6.5x57r ammo choice

[adventures_bound]

Over a year ago I ordered and recently got delivery of a new Merkel single-shot rifle in 6.5x57r. I wanted to go with a traditional caliber and something that fits the rifle even thoughI knew it will have its flaws. ( selection and availability of ammo)
RWS still offers 3 different type : KS, DK, Evo green. Is there anyone else here using this caliber? Any experience with ammo or maybe with reloading?
Thank you in advance

 

[6pt-sika]

That’s a cartridge I’ve wanted to fool with for awhile . Especially in a combo gun or drilling .

 

[WildBoarHunter]

I am familiar with 6.5×57r as my father owns a Betinsolli 6.5×57r / 20 combination gun. If you want an effective bullet for allround use, my advice is, try RWS DK 140 gr. Very effective bullet that works similar to Nosler Partition and you should be able to find it in UK. DK stands for DoppelKern, which would roughly translate to double core. In german speaking countries there could be some Hirtenberger Nosler Partition leftovers. I know they are where I come from, but I doubt that Hirtenberger ammunition was readily available in UK even in it's heyday. Some years ago Norma loaded some ammo from the Hirtenberger Line. It was named Norma Hirtenberger line. And it included the 6.5×57r offerings. Blaser CDP 6.5×57r is also very good but also probably hard to find in UK.
RWS does a lead free Evo Green but at 6 g it is light and meant to be used on light game.
Everything else is just standard softpoint and loaded on the light side.

 

[Scipio]

Over a year ago I ordered and recently got delivery of a new Merkel single-shot rifle in 6.5x57r. I wanted to go with a traditional caliber and something that fits the rifle even thoughI knew it will have its flaws. ( selection and availability of ammo)
RWS still offers 3 different type : KS, DK, Evo green. Is there anyone else here using this caliber? Any experience with ammo or maybe with reloading?
Thank you in advance

Hello friend,

Well i have a 6.5x57, and yeah, the rws and in my case prvi partizan, are basically the only commerical ammo producers i have found.
So for those reasons, and due to non lead becoming the legal requirment where i am now, i will indeed soon start to reload. However i have not started yet, so i am afraid i cant help you out much at current with my own pet loads.
I did read however start to research already, and, i did see it suggested to carefully build up loads using modern day 6.5x55 data, due to the very similar case capacities of the two cartridges.
I know Norma has quite a few modern day 6.5x55 loads freely available on their website. Here you go: 6,5X55 SWEDISH MAUSER

 

[Scipio]

Over a year ago I ordered and recently got delivery of a new Merkel single-shot rifle in 6.5x57r. I wanted to go with a traditional caliber and something that fits the rifle even thoughI knew it will have its flaws. ( selection and availability of ammo)
RWS still offers 3 different type : KS, DK, Evo green. Is there anyone else here using this caliber? Any experience with ammo or maybe with reloading?
Thank you in advance

Hello friend,

Well i have a 6.5x57, and yeah, the rws and in my case prvi partizan, are basically the only commerical ammo producers i have found.
So for those reasons, and due to non lead becoming the legal requirment where i am now, i will indeed soon start to reload. However i have not started yet, so i am afraid i cant help you out much at current with my own pet loads.
I did read however start to research already, and, i did see it suggested to carefully build up loads using modern day 6.5x55 data, due to the very similar case capacities of the two cartridges.
I know Norma has quite a few modern day 6.5x55 loads freely available on their website. Here you go: 6,5X55 SWEDISH MAUSER

PS. In your case, having a rimmed version, i dont know if the standard is still to go slightly lower in pressure than the non rimmed version. Because wasnt that practice tied to break open guns (using rimmed cartridges) back then often having slightly less strong actions than bolt action rifles, which might no longer be the case with some of the modern kipplauf rifles and such?
Anyways, i will leave such research for yourself or other posters on here to resolve . Knæk og bræk!

 

[Bavarianbrit]

6.5x57R has a bar pressure limit of 3300 the un-rimmed "for bolt action rifles" version is rated to 3900 bar.
I have just just loaded up a 20 pack of RWS cases for my neighbour, we both use this calibre and his third shot to target was dead on the money 1 cm high at 100metres, this was using Nosler Partition Spitzers 100 grains or in metric = 6.5 grams with a H4350 powder charge.
It took me ages to find some usable load data, rocking horse poo is everywhere in comparison to the data.

 

[Sika98k]

A friend of mine owns a rifle in 6.5x57r. RWS ammunition is slightly eye watering when it comes to paying for it. Sellier & Belliot offer a more economic loading.

 

[Heym SR20]

Pretty much any of the RWS ammo choices will do the job well. Yes its expensive but the brass is good. If you can, buy several boxes of the same lot. And then reload the brass.

with my 7x65r i started off about 80 cases and they kept me going for 10 years.

As for bullet choice - they will all work. I have found the DK a bit tough - ideal if you are tackling big stuff. The EVO and EVO Green are good bullets as well.

@Edinburgh Rifles has a good stock of various different RWS cartridges including the rimmed cartridges. Worth a call.

When reloading rimmed cartridges, you do need to make sure you push the shoulder back as the headspace on the rim, and with break actions you don’t have the camming effect of a bolt action if your cartridge is a ball hair too long.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Make sure you push the shoulder back as they headspace on the rim is good advice. Redding do some shell-holders that will move the case into the sizing die up an extra amount in increments of two thousandths of an inch per holder which lets you tailor the case to your chamber. This video explains it better than I can. Although at almost $100 per set they are eye wateringly expensive, I am going to try the same method but by the bubba method (takes too long to get the stuff sent from the USA) by using imperial feeler gauges to push the case up a bit more in the shell-holder to see if that works.

 

[1894]

I have a 6.5x57R Blaser K95 with a 26” barrel.
It really sings. Because of the Jaeger tilting block breech I feel happy using rimless pressures as do 2 friends with the same calibre/rifle. We all use RWS cases which I call panzer brass it’s so strong.
100gr - 100gr ballistic tips under either N150 or N160. Price de resistance were the now discontinued Hornady 100gr SP under a large amount of N160 - 25-06 performance.
120gr ballistic tip under N560 for 3,000fps. Shot a chamois and a mouflon with this and was very pleased with performance
140gr under RL22 - 2,800fps but never shot anything with it.
I partially resize to avoid overworking the brass but allow the rifle to shut easily.

 

[Scipio]

I have a 6.5x57R Blaser K95 with a 26” barrel.
It really sings. Because of the Jaeger tilting block breech I feel happy using rimless pressures as do 2 friends with the same calibre/rifle. We all use RWS cases which I call panzer brass it’s so strong.
100gr - 100gr ballistic tips under either N150 or N160. Price de resistance were the now discontinued Hornady 100gr SP under a large amount of N160 - 25-06 performance.
120gr ballistic tip under N560 for 3,000fps. Shot a chamois and a mouflon with this and was very pleased with performance
140gr under RL22 - 2,800fps but never shot anything with it.
I partially resize to avoid overworking the brass but allow the rifle to shut easily.

yep, this is what i was referring too, earlier. A Kipplauf rifle with a jaeger tilting block breech..... Be still my beating heart.

 

[Heym SR20]

Make sure you push the shoulder back as they headspace on the rim is good advice. Redding do some shell-holders that will move the case into the sizing die up an extra amount in increments of two thousandths of an inch per holder which lets you tailor the case to your chamber. This video explains it better than I can. Although at almost $100 per set they are eye wateringly expensive, I am going to try the same method but by the bubba method (takes too long to get the stuff sent from the USA) by using imperial feeler gauges to push the case up a bit more in the shell-holder to see if that works.

I just ground down the face of the shell holder by a couple of thou. and use a double stroke of the ram.

 

[Uncas]

I used most exclusively RWS 127gr Kegelspitz ( cone-point )
on all deer worked really well.

 

[Jax]

I have a 6.5x57R Blaser K95 with a 26” barrel.
It really sings. Because of the Jaeger tilting block breech I feel happy using rimless pressures as do 2 friends with the same calibre/rifle. We all use RWS cases which I call panzer brass it’s so strong.
100gr - 100gr ballistic tips under either N150 or N160. Price de resistance were the now discontinued Hornady 100gr SP under a large amount of N160 - 25-06 performance.
120gr ballistic tip under N560 for 3,000fps. Shot a chamois and a mouflon with this and was very pleased with performance
140gr under RL22 - 2,800fps but never shot anything with it.
I partially resize to avoid overworking the brass but allow the rifle to shut easily.

I’ve been toying with the idea of a single shot for a while. This calibre jumps out as I imagine it’s nice to shoot in terms or recoil. I’ve a lightweight bolt action 308 and you know when you’ve shoot that at the range! Don’t notice the recoil stalking though.

Is the 26” barrel special order? Blaser don’t list a 26” barrel for this cal

 

[1894]

It is. I might sell you mine

 

[adventures_bound]

Hello friend,

Well i have a 6.5x57, and yeah, the rws and in my case prvi partizan, are basically the only commerical ammo producers i have found.
So for those reasons, and due to non lead becoming the legal requirment where i am now, i will indeed soon start to reload. However i have not started yet, so i am afraid i cant help you out much at current with my own pet loads.
I did read however start to research already, and, i did see it suggested to carefully build up loads using modern day 6.5x55 data, due to the very similar case capacities of the two cartridges.
I know Norma has quite a few modern day 6.5x55 loads freely available on their website. Here you go: 6,5X55 SWEDISH MAUSER

 

[adventures_bound]

Thank you everyone for the comments, it was very helpful. I found 3 boxes of RWS (8.2g, 127 gr) on a shelf of a local store and RWS dealer, they ordered it for someone many years ago but he never picked them up. The price was a bargain too (30 quid for a box) I keep every brass for reloading later. Despite its a 120 year old caliber it's very accurate and a real pleasure to shoot with, the rifle with a scope and leather sling weights less than 8 pounds. Already got two nice bucks with it. Here is a picture from the shooting range when I drove home with a smile on my face