Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 6.5x54

Picked up an original Schonauer 6.5x54 in very good condition. Looking to revive it as a river bottom stalking rifle, moderate range moderate velocities.
Do I stick with the 156ish traditional bullets and if so which one? Or go mild 125 NP or 120 BT route looking for expansion? Not worried about hurting it or me but if I want the fuss and bother of 264WM then that's what id use.
Norma Vulkan l56 looks interesting but any experience with it at moderate velocities?

Anything I shoot accuracy is paramount.

Is it scoped at all, or iron sights?

Especially with iron sights, I lean towards 140 gr or 160 gr bullets as the lower velocity isn't the limiting factor regarding range. I've had good luck loading the 160 gr Hornady RN bullets, and have heard good reports from other Mannlicher users about their effectiveness on game. (I haven't been lucky enough yet with any of my Mannlichers....)

Chris

I love my 1950 MS Carbine:


Here's a load that works great in it:


It is also accurate with 156-160 bullets of any brand!

100 or 120 grain Ballistic Tips...

if you want heavier, then they make a 140 grain Ballistic Tip also...

They'll open up down to about 1200 to 1400 fps...

Slug your barrel,probably .268

Slug your throat (via soft lead bump cast) or do a Cerrosafe casting. That's what drives bullet choice for the old girls like these. One reason why savvy bullet casters got a leg up on those who are dependent on what's setting on the gun shop shelves.

You have a classic rifle that has a record of unbelievable kills with original ammo of 156-160 bullets at moderate velocity. For a classic rifle, I'd go with a classic load.

Some suggestions have come up of using lighter bullets at increased velocity; but then why go to a classic rifle and cartridge?

If your rifle has original iron sights on it the new light weight super bullets may not line up with sights. Also feeding problems from the magazine could be an issue.

Congrats on owning a beautiful piece of history. Enjoy the hell out of it. I'm jealous.

Through my "short & happy life" I have owned 2 of the 1903 carbines and a rifle built on a System 1930 action. I used 140's & iterations of 160's in all. If I ever find another 1903 it will get fed whatever version of the 160's it shots best. Never had a problem killing anything from elk on down.

Damn that is a beautiful rifle1

I found the heavier bullets shot better than most and also aligned to the iron sights pretty well...

A couple examples of rusty old guns..

Wow!

Those butter knife bolts give me wood.

Pretty cool stuff!

Great little cartridge, regrettably available ony in rare and expensive rifles (AFAIK). Enjoy.

any recommendations for reading/resource material? Mine has a raised rib barrel built in pop-up tang peep sight and a stag horn fore-end.....rare? personalized? common?

I have a few boxes of a couple of kinds of factory ammo in a couple different configurations I would sell as I no longer have my 6.5x54 MS carbine if anybody is interested. I know I have some Imperials I bought in Whitehorse years ago at Hougen's.

sheephunter, PM sent

Those are way cool, wish I had one!

65 pm'd you back with a list of what I have. Thanks.