( lower cost ) platform for single shot 5.7 X 28 rifle ???

M

Magnum Wheel Man

New member
my 5.7 X 28 chamber reamer should be here today, & my local smithing buddy is building us couple of Contender barrels ( his a carbine, mine a 10" )... he has been talking about building smaller single shot bolt action rifle from scratch... I'm wondering if there is a newer cheaper 22 rim fire, that has enough locking lug to handle the cartridge, & would be easier to convert, than building one from scratch, while circumventing the lack of serial number etc...

maybe I'd be better off with a carbine length Contender barrel instead ??? I was just thinking a small bolt action would be nice... any guns out there come to mind ???

looking at guns like the Savage youth model single shot, Cricket rifle etc...
 
hmmm... got my 1st Remington Rolling Bock this last year... I see Savage makes a Stevens Favorite... that would be a real nice conversion... but I think all the parts are cast & maybe it wouldn't take the pressures ???

just thinking outloud...
 
Seems like there was a target rifle .22 with locking lugs in the front but I would imadgine it would be expensive.

What about a H&R handy rifle? Firing pin might be a little bit of a problem but not as bad as opening up a .22 bolt face and extractor.
 
thanks for the reply... I'd just do a carbine barrel for my Contender instead of the Handi Rifle ( there's probably not a lot of difference in price between a 22 hornet & a 22 LR Handi Rifle, & that would just require the barrel cut, set back and a rechamber, rather than futzing with moving the firing pin...)

my thoughts that a handy light little bolt action would be a fun platform with which to play with hand loads in 5.7 X 28...

I'd actually like that Steven Favorite right now before a carbine barrel for the Contender or a Handi Rifle... but the bolt action offers some rifle bedding advantages on the bench, when it comes to follow up shots, that the break actions, or under lever falling blocks can't match...
 
22lr bores will be a little tight for 5.7X28 .224 bullet diam.
Look at 22mag for the bore size twist rate. The Savage 25 might work. It has a seperate bolt head so making a complete bolt is not needed. Get any .223 cal barrel and cut the shank to fit, chamber and you have a single shot bolt gun. Feeding from a mag will be a problem though. You can buy off the shelve 5.7 barrels for the Contender and custom ones run around 300.00. If you end up with a single shot anyway just go T/C. FN has spoken of a 5.7 bolt gun in 09. It won't be inexpensive. :)
 
Any short centerfire action would work, but I'm sure you want to keep the package compact. If it were me, I would look at a Remington 799 action. Good strong action, very compact, and the rifles are very reasonably priced, around $500.

22 rimfire actions typically do not have threads (the barrels are usually just pinned in place) and are not heat treated, so you could run the cost up quite a bit getting past those 2 issues. You could buy a Ruger 77/22 in 22 Hornet, but the 2-piece bolt is still going to be an issue with the higher operating pressure of a 5.6X28, and they usually go for more than the 799 rifle.
 
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