Excellent European sporting cartridge combining 7x57 Mauser case with 6.5mm bullet. Popular with European hunters for low recoil and flat trajectory.
Type: Rifle
Introduced: 1894, Germany
Parent case: 7x57mm Mauser
Standardization: CIP
Bullet diameter: 0.264" (6.71 mm)
Case length: 2.244" (57 mm)
Overall length: 3.071" (78 mm)
Max pressure: 51,000 PSI
Rim type: Rimless
Primer: Large Rifle
Typical twist rate: 1:8
Muzzle velocity: 2700–2950 fps
Muzzle energy: 2200–2700 ft-lbs
Effective range: 800 yd
Common bullet weights: 120, 129, 140, 156 gr
Primary use: Hunting, Target
Production status: Limited
Also known as: 6.5x57 · 6.5 Mauser
History: Developed by necking down 7x57mm Mauser to 6.5mm in 1894. Popular in Europe and Scandinavia for deer and mountain game. Never achieved the fame of its parent cartridge or the 6.5x55 Swedish, but remained a solid performer. Declined after WWII but still produced by European ammunition makers.
Notable firearms: Custom Mauser sporters, Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifles, Various European hunting rifles
Similar cartridges: 6.5x55mm Swedish, 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Remington