Thread: 5.6x57 single shot project

I have been tinkering around with this one for a while so thought I had better do a build thread on it.

I picked up a cheap 12ga Baikal after seeing the 30-30 that @akaroa1 had built.


The original plan was to build a 243AI as a mate had a reamer for it. Turns out that we couldn't find that reamer so had to scratch that plan so back to square one.
While I was on a trip back home to see my folks I came across a 5.6x57RWS reamer/brass/dies at a price I couldn't say no to, so it was time to find a .224 barrel!

Whilst I was waiting for a .224 barrel to appear I started work on the extractor as I knew it would be a bit of work to make an extractor for a rimless cartridge.
I began by drilling a 12mm hole in some plate to test out the fit on a cartridge, almost perfect!


Then I cut the plate in half across the 12mm hole and drilled a hole for the spring and detent.


I made 2 of these as we decided to make a pair, one for me and one for @708AISam who is doing the machine work.

Once I got my hands on a .224 barrel(unfired CZ barrel, 24" 1:9 twist) it was time to stub the shotgun barrel and bore the first 110mm to 21mm so the forcing cone was gone and there was a step to locate the rifle barrel.
Then the rifle barrel was machined to fit and inserted for a test fit.


Once this was test fitted then the breech face was turned to suit and barrel was chambered. No issues with the 5.6x57 cleaningbupnthe 223 chamber!

I still hanker after a 22hp savage done somewhat like this...thats a big case,not one Im familiar with,IM guessing its 22/250 ish levels velocity??

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I still hanker after a 22hp savage done somewhat like this...thats a big case,not one Im familiar with,IM guessing its 22/250 ish levels velocity??

Should be 200ish fps faster than a 22-250 all going well, practically a 7x57 case with a .22 projectile

Next step was to mill a slot for the extractor and test fit it.


That was all good so milled the old extractor off and tig'd this one in place.
Also drilled and tapped the shotgun barrel to take a modified Weaver base.


The base was modified to sit the scope back further so the eye relief was right

Here is a close up of the extractor, showing the spring loaded detent that extracts the case. It is held in place against the spring by a roll pin.


Once this was all sorted the barrel could be finally fitted and secured in place with loctite bearing retainer and now it looks like a rifle!


One thing became apparent and that was the comb was way too low for use with a scope so it was time to start making a more suitable stock for it.

Originally Posted by makka

Should be 200ish fps faster than a 22-250 all going well, practically a 7x57 case with a .22 projectile

Sort of a swift but capable of heavier projectiles with that 1:9 barrel. 5.6 is .228 isn't it so I suspect you'll neck the cases to suit the barrel.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Sort of a swift but capable of heavier projectiles with that 1:9 barrel. 5.6 is .228 isn't it so I suspect you'll neck the cases to suit the barrel.

5.6 is just the metric rounding for .224 in this instance.
Case capacity sits it between the Swift and a 22 Creedmoor

Next step was to make a trial buttstock out of pine to see what I needed shape and size wise.



Now I had to decide what to build the stock from, I had acquired some nice walnut but couldn't bring myself to build my first stock from something so nice so after seeing a few of the paulownia/carbon builds by @chainsaw and @Scott Cowan I decided to go down that route for the initial stock build

did you fit pine one up??? too good to chuck in woodbox for firewood.... I would use that LOL. infact if you send it to me I will do .

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

did you fit pine one up??? too good to chuck in woodbox for firewood.... I would use that LOL. infact if you send it to me I will do .

It's pretty rough round the action, more just to get an idea of the shape.

Next step was to cut and shape some paulownia for the buttstock, it certainly works easier than the pine!

I contemplated doing the same but decided against it as figured would be crazy front heavy to carry... watching with interest.

Now onto the foregrip, which was more challenging even though it was much smaller.
First I made a "pillar" so I got the distance between the forend iron and release catch right


Then I inletted the forend iron. Once this was done I could epoxy in the pillar so I had a depth to work to for the release catch.

Final shaping of the forend and then it was time for carbon. I decided to go with a schnabel on the forend, I felt it was fitting with the style I was trying to achieve