6.5x54 Ammo

[lonetrigger]

1. How difficult or easy it is to procure ammunition for 6.5x54 (.256) Manlicher Rifle in India? Are the cartridges easily available or for that matter available at all?

2. Also which Indian ammo Market (state or city) is my best bet for finding the same?

One of my relatives has the said bore Rifle and is willing to sell when i get the arms licence. "But", he doubts, " the cartridges will be difficult to find".
My Web Searches gave me an impression that the availability of the said ammo could be little difficult and expensive in international markets, however it gave no sense about the Indian Market. Hence the above question.
I intend to do the first hand search in the local armoury stores soon and for that I think some more info will serve me better.
So I request the better informed members of this forum to throw some realistic light on the same.
Thanks.

[MoA]

I think a Museum might be a good place to start unfortunately. Maybe you might find a custom shop tp run you a batch, and you can fly and bring back your quota short of which I can't think of any other source.

Your best bet would to have the chamber drilled, and weapon deactivated as a show piece and free up your license. Then probably get a weapon for which ammunition is actually available.

[TwoRivers]

Lonetrigger: Before going looking for cartridges, be aware that there are two 6.5mm Mannlicher cartridges, of almost identical dimensions. And sometimes with the same designation. The "Mannlicher" being rimmed, the old military cartridge of Holland and Rumania. Most of the time it was designated "6.5x53"(R), but simply ".256 Mannlicher" by the British. These rifles have a protruding magazine. The action was quite widely used by British gunmakers.
The "6.5mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer" is rimless, and was used by Greece as the military round. It gained fame as a hunting cartridge in the Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine with the flush rotary magazine. This cartridge may be a bit easier to find in India, though none have been factory loaded for a considerable time. So any you find will be old stock. Good luck in your search!

[lonetrigger]

Lonetrigger: Before going looking for cartridges, be aware that there are two 6.5mm Mannlicher cartridges, of almost identical dimensions. And sometimes with the same designation. The "Mannlicher" being rimmed, the old military cartridge of Holland and Rumania. Most of the time it was designated "6.5x53"(R), but simply ".256 Mannlicher" by the British. These rifles have a protruding magazine. The action was quite widely used by British gunmakers.
The "6.5mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer" is rimless, and was used by Greece as the military round. It gained fame as a hunting cartridge in the Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine with the flush rotary magazine. This cartridge may be a bit easier to find in India, though none have been factory loaded for a considerable time. So any you find will be old stock. Good luck in your search!

Thank you for the info. The rifle I am talking about is 1903 Model without scope mounts and it does not have the long/full stock.
Is the factory loaded cartridge available in the international markets? Can it be imported to India?

[goodboy_mentor]

1) You may try contacting various arms dealers over PM especially those in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana. Their list is available at viewforum.php?f=41 Some of them are into importing ammunition. You may also try contacting art_collector

2) You may also explore the option of reloading empty shells. Reloading is legal if you follow the law. You may read this viewtopic.php?f=4&t=15836#p152417 You may also contact arms dealers to see if thay may help in reloading.

3) If you go abroad, you can bring fifty cartridges with you duty free. If I remember correct, if your license allows you more than fifty cartridges, then you may bring as much your license allows but will have to pay duty for cartridges above fifty. But do confirm this first from customs or their website.

[lonetrigger]

Thank you so much.
If I find reasonable amount of ammo with a promise of supply (however limited), I will definitely buy this gun. It is one of the finest I have ever fired.

[TwoRivers]

Is the factory loaded cartridge available in the international markets? Can it be imported to India?[/quote]

Only on a custom basis. None of the ammunition companies load it anymore. Though an Austrian gunsmith acquired the tooling from Steyr and still produces the rifle on a custom basis. You can get the ammo, but not off the shelf. Stop by here, and I'll sell you 100, in red & yellow boxes.

[lonetrigger]

Only on a custom basis. None of the ammunition companies load it anymore. Though an Austrian gunsmith acquired the tooling from Steyr and still produces the rifle on a custom basis. You can get the ammo, but not off the shelf. Stop by here, and I'll sell you 100, in red & yellow boxes.

Thanks for the offer, when I can I will definitely stop by. Any website or any other contact I can use of the Austrian Gunsmith? I am sure it will be of immense help.

[dr.jayakumar]

for all practical purpose 30 06 and .22 seems to be the best choice in rifles here in india.
rest are show pieces.
regards

[TwoRivers]

lonetrigger: www.waffendorfner.at, in Austria, offers the 6.5x54 M-S along with a bunch of other old metric cartridges.

[MoA]

Get something that you can actually find ammunition for. I personally like the Lebel, but will not buy one due to the unavailability of cases or primers or dies. I have none of the restrictions that are in place in India.
I probably have more .32 WCF ammo than most owners of the gun in India, and I dont even have one in that caliber.

I do own a couple of guns where commercial ammo is non-existant or extremely difficult to find. For example a year ago I bought up all the commercially loaded ammunition in .260 Remington available in france. None has been imported since, and I have used maybe about 20 rounds of commerically loaded ammo. However I have been through 2 barrels chambered in .260 Rem and currently am on my 3rd and 4th. I hand load almost all of the ammo I shoot.

Buy a gun you can get ammunition for. Otherwise it is just an expensive club.

[TwoRivers]

[quote="MoA"] I personally like the Lebel, but will not buy one due to the unavailability of cases or primers or dies.

Boxer primed cases (Serbian), and dies, are available here. The biggest problem would be finding .327" bullets. But since the Balle M was only .321", .323" will do.

[lonetrigger]

Can ammunition be ordered by courier?

[goodboy_mentor]

I do not think courier companies have license for transporting arms, ammunition or explosives. It is illegal to transport arms or ammunition without a valid license for the same. Please read Rules 37 to 41 of Arms Rules 1962 for better understanding. They can be read at http://www.abhijeetsingh.com/arms/india ... 37_40.html

[Vineet]

lonetrigger: 6.5x54 ammo are available with a dealer in my city. You can PM me and I will help you out.