mart
.300 member
Reged: 20/01/04
Posts: 107
Loc: Alaska
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I picked up my little Steyr Mannlicher last week and got out to the range with it Tuesday. I was dismayed to find the magazine wouldn't hold ammo and the cases came out extremely bulged just ahead of the web. I took the rifle apart today to find that it had been rechambered at one time to 6.5x55. A bit of a disappointment but not a deal breaker considering I didn't discover it till after the inspection period had lapsed. The 6.5x55 is a good round but the rechambering kind takes away from the classic nature of the old rifle.
Here's a picture of the cases. The one on the left a new unfired case and the one on the right fired in my rifle. Thanks in advance for any input on this matter.
These are the proof marks on the underside of the barrel. I assume BNP refers to Birmingham Nitro Proofed and the SE to the British equivalent of SAAMI. Do the Crown or crossed sabers give any indication of where the work might have been done?
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Ruger_450
Banned
Reged: 10/03/13
Posts: 163
Loc: WY & FL
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Hi, Suggest you buy The Standard Directory of Proof Marks. Cheap and on Amazon. I'd look it up by my copy is in Wyoming and I am not. Surprised the rotary magazine works with the bigger round. It is a great cartridge, I hope it all works out for you.
BTW, I sent you a PM but never heard back. I would be most interested in your thoughts.
best, Larry
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lancaster
.470 member
Reged: 06/05/08
Posts: 9583
Loc: There's a lighthouse in the mi...
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so you have the reason to buy another MS in 6,5x54?
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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
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bringing civilisation to the barbarians
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kuduae
.400 member
Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1807
Loc: middle of Germany
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Same blunder happened to me when I first shot my M1900 Mannlicher-Schoenauer. I too assumed it to be a 6.5x54 M-S without a close look at the still dirt-covered Birmingham proofmarks. Results: a perfect hit at 100m and a badly bulged and split case. Only then a closer look revealed the rifle being rechambered to 6.5x55 Swedish and Birmingham reproofed in 1982. The Birmingham date stamp is that circle. B stands for Birmingham, 2 for the proof inspector and H for the year. As F is 1980, H is 1982. Sorry, but your photo does not show such a date stamp. As the caliber designation already is with the SE, your rifle was reproofed quite recently IMHO.
6.5x55 SE is the official CIP designation for modern, higher pressure loads for modern rifles. These loads are deemed unsuitable for the old Norwegian Krag and M94 Swedish rifles. See VihtaVuori Reloading Guide, Edition 12.
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mart
.300 member
Reged: 20/01/04
Posts: 107
Loc: Alaska
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kuduae,
Thank you. That is very helpful information. Looks like I'll keep the rifle but need to round up some 6.5x55 components now. Thanks again.
Mart
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HeymSR20
.300 member
Reged: 23/11/11
Posts: 249
Loc: Scotland
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When a min muzzle velocity of 2450 fps was introduced in Scotland it effectively made the 6.5x54ms redundant as it does nt hit that velocity with its standard 160gn bullet. Our licensing authorities did nt really understand home loading and many of these old rifles were traded in for 270's etc. Se were re chambered to the 6.5x55 which does meet min velocity requirements, and any rechambering would require proofing, hence new proof marks.
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