5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum

The 5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum or 5mm RFM[3] is a bottlenecked rimfire cartridge introduced by Remington Arms Company in 1969. Remington chambered it in a pair of bolt-action rifles, the Model 591 and Model 592, but the round never became very popular, and the rifles were discontinued in 1974.[4] About 52,000 rifles and 30,000 barrels for the T/C Contender pistol were sold during its brief production run. Remington discontinued the cartridge itself in 1982,[4] leaving owners with no source of ammunition.[5][6]

5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum
5mm RRM (left), .22 WMR (center) and .17 HMR (right).
Type	Rimfire
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	Remington Arms Company
Designed	1969
Manufacturer	Remington
Produced	1971-1973, 2008-present
Specifications
Parent case	none
Case type	Rimfire, bottleneck
Bullet diameter	.204 in (5.2 mm)
Neck diameter	.225 in (5.7 mm)
Shoulder diameter	.259 in (6.6 mm)
Base diameter	.259 in (6.6 mm)
Rim diameter	.325 in (8.3 mm)
Rim thickness	.050 in (1.3 mm)
Case length	1.020 in (25.9 mm)
Overall length	1.30 in (33 mm)
Primer type	Rimfire
Maximum pressure	33,000 psi (230 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 38 gr. (2.5 g) Lead 2,100 ft/s (640 m/s) 372 ft⋅lbf (504 J) 30 gr. (1.9 g) JHP 2,410 ft/s (730 m/s) 410 ft⋅lbf (560 J)
Source(s): "Cartridges of the World",[1] "Varminter.com"[2]

In 2008, the cartridge was reintroduced by Mexico's Aguila Ammunition in collaboration with Centurion Ordnance.[7][8][9]

Design

Remington designed a completely new, bottlenecked case that was somewhat similar to the older .22 Winchester Magnum, but stronger to handle the higher pressure of the 5 mm at 33,000 PSI.[3] It uses a 5 mm (.204 caliber) bullet that measures 0.2045 inches (5.19 mm), the same as the more recent .204 Ruger center fire cartridge.

From 1982 until 2008, no ammunition manufacturers manufactured rounds for this cartridge. Some firearms manufacturers even created conversion kits to allow the existing 5 mm guns to shoot other more-common cartridges.[6]

At the 2008 SHOT Show, Aguila Ammunition announced it would reintroduce the cartridge and begin commercial production of 5mm RFM ammunition. Until 2019, the cartridges were sold in the United States of America under the Centurion brand. In 2019, Aguila Ammunition announced the company now offered two 5mm RFM loads: one with a semi-jacketed hollow point bullet and a second with a full jacketed hollow point bullet. Both loads use a 30 grain projectile and have a muzzle velocity of 2,300 fps.[10]

Performance

The 5 mm RRM offers higher velocity than the .22 WMR and more energy than both the .22 WMR and the later .17 HMR.[7] It offers improved performance on small-game and for varmint hunting, along with excellent accuracy.[1] The Aguila/Centurion 5mm Remington Magnum ammunition comes in two types: the original "white box" with a 30 gr dimpled jacketed soft point at 2,300 fps, as well as a varmint "yellow box" round with a 30 gr jacketed hollow point at 2,400 fps. Chronograph testing has shown that these rounds can actually run about 100 fps faster than claimed by Aguila.[11]

						Velocity[3][12]
Weight		Cartridge	Brand	Type	Range	0	50	100	150	200	yards
17	grain	.17 HMR	Remington	AccuTip-V	Velocity	2550	2380	1900	1620	1378	ft/s
30	grain	5mm RFM	Centurion	Varmint	Velocity	2480	2162	1869	1605	1380	ft/s
38	grain	5mm RFM	Remington	C.L. HP	Velocity	2100	1839	1605	1401	1231	ft/s
33	grain	.22 WMR	Remington	AccuTip-V	Velocity	2000	1730	1495			ft/s

						Energy[3][12]
Weight		Cartridge	Brand	Type	Range	0	50	100	150	200	yards
17	grain	.17 HMR	Remington	AccuTip-V	Energy	245	185	136	99	72	ft·lbf
30	grain	5mm RFM	Centurion	Varmint	Energy	410	311	233	172	127	ft·lbf
38	grain	5mm RFM	Remington	C.L. HP	Energy	372	285	217	166	128	ft·lbf
33	grain	.22 WMR	Remington	AccuTip-V	Energy	293	219	164			ft·lbf

						Trajectory (100 yards zero)[3][12]
Weight		Cartridge	Brand	Type	Range	0	50	100	150	200	yards
17	grain	.17 HMR	Remington	AccuTip-V	Trajectory	0	+0.1	0	-2.6		in.
30	grain	5mm RFM	Centurion	Varmint	Trajectory	0	+0.2	0	-2.7		in.
38	grain	5mm RFM	Remington	C.L. HP	Trajectory	0	+0.5	0	-3.9		in.
33	grain	.22 WMR	Remington	AccuTip-V	Trajectory	0	+0.6	0	-4.5		in.

5mm Craig centerfire conversion

When Remington discontinued production of 5mm RFM ammunition, owners of Remington 591 and 592 rifles were left with excellent rifles but no ammunition for them. Mike Craig, in 1994, in Seattle, began work on a centerfire conversion of the 5mm RFM, the 5mm Craig.[13][14] His company, Certech, also performed conversions of 5 mm rifles from rimfire to centerfire by altering the bolts and installing new firing pins, restoring them to use. Craig has since sold all the rights to the 5mm Craig to Eagle View Arms of Shelton, Washington.[14]

Firearms chambered for 5mm RRM

Original 591M and 592M rifles are still occasionally available on gun auction websites and at local gun shops and shows, prices running in the $500.00, plus or minus, range (2013).

For a brief time, Thompson Center Arms offered firearms in 5mm Mag.[6]

At the 2008 SHOT show, Taurus International introduced the first handgun chambered for the 5mm Remington Magnum Rimfire.[15] Concurrent with the announcement from Taurus, Aguila Ammunition announced they would begin producing 5mm RFM ammunition in 2008.

As of May 2011, Taurus has not yet imported nor produced their Tracker in 5mm RFM. They had stated that it will be manufactured and imported pending production demand in the second half of 2010.

See also

• Rimfire ammunition
• List of rifle cartridges
• List of handgun cartridges
• Table of handgun and rifle cartridges
• 5 mm caliber

References

1. Barnes, Frank C. (2006) [1965]. Skinner, Stan (ed.). Cartridges of the World (11th ed.). Iola, WI, USA: Gun Digest Books. pp. 475, 490, 492. ISBN 0-89689-297-2.
2. New 5mm Varmint ammo at The Varminter Forums
3. "Magnum Rimfire Comparison: .17 HMR, 5mm Rem. RF Mag, and .22 WMR" by Chuck Hawks
4. When was the 5mm Remington rimfire discontinued? at Remington.com
5. Ken Ramage (5 August 2008). Gun Digest 2009: The World's Greatest Gun Book. F+W Media, Inc. pp. 239–. ISBN 0-89689-647-1.
6. "5mm Centerfire" by Holt Bodinson, Guns Magazine, February 2000
7. "The 5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum" by Chuck Hawks
8. Andy Moe (2008-01-28). "Aguila Brings Back the 5mm Remington!". Archived from the original on 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2008-03-11.
9. Bodinson, Holt (1 July 2008). "I'm ba-a-a-ck! The return of the 5mm Remington rimfire magnum". Guns Magazine. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
10. "Aguila 5mm Ammo | New Ammunition for the Classic 5mm Rimfire". Guns Holsters And Gear. 2008-03-02. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
11. 5mm Forums
12. http://iaaforum.org/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=11820
13. Kenney, C. Lowell (2000). "5mm-Craig Centerfire". Varminter.com.
14. "5MM Craig Story". Eagle View Arms.
15. Taurus Introduces New Revolver in 5mm Remington Magnum Rimfire