The following from the IAA FORUM:

“During his official visit to France in August 1902, the Shah of Persia, Shah Mozaffar ed-Dinh ordered from the famous parisian gun maker Faure Lepage a small game rifle. On August 30, the Société Française des Munitions received an order from Fauré Lepage for the study of a cartridge to meet a number of criteria, 7 mm caliber, cylindrical case, Max. total length 74 mm. Factory drawing No. 9059 is established. Cartridge with a lead projectile 7 mm cal, case slightly tapered length of the cartridge 73.5 mm. In response to this drawing, it is applied to SFM to provide a number of modifications that are brought on DWG 9059C: adoption of a soft point projectile 7 mm cal., the length of the case is increased to 73.5 mm with a TL 88.50 mm.
On September 18, a DWG for a mini and maxi cartridge is established, bearing No. 9059D, the case length is reduced to 71.50 mm. On September 28, the final weapon is sent to the factory for testing, and it appears that the chamber is smaller than the original mini cartridge previously designed; impossible to introduce the cartridge. Order is given to establish a new cartridge drawing taking into account the new chamber. This is the DWG 9059F. The actual size of the projectile is noted in the title: 6.5 mm Cal. This DWG is also the manufacture dwg . Cartridge cases delivered with the gun are without heastamp . A second order will be honored a few years later, the cases will then bear the traditional commercial SFM headstamp.”