5.7 Journey - Join Me

[Mark_Mark]

I’m starting my adventure into loading 5.7. I was donated 5.7 brass, primed, polish, trimmed... pretty much ammo. I’m going to use them but I wanted dirty, burnt, range brass. Again, a member helped me with 50 range brass. And here is were I start, 5.7 is supposed to be the trickiest little boogers to work on. So here we go!

RCBS Small Base 2pc Die
3 different types of bullets
bottle of rubbing alcohol
beef jerk
can of beer

the Gun... a extra bad ass Ruger 5.7


the bullet

 

[armoredman]

Now this I am interested in....

 

[Mark_Mark]

1st issue, the coating on the brass. It’s thick and ugly. I lubed, sized, clean with rubbing alcohol, lubed again, sized again, soaked in alcohol, clean primer pocket with Q-tips

 

[Mark_Mark]

Now this I am interested in....

thanks for the range brass!

 

[AJC1]

The coating is supposed to be important to keep as nice as possible from what I read... basically the only useful tidbit I have learned in passing

 

[Mark_Mark]

The coating is supposed to be important to keep as nice as possible from what I read... basically the only useful tidbit I have learned in passing

I read, the coating is needed for the P90 mags, it rotates the ammo 90 degrees. I don’t think this ammo was supposed to be reloaded

 

[AJC1]

I read, the coating is needed for the P90 mags, it rotates the ammo 90 degrees. I don’t think this ammo was supposed to be reloaded

With as expensive as the fn ammunition is I'm sure the planned to take people to the cleaner.

 

[Mark_Mark]

With as expensive as the fn ammunition is I'm sure the planned to take people to the cleaner.

lots of new 5.7 guns being introduced, mabey them might make some ammo too

 

[milsurpguy]

Yes I helped develop some of the first 5.7x28 loads as soon as commercial dies were available. Yes it is pretty tricky but not as unforgiving as shotgun reloading.

 

[AJC1]

lots of new 5.7 guns being introduced, mabey them might make some ammo too

When ruger decided to make one I've seen other companies spin up production. I believe I've seen American eagle at a reasonable price

 

[ericuda]

What powder u using. I use true blue at max to cycle in my fn5.7.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Yes I helped develop some of the first 5.7x28 loads as soon as commercial dies were available. Yes it is pretty tricky but not as unforgiving as shotgun reloading.

dang! this round is interesting and annoying. But I like a good challenge

 

[Mark_Mark]

What powder u using. I use true blue at max to cycle in my fn5.7.

Don’t know about powder yet... But, I’m going to start with function test before I go to powder and such.

Trim the brass is the next step. Anybody got specs on 5.7?

 

[milsurpguy]

The most annoying thing is that it's a "pistol round" but you have to trim it after every firing, normally.
There's an AR upper that uses P90 mags and uses a gas system to cycle the rounds. It doesn't stretch the brass anything like delayed blow back.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Yes I helped develop some of the first 5.7x28 loads as soon as commercial dies were available. Yes it is pretty tricky but not as unforgiving as shotgun reloading.

Looks like there are crimps in the primer pocket wall.. do I need to remove those?

 

[ericuda]

I recommend case gauge too. I first started with Lee dies when they would not size correctly, I went with hornady which did, not sure on rcbs. My gauge says ea in it, can't remember manufacturer for sure but they sold all sorts of 5.7.

 

[milsurpguy]

Looks like there are crimps in the primer pocket wall.. do I need to remove those?

I didn't at first, but it helps a lot as I crushed a few primers. You will need a way to remove the crimp.

 

[ericuda]

I never seen any crimped pockets in the fn or American eagle brass I use.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I didn't at first, but it helps a lot as I crushed a few primers. You will need a way to remove the crimp.

it’s a slight burr, but I could probably deburr it without messing with the pocket size.

I never seen any crimped pockets in the fn or American eagle brass I use.

I think these are FN military brass. The markings are so small, you need to magnifying glass to read it

 

[Mark_Mark]

I recommend case gauge too. I first started with Lee dies when they would not size correctly, I went with hornady which did, not sure on rcbs. My gauge says ea in it, can't remember manufacturer for sure but they sold all sorts of 5.7.

I’m looking to buy a case gauge. I’m using RCBS small base dies

 

[mstreddy]

With as expensive as the fn ammunition

It's priced (normally/preCovid) around the price of brass cased 223. Around 40 cents per round or $20 for 50. If we compare to 9MM, then yes, it's more. But I find a more applicable comparison is to .223 Rem. And I would imagine it's close to 30 Carbine from the last time I bought some. I've never priced it, but how would it compare to .22 TCM?

When ruger decided to make one I've seen other companies spin up production. I believe I've seen American eagle

American Eagle 5.7 ammo has been around for a long time, it was only a couple of years after the PS90 and Five Seven pistol started selling here.
Hopefully, other ammo makers will make some too.

The most annoying thing is that it's a "pistol round" but you have to trim it after every firing, normally.

It's a bottle-necked round that was designed to be fired in a carbine or PDW and later was added in a pistol too.

Looks like there are crimps in the primer pocket wall.. do I need to remove those?

Yes, crimped primers, and yes you will have to take care of them if you want to reload the rounds. Crimped primer pockets will usually lead to crushing a new primer if not swaged or cut.
Mark -- have you loaded 223 before?

Anybody got specs on 5.7?

Accurate powders has some data in their manual (available online). Lyman 50th has it as well. Not a lot of data/powders, but there is some. A few folks here have reloaded it. Trent, Rodentman, and a couple others, IIRC. I've only loaded a little of it. In my case, I want to try to preserve the coating as much as I can, as I have both the carbine and pistol.
from: http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB.pdf
5.7 X 28MM FN Barrel: 5 ” ¦ Twist: 1 - 9 ” ¦ Primer: WIN WSP ¦ Bullet Diameter: 0 .2 2 4 ” Case: FN H ¦ Max Case Length: 1 .1 3 5 ” ¦ Trim Length: 1 .1 3 0 ”
Special notes on the 5.7x28FN 1) Extremely sensitive caliber. Adhere closely to indicated loads and COL guidelines2) Begin at the MINIMUM start load and increase only in increments of 0.1 grain

 

[mstreddy]

BTW for a case gauge, check out the Sheridan Slotted one.

 

[Mark_Mark]

It's priced (normally/preCovid) around the price of brass cased 223. Around 40 cents per round or $20 for 50. If we compare to 9MM, then yes, it's more. But I find a more applicable comparison is to .223 Rem. And I would imagine it's close to 30 Carbine from the last time I bought some. I've never priced it, but how would it compare to .22 TCM?


American Eagle 5.7 ammo has been around for a long time, it was only a couple of years after the PS90 and Five Seven pistol started selling here.
Hopefully, other ammo makers will make some too.


It's a bottle-necked round that was designed to be fired in a carbine or PDW and later was added in a pistol too.


Yes, crimped primers, and yes you will have to take care of them if you want to reload the rounds. Crimped primer pockets will usually lead to crushing a new primer if not swaged or cut.
Mark -- have you loaded 223 before?


Accurate powders has some data in their manual (available online). Lyman 50th has it as well. Not a lot of data/powders, but there is some. A few folks here have reloaded it. Trent, Rodentman, and a couple others, IIRC. I've only loaded a little of it. In my case, I want to try to preserve the coating as much as I can, as I have both the carbine and pistol.
from: http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB.pdf
5.7 X 28MM FN Barrel: 5 ” ¦ Twist: 1 - 9 ” ¦ Primer: WIN WSP ¦ Bullet Diameter: 0 .2 2 4 ” Case: FN H ¦ Max Case Length: 1 .1 3 5 ” ¦ Trim Length: 1 .1 3 0 ”
Special notes on the 5.7x28FN 1) Extremely sensitive caliber. Adhere closely to indicated loads and COL guidelines2) Begin at the MINIMUM start load and increase only in increments of 0.1 grain

thanks for the info!!!!

I have not loaded .233 but I have everything to load it.

 

[mstreddy]

Mark, I'd recommend that you get some 223 rounds under the belt... then come back to the 5.7. It's a prickly little bugger.
Since you're only loading for the pistol, it will be easier than for the carbine (no coating issues). But, the charge weight ranges are small. The cases need to be trimmed, and primer crimps dealt with. All features of loading 223, but a little more forgiving and broader selection of powders and load ranges.
Have you loaded other rifle (bottleneck) rounds?

 

[Mark_Mark]

Mark, I'd recommend that you get some 223 rounds under the belt... then come back to the 5.7. It's a prickly little bugger.
Since you're only loading for the pistol, it will be easier than for the carbine (no coating issues). But, the charge weight ranges are small. The cases need to be trimmed, and primer crimps dealt with. All features of loading 223, but a little more forgiving and broader selection of powders and load ranges.
Have you loaded other rifle (bottleneck) rounds?

I’ve loaded bottle neck before without issues.

7STW
30-30
.458 Socom

thats it