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6.5x57mm Ammo For Sale

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The 6.5x57mm is well known among European hunters for its effectiveness when used for deer hunting. Although not widely used in American hunting, 6.5x57mm ammo would make an excellent choice for short- to medium-range whitetail and mule deer hunting. Learn More
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  1. Sellier and Bellot 6.5x57mm Ammo - 20 Rounds of 131 Grain SP Ammunition

    $29.99

    9 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type SP
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 2543 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 1882 ft lbs

History of 6.5x57mm Ammo

Just before the turn of the 19th century, the 6.5x57mm Mauser was introduced to be fired from rifles built with the M88 action. Despite this, no military ever adopted the cartridge, yet European and American civilian hunters have used the 6.5x57mm with great effect on medium-sized game.

Many shooters compare the performance of this cartridge to that of the 6.5mm Swedish. As a result, the 6.5x57 is one of the most prevalent for hunting deer in Germany – where hunting laws, locally the Bundesjagdgesetz, state that deer-hunting cartridges must deliver a minimum of 1,356 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards, and the minimum bullet diameter for certain deer is 6.5mm with the same energy requirements.

The 6.5x57mm was initially introduced with a round nose bullet weighing 154 grains that exited the muzzle with a velocity of 2,400 feet per second. Improved powders and bullet designs since then have allowed hunters to shift to bullets weighing less.

The performance of the 6.5x57mm is comparable to the .260 Remington, and its versatility is possible due to the wide range of bullet types and weights that are produced for the cartridge. One of the lightest bullets is the 92.6 grain T Mantel, a soft point bullet with gentle recoil and decent stopping power (shooters note that it is particularly well suited for roe deer). The 140 grain Doppelkern bullet, loaded by RWS, is on the opposite end of the spectrum with a bullet design and performance that is very similar to the Nosler Partition. Between these two extremes are a multitude of choices that allow this cartridge to be great for hunting both medium and some large game.

Today, the cartridge can be found in single and double barrel rifles, and even the occasional drilling rifle.

6.5x57mm Ballistics: Chart of Average 6.5x57mm Ballistics

Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.

6.5x57mm Bullet WEIGHT Muzzle VELOCITY (fps) Muzzle ENERGY (ft. lbs.) TRAJECTORY (in.)
  Muzzle 100 yds. 200 yds. 300 yds. 400 yds. Muzzle 100 yds. 200 yds. 300 yds. 400 yds. 100 yds. 200 yds. 300 yds. 400 yds.
131 Grain 2543 2295 2060 1841 1638 1882 1532 1235 986 780 0 -5.1 -18.5 -42.1
Molly Carter
Written by
Molly Carter
Molly Carter
Written by
Molly Carter