5.6x57mm
Encyclopedia
The 5.6x57mm cartridge
was created by RWS in Germany
for hunting small deer such as roe deer
, and for chamois
. The calibre has a significant following among European sportsmen, and most European mass production riflemakers chamber several models of rifle for this cartridge. During the 1970-1990 period this cartridge was widely and successfully used in the Republic of Ireland
for deer shooting, since security considerations at a period of Provisional Irish Republican Army
violence had led to a ban on the civilian ownership of calibres larger than .224in. Some British
small deer specialist hunters use the 5.6x57mm with great success on roe
, muntjac
and Chinese water deer.
With a factory-load velocity of 3500 ft/s (1,066.8 m/s) with a 74-grain, cone-pointed bullet, it is approximately 100 ft/s (30.5 m/s) faster than the .220 Swift
cartridge firing a bullet of equivalent weight. The larger case capacity means that handloaders
can produce 50-grain loads that, with velocities in excess of 4100 ft/s (1,249.7 m/s), will outpace anything that can safely be achieved by the Swift. There are no dimensional or ballistic differences between the 5.6x57mm round and the 5.6x57mmR
round, other than that the latter is rimmed.
The 5.6x57mm cartridge case has a distinctively thick case wall, and this causes significant problems when handloading
, owing to the force that needs to be used through the press when re-sizing the case neck. It has been suggested that this unusual neck thickness is the result of the use of .22 rimfire chamber adapters in centrefire rifles chambered for this cartridge.
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
was created by RWS in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for hunting small deer such as roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, and for chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
. The calibre has a significant following among European sportsmen, and most European mass production riflemakers chamber several models of rifle for this cartridge. During the 1970-1990 period this cartridge was widely and successfully used in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
for deer shooting, since security considerations at a period of Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
violence had led to a ban on the civilian ownership of calibres larger than .224in. Some British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
small deer specialist hunters use the 5.6x57mm with great success on roe
Roe
Roe or hard roe is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses of fish and certain marine animals, such as shrimp, scallop and sea urchins...
, muntjac
Muntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
and Chinese water deer.
With a factory-load velocity of 3500 ft/s (1,066.8 m/s) with a 74-grain, cone-pointed bullet, it is approximately 100 ft/s (30.5 m/s) faster than the .220 Swift
.220 Swift
The .220 Swift is a semi-rimmed rifle cartridge developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935. It was the first factory loaded rifle cartridge with a muzzle velocity of over...
cartridge firing a bullet of equivalent weight. The larger case capacity means that handloaders
Handloading
Handloading or reloading is the process of loading firearm cartridges or shotgun shells by assembling the individual components , rather than purchasing completely assembled, factory-loaded cartridges...
can produce 50-grain loads that, with velocities in excess of 4100 ft/s (1,249.7 m/s), will outpace anything that can safely be achieved by the Swift. There are no dimensional or ballistic differences between the 5.6x57mm round and the 5.6x57mmR
5.6x57mmR
The 5.6x57mmR cartridge was created by Rheinisch-Westfälische Sprengstoffwerke in Germany for hunting small deer. There are no dimensional or ballistic differences between the 5.6x57mmR round and the 5.6x57mm round other than that the former is rimmed.-Ballistics:Loads:74 gr @ 1040 m/s 60 gr @...
round, other than that the latter is rimmed.
The 5.6x57mm cartridge case has a distinctively thick case wall, and this causes significant problems when handloading
Handloading
Handloading or reloading is the process of loading firearm cartridges or shotgun shells by assembling the individual components , rather than purchasing completely assembled, factory-loaded cartridges...
, owing to the force that needs to be used through the press when re-sizing the case neck. It has been suggested that this unusual neck thickness is the result of the use of .22 rimfire chamber adapters in centrefire rifles chambered for this cartridge.
Specifications
- Bullet diameter: 5.56 mm (.224")
- Loads:
- 74 gr @ 1040 m/s (3380 ft/s)
- 60 gr @ 3700 ft/s