My favorite 6.5x54 M-Sch load is the 160 gr Hornady RN, seated out to 77 mm = 3.03" cartridge oal, in front of 40 gr VV N160, for an instrumental velocity, 4 m from the muzzle of my 55 cm = 22" rifle barrel, of 725 m/s = 2380 fps.
This load has killed about 60 roe deer, boar, fallow and red deer without Problems for me. Rifle: M1903 M-Sch, sporterized by G.Gibbs, Bristol, in 1905, either with the pre-war Zeiss "Zielvier" 4x scope and EAW side mount or the Parker-Hale "Sportarget" peep sight.