Centerfire rifle cartridges using 264 inch (6.5 mm) bullets. This catalog gives quick access to complete guides, ballistics, and comparison articles for hunters, precision shooters, and reloaders who like the balance of modest recoil, reach, and efficiency.
Cartridges in this catalog:
- 6.5 Grendel
- 6.5 Carcano
- 6.5×50 Arisaka
- 6.5×54 Mannlicher Schoenauer
- 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser
- 6.5×57 Mauser
- 260 Remington
- 6.5 Creedmoor
- 6.5×47 Lapua
- 6.5-284 Norma
- 6.5 PRC
6.5 Grendel
6.5 Grendel was built to stretch the AR15 farther. It uses efficient, high-BC bullets at moderate velocity, giving solid performance on deer and hogs, with low recoil and good accuracy out to practical hunting and steel distances.
6.5 Carcano
6.5 Carcano is the Italian service cartridge used in Carcano rifles. Pressures are modest, recoil is mild, and performance is best kept to moderate ranges, making it mainly a cartridge for collectors, handloaders, and classic hunting rifles.
6.5×50 Arisaka
6.5×50 Arisaka is the Japanese military cartridge from early 20th century service rifles. It offers modest recoil and moderate ballistics, and today it mainly interests collectors, handloaders, and hunters who enjoy keeping classic Arisaka rifles working.
6.5×54 Mannlicher Schoenauer
6.5×54 Mannlicher Schoenauer is a classic European stalking cartridge. It is famous for smooth, compact rifles and mild recoil, yet it has taken plenty of deer and mountain game when bullets and shot placement are matched to the job.
6.5×55 Swedish Mauser
6.5×55 Swedish Mauser has over a century of service and hunting behind it. It gives mild recoil, good penetration, and reliable field performance on deer, boar, and even moose when loaded correctly, especially in modern rifles with strong actions.
6.5×57 Mauser
6.5×57 Mauser is the rimless version of the classic Mauser 6.5 case, suited to bolt action box magazine rifles. It delivers moderate velocity with light recoil and handles a wide range of 6.5 bullets well, making it a practical choice for European deer and mountain hunting in traditional Mauser actions.
260 Remington
260 Remington necks down the 308 case to 6.5. It offers practical ballistics very close to 6.5 Creedmoor in a traditional layout, and rewards handloaders who want a versatile, efficient hunting and target round in short action rifles.
6.5 Creedmoor
6.5 Creedmoor has become the best known 6.5 cartridge. It offers a clean design, manageable recoil, and plenty of reach for hunting and target work, with huge factory support, good barrels, and strong component availability worldwide.
6.5×47 Lapua
6.5×47 Lapua is a purpose-built match cartridge. It uses quality brass, small rifle primers, and a balanced case design to deliver top tier accuracy, long barrel life, and consistent performance for serious target and practical rifle competition.
6.5-284 Norma
6.5-284 Norma pushes 6.5 bullets fast from a fat, efficient case. It is built for long-range hunting and steel, with flat trajectory and strong energy, at the cost of more recoil and faster barrel throat wear.
6.5 PRC
6.5 PRC is a short magnum style 6.5. It gives more velocity and energy than 6.5 Creedmoor, extending ethical range on larger game, while still fitting practical rifles for mountain hunting, long range steel, and open country work.