6.5 mm × 54 Mannlicher-Schönauer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

6.5mm×54 Mannlicher-Schönauer is a 6.55 mm (.260 cal.) rifle cartridge used in the Mannlicher-Schönauer rifle.

All 6.5mm bullets are notable for their high ballistic coefficients and sectional densities, which gives them great stability in flight, resistance to wind deflection, and great penetrative power, regardless of impact velocity. Among professional elephant hunters of the 19th and 20th centuries, Walter Dalrymple Maitland Bell, who shot more than 1,000 elephants in the period 1895-1930, had a very high regard for the 6.5 Mannlicher-Schoenauer, and had Daniel Fraser of Edinburgh build him a special lightweight carbine rifle in that calibre. He only set it aside when he was unable to acquire dependable ammunition for it, and turned to a 7x57mm Mauser instead. Bell's legendary name has remained closely linked with the 7mm Mauser, but the 6.5 Mann.-Sch. was his first preference.