Anybody got any hands on experience with the 5.6x57? I've never given this one much thought until I saw a Voere Titan so chambered listed for auction. It appears this cartridge was intended from the get-go to shoot the heavier 70 gr class "game" bullets at the smaller European deer species. While I certainly don't "need" one it does intrigue me. My .225 Win certainly won't stabilize the heavy .224 bullets (it's even borderline with the 53 gr Barnes X) and a really hot .224" bore that will launch the 75 gr Swift or Barnes at meaningful velocities sounds fun. Plus the Voere would match up very nicely with my other 2 rifles on the same action (a Kleingunther in .411 KDF and a Mauser 99 9.3x64). I'm broke and can't buy it but the wheels are turning anyway....

CIP twist for 5.6x57 is 1 in 10" you will need to check if it will stabilise the long pointy Barnes.

The single most important issue is the fact that as a factory chambering the 5.6x57 comes with a hugely thick necked chamber to allow the use of a 22LR adaptor. Brass is correspondingly thick with the consequence that only top end loads will seal effectively.

RWS do a 74gr cone point load, S&B, Hirtenberger and Ruag might also do loads. Case forming from 7x57etc might or might not result in thick enough necks to stop splitting.

I must make clear the above is merely my research prior to not getting one (I went 243 instead) but should you get one and get it to work it should be very impressive. I know people who've shot red stags with them (Ireland) where it and the Vom Hoffe were the rifles of choice once.

Hornady has load data - they were very impressed with it even in it's too short 22" barrel.

My route when it happens will be 22-6mm rem.

I own and shoot a 5.6x57mm Model 72 Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine. Finding loaded ammo for it in the USA is nearly impossible, BUT, you can buy RWS brass for it from Natchez Supply. The proper RWS is a necessity, since the chamber is set up for the excessively thick necked case. Also, that same neck works against you if you use proper 5.6x57mm reloading dies. If you try making brass out of 6mm Rem or 7x57mm Mauser you end up with the wrong neck size, and have to use a .220 Swift or .22-250 sizing die to get that thinner brass to the right diameter to accept a .224 bullet. I got three reloads out of 6mm brass before I got my supply of proper RWS brass.

Now, bullets, the best performance comes with heavier bullets, the 74 grain RWS is nice. However, I have had good performance with the 64 grain Winchester bullet too. My carbine throws 55 grain bullets all over the place.

Have not tried the 5.6x57mm on our Texas Hill Country puppy dog dear, but that is on my to do list. It has plenty of punch for these deer, on paper anyway.

LLS

No experience with this cartridge ... but I thought the thick necked brass was older stuff and changes had been made. Hence the following warnings in the ADI manual.
CAUTION: If reloading old style thick walled brass reduce these loads by at least 4 grains to avoid dangerous pressures.

A few articles have appeared in Australian magazines over the years on this cartridge and all mentioned the change in brass which took place probably 10-15 years ago.
Cheers...
Con

Con, there has been no change in the dimensions of the 5,6x57 since it was adopted in Europe.

The case was deliberatly designed as mentioned above to be able to shoot with .22 LR, .22 Win mag, .22 Hornet rounds in rifle cartridge inserts.

The reason for this was to be able to give coup de gras shot at game safely, to train at low cost and low noise.

If one deciedes to get an barrel of a rifle made up int this cal one either goes the (in my opinion) right way and chambers it for the original case and then gets 200 RWS cases and be set for the barrels life span.


Or one one does the neckdown thing and starts with 7x57 brass and work things out.

What ever route one decides to go, it´s a truly remarkable round and with heavy .22 cal bullets one will get exeptional results at extended ranges.

Best regards to ya´ll Chris

quote:

Originally posted by Con:
No experience with this cartridge ... but I thought the thick necked brass was older stuff and changes had been made. Hence the following warnings in the ADI manual.
CAUTION: If reloading old style thick walled brass reduce these loads by at least 4 grains to avoid dangerous pressures.

A few articles have appeared in Australian magazines over the years on this cartridge and all mentioned the change in brass which took place probably 10-15 years ago.
Cheers...
Con

quote:

t´s a truly remarkable round and with heavy .22 cal bullets one will get exeptional results at extended ranges.

Though I don't doubt it's wonderful (I really liked the idea of it) does it really do anything that a 243 and 70/80gr bullets does without the fuss and barrel wear?

I do load this round.

It will be available commercially well before Christmas.

Nosler and Winchester bullets.

I'm trying to get some 74 Grain Cone points imported. I'm also trying to souce some of the chamber inserts that allow you to shoot the 22 Mag bullet out of the rifle.

LD

I have one, i havent had time to tes it much, but if yoy have tried it with Sciroccos 75 grain Barnes TSC 75 grain and other heavy weight, pleas send me an pm about it.

I have tested 75 grain AMAX and 60 grain Norma SP, that was very flatshooting on 300 meters.