FN Five-seveN (5.7x28mm)...talk to me...

[.50]

I've become enamored with this little jewel of late; and a semi-local shop/range has one in their rental fleet that I'm gonna try within the next couple of weeks.

Anybody have any experience or info?

[geetarman]

I have never shot one and I have heard that commercial ammunition is expensive.

Where I shoot, a fellow who did not want to pay the price of commercial ammo, decided to roll his own.

Don't know if he drastically undercharged the case or used the wrong powder, but he blew the gun up. He was injured, the guy in the next lane was injured and a guy I shoot with was hot by a piece of shrapnel that left a welt but did not break the skin.

There was not a salvageable piece left of that gun.

If you buy one and decide to reload, you really need to be careful.

[Valerko]

I did similar thing with my AR15. Blew up my upper with bad reloads. Turned upmarket,I've used pistol powder in 5.56 case. Didn't really seem like a much , just bigger bang that usual, but it did destroy BCG and upper receiver was split in half.
I was fine. Lesson learn. Laded thousands of rounds since for rifle and pistols since.

Getting back to 5.7 , I'd like to here some inputs as well,I'm kind of on the limb between 5.7 and .22TCM

[rock185]

I had one for testing/evaluation for several months. We only shot FN factory ammo through it. It was reliable, nothing broke or blew up, accurate, VERY little recoil, etc. The SS192 ammo we were using averaged 2025 fps. Pretty fast for a standard length, about 4.7" IIRC, pistol. Everyone who shot it liked it. It was still like new when we were done with it and I could have purchased it at a very good price, but didn't. Wish I had now. Anyway, different, but neat gun, IMHO...ymmv

[glock75]

I have owned one for several years. It is a great gun in my opinion. Holds 20 rounds, shoots very flat and extremely accurate, with the recoil of a .22 mag.

The cost of a box of 50 rnds runs around $24 to $27. You can buy in bulk and save a little. So I think that the cost is in line with other handgun calibers.

[.50]

I have never shot one and I have heard that commercial ammunition is expensive.

Where I shoot, a fellow who did not want to pay the price of commercial ammo, decided to roll his own.

Don't know if he drastically undercharged the case or used the wrong powder, but he blew the gun up. He was injured, the guy in the next lane was injured and a guy I shoot with was hot by a piece of shrapnel that left a welt but did not break the skin.

There was not a salvageable piece left of that gun.

If you buy one and decide to reload, you really need to be careful.

Note to self... buy factory ammo. Thanks. :-)

[vandyatc]

I have a 5.7 and a PS90, and they are my favorites. Ammo is less than a .45. You can't safely reload that cartridge from what I hear. It is a very high pressure round. Accuracy is stellar, and don't believe he haters, it is a potent round. My old man took out a coyote in the back yard, and it ripped a hole the size of an orange out the ribcage coming out. It is my go to woods gun. If I get rolled by a grizzly in KY, then my luck just ran out... It weighs less loaded with 20 rounds than a Glock 19 unloaded. Lots of muzzle flash, and no kick. Great gun for the ladies as well.

The PS90 is just a blast but expensive to feed because it eats quickly!

[.50]

I keep hearing these stellar reports from owners and users. I think it could become my go-to gun/s. I may buy a pair.

I love the capacity, the accuracy, and light loaded weight. In quantity, ammo won't be too expensive (I'd never reload a 50,000 max psi round anyway). And I can get a PS90 to go with it. I may be in luv.

[TMD]

I shot one when they first came out a few years ago. Neat little gun but I never seen the alure of it. Now every time I see one I think "really really expensive .22 mag".

[ScotchMan]

I guess I'll be the voice of dissent (and/or reason).

A high-cap 9mm will do the same thing, for less money, more options, and less headache.

The beauty of the 5.7, and the reason it was designed, was to use the same ammunition in both a handgun and a PDW, the P90. It needed to use lightweight ammunition that could penetrate kevlar. If your purpose is building a doomsday arsenal and availability of ammunition is not your concern, or you are protecting the president, maybe 5.7 makes sense. It is ballistically a great round, but its still a handgun round.

If your purpose is anything else, there are better choices. Shot placement still matters, so you still need to practice. I would much rather have a 20 round 9mm where I had some choices on features such as hammer/striker, safety, etc, and could know that I would be able to find ammunition in the foreseeable future. The 5.7 is a cool collection gun, but I think there are a lot of better choices as a "go-to" anything gun.

[fieldcoordinator]

My wife likes hers. She bought one in Dark Earth because she didn't have "a brown gun yet" and a dark earth FN45 didn't fit her hand. Really.

Very little recoil, pretty light, nice fireball, decent trigger, crazy accurate. First time we shot it I put 6 rounds into a dime sized group at 7 yards. Everyone she lets try the 5.7 really likes it. It throws the brass forward and 1 to 3 o'clock, about 10+ feet. Some of that may be the effect of bouncing off the covered range roof. I haven't tried reloading it yet, but that brass is a bear to find in grass. It's a screamer of a handgun round.

Ammo is pricey (45 ACP is cheaper) and hard to find lately. 6 months ago we could find half case ammo can specials at Cabelas no problem. Now every place I check is backorder city. Federal has an equivalent American Eagle loading that is FMJ, not ballistic tip. Price is comparable to the SS197. The local Gander Mountain gets a case in every week or so - they tell me it only lasts a day or 2 on the shelf. We managed to scoop up some of that for practice ammo.

I keep telling her she needs to get the companion P90.

[ripnbst]

A guy on a local forum actually had the unlucky experience of having to shoot an individual to defend his life. He happened to be carry a Five Seven at the time. He shot the assailant several times out of necessity. After all was done and he was able, he immediately sold the gun. He was that dissatisfied with it's performance.

[TunnelRat]

To me the problem with the Five-Seven is that the average person can't get the ammo that makes it into what it was designed for, defeating Kevlar vests. It's not a small gun. There are countless other pistols as easy to conceal if not more so. If capacity is the main concern, 9mm is much cheaper and I could get an XDm for close to half the price and have 19 rds of 9mm, pick your weight and loading. It would be much cheaper to practice with too. Granted it would be heavier, but personally I'd feeling more comfortable with SD ammo out of a 9mm than the commercial 5.7mm loadings. Just my 2 cents.

[TunnelRat]

He shot the assailant several times out of necessity. After all was done and he was able, he immediately sold the gun. He was that dissatisfied with it's performance.

While I get your point, if you don't hit a critical area of the body then likely you will have to shoot multiple times. Most people will do so from adrenaline regardless. For kicks and giggles google Jared Reston and watch the video. Officer shot 7 times with a 45 ACP, once in the face, and still killed his attacker. Why? Hist vest stopped hits to a vital area.

[chris in va]

Tried one at the range last year. Absurdly light, feels like a toy. Recoil is less than a 9mm from a heavy steel gun. I still don't see a firm purpose for it.

[Edward429451]

You can't safely reload that cartridge from what I hear.

I don't believe this. I've been reading about this cartridge and aside from the brass being expensive and not reloadable more than 3 times supposedly, it seems like a cool little cartridge, and would make a nice trail gun.

[ScotchMan]

For all the bears wearing Kevlar?

[hulley]

I have a Five-seveN and I love the gun. I'm a re-loader too but I have no desire to reload the 5.7x28mm round. I have full faith in the round especially the T6 ammo that mines loaded with when on the night stand or woods carry.

Having said that, sometimes I think about selling the gun because to a reloader, having to buy ammo is very expensive. I can reload all my pistols rounds for 10-11 cents each including .357mag. Truth is I've only fired about 150-200rds because everytime I shoot I cring at the money I'm sending down range. The Five-seveN is my only poly gun and feels no where as good to me as my Sigs or revolvers. If/when I do sell it the money will go to more Sigs and revolvers.

[hulley]

BTW, I had no problem consistantly hitting tennis balls at 80-85yds, tons of fun to shoot and crazy light. If your ok with buying ammo then by all means get the gun, I doubt you would regret it, most people dont.

[.50]

Great responses on both sides of the proverbial coin.

Since I already have nearly every .45/.40/9mm known to man, I don't have to depend on the Five-seveN. I just want a unique and dependable alternative for awhile. It won't be an "OR" choice, it will be an "AND" choice.

I don't mind spending $$ on factory ammo, since I see the savings from reloading much of my other stuff. I pay to have some of my odd calibers reloaded, or buy factory ammo; so I just amortize the various costs of it all. I don't think about money when I'm burning rounds; just as I don't think about gasoline cost when I'm motorcycling.

The uniqueness, lightness, and accuracy is what's attractive; along with sharing ammo for an equally-unique carbine. Maybe it's infatuation with a novelty. (But I AM stockpiling for doomsday. LOL. And one never knows when a President might stop by and be in danger. ROFLOL.)

I peed myself just a dribble at the "bears wearing kevlar" comment. Hilarious.

Keep it coming. Good stuff, one and all.

[ScotchMan]

If you own nearly every 9/40/45, then why are we even talking about this, go buy a Five-seveN! It's an awesome collection piece and range gun. All of my criticisms are from the perspective of choosing it over an equivalent 9/40/45 gun for a legitimate use.

[.50]

If you own nearly every 9/40/45, then why are we even talking about this, go buy a Five-seveN! It's an awesome collection piece and range gun. All of my criticisms are from the perspective of choosing it over an equivalent 9/40/45 gun for a legitimate use.

I realized that about halfway throught the thread, which is why I clarified.

I'm headed over to shoot the rental in an hour, and they have 2 in stock and a case of ammo. They also have a PS90 coming within the month.

I'll likely buy it all (along with a Rossi Ranch Hand... LOL), especially after the content of this thread.

Bears in kevlar. That belongs in someone's sig. LOL.

[hulley]

Honestly, if its an "AND" choice then I really couldnt think of a better gun! No other gun in my collection has the cool factor and peaks interest at the range. I think I remember reading about a gut on a FN forum that has never cleaned his Five-seveN, he wanting to see how far it goes without cleaning, he does keep it lubed though. I want to say over 8k rounds fired total, I could easily be wrong (according to my wife I'm wrong alot).

[Iron Man]

As you will notice from the replies there are two camps...lovers and haters. There is seldom an in-between. In almost every instance those who own one love the gun. In almost every other instance those who really don't know anything about the weapon hate it. Listen to those who have experience.

I own one. It is an amazing piece of machinery. And don't listen to anyone who claims it is an overpriced .22 magnum. That's like saying a Ducati sport bike is an overpriced bicycle. The ballistics don't match, not even close. And those who claim they do are usually comparing a .22 magnum shot from a rifle to a 5.7 shot from a pistol. Big difference.

I shoot mine regularly and it is my go-to open carry gun. It is crazy loud with very little recoil. It's a little big for CCDW (at least for me).

Also, the reports of it not being a good self defense gun has very little substantial evidence. As the aforementioned coyote example shows the wound cavity can be huge.

Buy one, you will never be sorry.

[ScotchMan]

Bears in kevlar. That belongs in someone's sig. LOL.

Why not yours? Make sure you credit me