Why is FN 5.7 so pricey?

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Rico567

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I see that the lowest listed new price of the FN Herstal 5.7 pistol is around $1K. Anybody have any ideas about why a pistol that can't cost any more than a Glock to manufacture sells for twice the price?
 
I think that the answer lies in the workings of the gun. If you could field strip a Glock and the FN 5.7 side-by-side and look at the internals you would see some differences. Just the barrel assembly alone in the FN is a unified assembly that includes the barrel, spring, retainers that do not appear serviceable without special tools - easy to strip for cleaning/lube but complicated. The gun is not striker fired, but instead it has an internal hammer. A lot of technology in firing a high pressure/low recoil cartridge.

At least this is my assessment (I'm not expert). When you consider the engineering costs, add in the fact that the gun is unique and that Glock sells as many model 26s in a month as FN sells 5.7s in a year and you begin to see why the price is so different.

The five-seven is a well designed gun that still hasn't found a place and may never will.

Blessings!

Paul
 
I also feel it is drastically over priced. If the 5.7 was close in price to a Glock, FN would sell a lot more of them....including one to me.
 
Obviously, it's a form of voluntary gun control to keep concealable handguns that fire ammo that was engineered to pierce body armor out of civilian hands.
 
The five-seven is a well designed gun that still hasn't found a place and may never will.
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Drug cartels and Belgium Air Force Pilots. I like the gun, I plan on getting one eventually.
 
FIVETWOSEVEN said:
Drug cartels and Belgium Air Force Pilots. I like the gun, I plan on getting one eventually.
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So, which are you, a Belgian fighter pilot or a cartel member?

Just joking, I'd like one too, but I'm more interested in the concept rather than the pistol. I think bottle neck pistol cartridges are cool, I like shooting pistols long range. I saw the 5.7 and thought it would be great, but it isn't exactly what I'm looking for.

I'd like a .224BOZ or some kind of wildcat like that that encourages handloading. 5.7 is too proprietary for me. The BOZ is too at the moment, but all it will take is someone here with a few bucks and willing to introduce a conversion kit for 10mm pistols with slightly different dimensions in the chamber.

Price of the FN is due to it being unique, no competition, and low cost. It should be selling for closer to $500 like their 9mm's, which actually cost more to make. They'd still make a profit. But if you are in the market for a pistol like the 5.7, who else are you going to consider at the moment? Thus the price. A BOZ upper for a G20 would be awesome, but they don't seem to want to sell parts. If I had the gear, I'd try loading a 10mm brass with a 6mm bullet using a 6" bbl. to see what I could do.

I may get one some day I suppose though... I do have a very nice Smith and Wesson 1006 10mm pistol I'd trade for one since I have two now. Otherwise it has to wait.
 
I have two cuz I thought then senator Hillary was going to ban further imports,etc. she tried to. There is no real reason other than marketing that the Five-seveN costs $1 large. Plastic POS IMO. I'd buy the Ar 15 upper if I wanted another 5.7 x 28mm.


Mark, esquire
 
Part of it is the Belgian manufacturing location, I suspect. Just look at what new Hi-Powers sell for over here. Also, it's a very low volume pistol and when I was designing power tools the break-over point was around 30K-45K of something every year. Below that volume and the overhead costs would eat you alive. If they thought they could sell 50K a year of them at $600 they would probably lower the price and use the increased volume to bring the cost down. Apparently they don't feel the volume is there, even at the lower price point.
 
Anybody have any ideas about why a pistol that can't cost any more than a Glock to manufacture sells for twice the price?
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How is it that so many of you know what the manufacturung cost is of any gun, much less a FN 5.7? Assumptions and guesses are not facts. If it were so simple and cheap to clone this gun it would have already happened. That alone should tell us something.

The 5.7 is a very high quality pistol. Quality costs. Low volume increases costs.
 
When it is all said and done, $1,000 for a handgun is on the high end but not too bad. Most higher end production 1911's are there, along with Colt SAA's. If the build quality is good, then the price is not out of line.
 
well dumping 20 rounds of minimal recoil rounds that reach out to distances most other autos wont can certainly compensate for the price.

It isnt fair to place the performance solely on the round through. Im sure FN has a ton of innovation put into but since theres nothing to compare it to you cant really decide wether its too highly priced. Although another 5.7 handgun would bring the price down, the Five-seveN would still be the crem de la crem and still much higher.

Another thing to consider is FN probably has some sort of copyright and alot of your money is probably going to the research and development of the firearm rather than the firearm itself, its a common trend with innovation. If any manufacter could drive out there buisness with a cheaper model than they wasted time and effort making the firearm
 
Again, people don't bat an eyelash at dropping $2K+ on a 1911 and they call this pistol over priced. I guess I will never understand.

I'll likely never own one because you can't reasonably shoot a pistol at a distance with any accuracy and the controls layout is somewhat strange.
 
I'll likely never own one because you can't reasonably shoot a pistol at a distance with any accuracy and the controls layout is somewhat strange.
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Pistols are plenty accurate at the distances they were designed to shoot. They aren't going to be very effective on a high power rifle range though.
 
I'll likely never own one because you can't reasonably shoot a pistol at a distance with any accuracy and the controls layout is somewhat strange.
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I can shoot long distance with a pistol, takes practice and is certainly possible.
 
me 2

Exclusivity does not make something worth the price to most. At $500, I'd probably buy one. At close to $1K? They can keep their toy.
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^ditto
Do they even market their armor piercing ammo to the public, or is it a watered down version?

The KT 5.7 light looks to be as much fun for a lot less money.......for us non-cartel types:D
 
Do they even market their armor piercing ammo to the public, or is it a watered down version?
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AP handgun ammo is restricted. There are some respectable 5.7x28 loads for sale, if you wanna cough up $1/shot.

The KT 5.7 light looks to be as much fun for a lot less money
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I bought a PMR-30, paid $329. It's a blast. Lighter, less bulky, ammo is much cheaper and 50% more magazine apacity. I don't consider the .22 WMR or the 5.7x28 in a handgun adequate for defensive use, so either gun is a range toy. That made the decision obvious for someone who works for a living.
 
5.7

A buck+ per round for ammo is more then I am willing to spend for that particular toy. Especially when 22mag is roughly 1/4 that.
When I first saw the PS90 I thought it was interesting, still do. The handgun, not so much. The PMR-30 is more practical financially for my purpose, which is a range toy, and If KT came out with a carbine version, I would have to get one.
 
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