Howdy. Okay, I have finally gotten my 6.5x57mm Mauser rifle and now I am looking for anyone with experience with this round, shooting, reloading, etc.. Anyone out there with such info? Please take a shot. I have used the 6.5x54,.260 Remington, 6.5x55, and 6.5-06, so I am familiar with what the 6.5mm bullets can do.
LLS

OK here goes.

I shoot the 6.5x57R which is identical bar the rim. It even uses the same dies but with a different shell holder. I shoot it in a Blaser K95 which having a Jaeger tilting block allows loading to 6.5x57 levels and more. The rifle has a 26" barrel. QL predicts I am loading to 55kpsi.

There may be internal differences in brass, you may have an old gun etc etc.

Loads have been:-

44gr VVN150 and 100gr BT seated calibre depth. 3,025fps very very accurate.

53/54gr (memory glitch)VVN160 and 100gr Hornady SP seated .2". 3,300fps and 0.4moa for 3 repeated. Your 6.5x57 just became a 25-06. This charge weight requires a drop tube and is still compressed.

52gr VVN560 and 120gr BT seated 10thou off lands 3,000fps and 0.5MOA. Accounted for a chamois at 250m (one shot) and a mouflon at 200m (one shot)

Fantastic cartridge - so good in fact that I am building a 6.5x57 on a ZG47 to compliment the 6.5x57R!

I use RCBS dies which work the brass a bit hard but are accurate. RWS brass is the best IMHO but requires the primer pockets to be deepened slightly on the 6.5x57R.

Montero has used the 93gr RWS bullet which you should be able to get over 3,300fps with? Tough little bullet. For me the 100gr Hornady load is the tops.

Here is a recent thread:

http://www.accuratereloading.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=872533&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=21&fpart=1

I shoot a 6.5 Roberts, same as the 6.5x57 in most rifles. My usual load is 47 grains of AA-3100 under 129 grain bullets in necked up Rem .257 cases. Same load worked good with 125 Nosler partitions, but I dunno that they even still make them. That's a max load in my rifle and my powder is an old lot (so old it is marked MR-3100) so your mileage may vary.

It's a very decent cartridge. I dunno that it is any better than the .260 or the 6.5x55, but it ain't no worse, neither. Back when I built it, the .260 was a wildcat and the 6.5x55 had only very expensive Norma brass available. I had the 6.5 Roberts dies so that's the way I went.

I have always read and used the 6.5X57 and 6.5X257Roberts as the same. What demensions are different?

The 6.5x57 has a shallower shoulder that is more forward than the 6.5-257. OAL is the same, but the 6.5x57 has a shorter neck. If your chambers are reamed properly, a 6.5-257 will chamber in a 6.5x57, but not the reverse. Here's a pic:



From left to right: 6.5 Bobcat, 260, 6.5x55, 257 Roberts, 6.5-257, 6.5x57, 7x57, 8x57.

It is for this reason that is easier to make 6.5x57 cases from 7x57 than from 257.

Thanks, I had always USED the 6.5X57 as a necked down 7x57 or a necked up 6.5X257. And swapped brass the same way. I had always used a neck sizing die. So the shoulder was never and issue. When I've seen dies listed for 6.5X57 I thought they were the same. Well learn something new every day.

Thanks

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the information

LLS

As my favorite cartridge based on its balance and that is an older design;

I use a load of 100 grain Ballistic tips in this round with IMR 4064 or RL 15 powder.
44 grains of each will clear 3450 fps in my 26 inch barreled Winchester Model 70. ( work up to this as they are close to max loads)

Accuracy has been excellent also. I hit 3600 fps with the 85 grain Sierra HP, but I feel this is way over the bullets design and its performance would not be satisfactory.

Honorable mention also goes to the 90 grain Speer TNT.
Cheers and Happy new Year!
seafire

Sierra2,

I had a thread from the old forums with all my information. What has been posted by others here is good info.

I have a mil-surp Type 38 with a 22" bbl. I worked up the following load: Rem. 7x57 cases resized/ Rem 9 1/2M primer/ 48.0gr H4350/ 129gr Hornady Spire Point for 2950 fps. I figure .270 WCF performance out of this case is excellent! I just checked velocity and trajectory out to 250 yds: 3" hi @ 100yds/ 5"hi @ 150 yds/ 2" hi @ 200 yds/ 1" low @ 250 yds. All this at 4900 ft. above sea level and 41°F. Good luck with your rifle!

I just love this round! It is my favorite one.

Any 6.5 x 55 load data or 260 Rem load data is pretty much interchangable or usable with this round.

I am setting one up for long range prairie dogs this season. With 85 grain Sierra HPs, I am getting 3350 fps with a load of SR 4759 of all powders. One notices a lot less recoil compared to other powders that are using 40 grains plus.
accuracy has bordered from outstanding to unbelievable.

Cheers and good shooting
seafire


3584 Elk, I love that signature on your post " Marrying for sex is like buying a 747 for the peanuts" That is a Great one buddy!

This is merely one guys opinion. I know little about the 6.5x57 but would venture it's pretty close to the 6.5x55 in most respects. I saw quite a few 6.5x57s in Germany where they are more popular than here. They seemed quite accurate, much like the 6.5x55 of which I have 4. My Remington Classic in that caliber does extremely well with VihtaVouri 550 and 560 powders. Have you given any thought to their powders and the Lapua Scenar 108, 123 and 139 bullets as well? You might be plesantly surprised. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Thanks again, guys.
I was thinking of using Norma powders, although I have Hodgdon and VVN available too. Was not looking at the Scenar bullets as I have a serious large supply of Sierra, Hornaday, Herters, and Noslers.
Larry

Has anyone built a 6.5 on the 8x57 case? Is there enough neck to seat the bullets properly?

quote:

Originally posted by SlowHand:
Has anyone built a 6.5 on the 8x57 case? Is there enough neck to seat the bullets properly?

Once the case is necked down in the correct die, there should be no reason why not. But unless you have a big supply of cases you are not going to use, why mess with it? Just use 7 x 57 cases or like me, 257 Roberts cases.

cheers & good shooting
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:

quote:

Originally posted by SlowHand:
Has anyone built a 6.5 on the 8x57 case? Is there enough neck to seat the bullets properly?

Once the case is necked down in the correct die, there should be no reason why not. But unless you have a big supply of cases you are not going to use, why mess with it? Just use 7 x 57 cases or like me, 257 Roberts cases.

cheers & good shooting
seafire

Seafire, perhaps he's wondering instead about a 6.5-8x57 wildcat?

This would, of course, not be the same as the 6.5x57 as the 8x57 is a fundamentally different design than the 257 or 7x57.

I've necked 8x57 cases down to 6.5, and the neck is quite short, but I think it could work. I had actually drawn up the plans to build an 270-8x57, the 277 bore left a bit more neck. Fortunately, I came to my senses before I ever had it built...

If you want to go for heavier bullets, Vihta N140 and 120/125 grain Noslers are a good combination.