 The calibre has a significant following among European sportsmen, and most European mass production riflemakers chamber several models of rifle for this cartridge.During the 1970-1990 period this cartridge was widely and successfully used in the Republic of Ireland for deer shooting, since security considerations at a period of Provisional Irish Republican Army violence had led to a ban on the civilian ownership of calibres larger than .224in.Some British small deer specialist hunters use the 5.6×57 mm with great success on roe deer, muntjac and Chinese water deer.