Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Older Norma ammo

A few months back, I happened on a stash of older (wood grain boxes) Norma 6.5X54 M-S 139 gr ammunition. There was also one box of 156 gr RN bullets. I am hunting with the 139 gr stuff this season and plan to reload the brass with 160 RNs. I saw a comment a couple of days ago somewhere from a guy that had a box of Norma 139 gr bullets as components and was surprised that they were attracted by a magnet. Just for the heck of it, I checked my ammo....they are also attracted to a magnet.

Now, this is soft point (exposed lead tip) hunting ammo, not steel core FMJs. I can only assume the jackets are very soft steel and that the bullets are made to expand in game animals. I am hunting whitetail deer and am a little concerned how well these bullets will open up on 100-200 lb deer at the relatively low M-S velocities of around 2300 FPS. Does anyone here have any experience with these Norma bullets and their terminal performance on game? BTW, the 156 gr RNs also were attracted to a magnet.

Been so long ago that I don't remember the specifics, but I would assume the 6.5 is similar to the 7mm Norma ammo 139 & 175 gr. and that the 139 is designed for game down to Roe Deer in size and the 156 is for stags, boar and Elg (Moose). The 156 should still expand on deer but I would try one on some type of test medium first just for peace of mind. My favorite test media are feral hogs. The only recovered ones had long sections of jacket still in tact and looked like Kynoch steel jacket or Woodleighs with their tougher copper jackets and wide expansion.

Make sure you check for Berdan primers before you try to reload the brass. I have some Lapua 6.5x55 factory ammo that is....:-(

Dang, that's some old stuff. I've got a broken box or so of 7x57 like that I bought in the 70s.

Have 139 & 156gr both magnetic.Havn't used them on game.

Yep, exact stuff I have sqweeler. Just as an FYI, the 156 gr loads chronoed FASTER than the 139 gr. It was fast enuf that I was a little uncomfortable shooting it in my 1939 year built 1903 M-S. I chronoed 3 rounds, then pulled the other 17 bullets and replaced the powder with the same charge of H4831SC I worked up for 160 gr Hornady RNs.

I'm sure these 139 gr Norma loads will perform well on whitetails, but guess I just wanted to some feedback from anyone that has tried it. At least I don't think Norma would sell ammo for medium sized game that doesn't work on deer.....

Looney, it is reloadable. That's why I bought it, for the brass. I didn't really intend to use it for hunting, but it was so accurate and consistent despite it's age that I saw no reason to just send it downrange to empty the brass.

I load the 156 Norma Alaska's.

I have used Norma steel jacket RN bullets a few years ago in 7mm and .308. I can recall killing an elk very neatly with a 7x57 175gr. RN, and a mule deer buck with a 7x64 150 gr. but that's all I remember. I have used S&B bullets with steel jackets to kill a few more animals, some whitetails and one wolf. I think gilding metal is a better jacket material, bullets made with gilding metal or copper jackets are less likely to lose the core. I would use those Norma 6.5s for deer hunting or pigs. Perhaps not the best choice for larger or rarer beasts.

I have forgotten which ammo I have for the 6.5 M/S. Is it 139 or 156? I think without looking it is 139. I need to test chamber one and see... I had some PRVI which was pretty tight on chambering and a little hard to lift the bolt after firing. I just have to go see. Rusty.

I see NO problem with the 156 gr or the 129 gr on whitetail. My 129 gr Norma has magnetic properties. The 156 gr PRVI is nonmagnetic. I have some 9x56 M/S that is magnetic. It is old Kynoch, 10 to the box in 245 gr. Seems steel jackets were more common in the past than I would have thought. Rusty