The .30-06 case necked to 6.5mm — a natural pairing that delivers mild recoil with excellent long-range ballistics. A-Square loaded it commercially in the 1980s–90s, giving it wider recognition. Long-range hunters favored it for its flat trajectory with 140-grain bullets in a standard .30-06 action.
Type: Rifle
Introduced: 1969, United States
Parent case: .30-06 Springfield
Standardization: Wildcat
Bullet diameter: 0.264" (6.71 mm)
Max pressure: 58,000 PSI
Rim type: Rimless
Primer: Large Rifle
Typical twist rate: 1:8
Muzzle velocity: 2900–3200 fps
Muzzle energy: 2240–3230 ft-lbs
Effective range: 400 yd
Common bullet weights: 120, 129, 140, 142 gr
Primary use: hunting
Production status: Limited
Also known as: 6.5-06 · .264-06 · 6.5x63mm
History: American wildcatters began necking the .30-06 to 6.5mm in the 1940s–60s. Colonel Arthur Alphin's A-Square company later commercialized it as the "6.5-06 A-Square," producing factory loads that elevated it beyond pure wildcat status. With A-Square's closure the cartridge reverted to wildcat status, but reamers and custom barrels remain available.