I am building up a new rifle on a FN Mauser action .
My gunsmith has a 26" 6.5 MM barrel with a 8 3/4" twist with my name on it

My question is 6.5 x 55 or 6.5 x 57 ?
I know the 6.5 x 55 has a slightly larger head size , .480 ver .473
And the 6.5 x 57 dies are not standard .
Any reason to go one way or the other from a gunsmith stand point ?

Johnch

quote:

Any reason to go one way or the other from a gunsmith stand point ?

NO....I don't see it.....you seem to know the issues.....

No difference gunsmithing-wise. Both should feed well without modification.

The Swede would be more convenient. The 6.5 x 57 would be one that not too many will have seen before. Both will do the same job killing deer and smaller animals. Are you convinced about the 26" barrel?

What! No, 6.5X54MS? My personal favorite, but not so practical. I have a 1905 Mannlicher in that caliber with a 13 inch LOP. By the way that is over 2 inches shorter than I need.

I would go Swedish. Just easier to accomidate with the brass and loaded rounds if needed.

Swede, of course. No real problem on the bolt face, just with the correct reloading shellholder. All kinds of ammo available, and great cases for loading(Lapua)-US factory loads are wimpy, but useable.

Go for the Swede!!!! No option there, why? Ammunition is the reason. I just went thru the ammo problem with a 6.5x57mm Mauser, and finding proper brass is a super pain. Ammo can be found, but it ain't easy or cheap either, and buying and transporting brass from Europe is expensive, time consuming etc... Stay with the Swede. The 6.5x55 and 6.5x57 are almost identical, throw in the 6.5x54mm and the .260 Remington and you have the entire family. I have used all four rounds and rank them as follows 1. .260 Remington, tied at #2 = 6.5x54mm and 6.5x55mm, and a distant third and last is the 6.5x57mm. However, all four are excellent deer cartridges.

LLS
Mannlicher Collector

kinda, but not really.

does he has the reamers?
are you willing to buy them if not
do you actually want to forego one of the best reason for doing a swede...

surplus ammo!!!

jeffe

I was leaning heavily towards a 6.5X55 myself, but I ultimatley opted for the 260 Rem. I dont think that any difference in field performance will add up to diddly, and the 260 doesnt have the brass/oversized case head issues. Loading should be a breeze as well, but then again Im not putting together something with "classical appearance" in mind either, it will be more of the practical tool variety this time. Mauser rifles and Mauser rounds do go together nicley though.

He knows where to rent the 6.5 X 55 reamers and he thinks he knows another gunsmith with the 6.5 X 57 reamers .
The barrel 26" now , but I probely will have him cut it to 23 - 24" finished length .

I am leaning towards the 6.5 x 57 .
I like to be different

But I am first going to check the price on 6.5 x 57 dies .
I know they will be more than the 6.5 x 55 dies
If not out rageus and my gunsmith can come up with the reamers I will go with the 6.5 x 57 .

Thanks for the input

Johnch

When I was a senior in high school (last century) I was living in Germany, and built a 6.5X57mm on a military M98 Mauser action, basically because it was a very popular Rehbock round in Bavaria in those days. Later, I owned a Swede and a Norwegian Krag in 6.5X55.

I could tell no difference between the performance of these two rounds when they were loaded with 120 or 140-grain bullets. Both killed big NM mule deer quite well!

Of all three of them, I liked the Norwegian Krag the best-better than either Mauser!

Go 6.5/06 & be done with it.