5.7x28 for hunting?

B

Beretta686

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I was out playing with my FN Five-Seven and someone told me that they use one of them for hunting. I figured they're shooting rabbits or squirrels with it, but they claimed to use it on pigs. Yet, I'm a bit skeptical as it seems way under powered for hunting a pig.

Has anyone on here every used the 5.7x28 for hunting of some sort?

I view the 5x7x28 as largely an amusing range-toy, kind of like an NFA item, but I'm curious if someone has found a hunting use for them.
 
Ballisticly it’ about the same as a 22 WMR. So you certainly can hunt with one. Wood chucks, foxes, coyotes and so on would be perfect game for that shell.
 
it would be quite similar to hunting with a 204 ruger in terms of energy(assuming 16 inch barrels). standard 5.7 loads use 40gr Vmaxes, a very common varminting/predator bullet. if a person reloads for it and found some light hollow points or soft points I would even go so far as to say it could be used for deer.
 
Ballisticly it’ about the same as a 22 WMR.
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Not again!! :confused: Google is your friend.

I own two, and the rifle will turn a Prairie dog into green and red mist at 150 yards. I reload and Varmint Nightmare hollow points get the job done. And now days it is about the same price as 22LR.

Doug
 
Just as a point of reference regarding prices of 5.7X28 vs .22RF.
Midway lists the 5.7 at $203 for 500. Their .22rf prices are $20-$33 for a brick of your basic .22s.

Use....when we say that "they" are using the 5.7 for hunting....ya gotta remember that "they" do lots of things that range into the iffy.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Pete
 
Use....when we say that "they" are using the 5.7 for hunting....ya gotta remember that "they" do lots of things that range into the iffy.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
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Indeed, I hear many epic tales while shooting. A grain of salt and some research can do wonders.

I usually use a suppressed .22 pistol for rabbits, but now I think I'm going to try my Five-Seven, as it's much flatter shooting. But for pigs, I think I'll demur on the 5.7.
 
Way less performance than a .204, for sure. I'm dubious about penetration on something like a hog. Slaughter in a pen is nothing at all like hunting in the field.

From Wikipedia:

Ballistic performance

Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
23 gr (1 g) SS90 AP FMJ 850 m/s (2,800 ft/s) 540 J (400 ft·lbf)

31 gr (2 g) SS190 AP FMJ 716 m/s (2,350 ft/s) 534 J (394 ft·lbf)

28 gr (2 g) SS195LF JHP 716 m/s (2,350 ft/s) 467 J (344 ft·lbf)

Test barrel length: 263 mm (10.35 in)

Source(s): The Encyclopedia of Handheld Weapons

Data I've seen for handguns shows a muzzle velocity just under 2,000 ft/sec. I will say that the pistol is fun to shoot, and groups quite nicely.
 
I view the 5x7x28 as largely an amusing range-toy, kind of like an NFA item, but I'm curious if someone has found a hunting use for them.
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My WAG would be that people who hunt with a rifle and can reload would fill that niche with .22 hornet.
 
@ the OP---The cartridge may be able to down a hog with a properly placed shot, that doesnt mean you should try it. A .357 (loaded hot) at minimum for hog. Your 5.7 is great for all the vermin running around. I dont think anyone should shoot large game with anything less than 90gr. Just my $0.02.
 
The 5.7x28 is not even close to the 5.2x47 (AKA .204 Ruger)

I would keep game size to coyote, maximum and ranges fairly short, for the 5.7
They generally use light bullets with low ballistic coefficients, and sectional density, and the muzzle velocity is not very impressive. It's essentially the .223 'downsized' into a pistol cartridge.

It could be plausible to use it for pigs at very close range, but I WOULD NOT recommend it unless you're using AP ammo and limiting yourself to headshots. And still, there are obvious choices which would be better, for that task.

I really hope this guy isn't using his semi auto to empty an entire magazine, on game that is too large for the cartridge and caliber he is using. :mad:
 
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I would keep game size to coyote, maximum and ranges fairly short, for the 5.7
They generally use light bullets with low ballistic coefficients, and sectional density, and the muzzle velocity is not very impressive. It's essentially the .223 'downsized' into a pistol cartridge.
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that is incredibly interesting considering that the 40gr hornady Vmax loaded in most factory 5.7 casings have a BC of .200 yet a 55gr sierra gameking intended for 223 and 22-250 has a BC of .185.
 
that is incredibly interesting considering that the 40gr hornady Vmax loaded in most factory 5.7 casings have a BC of .200 yet a 55gr sierra gameking intended for 223 and 22-250 has a BC of .185.
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That has nothing to do with the 5.7x28 case. Both those ballistic coefficients are terrible, and it's likely comparing bullets of different shapes. Considering all these bullets are .224 diameter, they could all potentially be used interchangeably, and if you compare similar shaped bullets and constructed bullets, heavier ones will always have better BC's. Of course if you compare a 40 grain boat tail to a 55 grain flat base, there are going to be numerous differences. And the boat tail has the potential for a higher BC despite the flatbase being slightly heavier.
You do realize you could load the Vmax into .223 and the gameking in the 5.7, right? It doesn't change the factuality of my statement, simply because you found a bullet with a higher BC in 5.7 than a bullet in .223 doesn't change that the 5.7 is generally loaded with low BC and low SD bullets. Of course you could find a lower BC bullet for the .223 as you could for the 5.7
The original AP ammo in the 5.7 ranged in weight from 23-31 grains.
Also note I did type 'generally'
Of course you could probably load a 90 grain boat tail into the 5.7 and get a decent BC and SD but it's going to be pushed SLOW and it's going to need a custom barrel. GENERALLY 5.7 as well as .223 bullets tend to have low BC's and SD's. Since 60+ grain bullets are more common in the .223 it generally is loaded with slightly higher SD and BC bullets. But that doesn't stop someone from loading a 30 grain flat base in their .223 either.
 
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Tahunua - He didn't say the ballistic coefficients were "lower". He just said they were "low".

When you're talking about almost any cartridge that launches bullets at more than ~1,800 fps, a ballistic coefficient of .200 is low. I have handgun bullets (traditional cartridges) with better BCs. ;)
 
I guess I misread his post, so in fact the generalization was pointed at 22s as a whole as being unsuited for anything but coyotes.

Oh! nein you didn't!
qzLo9.gif


this 200LB buck didn't seem to think he was too big for a 55grain bullet with horrible ballistic coefficient at 225 yards.
blankface_zpsdf334382.jpg

BTW, at 225 yards, this 223 ammo is going about 200 FPS slower than the muzzle velocity of a 5.7 so theoretically, given bullets with decent velocity and BC(for a 22) the 5.7 should make a passable deer cartridge at least within muzzle loader ranges.
 
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