsheet along with notes on the apparent reliability of the sources. Hopefully this will give me some ideas what to try. There seem to be plenty of options published. Would like to start off with a traditional 160grn, try something lighter and a bit quicker and possibly a cheap FMJ for practising with.
Thank you for your invaluable advice. I have just unexpectedly found a Redding die set very reasonably priced from a large and well-known gun shop in Exeter. Now to start accumulating the other materials and try not to blow anything up. I am planning to gather all the load data i can find on the internet for 6.5x54 into a spreadsheet along with notes on the apparent reliability of the sources. Hopefully this will give me some ideas what to try. There seem to be plenty of options published. Would like to start off with a traditional 160grn, try something lighter and a bit quicker and possibly a cheap FMJ for practising with.
Great news!
Well Hornady 160gr RN are under £60/100 so that's pretty good.
Some data from here https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/5/15/handloading-the-65x54-mm-mannlicher-schoenauer/
View attachment 74417
Well Hornady 160gr RN are under £60/100 so that's pretty good.
Some data from here https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/5/15/handloading-the-65x54-mm-mannlicher-schoenauer/
View attachment 74417
deeangeo
Well-Known Member
Did you look to see what shape the bullet seating plug is in the seating die?
Ideally, the plug should be a more internal dome shape so that the 160gn RN bullet seats properly into the cup.
This will help keep the bullet in a straighter (less run out from true) line for that type of bullet.
To feed correctly from the rotary magazine, the OAL of the round should not be less than 3", but often they will feed at 2.095".
3.063" is the nominal OAL.
Good luck
http://reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=251
http://www.chuckhawks.com/m-s_custom_rifle_hays.htm
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deeangeo
Well-Known Member
Just two wks ago I paid £40/100 For Hornady Interlock 160gn RN #2640
I didn't look because it was an internet purchase. It was half the price I'd seen anywhere else, so I just grabbed it and will live with whatever limitation it has while I get started and into practice.
They also had some 100 grain Lapua Scenar for under £20. Too light for this gun?
Jim, thanks for the data. I've seen that article. Interesting variations in accuracy. Perhaps (optimistically) one might do better with some of the loads in a 26" barrel compared to the 19" of the tester's. Expect I'll be hooked soon!
Anyway, I'm relieved to have found the most awkward piece of kit.
flytie
Well-Known Member
Several years ago Diggory Haddoke did a wonderful article about shooting deer in the Shooting Gazette with the M.S. 6.5x54, it was a rifle borrowed from Bill Pink and they had worked up a load to make it deer legal in the UK.
It is wonderful to think that another gem of a rifle will be back into action regularly, well done that man!!
Simon
It is wonderful to think that another gem of a rifle will be back into action regularly, well done that man!!
Simon
Thats the sort of correction I like!!!
Tried finding a pdf of this article when you originally posted, finally done it! Really enjoyed it when I read it in the mag.
http://www.wmsfirearmstraining.com/wmswp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/WMS-Press-22.pdf
http://www.wmsfirearmstraining.com/wmswp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/WMS-Press-22.pdf
Enjoyed reading the PDF linked article too.
Incredible to think that the 6.5 x 54 was used by big game hunters to shoot elephants back then, when the standard loaded cartridge is now below the legal velocity for Uk deer.
The Mannlicher Schoenauer model that my brother used harked back to the same vintage mentioned in the article and was a lovely rifle.
I remember that the original rounds that came with it had very long heads (probably 1.5x modern day equivalent) and that these rounds were renowned for tumbling at longer ranges.
Incredible to think that the 6.5 x 54 was used by big game hunters to shoot elephants back then, when the standard loaded cartridge is now below the legal velocity for Uk deer.
The Mannlicher Schoenauer model that my brother used harked back to the same vintage mentioned in the article and was a lovely rifle.
I remember that the original rounds that came with it had very long heads (probably 1.5x modern day equivalent) and that these rounds were renowned for tumbling at longer ranges.
deeangeo
Well-Known Member
Not below the legal MV in the UK, just In Scotland with the 160gn bullet. The ME is fine though...! (personally I think the Scottish decision nuts, but hey, who am I in this world of superior knowledge - just sayin'!)
Never ever came across the bullet tumbling scenario with my previous M1903 stutzen, or my current 'Takedown' these 160gn rounds/rifles are good for max 120-150yd shots on live quarry in practical terms & personally, I wouldn't take a longer shot using mine.
They are old rifles, mine was mfd in 1922 & originally designed for use with iron sights rather than scopes. Even the last MSch GK rifles built in the 1960's still had a split rear bridge & are difficult to scope inexpensively.
But, the engineering work on the actions/rotary magazines and super slick bolt action is superb, but a pity that didn't extend to the trigger pull on single trigger rifles.
To be scoped properly with QD mounts, it will currently cost £400 for the correct parts & £500 minimum for a decent gunsmith to do the work.....and, in my view, there are very very few 'smiths I would trust to do this work.
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deeangeo
Well-Known Member
Sorry Jim, I wasn't being contradictory...but my local RFD here in the NW has these 160gn Hornady bullets + lots of other stuff at sensible pricing levels .. & they're not a popular bullet as more folk are into the 140gn SST type in 6.5/.264"
No worries at all mate, I didn't take it in a bad way at all. Being a Yorkshireman, cheap is my second favourite price!
Yeah they're very long bullets but should be fine if the rifle is designed to stabilise them, which he M-S should be.
Lots of the older cartridges were designed around heavy for calibre bullets, such as the 318 Westley Richards shown below.
View attachment 74450
Lots of the older cartridges were designed around heavy for calibre bullets, such as the 318 Westley Richards shown below.
View attachment 74450
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