The 7x65R Brenneke is a rimmed hunting cartridge designed by Wilhelm Brenneke in 1917 for use in European break-action (kipplauf) and combination (drilling) rifles. The rimmed case allows reliable extraction and headspacing in single-shot and over-under guns that cannot handle rimless cartridges. Ballistically equivalent to the 7mm Remington Magnum, it provides powerful 7mm performance optimized for traditional German hunting rifles and driven game hunting (Drückjagd).
Type: Rifle
Introduced: 1917, Germany
Parent case: 7x64mm Brenneke
Standardization: CIP
Bullet diameter: 0.284" (7.21 mm)
Case length: 2.559" (65.02 mm)
Overall length: 3.228" (82 mm)
Max pressure: 56,565 PSI
Rim type: Rimmed
Primer: Large Rifle
Typical twist rate: 1:9
Muzzle velocity: 2526–2821 fps
Muzzle energy: 2185–3043 ft-lbs
Effective range: 400 yd
Common bullet weights: 154, 162, 173, 177 gr
Primary use: hunting_medium_game, hunting_large_game
Production status: Active
Also known as: 7x65R · 7 x 65R
History: Wilhelm Brenneke was a prolific German cartridge and bullet designer responsible for the Brenneke slug and several sporting cartridges. The 7x65R was developed to provide a powerful, versatile 7mm hunting round for the German market where combination rifles (drilling — typically two shotgun barrels plus one rifle barrel) were the dominant hunting arm. The cartridge remains in production by RWS…
Notable firearms: Blaser R8, German drilling combination guns, Merkel break-action rifles