Actions suitable for a 5.7x28 varminter?

Ardent

Ardent

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Anyone able to share their thoughts on a suitable action for a 5.7x28 varminter? The obvious route is the T/C as barrels are made in this cal too, but I'm not much of a fan of T/C's. I'd love a micro bolt action repeater, but that's a whoooooole lotta work to get it to work. Maybe a .22 Hornet action, but the case head's smaller on the 5.7x28...
 
I took apart those case's about 5 year's ago. I do remember the case dia. was close to 32acp, and the powder was from europe. They wern'tavailable from any other source at the time.
 
A micro mauser action would work, as would any of the various Hornet actions out there. A 22 WMR action might also be up to it, case head is similar, as is OAL. Not sure what - if any - pressure difference there is between a WMR and a 5.7x28, I'd actually think that they'd be close judging by the capacty differences between the two and their respective ballistic performance
 
5.7X28mm???

This is interesting.
Can you confirm that the cartridge you want to use for your varminter is the 5.7 X 28mm, the same used by FN for the P90 & the Five Seven?
I was under the understanding the the powers that be prohibited the calibre in it's entirety, because it was designed for armour piercing capability.
If this IS the same cartridge, and it IS now legal to own, that would be great news for some of us with our eyes on the (ridiculously expensive) PS90.
Thanks.
 
Nope, it is not prohib at all, and there are PS90's and five-seven's in country (infact I nearly bought one of each last year). The only part prohibited is as mentioned above AP ammo. It's hard to come by however, though I have a bunch of brass for it and reloading dies are commonly available.
 
I don't know man.

We all know the purpose for which the 5.7x28 was developed. It's been well documented, discussed, and disseminated. Trying to adapt it as a "varminter" cartridge seems like a disingenious attempt to demonstrate a "sporting purpose" for it.

As such, even the venerable 22 Hornet would be a better choice. And you could have the smoking hot 204 Ruger for less effort and expense. Frankly, I think the 5.7x28 is a #### -tastic choice as a varmint round, unless out of a pistol at short range...

But if you must have the 5.7x28 as a "varminter" then by all means plug it into a K77 target grey Ruger varmint model Hawkeye that has been re-chambered for it.
 
spi said:
I don't know man.

We all know the purpose for which the 5.7x28 was developed. It's been well documented, discussed, and disseminated. Trying to adapt it as a "varminter" cartridge seems like a disingenious attempt to demonstrate a "sporting purpose" for it.
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LOL.

Yeah, with the right bullet it pierces CRISAT. So do a hundred other rifle rounds with the right bullet.

It already has a sporting purpose, and that's target shooting. Take your fudd misinformation elsewhere.
 
spi said:
I don't know man.

We all know the purpose for which the 5.7x28 was developed. It's been well documented, discussed, and disseminated. Trying to adapt it as a "varminter" cartridge seems like a disingenious attempt to demonstrate a "sporting purpose" for it.

As such, even the venerable 22 Hornet would be a better choice. And you could have the smoking hot 204 Ruger for less effort and expense. Frankly, I think the 5.7x28 is a s**t -tastic choice as a varmint round, unless out of a pistol at short range...

But if you must have the 5.7x28 as a "varminter" then by all means plug it into a K77 target grey Ruger varmint model Hawkeye that has been re-chambered for it.
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Probably one of the biggest loads of bollocks I've yet read on this site, holy heck.

The 5.7x28 out of a rifle equals the .22 Hornet, on less powder, with less barrel heat and noise/blast, and has brass that likely lasts 500% longer. Also, it is a non rimmed case that feeds exponentially better, and actually has proper target cartridge geometry in a micro centerfire. What the heck is with your vilification of the cartridge there? It's just a .22 centerfire, and uses the same bullets of the same lethality as the .22 Hornet. Your argument there is something I'd only expect to see from the most vehemently anti-gun sects. Please take your useless criticisms elsewhere, unless you have something to contribute.
 
Hey man, whatever floats your boat. There's only 20 or so other .22 centerfire varmint or target cartridges out there already. Many of them, like the .22 Hornet, have the advantage of being readily available in the form of loaded ammunition, brass, and factory chambered rifles.

But like I said, if you must have the 5.7, you must have it.

Why not get it chambered in an M1 carbine action as a ranch rifle? It occurs to me that the CZ 453 American in .22 Hornet would also be also be an excellent little sporter to convert.

But frankly, why bother? AR180b's and SIG black specials work plenty good as varmint guns. IIRC there are non-restricted P90's floating around out there that you could use. I would if I could find one.

Ardent said:
Probably one of the biggest loads of bollocks I've yet read on this site, holy heck.

The 5.7x28 out of a rifle equals the .22 Hornet, on less powder, with less barrel heat and noise/blast, and has brass that likely lasts 500% longer. Also, it is a non rimmed case that feeds exponentially better, and actually has proper target cartridge geometry in a micro centerfire. What the heck is with your vilification of the cartridge there? It's just a .22 centerfire, and uses the same bullets of the same lethality as the .22 Hornet. Your argument there is something I'd only expect to see from the most vehemently anti-gun sects. Please take your useless criticisms elsewhere, unless you have something to contribute.
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ardent probably already has (or has had) all those 22 center fires and wants something new
who can blame him i thought the 5.7 would be a good gopher type type gun as well
i would try a CZ as well, maybe Calhoon in Havre, Montana might have an idea? he does some really cool stuff with 17/19/20 caliber...
 
dirty santa, you're right, about 40 years ago there was a fellow in the states that was necking down the 30carbine to 22 calibre. It lost about half of its case capacity in the end result but sure turned the carbine into a snappy little rifle.
The main problem with it was loseing brass and overall accuracy, as the design of the carbine doesn't lend itself to varmint accuracy requirements. It was always a pain in the butt makeing up the brass, as it was fun to shoot and 50 rounds didn't last long and of course you would lose several in the grass or brush every time it was taken out.
It was a Johnson designed cartridge, called the 5.7MMJ, developed around 1963 as survival rifle round. There is a write up on this cartridge in Cartridges of the World.
The carbine I had handled it very well. I bought it from the old Hunters Sports in Vancouver in 1970 for the princley sum of $100 includeing dies, brass and bullets.
Velocities were decent, about 2600 fps with 50grn bullets, about all we could get easily in Canada at that time.
I ended up tradeing it off to a rancher that used it as a saddle gun for varmints and coyotes and to put down injured stock, at 10 feet it would take down even the biggest steer with a head shot and blow up in the brain cavety, sometimes neccessary when you can't get the animal out of the herd. bearhunter
 
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I truly couldn't care less about factory loads or not, my long range rig is actually built around a cartridge I designed, so 5.7x28's a cake walk compared to that. I'm in this for fun, and don't mind putting in the work, and 5.7x28's actually laughably easy as it uses one of the most common bullets available, pre-made brass, and has dies available for it off the shelf.

As for the 180B and PE90, lets just say I have more than a bit of experience with each, and neither comes close to being what I have in mind or I'd use them instead of my small cal bolts actions. Both are .223's, a HUGE step up from the 5.7x28, not even the same ballpark. Think LOUD and some recoil. The 5.7x28 sounds like a hot rimfire out of a 16" barrel (it will be even quieter out of a 20" rifle barrel, can't wait to hear for myself), and the recoil's near non-existant. Oh, and I turned down my opportunity for a P90 last year, it's not my cup of tea, what I'm after is just a nice, simple varminter of impeccable accuracy. Seems stranger to varmint hunt with a P90 than change over one of my CZ's personally.

And after all that, yep, I've tried the majority of factory small centerfires out there, have or have had rifles in .17 Rem, .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, .221 Fireball, .222 Rem, .223 Rem, .22-250, .220 Swift, and leaving out the wildcats. Now I want to try something new, even smaller, and gain something I lost and couldn't find once I went smaller than .221 Fireball; case geometry.

Yes, the CZ action's my favorite, and I have a couple micro action CZ's I've been toying with switching over. Time will tell, it would make an amazing gopher/crow cartridge, unbelievably efficient, recoil you don't notice, and 2,700fps out of a rifle barrel with 40gr. In a heavy barrel you could shoot come long strings before you have to cool that puppy down. :D

spi said:
Hey man, whatever floats your boat. There's only 20 or so other .22 centerfire varmint or target cartridges out there already. Many of them, like the .22 Hornet, have the advantage of being readily available in the form of loaded ammunition, brass, and factory chambered rifles.

But like I said, if you must have the 5.7, you must have it.

Why not get it chambered in an M1 carbine action as a ranch rifle? It occurs to me that the CZ 453 American in .22 Hornet would also be also be an excellent little sporter to convert.

But frankly, why bother? AR180b's and SIG black specials work plenty good as varmint guns. IIRC there are non-restricted P90's floating around out there that you could use. I would if I could find one.
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