Author Topic: 6.5x53 (Read 2336 times)

Cowboybart · « **on:** May 03, 2006, 04:00:04 PM »

I came across 12 rounds of 6.5x53 ammo in a box of stuff from an estate sale. It looks like a 160(long) SP bullet. I am familiar with 6.5x52 (Carcano), 6.5x 54 (M-S), and 6.5x 55 (Sweede). I have no info on the 6.5x53. Any Help Wolud be nice.

kombi1976 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 03, 2006, 05:14:13 PM »

If this ammo is a rimmed round as I suspect it's 6.5x53R Dutch Mannlicher.
It was designed for M1892 & M1893 rifle and was used by the Dutch and by the Romanians.
It has similar power to the 6.5x54 Mannlicher Schoenauer and is a handy little cartridge.
I believe the factory specs are the 160gn RN at 2300fps.
Like the other true 6.5mm/.264" military cartridges 6.5x55, 6.5x54 and 6.5x50R Jap it is a low recoil high accuracy cartridge whose performance on paper belies the fact it's an efficient and highly effective killer.
Dies are made by RCBS and brass can be formed from Remington 303 British brass.
If you purchase a M1892 or M1893 be aware that you have to use clips to utilise the 5 round mag.
Otherwise it becomes a single shot.
On a side note, this rifle cartridge combination was very popular among the gentry in the 1890s and saw use throughout Britiain, Europe and even Africa.
As such companies like Jeffrey and Rigby built rifles using the M1892 action/cartridge for the upper class.

Cowboybart · « **Reply #2 on:** May 04, 2006, 04:40:38 AM »

Thanks for the info :-) . Now that you mention it I think it does have a small rim. I think you got all the info right, now I'll try to sell/trade them at the next gun show.

Slamfire · « **Reply #3 on:** May 04, 2006, 05:42:14 PM »

The actual case dimensions are the same as the 6.5x54, which was a rimless round adopted by the Greek army. It is a bit difficult to tell the Dutch round from the Romanian one, although the latter had a thicker rim. If you read a story about the use of a .256 cartridge by some Brit in Africa durin' the reign of Queen Victoria, this was the cartridge. The rimless version came out in 1903.

Brithunter · « **Reply #4 on:** May 04, 2006, 09:29:41 PM »

Hi All,

The 6.5x53R was the original Mannlicher cartridge adopted by several countries as a military round. It quickly found favour with sportsmen around the globe and even W.D.M.Bell used it before the 2nd Boer war after which he used a Boer 7mm Mauser. Later Mannlicher made it as a rimless round and chambered it in the famous Mannlicher Model 1903 Schoenauer rifle and carbine.

The loads produce the same velocity and you load them using the same dies and only change the shell holder. I re-form R.P brass (.303 British to make my 6.5x53R cases which is actually undersize for .303. This is important as the 6.5mm has a web dimension of 0.450" against the .303's of 0.455". The R.P brass is 0.450" and the rim is also slightly undersize for .303 which means it works through the Mannlicher clips.

This is original Kynoch ammunition

Commercially built Best Sporting rifle ona Model 1892 Mannlicher by Rigbys' of London.

Cowboybart · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2006, 04:23:27 PM »

Turns out this does not have a rim. The following are some case measurements:
Rim/base O.D. .448" (11.5mm)
Case Length 1.952" (49.5mm)
base to shoulder 1.510" (38.5mm)
Bullet diam .263" (6.6mm)
Neck length .295" (7.5mm)

The metric measurements are approx, as I am not proficient at reading them off of the caliper.
The "5" in 6.5 is smaller than all the other numbers/letters in the headstamp.
Let me know if anybody can identify this.

Slamfire · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2006, 07:28:07 PM »

Well the length is close to the 6.5x50SR, or 6.5 Japanese. It is a semirimmed cartridge, comes with a 139 grain bullet.
It might be a wildcat once poplar for shot out 250 Savage barrels. the 6.5-.250 Savage. I ain't seen one of them for many a year. But I do have a set of dies, couldn't sell 'em to nobody. :roll:

kombi1976 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 15, 2006, 03:46:36 AM »

Quote from: Cowboybart

Turns out this does not have a rim. The following are some case measurements:
Rim/base O.D. .448" (11.5mm)
Case Length 1.952" (49.5mm)
base to shoulder 1.510" (38.5mm)
Bullet diam .263" (6.6mm)
Neck length .295" (7.5mm)

The metric measurements are approx, as I am not proficient at reading them off of the caliper.
The "5" in 6.5 is smaller than all the other numbers/letters in the headstamp.
Let me know if anybody can identify this.

Well, I'm stumped.
I've got Cartridges Of The World in front of me and there doesn't seem to be anything here.
I can only think that you should contact a cartridge collector who specialises in 6.5mm cartridges or rare European cartridges.

Cowboybart · « **Reply #8 on:** September 06, 2006, 03:26:31 AM »

I don't think it is a wild cat as the primers still have the NP in them. Did Norma ever offer primers like this as a reloading component??