I am helping a friend with his 6.5x54 MS, 1903 model. We shot some 140 and 160 grain bullets (both bullet profiles were pointed), damn thing shot erratically at 50 yards - 3" group!

He put a EAW mount on it with a Schmidt & Bender, so its not the scope or mounts, unless the gsmiths buggered up the bedding when installing the mounts!

Are these guns accurate or not? Can this type of stock be free floated or glass bedded, without spoiling the look of it?

Any suggestion re. ammo for them?

Any ideas at all to make it more accurate!

Thanks

Reddy375

These rifles along with many other continental 6.5's were notorious for having oversize bores. I have a '92 Steyr that keyholed at 50 yds. until I got some .268 hornady 160 gr. rn's from Graff&sons. You should slug your bore and find out if that is the problem. They are sweet little guns. Lee.

I shoot the 160 G. Hornady RN in my 1903.I have tryed every other brand + weight of 6.5 bullet + these work the best.I agree with lee440 about slugging your bore as you may be oversize.In my 1910 Mannlicher 9.5x57,the bore was .377.Unfortunately the only 377 bullets available are the barnes 265G.However I cast my bullets + size to .378 + that improved accuracy considerably.

I had a 6.5x54 it was one of the prettiest rifles I've had. BUT it shot as bad as yours and drove me to distraction trying to get it to shoot a decent group.
The 6.5 was traded in on a Mannlicher Luxus in 7x64 which was a very good rifle. Why ever did I part with the x64?

quote:

Originally posted by reddy375:
I am helping a friend with his 6.5x54 MS, 1903 model. We shot some 140 and 160 grain bullets (both bullet profiles were pointed), damn thing shot erratically at 50 yards - 3" group!

He put a EAW mount on it with a Schmidt & Bender, so its not the scope or mounts, unless the gsmiths buggered up the bedding when installing the mounts!

Are these guns accurate or not? Can this type of stock be free floated or glass bedded, without spoiling the look of it?

Any suggestion re. ammo for them?

Any ideas at all to make it more accurate!

Thanks

Reddy375

I agree with le440. I have two of them, both Greek Army rifles. One shoots well (2" @ 100 yards, Lyman bolt-stop mounted peep) with a handload consisting of the Sierra 160-grain .264 RN and 42 grains of RE 22, IV = 2250 fps. The other has a bore so oversize even the Hornady .268" 160 grain RN is too small! (Groove .272"). Am considering a rebore job for this one to .278" or .284" and use of neck-expanded 6.5X54mm M/S cases. I've tested a couple of dummy rounds using 7mm bullets in neck-expanded 6.5X54mm M/S cases, and they will work in the M/S rotary magazine.

I suggest slugging your bore, and proceed from there. A true classic M/S sporter in 6.5X54mm that has an oversize, or otherwise unserviceable bore, is well worth the cost of a new barrel. I realize this destriys the "collector value", but to me a gun is worthless unless it shoots! As COL Whelen said, "Only accurate rifles are interesting!"

(BTW, a Mannlicher Schoenauer can be just as accurate as any front-lockup bolt-action rifle. It does have a SLOWwwwww lock time, but that's no problem on a hunting rifle with double-set triggers!)

Thanks for all the advice, will try the Hornaday 160 grain RNs and hope that solves the problem!