As of this writing, Remington still supports the caliber in their Remington Model Seven and 700 series and factory ammunition. It is surmised that this gave handloaders the green light to start experimenting with 6.5 loads, mainly for competitive shooting.Įventually, both A-Square and Remington submitted paperwork to SAMMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute) for standardization of the cartridge and on January 29, 1999, the standardized 6.5 cartridge was officially named the. Outdoor Life’s Editor, Jimmy Carmichael, a competitive shooter himself, wrote an article on the 6.5mm. 260 Remington made their appearance starting with the 263 Express by the gun writer Ken Waters. Then around 1962, the first American wildcat versions of the now. Rifles chambered in the iconic 6.5x55mm such as the Swedish Mauser have been used in the European hunting community for many years. 260 Remington (1997), also known to veteran shooters and handloaders as the 6.5-08 A-Square, its original wildcat configuration. What about the ones that you don’t know about? Are they not viable simply because they are newer or unknown? The number of firearms cartridges that have come into existence since 1808 is staggering and the secret to finding which cartridge will serve you best is easier than ever? Of course, meticulous research and a good firsthand knowledge of handloading surely doesn’t hurt. In the case of ammunition, older is usually better, in that time in the field has built a solid reputation with the shooter. As you get older, it’s said you get wiser and the latter is rumored to be a byproduct of the former.