I have a mauser m03 and I am looking for a
cartridge to hunt in Europe with (specifically France). Mainly I am interested in chamois and roe deer.
I can get a 6.5x57mm barrel for the mauser. Is it easy to get ammo over in Europe for this cartridge?
Is it a popular choice?

It is not very common in Norway at least. 6,5 x 55 on the other hand is very common here.

I haven't seen one in years.

I rarely see one around but the 6.5x55 is immensely popular here in Iceland maybe THE most popular calibre today. Factory ammo in 6.5x55 is abundant in every hunting store but very uncommon in 6.5x57

Dig had a Proctor that we took to Africa a few years ago in 6.5x57. Great gun and worked a treat but if I remember correctly we had to handload for it, and possible even resize 7x57 brass.

I don't think I'd be keen on something that obscure for travelling.

K

Factory ammunition might be a little difficult to source as only RWS make 6.5x57.

You can make your own of course by necking down 7X57 brass or necking up .257 brass.

Personally if I was intent on going down this road I'd look for a 6.5X65 or 6.5X68 barrel and get the better performance.

Very, very difficult to get in normal gunstores but legal as a non-mil caliber in France. The rimmed version is still much more popular for break-top actioned rifles.

I have seen precisely two in total. One was the Procter mentioned above and the other was a Blaser K95 6.5x57R with 300 rounds of RWS factory ammo. Thank god someone else bought it before I mustered up the cash, was a gorgeous thing.

Ask Anders here on the forum. I think his drilling is 6,5x57R

quote:

Originally posted by Muntjac:
Ask Anders here on the forum. I think his drilling is 6,5x57R

It is, and I love that little cartridge.
I use it mostly for small game + roe and reindeer. It's legal to take red deer and even moose. And with the right bullet and shot placement it should be plenty.
I don't know much about 6,5x57, but I guess it got more punch than the rimmed version. And therefore quite flat-shooting which should be great for your kind of hunting.
The avalability for brass for the rimmed version is ok. I don't know about the other.

The Proctor that passed through Dig's hands was quite an interesting piece.

It was originally made for Ken Griffin and was stocked especially to his specifications.

Everyone who handled that rifle agreed it was something special.

Perhaps because of that I've had a hankering for a 6.5x57 ever since.

I am i touch with Ken and he still has his load data, get in touch if you need it.

It must be nearly 20+ years old then.

I first met Ken when he was writting bimonthly articles for The Stalking magazine. Applecross was a rare old place then. A lot easier to get in and out now the coast road has been built.

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:
Very, very difficult to get in normal gunstores but legal as a non-mil caliber in France. The rimmed version is still much more popular for break-top actioned rifles.

In my 7 years of living in Europe 2002 to 2009, I never saw a 6.5x57, then again I was in Spain and Italy. But I did visit gunshops in Germany and Portugal.

The Rimmed version is super common though. Several people in Spain that I knew had Sabatti single shots in that caliber.

I have a barrel for my Blaser in 6.5x68 Schuler. It takes a 120gr bullet to 3,201 fps...a little screamer. Sighted 2" high at 100 yards, it is just 3.1" low at 300. If loaded with 140gr bullets, it's about equal to a 264 Win Mag.

A friend of mine has a K95 in 6.5x57, bought last year from Steve Beaty in Somerset. It has rapidly become his 'go to' gun for everything except boar.

New cases are available but he's never been able to source factory ammunition for it here - mind you, even .270 is considered exotic in rural Herefordshire (making my search for 7x65R a bit of a fruitless one...).

Adam.

quote:

Originally posted by Jools:
Factory ammunition might be a little difficult to source as only RWS make 6.5x57.

You can make your own of course by necking down 7X57 brass or necking up .257 brass.

Personally if I was intent on going down this road I'd look for a 6.5X65 or 6.5X68 barrel and get the better performance.

Fine round

prvi partizan makes Ammo and cases for 6.5x57 should be available from grafs

Cheers

quote:

Originally posted by Adam.270:
A friend of mine has a K95 in 6.5x57, bought last year from Steve Beaty in Somerset. It has rapidly become his 'go to' gun for everything except boar.

New cases are available but he's never been able to source factory ammunition for it here - mind you, even .270 is considered exotic in rural Herefordshire (making my search for 7x65R a bit of a fruitless one...).

Adam.

Once again Sellier and Bellot ride to the rescue if ammo is tricky for the 6.5x57, they load a 140 grain bullet at a fair lick if anyone needs a more reasonably priced alternative to the no doubt very good RWS stuff.

Petsovy, depending on where you're going in Europe the ammunition availability may be spotty but it is around.

A K95 in 6.5x57.....nice.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
I have a barrel for my Blaser in 6.5x68 Schuler. It takes a 120gr bullet to 3,201 fps...a little screamer. Sighted 2" high at 100 yards, it is just 3.1" low at 300. If loaded with 140gr bullets, it's about equal to a 264 Win Mag.

6.5x65 or x68 would be my choice too. Do you buy factry ammunition or load your own?

However if Blaser or Mauser made a 6.5-06 barrel I would then have real difficulty in deciding.

quote:

Originally posted by Adam.270:
A friend of mine has a K95 in 6.5x57, bought last year from Steve Beaty in Somerset. It has rapidly become his 'go to' gun for everything except boar.

New cases are available but he's never been able to source factory ammunition for it here - mind you, even .270 is considered exotic in rural Herefordshire (making my search for 7x65R a bit of a fruitless one...).

Adam.

Ah, the joys of the rural idyll. Such domestic inconvieniences make short european trips all that more appealing.

Steve runs a very decent business. I was very tempted to buy a rifle from him a couple of years ago. But managed to talk myself out of it in the end. I just didn't need another .30 cal

quote:

Originally posted by Ghubert:
A K95 in 6.5x57.....nice.

Something like this?

.243win for roe and chamois or 7*64 or .270win for bigger game also would be a easyer option.

quote:

Originally posted by Ghubert:
The Proctor that passed through Dig's hands was quite an interesting piece.

It was originally made for Ken Griffin and was stocked especially to his specifications.

Everyone who handled that rifle agreed it was something special.

Perhaps because of that I've had a hankering for a 6.5x57 ever since.

I am i touch with Ken and he still has his load data, get in touch if you need it.

I've seen that rifle - it really has done the rounds! I got my 6.5x55 in 98 from Trevor and I think Ken's was about 1-2years older.

The stock was, from memory, one of the ex churchills so wouldn't have been carved from a blank - it may have had the fore end shortened.

I would take great care with Kens' load data, again from memory a lot of it was extrapolated from 257 Roberts data and in Kens own words to Trevor 'I've sorted the pressure signs by loading a grain more and going beyond the pressure curve'...............

I have a 26" 6.5x57R K95 - RWS brass it's a very fast round if loaded carefully. The non R was made to sound popular by Blaser in continental Europe so I am surprised you've not seen more.

I used mine for chamois and mouflon - a shot each in the Alps at 200 and 250m respectively. 120gr BT at 3,000fps.

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:

quote:

Originally posted by Ghubert:
A K95 in 6.5x57.....nice.

Something like this?

Like that on D, exactly like that one.

How much more than a 6.5x55 does it have in that barrel length?

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:

quote:

Originally posted by Ghubert:
The Proctor that passed through Dig's hands was quite an interesting piece.

It was originally made for Ken Griffin and was stocked especially to his specifications.

Everyone who handled that rifle agreed it was something special.

Perhaps because of that I've had a hankering for a 6.5x57 ever since.

I am i touch with Ken and he still has his load data, get in touch if you need it.

I've seen that rifle - it really has done the rounds! I got my 6.5x55 in 98 from Trevor and I think Ken's was about 1-2years older.

The stock was, from memory, one of the ex churchills so wouldn't have been carved from a blank - it may have had the fore end shortened.

I would take great care with Kens' load data, again from memory a lot of it was extrapolated from 257 Roberts data and in Kens own words to Trevor 'I've sorted the pressure signs by loading a grain more and going beyond the pressure curve'...............

I have a 26" 6.5x57R K95 - RWS brass it's a very fast round if loaded carefully. The non R was made to sound popular by Blaser in continental Europe so I am surprised you've not seen more.

I used mine for chamois and mouflon - a shot each in the Alps at 200 and 250m respectively. 120gr BT at 3,000fps.

Thanks '94,

A few of his homeloads came with the rifle and I shot a few of the various recipes through it when we were trying to gather brass for it.

I did speak to Ken and thankfully I think what he meant was that he moved to a higher charge of a slower powder in various loads, mainly the light bullet loads, rather than stuffing in more of the same powder as pressure signs and case expansion looked pretty good to me.

The stock was interesting because the comb was so high for a English rifle of that era, you had to shoot like the Germans do, head erect and a bit further back than the usual. The wood was not exhibition of course but the whole rifle felt like a nicely made too.

Kudos on the K95, I will have to get myself one of those wonderful rifles one of these days...

What stock did you go for? I notice D has the obligatory Bavarian, did you go for the same?

Nope I'm not a fan of Bavarian. Back in the days before internet I actualy wrote to Blaser to ask if there was an alternative.....

US style straight comb stock with rubber pad and barrel without irons. Lux rose and scroll with a request for dark straight grained wood. Delivered in spades. The quality of Blasers work was impressive. Just wish they could make the saddle mount lower and hold the scope a bit more central on the tube.

IMHO Blaser continue to make a serious mistake having the Bavarian as the default stock for the UK which is not particularly continental in it's outlook.

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
Nope I'm not a fan of Bavarian.

Richard
You're not the only one that hold to that POV.

Judging from you photo they most certainly delivered on that stick.

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
Nope I'm not a fan of Bavarian. Back in the days before internet I actualy wrote to Blaser to ask if there was an alternative.....

US style straight comb stock with rubber pad and barrel without irons. Lux rose and scroll with a request for dark straight grained wood. Delivered in spades. The quality of Blasers work was impressive. Just wish they could make the saddle mount lower and hold the scope a bit more central on the tube.

IMHO Blaser continue to make a serious mistake having the Bavarian as the default stock for the UK which is not particularly continental in it's outlook.

Thanks '94,

I've shot a couple K95 Stutzen with the Bavarian stock and although workable, I must admit they were not as comfortable to shoot as the straight stocked version.

It does mean a smaller and ideally as low as possible scope than the Bavarian but our mutual friend has an idea for getting the mounts the mounts lower than the Blaser standard if you're interested.

From a cheek weld point of view the stock is fine - the comb even thought straight rises from the wrist so it feels very good.

The issue is a 42mm scope with about 1cm of space beneath the objective to the barrel - doesn't look as sorted as the rest of the package.

Our teutonic friends, of course put huge great big 50/56mm scopes on them rather negating the point of having a light slim rifle but hey.

I've already machined the Blaser rings as low as they will go....

1894, according to our friend the good doctor, Blaser offers a lot more options in ring heights in Germany than are offered in the UK by the distributor. Might be worth a noisy on E-gun or the like to see what is available.

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
From a cheek weld point of view the stock is fine - the comb even thought straight rises from the wrist so it feels very good.

The issue is a 42mm scope with about 1cm of space beneath the objective to the barrel - doesn't look as sorted as the rest of the package.

Our teutonic friends, of course put huge great big 50/56mm scopes on them rather negating the point of having a light slim rifle but hey.

I've already machined the Blaser rings as low as they will go....

I gather that there is an enthusiast who manufactures his own rings and bases, coming out lower than is possible with re-machined Blaser OEM mounts.

So far the main purpose has been mounting 30mm tactical scopes as low as possible, a challenge on a par with fitting a 42mm hunting scope low I gather, but he may be interested in making low mounts for hunting scopes.

Are you using the S&B 42mm scope?

quote:

Originally posted by pevtsovy:
I have a mauser m03 and I am looking for a
cartridge to hunt in Europe with (specifically France). Mainly I am interested in chamois and roe deer.
I can get a 6.5x57mm barrel for the mauser. Is it easy to get ammo over in Europe for this cartridge?
Is it a popular choice?

So have you made your mind up yet?

quote:

Originally posted by Claret_Dabbler:
1894, according to our friend the good doctor, Blaser offers a lot more options in ring heights in Germany than are offered in the UK by the distributor. Might be worth a noisy on E-gun or the like to see what is available.

I believe Mak make some too.

quote:

Originally posted by Ghubert:

Are you using the S&B 42mm scope?

Eugh - no fear! I'm not an optics snob but their 6x42 is seriously big and long.

Let me know if you find a link/contact for lower mounts.

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:

quote:

Originally posted by Ghubert:

Are you using the S&B 42mm scope?

Eugh - no fear! I'm not an optics snob but their 6x42 is seriously big and long.

Let me know if you find a link/contact for lower mounts.

I've sent you an email '94.

Swaro?

I'm now leaning more toward the 7x64mm. There are more reloading components available in the U.S.

Great choice ! 7x64 is quite popular in Europe and you can find ammo and reloading components for it in every store. Great all-around cartridge, very similar to 270win and 280rem.