FN 5.7x28mm Subsonic

[Wicked]

Alright, here goes. My pea-brain is in overload and I'm wildly throwing half-baked ideas out here. Humor me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_5.7%C3%9728mm

Anyone loading the teeny little 5.7 to subsonic velocity?

Looks like there is a factory sub load with a 55gr Game King bullet (LE/MIL only). Standard bullets appear to be 28-40gr. Anyone tried a 69-77gr or bigger pill? Obviously, I'm thinking bolt gun or single shot for now - but if it could be made to feed in a semi........

[Bendersquint]

You are trying to make a reloadable 22lr?

[srt-4_uk]

Good luck getting anything that big to stabilize. Twist rates are too slow to support a bullet that size. Most subsonic rounds are in the 55 range.
The bolt action 5.7s are going to be custom. Savage was going to make one but it got nix'd. You can get a barrel for a T/C though

[Wicked]

Yea, I know - I know. I would likely do this on a Savage and use a faster than standard twist tube.

It really is just a reloadable .22lr BUT with twice the bullet. Does that make it any more worth doing? The big boy in me knows I should resist the temptation. But the kid in me thinks they're so little and cute!

[Bendersquint]

Yea, I know - I know. I would likely do this on a Savage and use a faster than standard twist tube.

It really is just a reloadable .22lr BUT with twice the bullet. Does that make it any more worth doing? The big boy in me knows I should resist the temptation. But the kid in me thinks they're so little and cute!

I would pass on it for a number of reasons, but hey if you need some brass I have a bunch I can sell you.

[srt-4_uk]

Why not just do sub sonic 223?

[ohnomrbillk]

You are trying to make a reloadable 22lr?

In observation of the last year of buying reloading supplies and reloading, looking at what I already own, and seeing the price gouging on rimfire ammo, I'm considering this.

I would spend less money on the ammo.

I'd also spend less time reloading vs trying to find rimfire in stock.

YMMV

[66427vette]

You are trying to make a reloadable 22lr?

In observation of the last year of buying reloading supplies and reloading, looking at what I already own, and seeing the price gouging on rimfire ammo, I'm considering this.

I would spend less money on the ammo.

I'd also spend less time reloading vs trying to find rimfire in stock.

YMMV

Tell your dealer to stop putting it on gun broker. When dealers say they can not get it I just have to laugh. So full of s..t.

[jlwilliams]

Well, it's been done with 22 Hornet. No reason you couldn't do it with 5.7

[Garrett]

Actually, I thought I read about someone (possibly here) doing it a few years ago with 55 gr. bullets. It reportedly cycled fine in his AR15 with an AR57 upper.

And if you think about it, that does seem to be the answer for all of those guys looking for a subsonic 5.56 that will cycle their AR. It gives the same bullet at the same velocities, out of the same platform.

But the AR57 has the added benefit that it ejects the empties down through the AR15 magwell. This means you can build a brass catcher using a magazine with the spring & follower removed. Add some sound-dampening material to the inside of the mag to cut down on the noise. This will also serve to muffle some of the ejection port noise.

It's been one of those "nifty to set up" projects in the back of my head, but it's never made it far enough up the list to seriously consider.

[davebearpig]

I would be interested in how your project turns out. I have an ar57 and a brand new silencer. Picked it up yesterday and got 6" of snow overnight, so I'm just sitting here.

I don't know what the velocity on 5.7 ammo is, but I figured it to be 1800-2200. Somewhat like a way overpriced 22mag with super expensive and hard to find ammunition.

[daviscustom]

I know it is probably hard to find, but how is this any better than Aguila 60 grn SSS (22lr)? I was able to get a brick a while back....not quite as heavy a bullet, but for all the hassle it doesn't seem worth it.

Spend your spare time developing expanding subsonic 458 Socom projectiles!

[da bugman]

I got a 5,7 ar. I have loaded 55 gr sub sonic ,very quite and function well. I only made one trip to the range so I need to do some more work. My c3 defense can is rate 5.7x28 . super sonic is about like a subsonic 22 lr out of a 28" barrel You hear mostly bullet impact and action noise along with super sonic crack. Subs are like a pellet gun with bullet strike being the most noise. Go to the fn site lots of data there. You are loading to 22 lr SV ballistics but with a jacked bullet weighing 15 more grains.

JD

[kalikraven]

I did it with my PS90 SBR and it was a pain to reload the 5.7 rounds. I had to do it on my RCBS Rock Chucker because I cant set it up on my Dillon 650. Too slow to reload for too fast of a gun... Plus the rounds have a no taper and if they get one then they wont fit in the mags. They also have a lacquer coating that can come off and screw things up. Bottom line is it can be don't but its not worth the trouble for more than a mags worth...

[mk23]

Yeah they are a pain. I have a Dillon 550 set up for them, but have not loaded more than 500 or so subsonics.

Funny too, since I have over 10K worth of 5.7 brass since I also feed a select fire postie at MG shoots.

If it has not been said yet, make sure you don't tumble the brass. Quick bath in the ultrasonic followed by rinse and air dry. Keeps the laquer coating on the shells.

[kalikraven]

I use a bath of simple green to clean them. But I really don't reload them anymore because unless I buy a 550 its just too much trouble for me...

[da bugman]

I don't think the lacquer finish on sub loads is a big deal. size them using your progressive, prime in front of the tv with a lee. drop powder one at a time. It's not as bad as you think. Not as fast as the 650 but how many do you need. lube cases well before sizing!!!

FN forum had lot's of data, I think the load was 2.5 grs of a fast burning powder. Cheap to reload for. Double loads will blow up the P90 be carefull.

JD

[HotGuns]

I just did a .22 Hornet with a 1/7 twist barrel.

Using 2.8 grains of Red Dot I am getting one hole groups at 25 yards using a 69 grain Sierra BTHP. With a suppressor on there its as quiet or quieter than a suppressed .22 LR and its easy to reload.

I thought about doing a 5.7, but there would be a lot of extra case there for such a small charge to keep it subsonic and it might result in not so great groups due to an erratic burn.

The Hornet has no issues with Red Dot and with a bolt gun its accurate and quiet.

[Dantheman3660]

AQUILA has a 60 grain 22lr (need special barrel if using a can 1:9 rot) that is simliar to what you are trying to so with a 5.7.... I have that set up for a 10/22 with a bolt lock & it is very very quiet.

However I also have a 5.7 USG and have been kicking around the idea of tring to reload some Barnes Varmint grenades 53 grain I think for subsonic use....just never had the time to pursue the idea & look into ROT ect

Go for it though & let the board know how it works out.


Dan

[YugoRPK]

I loaded some up the other day for a SBR AR-57 upper with a Spectre 2. Running 69 grain Nosslers with American Eagle Brass at 1050 to 1080 FPS Good bit of bark out the port but not too bad. Used 3 grains of longshot . I only loaded up a few dozen as I'm short on long shot so I need to work up some 1680 or H110 or 4198 as Ive got a lot of each. Shooting at 50 yards it was hitting 3/4" to 1 inch groups so it wasnt that unstable.

[YugoRPK]

Loaded 500 today. One at a time . 5.5 grains H110 out of an auto charge with 55 grain hornady's. Using Lyman dies with an expander pilot that speeds things up a bit when loading. Just makes seating the bullet a little easier. Not too bad once you get in the groove. I like this load a lot. Ive got a bunch of true blue I need to try one of these days.

I wouldnt call it a real hard round to load. Biggest issue is there isnt much support for it from the reloading equipment manufacturers. Hornady does make a shell plate under special order . Ive talked to their tech and he told me I wouldnt be able to use the primer function which is a total load of crap so the guy really didnt know what he was talking about. Its not harder to prime this round than anything else.