Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 6.5X54 mannlicher schonaur

SCHA-WING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm new to this site, but own a mannlicher. Bought it new in 1968 and it's he only rifle I've ever hunted with. Talk about hard finding ammunition. Went through 4 boxes through 1978, and got lucky and found a local gunshop in Armonk, NY that had 4 boxes of the Norma 156 grain. Bought em all and that's what I've hunted with since. I use roughly 3 bullets a year. Sights in really good and 1 shot does the trick. Had quite a few years of no bucks, but it's okay just to take the bullets for a walk. I was running low, 5 left, and found some at Buffalo arms and just ordered 2 boxes of 160. They should be here in two days and I can sight in on Saturday. It's great seeing all the great photos of your mannlichers, mint condition, which mine is anything but mint, but it's the only gun I'll ever use. Thanks for all the info. God bless.

ACCMAN, welcome to the fire. Hey, isn't there a nice outdoor range up in Armonk? I used to live in Westchester County years ago.

You really should be reloading your own ammunition. Components are available, and you won't have to worry about running out. Just think about all the shooting you can do.

Just get an inexpensive press and dies, a Lee case trimmer, and try some 129-gr and 140-gr bullets. The MS 6.4x54 I used to own shot them well.

Great advice, and I've saved most of my Norma casings, bout 4 boxes, but I'm leery of messing with reloading cause I'm not familiar enough with it. Sort of like packing your own parachute, yeah you can use it, but are you gonna trust it. If these bullets from Buffalo Arms don't work out, then maybe I'll try it. My son bought a Browning .270 A bolt 5 years ago as his first gun and he's been trying to get me to spring for a new gun. I tell him I'm too old school, shot every deer with her, she's lightweight, accurate, and I wouldn't be comfortable without it. And besides, I'm paying tuitions for 6 kids and can't justify a luxury of a new gun. I'm from Yonkers and to tell you the truth I see more deer on the Sprain Parkway right in Yonkers than I do hunting in Orange & Sullivan counties. Can't hunt em and they know it. I belong to a hunting club in Port Jervis,NY rifle only,and bowhunt Orange & Sullivan counties. I only went to Armonk cause someone told me the Gunshop there was excellent and they were right.

I bought my first centerfire rifle from Agromontes in Yonkers about 1974. lived off of Mclean Ave., near Tibbets Brook Park. Left NY around 1978.

Bought my mannlicher at Parker Bros. I believe it was somewhere in Mt. Vernon. Took all the money I had, $165 at the time. I wish I could have bought 5 of em. I just remember all of the guns they had, I looked at all different kinds, didn't know what I was looking at, my Uncle showed up, went right over to the Mannlichers and said, "Here, buy this, you'll never go wrong". They put an over under mount on it, with a 2.5 power scope, and I was set.
Since then, I had to put a 3 x 9 power scope on her, but all the scopes rear eyepieces are so large, you can't put the safe on without hitting the scope. I don't load up till I'm in my stand anyway, and the safe is on just enough to not let the rifle fire, but I'd like to find a scope that is thin enough or long enough to allow the safe to fully close. I'll keep looking and if anybody else has the same problem, let me know.

ACCMAN, you can find some local who knows a lot about reloading at some local gun store or shooting range. Make a new friend.

You and your son would enjoy reloading together.

Hey, go modern on him. Buy another Mannlicher in .270.
Tell him, "Look at my new 1952 Mannlicher." LOL!

Or go all the way, and get a Steyr SBS synthetic in .270 Win.

I had a 4X Zeiss on my 6.5x54 carbine. No problem with bolt or safety clearance. The bolt barely clears the mount on my 1950 .30-06, but the Burris Fullfield II is great on it.

Yep been to Parker Brothers too.

I am wondering what model MS you have? If it is an MCA, you would have a tang safety in addition to the bolt/wing safety.

No other safety, but I'll have to check the model tonight. My son is an avid hunter now, got me into bowhunting, turkey hunting, and now he's trying to get me to muzzle, but I hunt enough weekends from Oct thru Dec to make me happy. Don't need an extra season, and I usually have a lot to do before the holidays. I gave up last weekend to the dreaded "Honeydoos". Nice weekend, had to do the leaves, paint the fence, yada,yada,yada. But, if it gets me in the good graces of the misses, then I'm a happy man for the next five weekends.

If I tell my son about doing the reloading ourselves, I'm sure he'll start lookin up everything and figuring it out. Once he gets an idea in his head, he's gone.

those are gorgeous rifles!

I have 3 but my 6.5 is in dire need of work, and the other 2 are both '52's in 30-06

Post a pic, we will tell you what model it is. Dunno what kind of mounts you have, but the front mount may be covering the model.

Does the bolt handle go straight down or is it sweep back?

I'm betting,if you only have the bolt safety,you have a 1903

1903 - bolt safety only
1950 - straight handle, safety on side
1952 - swept handle, safety on side
1956 - as above, with hi stock comb
1961 - tang safety

that correct?

Yes,there is also the 1924 model and the GK's...

I was thinking postwar only.

What is a GK?

Mostly European models and available with nice engraving. Later issue,( 1956?)some are magnums?

The GK model is actually the same model as the 1952 model. It became available after the 1952 model was discontinued in 1956. It was available by special order, and designated 1952-GK.

Oh yeah, the 1924 model is also called the sequoia model. A gun club in california? Made them up just for them. Sequoia gun club, I believe. Sporter model only.

Here is my 6.5x54. It is not as fancy as the other guns I have seen here, that is fer-sher, the barrel is shot and will be replaced by a Montana Rifle (that deal I found on here � THANKS!) the finish is all but gone, and the trigger is mushy�.but I paid less than the cost of a Marlin MR-7 for it!!!!






Once I get rid of the white-line spacers and do a little work, she should make for a fine hunting rifle! Note that there is actually some pretty decent grain in that buttstock!
I expect to have it in the hunting fields in late 2010 or 2011 latest. Already have ammo, bras and dies!

My model is a 1903. Mount is a sliding high side mount. 2 levers, turn down, and she slides off. Can still see the iron sights. For some reason, I was off the last time I was sighting in. I bring 3 rounds with me when I sight in. Sometimes only takes one. Last time, I was off 6 inches at 5:00, adjusted the sight where it says "Up, turn left", so I turned left 8 clicks and side-to-side 8 clicks, but pulled the shot. I knew I should have been 3"@10:00, but shot 3" at 8. Damn, one more bullet. Adjusted one more time, 5 clicks "up". Fire, should be a perfect shot. Go, up and check the paper, I'm 8" at 5:00. I must have been clickin left when I should have been clicken right. OhwhatanassIam!!!! Now, I'm down to an inventory of 5 bullets in my box at the car. But no sense starting to use the last bullets I have to start sighting in a gun 8" off. Besides, I'm shooting a 156 gr and I'm buying 160. Don't know if the two would be comparable anyway. My son's joking telling me "Look around the house, You've probably got 1/2 a box in your closet, drawers, workroom, just look around!!!". Always loved that kid.
Unfortunately, got a call from Buffalo Arms and of course the two boxes of bullets are backordered to arrive sometime late next week. Gives me no time to sight in. Might have to see if the Peekskill range is open. I hoped next week to bowhunt Friday and head to the Gun club in the afternoon. We can't use the gun range up there the week before opening of rifle season. I guess I can compensate for the windage, but that's not real hunting, not that I haven't done that.