6.5 X 43 IWK

Research notes

After the end of the 2nd World War, the German arms industry was all but destroyed and severe restrictions placed on the Germans in terms of weapons production. The old firm of DWM (Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabrik), Karlsruhe was reorganised into IWK (Industrie Werke Karlsruhe AG) in 1949. It was also at this time that the newly formed NATO was doing its own research into cartridge development to standardize the different militaries. IWK still did their own research with an eye to regaining some old glory as a leading arms manufacturer in Europe. The 6.5x43 IWK was one of these experiments to find an intermediate military caliber, but like many other such experimentals, the adoption of the 7.62x51 NATO and later on the 5.56 NATO meant that these experiments did not go anywhere. IWK still manufactured arms until 1972 when that part was phased out.