Reloading 5.7 for target shooting

[Ingrate57]

Is there someone manufacturing 40 gr bullets just for target reloads.

[Rapier1772]

Reloads: Hornady, Speer, Nosler, Berger, Sierra, Barnes... Just look at any website for reloading components.

Factory ammo: FN makes a 40gr SS197 with a ballistic tip and American Eagle makes a 40gr FMJ.

[panzermk2]

Welcome to the forum!

Lots of 40gr bullets out there that are perfect for plinking loads for the 5.7.


Spend some time digging into the reloading section here. All of the data you need is right there.

[lklawson]

The problem with making "plinking" loads for the 5.7 is that none of the bullets commonly available are really "plinking" bullets. They're all hunting bullets. Can't really find 40 gr. FMJ in .224 unless they're someone's 5.7 pull downs.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[panzermk2]

I would consider the V max a plinking bullet.

[Ingrate57]

OK I am looking at speer 40gr spire soft nose bullets. Speer gives the over all length of the bullet. The load data that I can find is for sierra hornet bullets, but sierra doesn't provide the bullets overall length. Are these 2 bullets the same length?

[lklawson]

OK I am looking at speer 40gr spire soft nose bullets. Speer gives the over all length of the bullet. The load data that I can find is for sierra hornet bullets, but sierra doesn't provide the bullets overall length. Are these 2 bullets the same length?

Sierra 40 gr Hornet has a nominal (drawing) length of 0.487”
Sierra 45 gr Hornet - 0.535”
Sierra 45 gr SPT - 0.625”

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[Ingrate57]

Thankyou it is much appreciated.

[Marxman1]

I am new to loading the 5.7, having just purchased a S&W M&P 2.0 in 5.7x28 but have been reloading other cartridges for 28 years.

I'm just trying to get started, but I can't seem to find any 5.7 components and very limited data.
I thought, ok, well, I will just use the once fired cases I've created from shooting so far.


I measured the actual diameter of a new FN round, and the projectIle looks to be right at .223".

Am I missIng something because this caliber uses the same buĺlet as a .223 or 5.56 NATO cartridge? Or, is it just not well accepted for reloading and therefore not many components exist as well as data?

I hope I don't seem naive here but I just don't like making assumptions or guesses when reloading, as I like all my fingers and eyes.

Any helpful insight as to where I might find supplies, or a gentle chide that I just need .22 bullets, will be appreciated.

Thanks very much

[Rapier1772]

There's plenty of data on here for reloading the 5.7 but only a couple of manuals have it last I checked (admittedly that was a while ago). If you have a specific question you can use the search function to look for the bullet or powder or ask about it directly of course.

The 5.7x28mm uses small rifle primers and standard .22 caliber bullets. However, for usual loads you'll want to stay at or below 55gr bullets; anything heavier tends to destabilize. There are exceptions to the rule but I wouldn't worry about dialing those in for plinker loads.

Elite Ammuntion was toying with the idea of virgin brass for the 5.7x28mm but I don't think it's happened yet. Save your brass from shooting or you can pull it down & reload it without firing (less fun).

[panzermk2]

We made 5.7 brass but COVID killed our in house program.


Always save ANY brass not just 5.7

Check out this video that covers a great deal on re loading


https://youtu.be/tWMmngceDiY?si=wmm ...

[lklawson]

I am new to loading the 5.7, having just purchased a S&W M&P 2.0 in 5.7x28 but have been reloading other cartridges for 28 years.

I'm just trying to get started, but I can't seem to find any 5.7 components and very limited data.
I thought, ok, well, I will just use the once fired cases I've created from shooting so far.

There is data available online. Hodgdon has data on their web app for 35 and 40 gr V-MAX, 40 and 45 gr. Sierra Hornet, and 45 gr. Sierra SPT using AAC #5, AAC #7, and Ramshot.

Shooting times published some loads including using Ramshot
https://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial ... ata/100206

There's this popular article, complete with a load data sheet which includes something like 7 or 8 different powders and bullets from Speer, Hornady, and Sierra:
https://loaddata.com/Article/LoadDevelo ... 7x28mm/119

You can find other data as well but it is often someone who has posted a photo of a page from a manual which is normally sold such as from Lee Modern Reloading or Lyman. I've come across images posted from Ramshot Load Data and Accurate Arms Load Data but I'm not sure what the copyright is on those (but the AAC appears to be the same data as what's on Hodgdon's page).

If you have a subscription to LoadData.com, they have 5 data sheets with between 6 and 66 different load recipes per data sheet. The 5.7 is why I bought a subscription to LoadData.com but I use it as reference for many other loads, most recently 7.62x25 Tokarev.

I measured the actual diameter of a new FN round, and the projectIle looks to be right at .223".

Am I missIng something because this caliber uses the same buĺlet as a .223 or 5.56 NATO cartridge?

Correct. But the bullets are on the light side which is why varminting bullets for the .223 are popular.

Or, is it just not well accepted for reloading and therefore not many components exist as well as data?

Light bullets. There are some people who have built up recipes using 55 gr or heavier but it seems like they're either looking to use components they already have or are building sub-sonic loads.

I hope I don't seem naive here but I just don't like making assumptions or guesses when reloading, as I like all my fingers and eyes.

Any helpful insight as to where I might find supplies, or a gentle chide that I just need .22 bullets, will be appreciated.

Thanks very much

I think that I wrote above that I find it frustrating that I can't find simple FMJ bullets in 30-40 gr weights. The only thing I can find in appropriate weights are hunting bullets such as V-MAX. Jay is of the opinion that V-MAX are plinking bullets.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[panzermk2]

A lot of the published data is not really that good and most of it never actually fired out of a fire arm.

Those magazine articles, some of them over 15 years old, just don't work very well.

Much of the data was software created.

Hance the deep, fully vetted load data here on the forum. All load data before being posted is vetted.
This is why we have a dedicate admin for the loading section.

Ifire created about the most extensive list of load data, close to 100 loads. I would start there.


LoadData.com
I would love to see their data just to see how much of it was stolen from this forum and Ifire.

[lklawson]

LoadData.com
I would love to see their data just to see how much of it was stolen from this forum and Ifire.

The first 4 sets of data are published loads from powder manufacturers. The final is from the Brian Pearce article previously referenced. So unless Accurate and Ramshot are swiping data from here and ifire, I'd guess "none." As for the Pearce article, the author claims that he developed all the loads himself and shot them from his own gun so, according to him, the velocities are "real world," at least for him in his gun. Further, the author claims "Many of the handloads ... were checked for pressures at Western Powders lab, most of which were running between 40,000 and 45,000 psi." While I have no way to verify the author's claims about his testing or protocols, I also have no reason to doubt them.

Here's the list of load data from LoadData.com with the accompanying number of load recipes. (Halve the number because the table lists the min and the max for each load, so where the Ramshot lists "6" it's actually 3 with a min and a max for each.)

5.7x28 FN / 5.7x28mm FN (Accurate Data - Edition 3.2.2 - 2008) 12
5.7x28 FN / 5.7x28mm FN (Accurate Data - Edition 3.5 - 2012) 20
5.7x28 FN / 5.7x28mm FN (Ramshot Data - Edition 4.3 - 2009) 6
5.7x28 FN / 5.7x28mm FN (Western Powders Reloading Guide - Edition 5.0 - 2013) 30
5.7x28 FN / 5.7x28mm FN Handload Data 66

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk