I may have asked before, if so I apologize for revisiting the cartridge here.

Are any of you here shooting a 6,5x68S, or have any experience with one?

I traded npd345 some $$$ and bullets for this gorgeous fully engraved GEW M98. DST's and fully color casehardened. Come February it is going to Master Gunsmith James Kobe for the barreling in the ultimate factory 6,5mm round.

It will challenge Jim a bit, since it came from the factory with claw mounts. Sadly, the original rings are gone, and I am just resistant to spending about $800 and six months to get a set and mount a scope that style.

Jim has the skills to create normal replacement bases from scratch, and fit them to the original dovetails so I can do a conventional scope mount.

26" half octagon, half round medium sporter barrel with integral milled quarter-rib. I got a piece of walnut that has been drying in my guest bedroom about 15 months.

Rich

Most of the original 6.5x68's had a 1-11" barrel and were intended for shooting 93 to 123 grain bullets at rather high velocities. I'm assuming you'll want a somewhat faster twist in order to shoot at least up to 140 spitzers. One in nine will do that, but if you want to shoot some of the newer "very high BC" bullets you might want to specify 1-8". Any tighter would be a waste.

The published DWM ballistics were, as with most published ballistics, very much on the "optimistic" side. The case has a large base, but significant taper, so it has an internal capacity just a tad shy of the .264 WM, as I recall.

I don't have any experience with the cartridge itself, but have loaded for .264's for going on five decades. The very slowest powders available (like those for the 50 BMG) will be needed for 130 grain and heavier bullets if you want to achieve optimal velocities while keeping your primers still inside their pockets. Lightweights of 120 and below do well enough with a powder like 7828 or RL-25.

Perhaps your term "ultimate factory 6,5 round" refers to venerability or panache, but both the .264 WM and the new .26 Nosler have larger case capacities and can generate a bit higher velocities.

Thanks for the clarification.

I had planned on a 1:9" twist, since it will be a hunting rifle based around 140gr spitzer bullets.

I have a 1941 6.5 x 68 Schuler mode by Christoph Funk. I haven't reloaded for it yet but I will soon.

Huntingtons has brass: http://www.huntingtons.com/sto...17343&cat=275&page=2

I purchsed one box each of RWS 6.5x68 w/93 gr bullet and 6.5x68 w/127 gr bullet from New England Custom Gun.

The MV of the 93 gr bullet is listed on the box as 3,770 ft/s. I chronographed three rounds: 3,362, 3,347 & 3,383.

The MV of the 127 gr bullet is listed on the box as 3,150 ft/s. I chronographed three rounds: 3,069, 3,060 & 3,053.

I was really disappointed with the 93 gr MV.

I have Hirtenberger 6.5x68 w/123 gr bullets. These chronographed at 2,838, 2,969 & 2,919.

RWS 6.5x68 w/93 gr bullet


RWS 6.5x68 w/127 gr bullet


RWS 93 and 127 gr and Hirtenberger 123 gr rounds

thanks J for the data and photos. I have wanted one of these for years and years, but hesitated because of the difficulty in obtaining components (brass and dies).

I wondered about that 93gr velocity.

regards,

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by Jgrabow6493:
I have a 1941 6.5 x 68 Schuler mode by Christoph Funk. I haven't reloaded for it yet but I will soon.

Huntingtons has brass: http://www.huntingtons.com/sto...17343&cat=275&page=2

I purchsed one box each of RWS 6.5x68 w/93 gr bullet and 6.5x68 w/127 gr bullet from New England Custom Gun.

The MV of the 93 gr bullet is listed on the box as 3,770 ft/s. I chronographed three rounds: 3,362, 3,347 & 3,383.

The MV of the 127 gr bullet is listed on the box as 3,150 ft/s. I chronographed three rounds: 3,069, 3,060 & 3,053.

I was really disappointed with the 93 gr MV.

I have Hirtenberger 6.5x68 w/123 gr bullets. These chronographed at 2,838, 2,969 & 2,919.

Those velocity numbers seems to be very low.
I have a 6.5-06 with a 26" shilen barrel and I get 3367 fps with 120 grains Barnes TTSX when I load my winchester cases with 56 grains of N160.

I would be careful what I would use those Kegelspitz (Needle nose) bullets on. A couple of my German friends used them out here on red deer, chamois and tahr and they seem to open real fast and not perform that well on larger game. My friends soon changed to other bullets.

Heck, that would be worth having for just the cool factor of the way the cartridge looks!!!!

I have a 6,5x68 in a Voere Cougar rifle. There seems to be some confusion around this cartridge. It is the 6.5x68 not 6.5x68S. The S bore pertains to the 8mm cartridges with a .323 diam bore. The smaller .318 bore is NOT an S bore. You will see the 8x68 S calibre so stamped on the factory boxes. On the photos provided the cartridge is clearly stamped 6,5x68. As already mentioned they usually have a slow twist as they were designed for light bullets (93 to 123 grs). I found mine shot the 120 gr Nosler BT and the 125 gr Partions very well. The 129 gr Hornady spire pt also shoots well. Moving up to 140 bullets the groups open up to 4 + inches. IMR 7828 provided the most consistant groups. I found max loads to be 3 or 4 grs above 264 Win loads (with 7828) so starting to mid 264 loads are a safe place to start. Hope that helps.

The "S" is often added to the 6,5x68 to indicate "Schuler", not to indicate the S-bore of an 8mm. This may very well be an erroneous application of the "S" suffix, but it is not uncommon. Whether any ammunition manufacturers use the appended "S" I'm not sure of.

the 6,5x68 Shuler was introduced in 1938-39 according to what I have read, along with its big brother the 8mmx68 Shuler


Rich

They are 6.5x68 and 8x68 S.

See Wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.5%C3%9768mm

The 8X68 was not designed by August Schuler
It is a RWS creation and the originator Lampell Feurth ( spelling) of RWS.

I have a Sauer 8x68 with a 6.5 x68 barrel and then a pair of custom Mauser's one in 8x68 and one in 6.5 x68

The 6.5 is a real screamer with the factory 93 gr bullet and sadly like the old 264 a barrel burner.

Now I am confused...

The S stands for Schuler, not Shuler. BFD!

I am still having one built, and since I am paying for it, it will be stamped 6,5x68 S on the barrel.

ISS

The S in the 8X68 S designation is a mandatory regulatory proofing issue designated as a S bore 8mm ie .323 bore

CIP mandates that in the case of the 8mm bore the designations S be used for the S bore and I or J for the older 318 bore. That is why you do not see the 6.5x68 as designated as 6.5 x68 S

I like half octagon, half round sporter barrels with integral milled ribs. Who is making the barrel?

quote:

Originally posted by 9.3 X 75R:
Heck, that would be worth having for just the cool factor of the way the cartridge looks!!!!

Go to agree - now all Idaho has to do is AI it.

Interesting looking cartridge, hope the project works out.

gentlemen,

I lucked into a GEW 98. Fully engraved and color case hardened with DST's. It has claw mounts. For now, I am having one of our master builders here make me a set of adapters to use regular bases and rings. The cost, over $800 for claw mounts is beyond me at the moment.

I bought a box of the light bullet ammunition from NECG, and the barrel will be half-octagon, half-round, medium sporter weight, and 26" long.

Starts in March. I have my 404 Jefferys and 450 RUM being stocked now, and the 257 Roberts and 9,3x62 in line after those two.

Rich

Rich You are correct in saying it is your nickel but wouldn't it make more sense to stamp the barrel the same as the headstamp on the cases?

My father has a Steyr 6.5 x 68. It´s a tack driver. And a death ray to Chamois, out to ( my farthest, lasered ) 326 m.

I would use the 125 grs NP with an original rifle, and aim at 140 grs bullets in a custom one.

The "KS", "Kegelspitz" bullet is very accurate, but on the soft side.

My father used a plastic tipped H Mantel bullet earlier, don´t know the weight. Now THAT was a BOMB! Real craters in the game ... not nice. Still, every one lay on the spot.

The "68" cases are a fine compromise between capacity and feeding well.

Hermann