Savage Varminter - Now in 5.7x28 !?!?

When I first saw and heard about this little round I thought it would be a great fit for a handy pred. Rifle in something like a mini mauser action. Its interesting at the very least.

Anyone know why the twist rate is 'n/a'?

I'm personally a pretty big fan of 5.7x45mm I'm getting 3200fps with 50gr vmax pills, no magic.

Wow, I missed that on Savage's website. I think I'm with you stsimons, That rifle looks pretty cool. I can see a lot of small game opportunities with that rifle.

I'm personally a pretty big fan of 5.7x45mm I'm getting 3200fps with 50gr vmax pills, no magic.

Click to expand...

How does that compare to the potential of the 5.7x28 round?

How does that compare to the potential of the 5.7x28 round?

Click to expand...

I know Logic doesn't mean squat when talking about fun. I can see the fun factor, uniqueness, and maybe even cheap factor of reloading the 5.7x28. But for a varmint gun? Most varmint guns are know for a laser like trajectory. A 40gr vmax; bc .200 at mv of 2400 is slow. When is the last time a 2400fps centerfire has been called a good varmint gun?

5.7x28 is 5.56x45 without powder capacity. Powder that would be wasted in a short barrel like in the FN Pistol or P90 but would be put to good use in a 22" barrel varmint rifle like the Savage IMO YMMV.

When is the last time a 2400fps centerfire has been called a good varmint gun?

Click to expand...

It falls right into the .22Hornet and .218Bee family, performance-wise. Believe it or not, not everybody needs to be able to shoot 400yds or wants the noise of the bigger cartridges. Some of us even use rimfires, imagine that!

Some of us even use rimfires, imagine that!

Click to expand...

...I couldn't imagine that, just not possible! Tell me it isn't so.

I wondered when someone would bring out a bolt gun in this, I would think Savage would give the .221 Fireball a little love first though.

Not all varmint hunting is prairiedogs on the horizon.

Probably will be my next rifle to be honest. I have wanted a rifle in 5.7x28 for a while. Reloads costing no more than good .22lr ammo. It fits right in with a .22 hornet. Something a little more than the rimfire performance range while still being mild. Easier case to load than the .22 hornet. What isn't to love? Sure it isn't a .220 swift, but for me, I don't want a .220. I want a hornet that is easy on brass. It will turn small game to goo well enough. I'm in. I wouldn't mind the weight being a little less, but I can live with it.

Looking at this rifle with the caliber it shoots a little more closely I think it would have potential to .22 PPC replacement for benchrest shooting.

So this has what advantage over a .22 Hornet?

Coal Dragger said:

So this has what advantage over a .22 Hornet?

Click to expand...

I take it you haven't reloaded 22hornet? Particularly for accuracy.

This is pretty much 22 Khornet without the retarded rim and paper thin brass.

Being a NATO round there availability will only increase

Exactly. Performance may not beat the hornet, or by enough to really matter, but reloading is the big benefit. No rim, a sharp neck angle, thicker brass. All adds up to being easier to reload. Plus, locally, I can find a bit more 5.7x28 than .22 hornet, as backwards as that may seem.

The case design is WAY better than hornet.

Hmm,
22 Hornet circa early 1930s = 40 gr bullet at 2,700 or 55gr at 2,400
22 k-Hornet circa 1940 = 40 gr bullet at 2,900 or 55gr at 2,550
218 Bee circa 1938 = 40 gr at 3,000 or 55 gr at 2,700 fps
221 Fireball circa 1963 = 50 gr at 3,000 and 70 grain at 2,300

Or you can load a 233 Remington down to the same velocities at the 5.7x28 and still have room for improvement.

Or go old school with the 25-20 circa 1892, with a 60 grain bullet at 2,150, 75gr at 2,100 or an 86 grain bullet at 1,700 it was THE closer range varmint cartridge for nearly 40 years.

Thanks for the link. I like that little rifle, but I'm looking at the .22 Hornet chambering.

I will add this Savage is being offered on their smaller 25 series frame rather than the larger center fire frame. It comes with the detachable box mag and is being offered in a synthetic, laminated, and thumbhole laminated stocks. I saw they had added this a few months ago and have been planning on adding one to the lineup this year but have 2 other rifle projects that need completed first.

I like savage's products

I really like the idea of this, but was dreaming of an action of appropriate length and scale for the 5.7 cartridge. This seems to be the same action length as the .222, etc. and in that case limits the advantage IMO.

Objectively, nothing to get excited about. Does a bit more than a .22 mag, a bit less than a .22 hornet. Subjectively, I think its kinda cool. Would be great for running jack rabbits. It won't ever set the world on fire.

gary