THE SIX-FIVE REVOLUTION

This shouldn’t surprise you, but 6.5mm rifle cartridges have been around for over a century. The Norma ammunition company was founded in 1894 to make bullets for a single cartridge—the 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser. In 1914, Norma started loading 6.5x55mm ammo using once-fired military brass. A couple of Olympic records later, Norma began loading 6.5x55mm hunting ammunition.

The thing is, no one on this side of “the pond” really gave a damn.

Even though it might have killed more moose than any other rifle cartridge, it’s mostly considered a military antique. It will launch a 140-grain bullet at about 2,850 fps. One of the most accurate hunting rifles I’ve ever seen was chambered for the 6.5x55. It was a CZ 550, and I watched a friend shoot a 10-shot group that measured under 3/4 inch.

LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP

America’s first true 6.5mm rifle cartridge was introduced in 1959. With a SAAMI-specified