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'6.5x55' (also known as '6.5x55 Krag', '6.5x55 Swedish Mauser', '6,5x55 Mauser'), was developed by a Norwegian-Swedish committee in 1891 for use in the new rifles then under consideration in the United kingdom of Sweden and Norway. Norway adopted the Krag-Jørgensen, while Sweden adopted a Mauser rifle design.
Due to different interpretations of the standard, i.e. the standards of manufacturing using maximum chamber in the Krag vs. minimum chamber in the Swedish Mauser, a small percentage of the ammunition produced in Norway required a heavy push on the bolt handle to chamber in the Swedish gun. After the rumor of this difference first surfaced in 1900, it was examined by the Swedish military. They declared the difference to be insignificant, and that both the Swedish and Norwegian ammunition was within the specified parameters laid down. Despite this finding, the Swedish weapon-historian Josef Alm repeated the rumor in a book in the 1930s, leading many to believe that there was a significant difference.

Contents

Development

Service

Norway

Sweden

Sporting Use

See also

References

Development

Early ammunition was loaded with a 10.1 grams (156 grains) long round nosed bullet (B-projectile) had a muzzle velocity of around 700 m/s (2300 ft/s), while later rounds had a 9 grams (139 grains) spitzer bullet (D-projectile) and offered a muzzle velocity up to 870 m/s (2854 ft/s).

Service

Norway

In Norwegian service, the 6.5x55 cartridge was, in addition to be used in the Krag-Jørgensen rifles, used for the Madsen machine gun and several prototypes of self loading rifles.

Sweden

In Swedish service the 6.5x55 cartridge was used in both the Mauser rifle and carbine, as well as a number of machine guns and the later AG-42 semi-automatic rifle.

Sporting Use

The 6.5x55 cartridge is highly esteemed as a game hunting round in Europe, and enjoys a stable following of devotees in North America. It is used for harvesting game as large as moose in Sweden and Norway, while in Canada and the US it is used for taking deer and other medium sized game. Sportsmen who favor the round laud the combination of low recoil coupled with the cartridge's inherent accuracy and superb penetrative qualities. European rifle makers including CZ, Steyr and Mauser all continue to offer sporting rifles chambered for this potent cartridge, while ammunition companies such as Norma, Lapua and Hornady offer "hot" loadings of the 6.5x55 round that are designed for use only in modern hunting rifles that can tolerate higher chamber pressures. These "souped-up" loadings should never be used in older military rifles.
6.5x55 (SKAN) is used in Sauer 200 STR (Scandinavian target rifle)
'Biathlon': Before the .22LR rimfire became the standard rifle calibre for biathlon shooting under rules in 1975, the 6.5x55 was widely used in biathlon competitions, both on account of its great inherent accuracy and its historical popularity with the Scandinavian nations which have always tended to dominate this sport.

See also

★ List of rifle cartridges

★ 6 mm caliber

References

1. 6.5x55 load data from Hodgdon


★ ''Accurate Smokeless Powders Loading Guide Number Two (Revised)'', Book by Accurate Arms Co, Wolfe Publishing, 2000 p. 229

★ 6.5x55 cartridge dimensions