Centerfire Rifle
6mm Lee Navy
The first small-bore service cartridge adopted by any branch of the US military, chambered in the Lee Navy Model 1895 straight-pull bolt-action rifle issued to the Navy and Marine Corps.
- Caliber
- 0.244″ · 6.198 mm
- Introduced
- 1895
- Case
- Bottleneck
- Primary use
- Military
- Status
- Discontinued
- Introduced
- 1895
- Type
- Centerfire Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester Repeating Arms
- Status
- Discontinued
- Eff. range
- 600 yd
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for 6mm Lee Navy, so this is the shape gravity alone gives the advertised velocity. Drag would steepen it. The tool below solves real loads through their published G1 or G7 model.
Open in Ballistic Compare- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
Wikipedia · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 6.20 | 0.244 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 7.06 | 0.278 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 10.21 | 0.402 | · |
| Shoulder angle | — | — | |
| Base ⌀ | 11.30 | 0.445 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 11.38 | 0.448 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.40 | 0.055 | ~ |
| Neck length | — | — | |
| Case length | 59.69 | 2.350 | · |
| Overall length | 78.99 | 3.110 | · |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. 6mm Lee Navy is highlighted below.
Missing a dimension for 6mm Lee Navy? Some case measurements aren't in a published SAAMI/CIP drawing yet. Have a factory or reamer print? Send it → — verified hard-to-find data earns a free Lindcott sticker.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in 6mm Lee Navy
2 models in the database chamber 6mm Lee Navy. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
The first small-bore service cartridge adopted by any branch of the US military, chambered in the Lee Navy Model 1895 straight-pull bolt-action rifle issued to the Navy and Marine Corps. Fired a 112-grain jacketed bullet at 2,560 fps on smokeless powder — technically advanced for 1895 but the Lee Navy rifle's straight-pull action proved less reliable in field conditions than the Army's Krag. Replaced when both services transitioned to Springfield-pattern rifles and the .30-06 family.
FAQs
- What bullet diameter is 6mm Lee Navy?
- 6mm Lee Navy uses a 0.244″ (6.198 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is 6mm Lee Navy still in production?
- 6mm Lee Navy is discontinued.
- What is 6mm Lee Navy used for?
- 6mm Lee Navy is primarily used for military.
Sources & provenance
- Reference Gun Digest Books — Cartridges of the World (Frank C. Barnes / W. Todd Woodard, current ed.) — '6mm Lee Navy (.236 Navy)' entry · bullet ⌀, velocity, grain weights
- Secondary Forgotten Weapons (Ian McCollum) — 6mm Navy Straight Pull: The 1895 Lee Navy Rifle · year, bullet ⌀, velocity, grain weights archived
- Secondary Buffalo Bill Center of the West (museum) — A Caliber Too Far: The Lee Navy · year archived
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →