9mm seems to be the current global standard for handgun self defense, and while some competitors exist like .40 or .45 the 9mm still reigns supreme; however it seems like we're marching towards something kind of like a mini-cold war with China and ammo like the 5.7 offers attractive body armor defeating power, and it's undeniable that civilian shooters are highly influenced by military firearm trends. So just talking about civilian self defense is there any reason to think that the 5.7 could challenge 9mm, or at least stake it's claim next to the 40/45 big brothers? Or is this just a fad experiment that only makes sense in the context of PDWs like the P90 or MP7? I'm sure 99% of us don't have to worry about a home intruder with body armor but I've never heard how 5.7 works against soft targets.
Is 5.7 a threat to 9mm dominance?
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Zerodefect
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First post nailed it.
9mm is cheap. That's the only reason it's so popular. Everything else is just nonsense to make people feel good about owning the cheapest caliber.
And 5.7 requires a long skinny grip, that nobody will be able make good.
9mm is cheap. That's the only reason it's so popular. Everything else is just nonsense to make people feel good about owning the cheapest caliber.
And 5.7 requires a long skinny grip, that nobody will be able make good.
Corpral_Agarn
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No.
Personally I think a 30 or 32 cal straight wall cartridge with 125 grn bullet with some good velocity might would be cool. Really maximize the capacity idea.
Basically 30 carbine-SHORT.
BreechFace
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Give me a 7.5 FK BRNO (95gr @ 2,000fps out of a pistol) type cartridge any day over the FN 5.7
But isn't it only cheap because it's so widely made? Almost every police and military unit on Earth uses it, and every civilian at least strongly considers it.
I'll stick with my 7.62x25.
Rock185
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No.
tactikel
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IMHO without the penetrator projectile the round is little more than a souped up .22 mag.
No disrespect but the round was designed to allow NATO officers to have a sidearm that would defeat soviet body armor. US LE rightly demanded the AP rounds be banned. The 5.7 is a very popular round with the Mexican cartels, it easily defeats Federales body armor. For 99.9% of SD work 9 mm is great.
No disrespect but the round was designed to allow NATO officers to have a sidearm that would defeat soviet body armor. US LE rightly demanded the AP rounds be banned. The 5.7 is a very popular round with the Mexican cartels, it easily defeats Federales body armor. For 99.9% of SD work 9 mm is great.
“Unlikely,” is my response to the OP. The 5.7 was designed to defeat the relatively primitive body armor of its time. The 5.7 cartridge does not fit into the compact handgun design envelope.
The high cost of 5.7 is due to economy of scale. If huge government orders were to materialize, the price of production could result in less-expensive 5.7 ammo, though, of course, the AP stuff would not be made available to the USA civilian population.
I am not a hater of the 5.7 cartridge. I have some amount of interest in 5.7 weapons, as I have reached the age at which recoil is not my friend. The FN 5.7 pistol has not excited me, because its unusual safety lever is so unlike any other weapon I currently use, and, it is nowhere near being a “natural” pointer, in my hands. I do like the PS90, and have one, though anecdotes of the magazines having short service lives are of concern.
The high cost of 5.7 is due to economy of scale. If huge government orders were to materialize, the price of production could result in less-expensive 5.7 ammo, though, of course, the AP stuff would not be made available to the USA civilian population.
I am not a hater of the 5.7 cartridge. I have some amount of interest in 5.7 weapons, as I have reached the age at which recoil is not my friend. The FN 5.7 pistol has not excited me, because its unusual safety lever is so unlike any other weapon I currently use, and, it is nowhere near being a “natural” pointer, in my hands. I do like the PS90, and have one, though anecdotes of the magazines having short service lives are of concern.
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crestoncowboy
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None of those will ever challenge 9mm. I own 2 5.7 and only one 9. But no. They will never make a dent. Even if the price were the same as 9
Grip has to be too long to accommodate the cartridge. People bitch about a Beretta/ usp etc being too big.... tapered cartridge people hate. Tiny diameter people also hate. Pia to reload. Power just north of a 22 mag out of a handgun in anything really available. Stupid loud.....
Excellent varmint gun.
Grip has to be too long to accommodate the cartridge. People bitch about a Beretta/ usp etc being too big.... tapered cartridge people hate. Tiny diameter people also hate. Pia to reload. Power just north of a 22 mag out of a handgun in anything really available. Stupid loud.....
Excellent varmint gun.
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I do not see it happening in my lifetime. Reason being, die hard reloaders like myself prefer the 9mm over the 5.7 to reload. Reloading the 5.7 can at times make you pull your hair by the roots. If anything I believe that the 22 TCM could give the 5.7 a run for its money.
daniel craig
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I’d rather shoot 7.62x25
BreechFace
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Me, personally think the 5.7 will die off, never got the appeal. It won’t defeat level 3 or 4 armor.
crestoncowboy
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I don't know if it could die off too much. A total of about 4 guns made for it in 20 years
The move for smaller 9mm semi-autos suggests that the 5.7 guns have little use for EDC. Having the AP ammo for them is not allowed for civilians so that combating armor isn't a thing.
It will be niche gun. Get one just because if you want.
It will be niche gun. Get one just because if you want.
TTv2
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The biggest threat to 9mm dominance is still and has always been .45 ACP. 9 out of 10 gun owners who own more than one handgun have either a 9 or a .45. They're not chomping at the bit to get their hands on it, even the reloaders don't want to touch it. Even during normal times the ammo cost over half a buck a round and that's generally the cut off for most people as anything that expensive for ammo has to be big bore and powerful.
A lot of people want to make the 5.7 out to be the next big thing and it's been around for over 30 years and it's been almost 20 since the AWB sunset and who else other than FN has made a true pistol in the caliber? Ruger, that's it.
The only handgun caliber that is coming out of obscurity currently is 10mm for the reason of exceptional power and increased capacity over .45 ACP in the same size pistol as the .45's are. Even then 10mm is not a threat to 9mm.
And really, whatever is a threat to 9mm, the entire construct of the question is irrelevant because it doesn't matter what caliber is the most popular, what matters is what you can shoot well, how it performs, and if you can get ammo for it.
A lot of people want to make the 5.7 out to be the next big thing and it's been around for over 30 years and it's been almost 20 since the AWB sunset and who else other than FN has made a true pistol in the caliber? Ruger, that's it.
The only handgun caliber that is coming out of obscurity currently is 10mm for the reason of exceptional power and increased capacity over .45 ACP in the same size pistol as the .45's are. Even then 10mm is not a threat to 9mm.
And really, whatever is a threat to 9mm, the entire construct of the question is irrelevant because it doesn't matter what caliber is the most popular, what matters is what you can shoot well, how it performs, and if you can get ammo for it.
MP7 is 4.6x30 I believe they also made a 5.6x30 too.
Course none of that matters as there will likely never be a civilian version released.
twarr1
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Being a bottleneck cartridge it will never be as inexpensive to manufacture as the straight wall (tapered) 9mm.
The blowback operation timing is critical and neither FN nor Ruger got it perfect. Both pistols run ok with the limited factory ammo, but reloaders are aware it’s a very picky cartridge to work with.
BATFE almost immediately banned the AP ammo, with was the primary factor that set the 5.7x28 apart from others. As others have already mentioned, it’s a rough equivalent of the 22TCM.
I don’t think it’ll ever even be competition for the 9mm, let only replace it.
The blowback operation timing is critical and neither FN nor Ruger got it perfect. Both pistols run ok with the limited factory ammo, but reloaders are aware it’s a very picky cartridge to work with.
BATFE almost immediately banned the AP ammo, with was the primary factor that set the 5.7x28 apart from others. As others have already mentioned, it’s a rough equivalent of the 22TCM.
I don’t think it’ll ever even be competition for the 9mm, let only replace it.
FL-NC
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The MP7 isn't 5.7. I saw 5.7 ammo for sale this week at over $50/box, and it isn't something you see on a regular basis at any price. I believe only 2 manufacturers make the round at all, and I think there are only about half a dozen guns that fire it- the cheapest one around $700. 9mm goes in thousands of firearms of all types over the last century +, world-wide, with new designs coming out constantly. Some of the "most affordable" pistols currently produced are 9mm, and the ammunition is made in dozens of countries. The round and the guns that fire it are just too popular and prolific.
MedWheeler
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Not in the slightest, for the reasons already given. Besides, there's always the "because the cops and military carry it" crowd.
MedWheeler
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TTv2 writes:
In the first part, you say that only the .45acp could threaten the dominance of the 9mm Luger. In the second, you mention that the 5.7 has failed to do so despite having been around for over three decades. The .45 has been around for more than ten decades, and still failed to keep the 9mm from passing it by in popularity, which it did more than thirty years ago.
I agree that the 5.7 won't endanger the 9mm's popularity. I disagree that the .45acp will.
In the first part, you say that only the .45acp could threaten the dominance of the 9mm Luger. In the second, you mention that the 5.7 has failed to do so despite having been around for over three decades. The .45 has been around for more than ten decades, and still failed to keep the 9mm from passing it by in popularity, which it did more than thirty years ago.
I agree that the 5.7 won't endanger the 9mm's popularity. I disagree that the .45acp will.
CapnMac
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The "dominance" of a given ammunition is largely based on availability and price per round.
If 5.7 were 10¢ or 15¢ per round and in every big box store, then "maybe."
There are all sorts of arguments about ammo, and there is "demand" for all sorts of things. Like .32acp or 9x18, or the like.
If 5.7 were 10¢ or 15¢ per round and in every big box store, then "maybe."
There are all sorts of arguments about ammo, and there is "demand" for all sorts of things. Like .32acp or 9x18, or the like.
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