The 6x62 is a rimless bottleneck cartridge developed in the late 1980's by Metallwerk Elisenhutte GmbH (MEN). Blaser produces high quality rifles for both the 6x62 and the 6x62R. The 6x62R is a rimmed version of the cartridge intended for break action single shot rifles, double rifles, drillings, and combination guns. In size and capacity the two versions are identical.

The 6x62 case is 61.46mm in length and accepts 6mm (.243") bullets. It looks much like the wildcat 6mm-06 Improved cartridge familiar to many North American shooters. As loaded in Europe, the 6x62 and 6x62R are available with 85 grain and 100 grain (5.5 and 6.5 gram) bullets. The muzzle velocity (MV) of the 100 grain bullet (SD .242) is 1015 meters/second (3313 fps) with a muzzle energy of 3,348 Joules (2442 ft. lbs.). If this load is zeroed at 200 meters, the drop at 300 meters is 17.9 cm (7.16"). To take better advantage of the 6x62's flat trajectory, zero a scoped 6x62 rifle so that the 100 grain bullet hit 2.4" high at 100 yards, which would mean it should strike about 3" high at 150 yards, 2.5" high at 200 yards, and 3" low at 312 yards.

Handloaders should be able to essentially duplicate factory ballistics in the 6x62 using the slower burning powders like #4831, Norma MRP, RL22, and IMR 4350 behind any of the excellent 100 grain bullets on the market. Using 85-87 grain bullets and maximum charges of #4831, Norma MRP, RL22, or W785 powders should yield MV's of about 3400 fps and ME of about 2181 ft. lbs.

The excellent Nosler 85 grain Partition bullet should give adequate penetration and very quick kills on the smaller deer and antelope species at 3300-3400 fps. The trajectory of that bullet at a MV of 3400 fps looks like this (Nosler figures): +3" at 100 yards, +3.8" at 200 yards, 0 at 300 yards, and -9.4" at 400 yards. Unfortunately, reloading data for the 6x62 is practically nonexistent in the U.S.

Note: An article about the 6x62 and 6x62R can be found on the Rifle Cartridge Page.