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Common uses: Hunting, Big Game
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 156gr Prvi Partizan (PPU) 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer SPRN |
| Muzzle velocity | 2395 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 1987 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.329 |
| Case length | 53 mm |
| Overall length | 76 mm |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2395 | 1987 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2142 | 1588 | 0 |
| 200 | 1904 | 1255 | -6.1 |
| 300 | 1684 | 982 | -21.9 |
| 400 | 1486 | 765 | -50 |
| 500 | 1314 | 598 | -93.9 |
At 1,000 yards, 6.5x54 (156gr at 2395 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 68.3 MOA / 19.9 MIL, retaining 896 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 1684 | Supersonic | -21.9 | 7.0 | 2.03 |
| 400 | 1486 | Supersonic | -50.0 | 11.9 | 3.47 |
| 500 | 1314 | Transonic | -93.9 | 17.9 | 5.22 |
| 600 | 1174 | Transonic | -158.0 | 25.2 | 7.31 |
| 700 | 1072 | Subsonic | -247.4 | 33.8 | 9.82 |
| 800 | 998 | Subsonic | -367.0 | 43.8 | 12.74 |
| 900 | 942 | Subsonic | -521.5 | 55.3 | 16.10 |
| 1000 | 896 | Subsonic | -715.1 | 68.3 | 19.86 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The 6.5x54 is best known for the deep, straight-line penetration of its long 6.5mm bullets, a product of their high sectional density rather than raw velocity or energy. That penetration gave it an outsized reputation on game far larger than its modest power figures would suggest, most famously in the hands of W.D.M. "Karamojo" Bell, who used the light Mannlicher-Schönauer carbine on African elephant with precise brain shots. In practical use it is a mild-recoiling, accurate cartridge well suited to deer, wild boar, and mountain game at moderate ranges, and the compact full-stocked carbines it was chambered in remain prized by collectors. Its limitations are a relatively modest velocity and a short case that leave it behind modern 6.5mm cartridges for flat-shooting long-range work, and factory ammunition is now scarce, so most surviving rifles are fed by handloaders.
Introduced in 1900 by the Austrian firm Steyr (then Österreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft) for the rotary-magazine bolt-action rifle designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher and Otto Schönauer, the 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schönauer descended from the earlier 6.5x53mmR Mannlicher. It was adopted as the Greek Army's standard service cartridge alongside the Mannlicher-Schönauer rifle in the early 1900s, earning it the "6.5 Greek" nickname. The same rifle and cartridge were also sold widely as sporting arms in the early 20th century, and it remained a favored stalking round in Europe long after its military service ended.
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