5.7x28mm

[MachIVshooter]

It's a fun round, the pistols are light with little recoil, and of course a flat trajectory.

The downsides are big muzzle blast, mediocre terminal ballistics and high ammunition cost. Also grip size for people with smaller hands.

I chose the Ruger 57. I like it, I think the new S&W and the PSA Rock will be very comparable. However, it sees far less use than my more conventional pistols in 9mm & .45. A 5.7mm critter would not be my first pick for a handgun, really not even in the top 20. But they're a worthy addition if you have your bases covered!

 

[LimaCharlie]

I bought a Kel-Tec 50 5.7X28mm pistol because it is fun to shoot. With 50 round magazines, you don't have to reload as often.

 

[Bigwayne]

My only experience with the 5.7x28 was when I had an AR57 upper so can't comment on usefulness of the cartridge out of a pistol.

Now onto reloading the 5.7x28.

It is not all that friendly to reload, especially for new reloader's. I'l list some of the negatives.

• Very small window between minimum and maximum powder charges - not much room for error
• The 5.7 tends to blow out the neck so the number of reloads per case is lower
• You have to deal with the coating that is applied to the cases at the factory. The coating is definitely needed when using P90 magazines that rotate the round before chambering. The coating isn't much of an issue with traditional style magazines but still something to take into consideration.

If yo want to learn more about the 5.7x28 and reloading it, I suggest checking out https://www.fivesevenforum.com/index.php?sid=1a82f37261e3ffa0b6f33a6778db8093

While the 5.7x28 is not hard to reload, you definitely have to pay close attention to what you are doing.

All that i read on it states that is sensitive to reload

 

[12Bravo20]

All that i read on it states that is sensitive to reload

Yes that is correct, the 5.7x28 is very sensitive to reload and there is not much room for error with the powder charge.

 

[ExtremeSquared]

There exists modern real-world data on the effectiveness of the round via a well-publicized lone terrorist attack with a handgun around 15 years back.
It was far more effective than people here are claiming. That's all I'll say about that.

 

[Switup]

Love my 5.7MM by far mine and my families fav pistol. If you give a 5.7 to even a brand new shooter , w/the 30 rd mag, its coming back empty and the shooter has extra lg smile on face.

I have a few boxes of legit SS190 and it is amazing.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Yes that is correct, the 5.7x28 is very sensitive to reload and there is not much room for error with the powder charge.

the powder charge don’t bother me, slow and steady. But the seating depth is unforgiving.

 

[highlander 5]

I don't own a 5.7 but it strikes me as a rimless version of a 22 magnum mayhe 22 Hornet in the velocity department.

 

[TTv2]

While there are more and more pistols coming out for it, it seems like it's a craze being driven by gamers who want a 5.7 because that's what they use in Call of Duty. The ammo is still expensive, I'm sure the price will come down over time but by how much is anyone's guess. It's not a cartridge you will find in a P365, it's too big for a micro pistol and it needs barrel length to work as even out of the 5 inch barrels most of the pistols chambered for it now have the velocity is meh.

Now, I do understand the appeal to a pistol cartridge that can defeat soft body armor, but I don't consider the 5.7 to be the only one to buy to do that, the .22 TCM and 7.62 Tokarev have those same abilities, but they're limited in available firearms that shoot them. The 5.7 does have an advantage in it is a very lightweight cartridge, a lot of rounds can be carried without weighing someone down, so there are upsides to it, but as a pure pistol cartridge I think it's underwhelming, it really is best in an SBR.

 

[crestoncowboy]

I've used the Fn since it was released. Its really not a bad round. Just not really useful anymore to me. when ammo was 15-20$/50rd it was a viable alternative to 22 Mag for a longer range varmint handgun. I carried one for dispatching trapped varnint/predator and for "tractor carry" . Lol. Im not selling any of mine, but if I needed cash after some unforeseen event.....it would be on top of my list of guns to move.

I've since quit carrying it for the most part. It just didn't do anything that 22 can't do for my purposes. Rarely will I shoot at anything with either one out past 50 yards and 22 is far cheaper (albeit not as accurately/consistently loaded). And for groundhog/trapped animal the cheap plated lead 22 bullet is just as viable as the vmax in the 5.7. The vmax is a great bullet, don't think otherwise but for my uses the 22LR works.

For SD id carry it over a 22 or 22 mag if those were my options..... no question. But there is a nearly infinite number of better SD rounds IMO that are cheaper to shoot. From 9mm up through 44 Mag.

Yea, I know. Especially at the cost it was at 1 point...

Most i paid was 19 dollars for 50 Fn branded rounds. I bought several cases back around 05ish from sportsmans guide. That wasn't on sale either. Normal price.

All that i read on it states that is sensitive to reload

Its the worst round I've reloaded and I have at least 40 sets of dies. Lol.

The capacity and charge. The polymer coating on the FN brass, seating depth, the vmaxs can be a pain to not screw up the tip, the round itself is tiny, case stretch, the shoulder setback....

All the issues I see one at a time on the other 40 rounds i load are pretty much all present in one convenient package. If FN had made the rounds belted.....it would almost seem like they made it a PIA on purpose. Lol

 

[silicosys4]

Shot a friend's p90 when he picked one up on trade. It did not impress either of us. Not so much the gun. The p90 is an interesting gun. The 5.7x28 is not my cup of tea. It's an example of a round that is specifically tailored to one purpose at the expense of its ability to perform any other.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I don't own a 5.7 but it strikes me as a rimless version of a 22 magnum mayhe 22 Hornet in the velocity department.

this round is was meant for Full Auto Spinner mag FN gun. Like a hornets nest coming iut of a barrel. SemiAuto, it’s pretty much a .22 Mag with a primer.

 

[westernrover]

There exists modern real-world data on the effectiveness of the round via a well-publicized lone terrorist attack with a handgun around 15 years back.
It was far more effective than people here are claiming. That's all I'll say about that.

Lethality isn't a measure of the ability of the round to stop an attack. Your comments are the equivalent of the trite, "How would you like to volunteer to step in front of one?" We know that .22 LR is a deadly weapon and that is has probably killed more people in the US than any other cartridge. That doesn't make it an effective self-defense cartridge.

 

[ExtremeSquared]

Lethality isn't a measure of the ability of the round to stop an attack. Your comments are the equivalent of the trite, "How would you like to volunteer to step in front of one?" We know that .22 LR is a deadly weapon and that is has probably killed more people in the US than any other cartridge. That doesn't make it an effective self-defense cartridge.

Both were proven in this particular incident at a level that surprised many at the time.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

You will soon discover that the same guys jump in on these threads everytime.

Generally, people who have never owned one will tell you why it sucks. And, people with experience with them will tell you why they like their 5.7 weapons.

Out of a handgun, it is basically between a 380 and 9mm in power. Out of the PS90, the energy is comparable to a 9mm (longer barrel = more speed).

I will likely buy the new S&W 5.7

After reading all the comments that others have posted, it’s easy to see that some know a lot about things that they know nothing about.
A few years ago we had some drug dealers that started using FN 5.7’s. A few reasons they liked them were the large magazine capacity, light recoil and penetration.
I stared getting cartridge cases from crime scenes, most often ten or more cartridge cases at a time. At the time there weren’t many 5.7x28 entered into NIBIN. After a couple of months a FN 5.7 was picked up in a drug arrest. I was able to match the test fire cartridge cases to two of the shooting, I had already entered. One was from where a drug dealer was shot in his car. That little round has a lot more penetration power then any 25 auto I’ve ever seen.
Test firing the 5.7 was a pain. The cartridge case didn’t mark good in the FN 5.7. The Ruger marked a little better. The biggest trouble was recovering bullets. The plastic tip ammo has a very thin jacket and explodes when it impacts water. So, I would have to pull the bullets and download the powder charge so that it was just enough to push the bullets out the barrel.
I was able to get ahold of some older FMJ ammo and could fire those at full power and recover the bullets.
When I bought my PSA 5.7 Rock, I brought it up to the state crime lad and let my buddy test fire it and keep the cartridge cases as reference.
The ammo is expensive, right at a buck a round so, I don’t do much plinking with my Rock.

 

[tarosean]

a 5.7 because that's what they use in Call of Duty.

CoD has been out for 20yrs now. Not sure if you can blame that for its popularity as it’s only been available from sources other than FN for a couple years

 

[Mark_Mark]

wish Ruger would chop down their 57, be a good carry gun. Light & noisy

 

[12Bravo20]

The noice from a 5.7 or 22WMR pistol is very loud and they both have a lovely fireball as the bullet leaves the barrel. If you don't blind the intruder, you can make them go deaf (along with yourself).

I definitely double up on the hearing protection when shooting my Kel-Tec PMR30 at indoor ranges.

 

[Mark_Mark]

The noice from a 5.7 or 22WMR pistol is very loud and they both have a lovely fireball as the bullet leaves the barrel. If you don't blind the intruder, you can make them go deaf (along with yourself).

I definitely double up on the hearing protection when shooting my Kel-Tec PMR30 at indoor ranges.

Suppressor would be nice! stop take crackling

 

[12Bravo20]

Suppressor would be nice! stop take crackling

That would work well for a 5.7 pistol. But my Kel-Tec PMR30 will never see a suppressor since they are known to self destruct when a suppressor is mounted and used.

 

[Mark_Mark]

That would work well for a 5.7 pistol. But my Kel-Tec PMR30 will never see a suppressor since they are known to self destruct when a suppressor is mounted and used.

that’s good to know!!! I thought the PMR30 would have made a great host!

got 2 coming in and 2 more months will be in line for 2 more! one 30/.223 and a big boy

 

[12Bravo20]

Kel Tec has a warning on the PMR30 web page about not using a suppressor on the PMR30. And @MachIVshooter will tell you the same.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Kel Tec has a warning on the PMR30 web page about not using a suppressor on the PMR30. And @MachIVshooter will tell you the same.

I would CRY!!! waiting a year for a muffler and blow it up

 

[12Bravo20]

The PMR30 won't hurt the suppressor. It is the other way around, the extra back pressure from the suppressor will cause the PMR30 to break.

 

[Mark_Mark]

The PMR30 won't hurt the suppressor. It is the other way around, the extra back pressure from the suppressor will cause the PMR30 to break.

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