I have 120 virgin RWS cases, and plenty of Mauser actions. Was thinking of making a 5.6x57mm Mauser as a retro-22-250.

Does anybody have one?

How has your experience been. I also have the same amount of 6.5x57mm Mauser brass.

I guess either cartridge would be suitable for a G33/40 action I have.

Aiming Point:

LD is the Iron cross for sale?=

i've got a 6.5x57 and find that it a very much overlook round. in a modern rifle it can be loaded pretty well up there

I agree with Butch, having used a 6.5x257 Roberts (virtually the same as the 6.5x57) as a kid. To me, a lightweight 6.5x57 on a G33/40 would tackle most anything you can legally hunt in the lower 48 states, and would be a super sweet classic mountain rifle. The 5.6x57 is seriously overbore, really doesn't gain enough over a Swift or .22-250 to warrant it, and is MUCH less versatile. The 5.6x57 was conceived primarily as a Roedeer round.

another vote for the 6.5.

unless you can find a faster twist barrel for the 22 cal.
I know they make 90-100gr bullets now.
then the x57 case makes sense for a 22.
I have a buddy in Wyoming that built a fast twist 22-250 and shoots the heavier stuff for antelope.
it is very impressive.

what twist would you need for the 90-100 gr bullets?

I shoot a 6.5x57R a lot. Love that round.

I have been looking at 2nd hand Heym, Steyr and other bolt action rifles here in 5,6x57 RWS.

They are legal in Germany for roe deer, and legal in Austria for chamois, marmots, and roe deer.

RWS has one factory load at the moment.

https://rws-munition.de/rws-ja...-geschoss/56x57.html

This bullet weighs 74 grains and is similar to the Remington Core-Lokt.

They are about 65 euro a box here in Germany.

One precautionary note, and I don't know if this is true or a total bullshit wives tale, but people claim that the neck on the 5.6x57 is an absolute bearcat for loading.

Since your rifle will probably never see a single round of factory ammo in it's life, you should consider a 224 Texas Trophy Hunter. Simple 6mm Rem, necked down. Might be worth considering, maybe not, up to you.

I don't have a license to reload, and until my German is a lot better I won't have a way to take it.

The 5.6x57 has always been an interesting round and one I'd like to play with one day. I always saw it as a heavy bullet cartridge as well. I think if I were to build one it would be a 1/7 or 1/8 twist, at least a 26 inch barrel and heavy. About like the old Ruger 77V's.

It would be great for sniping those coyotes that think they're outside rifle range and those windy, cross canyon rockchuck shots.

sierra recommends a 6.5 twist for their 90 gr match king .224 bullet.

Be cautious when it comes to second hand rifles in 5.6x57. This caliber is pretty rough on barrels, especially if adventurous handloading has taken place. Roe deer caliber in Europe for the most part that does too much damage in my opinion.

So as 224 TTH or 224 Clark 22X6mm and 5.6X57. So what besides names and possible shoulder angle what else is different?

quote:

Originally posted by JonP:
Be cautious when it comes to second hand rifles in 5.6x57. This caliber is pretty rough on barrels, especially if adventurous handloading has taken place. Roe deer caliber in Europe for the most part that does too much damage in my opinion.

I have examined a few. There are some that are shot out, but at about $70-100 per box for ammo, not as many as you might imagine.

Handloading is not a right here, it is in Austria and it probably is in Switzerland (Swiss have laws that change every 10 meters). You have to be certified and pass a test, so not everyone does it.

Most Germans buy a rifle and a case or two of ammo when they buy it. RWS sells ammo packs of 20 bullets that contain 5 shots of 4 different loads. So the new thing is to buy that, and then figure out (in five shots, none the less) what your rifle will shoot.

Germans more often use common calibers: 308, 30-06, 8x57, 7x64, 223, 9.3x62, 222, 22 Hornet are the most common.

8x68S and 9.3x64 are about as common as the 338 Winchester is in America. Austrians on the other hand are more interested in reloading. Every Austrian hunter I know shoots a 6.5x68, 9.3x64 or 7mm Vom Hoff. Sometimes wierder than that.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
One precautionary note, and I don't know if this is true or a total bullshit wives tale, but people claim that the neck on the 5.6x57 is an absolute bearcat for loading.

Apparantly this cartridge was designed to shoot Roe deer and shoot 22 shells with a chamber adapter. The neck is made larger to accommodate the adapter. Therefor the case necks are made overly thick. Thick to the point that you have to be within a grain or 2 of max to obtain a good seal on the neck. Lighter loads result in blackened necks and shoulders and even some collapsed cases. If you were going to reload I think you would have to anneal the necks every second or third firing. That would be a bit of a pain in my opinion. As already pointed out the 6mm Rem case necked down to .224 might be a better choice.

Sounds like it's a cross between the 22/250 and 22 Swift in performance. I would think with the 75gr Scirocco bullet it would be a great cartridge.

I have a Savage/Anschutz (or Anschutz/Savage), probably from the late 1960's or early 1970's in 5.6x57 RWS.
They originally came with chamber adaptors for .22 WMR and .22 Hornet, for use in Europe where firearms ownership is often difficult. The case necks, thus, are very thick, @.028".
I found a box of 10 and 3 extra factory RWS 74 grain Cone Points. The 3 I fired chronographed 3620 fps and grouped into .6" or so. My reloads don't do quite as well but several have shot under an inch.
Dies are available from Hornady on ebay. Brass is getting more difficult to obtain. Fortunately, when I bought my rifle, Natchez was closing out RWS brass at $20.49 per box so I bought quite a bit.
Reed's Ammunition in Oklahoma has loaded ammo available for @$60 per box, which is not much more than some places charge for the brass alone.
Personally, if I hadn't found such a deal on RWS brass, I probably wouldn't have kept the rifle as my .220 Swift, while somewhat slower, is much easier to feed.
Heads up....it is not simply a necked down .257 Roberts or 6mm Remington due to the neck thickness, regardless of what internet experts will state over and over.

quote:

LD is the Iron cross for sale?=

Unfortunately, no it is not. I am glad I wasn't wearing that when it got center punched by a 30-06.

Since I already have the brass for both rounds, I will build two rifles - The AR solution!

I will put the 5.6 x 57 in one vehicle for chance encounters with coyotes, deer, or antelope, or even wolves. I have a disabled hunting license, so I can shoot from my pickup (so long at is stopped, and not on a formal highway). I will try 60-grain Nosler Partitions, and will order a box or two of 74-grain RWS bullets from Reimer Johannsen. It is a PITA to get an import permit for brass or bullets.

The other vehicle will get a 240 Weatherby for chance encounters on dark roads.
Thanks for pointing out the Sirocco II at 75-grains. With good bullet placement, it should yield very fine results.

The 6.5 x 57 will become a rifle for my Frau. Its brass will get quite a bit of work to do. I will use a 6.5x65 RWS for medium game.

I'll have both built with VZ-24 actions that can handle a little pressure. I have a Redding Ultra Mag reloader for dealing with the necks. Perhaps a collet die for sizing those nasty necks. That, and a tight chamber so the brass barely expands in the first place. This will definitely NOT be used for varminting prairie dogs, ground squirrels, or Rock Chucks.

Okay, I got up on the crutches last night and partly navigated room 3, where all bullets and and brass are arranged in my own little library of congress. There are indeed 120 pieces of 5.6 x 57mm brass. Word at the elder center is that Swift Scirocco IIs in .224, 75-grains fly fast and hit hard.

Sooooooooooooooo, this project will be a go, along with a 240 Weatherby Magnum.

And a 6.5 x 68 mm S.



s

If you need more brass and a set of RCBS dies I have either or both. The brass is once fired RWS brass (somewhere just south of 100 pieces). I got them about 25 years ago and never followed through with the rifle. I'm pretty sure I never will. PM me if you are interested; they'll go cheap cheap!

quote:

Apparantly this cartridge was designed to shoot Roe deer and shoot 22 shells with a chamber adapter. The neck is made larger to accommodate the adapter. Therefor the case necks are made overly thick. Thick to the point that you have to be within a grain or 2 of max to obtain a good seal on the neck. Lighter loads result in blackened necks and shoulders and even some collapsed cases. If you were going to reload I think you would have to anneal the necks every second or third firing. That would be a bit of a pain in my opinion. As already pointed out the 6mm Rem case necked down to .224 might be a better choice.

1. PM to Tigger.

2. I am getting one of those new high tech annealers, and will be annealing every shot. That should help a lot.

3. If anyone knows where I could pick up a 22 WMR adapter, I would be most appreciative.

I am thankful for all the good thoughts and advice I have gotten on this topic. My German stubbornness is showing here. Since I have the RWS brass, and a pile of Mauser rifles, I am hell bent on building, in no particular order: 5.6x57; 6.5x57;6.5x65 RWS; 6.5x68S; 8x68S, 9.3x62; 9,3x64 (at the gunsmiths), 9.3x66 (Done), 9.3x70 (at the gunsmiths)

It might be faster to locate a 7 or 8 x 57 adapter and have your gunsmith turn it to fit.

Thanks for that idea.

Also thanks for the idea of building the rifle like an early Ruger 77V. This will be a truck gun, a long range coyote and deer laser beam. Definitely fast twist (1:7.7 or so).

The G33/40 will become a 6.5x57 mountain rifle; a thin, 24" barrel will squeeze every bit of velocity out of it.

I like the idea of the 5.6x57 because it is a no-brainer considering that I have receivers and the appropriate sized bottom metal just laying around. I have a 4-12x40 Leupold scope that would be just right for long range coyote killing from the truck.

I want to humbly thank all of you who educated me through this post. If I didn't already have the brass and actions, I would certainly be necking a 6mm Remington/.244 down to .224...

I have an affection for calibers that hit above their weight class; e.g. 5.6x57, 240 WBY, 6.5x65 RWS, 280 AI, etc.

I had one years ago.

It was very accurate and quite easy to load for.

But these days I would have a 22-243 any day.

Thanks for that Blair 338RUM. since I already have the brass (191 pieces, 100 Virgin, 91. once fired), and have ordered a box of Sirocco 74-grain long range bullets for the 1:7.7" bore, plus a clean VZ24 action, along with a straddle plate 57mm sized magazine box, inertia will likely pull this one through to completion. With a 26" cut rifled bore, and a heavy sporter weight barrel, coyotes and deer at 400 meters should be boringly repetitious. At least I hope so. I may treat it to one of those Alaska gunworks model 70 style trigger, and a model 70 style trigger. I already have a machine gun rated .224 suppressor

Once I have a darn good load worked up, I will load 100 cases into an MtM 100 round box with the handle on top, and sitting in the central console. As a disabled hunter I will keep the truck idling while overlooking the slough where the younger hunters are calling in Duck. I will endeavor to hold the coyotes, fox, and dear in check from sneaking up, and sneaking by.

Also my with will not let me have anything resembling a .243 WIN in any form in the house. Her ex-husband tried to game the local sniper competition by using a .243 Win. She also said she hated the blast of the 243. When I am glum, she says, "go buy a gun, dear." It would be stupid to mess around with that deal.

What were your favorite accuracy loads, especially any that were also fast? I would appreciate that greatly - a sneak- peak at you notes, as it were.