6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser:
The 6.5X55mm Swedish Mauser was developed in 1893 by a joint Swedish/Norwegian commission and officially adopted by those countries as the military cartridge. Soon thereafter it became a popular sporting cartridge and was used for target shooting, including Olympic free rifle competition.
It was virtually unknown in the United States until the 1950s when cheap surplus military rifles began to flood the American firearms market. These bolt action rifles were quite accurate and would be sporterized and used for hunting.
The 6.5X55mm cartridge itself is an accurate and flat shooting cartridge, that’s capable of taking most of the game in the Continental United States. When loaded with 140 grain bullets, 2,700 fps (feet per second) velocity is achievable and adequate enough for deer out to the 300 yard mark.
When loaded with lighter bullet weights, say 120 grains, the recoil is minimal and is pleasant to shoot. It’s recommended for shooters that are recoil sensitive.
6.5X55 Mauser Ballistics Charts:
Our first 6.5X55 Swedish Mauser ballistic chart shows Remington Core Lokt Pointed Soft Point with a ballistic coefficient of .435:
| Muzzle | 100 YDS | 200 YDS | 300 YDS | |
| Velocity (FPS) | 2,550 | 2,353 | 2,164 | 1,984 |
| Energy (FT/LB) | 2,021 | 1,720 | 1,456 | 1,224 |
| Drop (Inches) | / | 0 | -4.8 | -17.1 |
This next 6.5mm Mauser ballistic chart shows 156 grain Federal Fusion Soft Points with a ballistic coefficient of .489:
| Muzzle | 100 YDS | 200 YDS | 300 YDS | |
| Velocity (FPS) | 2,500 | 2,326 | 2,159 | 1,999 |
| Energy (FT/LB) | 2,165 | 1,874 | 1,614 | 1,384 |
| Drop (Inches) | / | 0 | -5 | -17.5 |
This last 6.5X55 Swedish Mauser ballistic chart shows 140 grain Hornady Superformance SST with a ballistic coefficient of .520:
| Muzzle | 100 YDS | 200 YDS | 300 YDS | |
| Velocity (FPS) | 2,735 | 2,569 | 2,408 | 2,254 |
| Energy (FT/LB) | 2,325 | 2,051 | 1,803 | 1,579 |
| Drop (Inches) | / | 1.9 | 0 | -7.9 |
6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser Barrel Specifications.
Common Barrel Lengths – 22″, 24″, 26″ and 28″.
Common Barrel Twist Rate – 1 in 8″.
Bore Groove Diameter – .265″.
Bore Land Diameter – .256″.
6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser Reloading Specifications.
Bullet Diameter – .264″.
Maximum Case Length – 2.160″.
Trimmed Case Length – 2.150″.
Primer Size – Large Rifle / .210″ Diameter.
Maximum Cartridge Overall Length – 3.150″.
6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser Loading Data Hints.
The 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser responds very well with powders that have burn rates similar to and like i.m.r. 4320, very accurate and consistent velocity.
For more rifle cartridge ballistics, check out our rifle ballistics chart.
