It's back and it's better!!!

[Kirkned]

Well it took a non US producer to do it but it is back. What you say well hold on and I'll tell you. Simply the greatest rimfire ever produced. It was only 34 years ahead of it's time, most folks do not even know that it existed and was created by Big Green. What you say? Well back in 1968 Remington produced a revolutionary rimfire cartridge in 20 caliber but made a fatal mistake and called it the 5mm Remington Magnum. This naming killed it before it was ever produce. The only metric cartridge to do well in the U.S.A is the 7mm Remington Mag. This writer believes that if they would have called it anything other than by a metric designation we would all be shooting this great little rimfire round. Remington produce two rifles the model 591 a clip feed rifle and the model 592 a tube feed version. There were less than 55,000 of these rifles produced and in 1974 when Remington stopped producing the ammunition for these great little rifles we that own them were just S.O.L. I have 21 rounds with the old 38 grained HP left. I have not shot this rifle for more than five years and when I last shot it it was only once at a jackrabbit that just seemed to be asking for a 5mm slug to be sent his way. I had to oblige him and the results were just as I had remembered in my youth shooting countless sage rats.
With ammo prices reaching upwards of $75 a box of 50 cartridges it was getting a little spendy to shoot. The last boxes that I bought in 1978 cost me all of $2.59. I took all the little store in Ely, NV had and it was not much only 9 boxes and I have been very, very frugal with these.

Agillia has come to the rescue and is now producing the old 5mm Remington Magnum again. It comes with a 30 grain HP and an advertised 2300 fps muzzle velocity this is 250 fps faster than the old 38 grain cartridge produce by Remington. Price for a box of 50 is in the $15 to $18 range, still more than what a 22 mag. or 17 HMR will run you but a lot cheaper than that $75 a box. I'm hoping that Big Green will catch on and start producing this great little cartridge again. Or perhaps one of the other Ammo manufactures will. Word is that there are several rifles makers that are schedule to produce this great little rifle late in 2008 as of yet only Agillia is making the ammo for it no new rifles have hit the market. TC made some barrels in 5mm Remington and the ones that I have shot do very well with this round. I have always said that Remington was ahead of it's time with this introduction but perhaps now is the time to make a come back.

Kirkned

[skeet]

The 5mm was a great little round. There was one problem with it though. Remington had trouble with the cartridges. They kept blowing out the rims on the cases...in more than one batch. That was the reason it was discontinued. They just tried to limit their liability is all. Now not everyone knows but I think Remington has a bit of a stake in Aguila based in Mexico. I also have heard that there are going to be some bbls for the Contender produced again. Maybe CZ chambering a rifle . Hope it all comes true. Only time will tell BTW I sold qite a few of the Remington 5mm rifles They were pretty accurate

[Kirkned]

Skeet,

Mine has always shot very well. It is a modle 591 the clip feed rifle. I have shot the Agillia ammo and it shoots sub MOA, 0.81 for three 5 shot groups. Not too shabby for a 39 year old production rifle. I must have been lucky as I never had any problem with the Remington ammo. My source at Remington told me that the reason for Remington stopping production was that the 5mm was not competing with the 22 mag. Even though it was a superior cartrige. Much like the 6mm Remington and the 243 winchester. The 6mm had too slow of a twist to stablize anything heaver than 85 grains. Although these two are much closer balistically than the 5mm and the 22 mag. It is that old metric thing again. Let's hope this time people will take a look at it and let the round speak for itself.

Kirkned

[skeet]

I sold more of the clip fed rifles than the tube fed. If I remember the tube fed was a little more expensive. I'll have to check my old factory parts books. They had the catalog pages for each gun in them..or some did anyway. It is true though that they really didn't sell all that many. much better shooter than the 22 mag...at least in standard rifles

[skeet]

I remember in the 80's at Remington Farms they had a couple of cases of that 5mm ammo in one of the ammo rooms...but I never recall seeing a rifle there.

[Catfish]

Boy do I hate to hear that. I`ve been wanting to pick up one of the old 5mm rim fires and turn it into a center fire, but with ammo available again that will raise the price again. I hope I can find one befor the word gets out.

[Rocky Raab]

Way too late for that, Catfish. Aquilla made their announcement at Shot, and by the end of that week, Rem 591 prices had already shot up.

T/C listed the barrels in their catalog even before that announcement, and since then both Savage and Rossi have announced they'd chamber for the 5mm. I think I heard that CZ would, also.

I've already seen small discounts on the ammo, down to $17.95 a box of 50.

[Contenderizer]

I can appreciate Kirkned's elation over the re-introduction of the 5mm. If I had a gun with no ammo I would feel the same way.

Having said that, however, I really can't get too excited over a round that is so similar to the 22 mag, yet costs more to shoot. Accuracy not withstanding, perhaps this mindset - right or wrong - is one of the reasons the round didn't succeed in the first place. Just my two cents.

[Kirkned]

I went out and shot a few Pdogs with the old 5mm and the new ammo form Agilla. All I can say is that the round does not behave like any 22 mag. round I have shot, and I have a few and have shot more ground squirrels, jackrabbits and pdogs that I care to admit with them. There is much more devistation done to the target as with the 5mm. It behaves more like a 22 Hornet than the 22 mag. The longest shot I made with it was 192 yards measured with my Bushnell range finder. I hit the dog where the head and neck join and it nearly removed the entire head. I made several shots in the 150 to 175 yard range, most front shoulder and head shots the destruction was more typical of a center fire round not the 22 mag. However I have not used the CCI TNTs in my four 22 mags as they will not put them in anything other than a group resembling a blast form a 12 ga. shotgun at 35 yards. I have shot the Winchester softpoints hollowpoints and the Remington Hollowpoints the PMC softpoints the Agilla Hollowpoints the Federal 50 grain hollow points, the CCI 40 grain hollow points and a few others. None have behaved like the 5mm remington with the Agilla ammo. I do understand those of you that say for $15.00 a box of 50 (yes I found some for that price when you order 500 or more rounds). I can shoot 100 rounds of 22 mag. and I have said the same thing about the 17 HMR. those shells can now be found for $6.50/50 if you look. However, I have had this old 5mm collecting dust in my closet for a long time and was down to my last few rounds. I for one am more than glad to get it out and shoot it again. Will my 22 mags. be put away not on your life I enjoy them also. Some day I may even get a 17 HRM. However, in the mean time it sure was nice to have an old freind back and have it better than before.

Kirkned

[Kirkned]

Found some of the new production Centurion 5mm ammo for $13.49 a box so I picked up 10 boxes. At that price we are getting closer to the price that it is starting to compete with the 22 mag and 17 HMR. More reasons to get one and shoot it. I think that you'll be impress with this round if you do.

[Seawolf1090]

I once had the chance to pick up a Rem 591, and now wished that I had. I was considering if I got it I'd have it modded for the 5mm Craig centerfire and be able to reload for it.
I have always had very good performance from AGUILA ammo, and expect their 5mm Remington Magnum will be the same.