I wonder, what species can be taken legally with this caliber in Namibia..?

Took a look at the Namibia professional Hunters Assn (NAPHA)website. They state that 7mm is the minimum legal so your 6.5 is legally out. Minimum energy for springbok, duiker etc is 1,350 joules (ca. 1000 ft.lbs???). No solids may be used on antelope.

Practical experience is much different, but I'm not sure if the Police who give temporary firearms import licenses at the airport are clued in, and would not license something less than 7mm...

Regards

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Carney:
Took a look at the Namibia professional Hunters Assn (NAPHA)website. They state that 7mm is the minimum legal so your 6.5 is legally out.

Tim, that is not the case. The NAPHA website is inaccurate. You'd think they would get it right, but not so. See this thread:

Namibia PG Legal Minimum

MR,

Thanks for the link to the thread. It adds some detail and engenders some confusion. Not sure I'd know what to do if I were a first timer in Namibia, but checking the actual regulation, excerpts of which Karl Stumpf posted would be a start. Then go with what your PH/Hunting Farm owner says...
Regards, Tim

Legal caliber limitations aside, I think the 6.5x54mm would take any plains game in Namibia, IF you can get close enough to it. I wouldn't call the 6.5x54mm a 300 yard shooter with heavy bullets, the kind that cartridge built it's reputation on. On the other hand, I just killed three deer here in Texas with my 6.5x54mm, and all were splat down kills at 100 yards with 160 grain class bullets. Good luck on your hunt with the 6.5mm, it's a great cartridge!!

Have any of you used this cartridge on african game...?

If so, what are your experiences as to results, brand of ammo and so forth...?

To my knowledge this ammo is made by RWS and Kynoch.

I am in the process of buying an old MS rifle made by Charles Lanchaster in 1906 and I am very keen to try it on african game..

I/

It seems to be a MS with the rotary magazine but has a round bolt handle, an identical rifle is pictured in Lancasters 1914 cataloge...seems like some of the early MS´s had round bolt handles....? Why I do not know..

/

ALF, I thought likewise......perhaps the market preferred this....more like the then popular mausers....

Pondoro, the 6.5 ought to do nicely for PG up to and including kudu to zebra sized animals, or perhaps a bit larger. If you keep the ranges sane, that is.

I'd love to see a photo of your Lancaster modified Mannlicher-Schoenauer. I love those M-S rifles and will have one some day.

Terry Irwin swore by his M-S in .458 Win. Mag.

The 6.5 made its reputation by being used by folks that could shoot well and hunted a lot. It also shot a long for caliber 160 gr. soft point that worked well and penetrated like the devil, much the same can be said for the 7x57 and its wonderfull 175 gr. bullets but even more so...

I have never been really impressed by 6mm or 6.5mm calibers on big game, they kill with a proper shot like anything else will, but I like a larger cross section and the .284 (7mm) is my self set limit for game larger than deer.

I really like those lovely little 1903 MS carbines and if I had one I would surely hunt with it out of nostalgia for the gun, not the caliber. I would adjust my hunting to cope with the caliber, just like the old timers did, and it would work, but so will a 223 Rem work on Deer under those circumstances.