6.5 Mannlicher Schonauer load

Cleftwynd

Cleftwynd

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I would like to start reloading for the old 6.5 Mannlicher Schonauer (6.5x54 I believe), since I don't have any load data for this, I am hoping to use 6.5 x 55 Swede data.

Any recommendations or cautions?


Edit: I almost forgot, since I have a very very limited supply of brass for the old girl, I am planning on using 6.5 x 55 brass and resizing it. I don't want to use up my factory rolled Dominion ammo just for brass.
 
Tradex has Prvi 6.5x54MS brass listed, if you're hunting for empty cases.

I think the Swede has slightly more case capacity than the M-S, if I recall correctly. I checked an old manual and the M-S loads are all 3-4 grs below that of the x55 for max loads of any given powder & bullet weight.
 
Cleftwynd said:
I would like to start reloading for the old 6.5 Mannlicher Schonauer (6.5x54 I believe), since I don't have any load data for this
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Your timing couldn't be better - if you check the most recent issue of Guns 'N Ammo, it has a whole article devoted to loading 6.5X54MS - all major bullet weights, with powder recipes and the like... Nice article on the history of the round as well...
 
Ken Water's pet loads article from 1994 recommended 42.0 grains of Reloader 22 with a 140 grain Nosler partition for approx 2330 fps from an 18" barrel GK carbine. He listed that as a max load and as his "best all around load combo" during that test. He also used between 39.0 - 41.0 grains under a 160 grain Hornady round nose. He mentions that his rifle had a long throat for the heavier bullet weight.

I would think that one of the 4350 or 4831 powders or Reloader 17 or 19, would also be good choices. Be safe and enjoy your rifle.
 
In the 12th edition of the Handloader's Digest there's a good article about the 6.5 MS.

The author recommends 39 grs of H380 with a 120 gr bullet for 2637 fps. 41 grs of IMR-4831 with a 140 gr bullet for 2535 fps.
 
Thanks for all the replies! Gives me some material to seek out. Once I get the rifle back I will start measuring it up for reloading, I have a feeling it has a very long throat as the factory 160 grain ammo look like they have a long pencil sticking out of them lol.
 
Captain Obvious also states you can make 6.5x54 brass from 6.5x55, and starting with reduced loads and working up using swede info not only works, but is safe.
 
Cleftwynd said:
Captain Obvious also states you can make 6.5x54 brass from 6.5x55, and starting with reduced loads and working up using swede info not only works, but is safe.
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Captain Obvious is full of s***!!
The dimensions of the 6.5x55 case make it virtually impossible to size down to 6.5x54 dimensions.
The 6.5x54 case is quite a bit smaller in diameter at the base than is the 6.5x55 case. [.454" vs .480"]
The solid "head" would have to be swaged smaller, no mean task.
Capacity of the 6.5x54 case is considerably less than the 6.5x55 case as well.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
Eagleye said:
Captain Obvious is full of s***!!
The dimensions of the 6.5x55 case make it virtually impossible to size down to 6.5x54 dimensions.
The 6.5x54 case is quite a bit smaller in diameter at the base than is the 6.5x55 case. [.454" vs .480"]
The solid "head" would have to be swaged smaller, no mean task.
Capacity of the 6.5x54 case is considerably less than the 6.5x55 case as well.
Regards, Eagleye.
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Beat me to it...
 
There's probably some confusion between the 6.5x54 MS and the 6.5x54 Mauser.

According to the Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions you can make 6.5x54 MS cases from .220 Swift brass and to make 6.5x54 Mauser cases you can use .270 Winchester brass.
 
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Breathing some life back into this thread. Looking for load data for 160 grain pills. Would like to see this old beauty knock down a buck next year in the big timber!
 
west250 said:
Breathing some life back into this thread. Looking for load data for 160 grain pills. Would like to see this old beauty knock down a buck next year in the big timber!
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My old 6.5X54 likes the old 160 gr. Hornady RN over 39.0 gr. H4350..... its a Ken Waters load from his Pet loads book and a good one.
Something to keep in mind fellow MS owners.... I heard that Hornady has discontinued the 160 gr. RN bullet so we might have to scrounge gun shops and gun shows for those.
Another bullet that shoots well in mine and is even harder to find is the long discontinued Hornady 140 gr. RN...
 
Ken Waters seems to provide the best load data for the 6.5 MS. According to him, the RWS factory 160 gr load produced 2356 fps. His best load seems to be 40 grs of H-4350 for 2180 fps. Cartridges of the World suggests 38 grs of IMR-4064 will produce 2450! It also suggests that 38 grs of IMR-4350 will produce 2510 fps with a 156 gr bullet and 34 grs of IMR-3031 will produce 2460 fps with the 156.

Both sources of data cannot be correct. Waters says H-4350 produces only 2180 with 40 grs so it would seem that H- 4350 is a bit slow for the case capacity, but Cartridges of the World says you can get 2500+ with only 4 grs less bullet weight and a 38 gr load, they can't both be right. H-4350 and IMR 4350 are very similar and the difference in burn rate doesn't account for the contradiction. If it were me, I'd try one of the 4350s, starting at 35 grs and working up to 40 or until I had pressure signs. If that produced the velocity Waters says it does, I'd try 4895 and work up a load starting at 30 grs. If no pressure signs appear before you reach the RWS velocity of 2350-2360 fps, its time to stop. IMHO, velocities over 2400 fps are not worth attempting to get with 160 gr bullet in this cartridge, regardless of which powder you use.

Edited to add . . .

Tradex has 160 gr Hornadys and they have 155 gr Lapua Megas.
 
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The 6.5 MS has quite a bit less capacity than the 6.5X55 - it's much closer to the 6.5 Jap and the 6.5X52 Carcano (having slightly more capacity than both). With a 160 gr bullet, 2300 fps is realistic with slower powders like H4350, Re19 and H4831.

Maybe "Cartridges of the World" was once a great publication, but if it was, its good days are behind it.
 
My 4th edition Hornady manual lists 39 grs. of IMR 4350 as max with a velocity of 2200. The same source lists 33 gr. of 4064 for 2100 fps as max. for that powder.

I also dug up an old edition of Handloaders Digest; the author didn't work up any 160 gr. loads, but did test some factory loads with that bullet weight.

156 Military- 2462
159 RWS- 2582
160 Midway- 2067.

Those velocities are out of a 22 1/2" barrel. The original rifles came in a long barreled rifle version as well as the more familiar full-stock carbine. I wonder if that's the reason for the discrepancy between Waters and Cartidges of the World. CoW was never really meant to be a loading manual, and a lot of the data is outdated.
 
Ross Seyfried wrote in Handloader # 210 that his pet load for the 6.5X54 was an old style Nosler 140 Partition over 44.0 gr. IMR 4831 with an F 210 primer.
I would work up to that one because I have found some of the loads posted by Ross to be a tad ' warm ' much like some loads published by Bob Hagel...
 
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