Advice and Opinions for New Carry Pistol 5.7

[Humanartistry]

I am an experienced shooter looking for advice and opinions for A new carry pistol. Although I am very experienced my experience is mostly limited to 9mm and .45 I have shot almost every caliber out there but for the most part only a clip to a box worth I am extremely fond of my 92fs it being my favorite pistol I have ever laid my hands on but I am about to buy a new carry pistol and these are the most important factors for me

longest effective range
accuracy
concealed carry
magazine capacity
customization

right now the "fn five seven" is at the top of my list this is one of the few rounds I have never shot but if the ballistic tables I have read are correct it seems perfect lacking in only 1 respect very little customization outside serious gunsmith work I would like to know if anyone has had experience with this gun, since it will be a carry pistol and there is a chance i might have to draw it in defense if over penetration should be a concearn and any other semi-auto recommendations specifically with effective range in mind and I would like to take any Glocks out of the running I am well aware of Glocks reputation for performance and reliability but its just a personal preference I dont like the way most Glocks feel. the p229 is also being considered but as of now is way behind in 2nd place any information or opinions will be much appreciated.

 

[harmon rabb]

the 5.7 sure isn't a small gun, and the safety is pretty weird. recoil is minimal.

while i did like the one i fired, eh, it didn't tug at the heart strings. it feels like a $500 gun, not a $1000 gun.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

The FN Fiveseven is a fine pistol for plinking, range work, and varmints.

Its shortcomings as a defensive pistol are:

1. Size: It is a large service pistol. You may as well carry a Beretta 92 or a Government 1911.
2. Power: The round was designed for a specific cartridge load, the purpose of which is to pierce light body armor. The odds of you needing that capability are limited. I don't think anyone has any real-world shooting experience with the round, but given the size of the bullet, I would expect ballistic performance in the realm of a super .22 magnum.

It's big pro as a defensive pistol is that you carry 20 rounds.

But if that was you overriding concern, you could get an XDm in 9mm with 20 rounds of a more powerful and cheaper caliber.

 

[NG VI]

Any carry pistol is going to have all the range you need for a defense shooting. Unless you are pinned down by people with rifles from a good distance. It's never happened to me, but hey, if it's one of your criteria.

Why not try out an FNP-9 or an FNP-9M? Or the FNX they call it now. Those are some great guns, and aren't too big so carry wouldn't be tough.

Feel better than any other poly pistol I've come across too, and most metal ones. Other than the CZ 75, that's about the only one that can top it.

 

[NG VI]

Oh and customization beyond different grips if you don't like the stock ones and maybe some trigger work is really overrated for a carry gun.

 

[Zerodefect]

The 5.7 is a fullsize. You allready have that base covered with your 92.

I'd look towards a medium compact, or subcompact for the next type of pistol to add to your quiver. Especially if your next weapon is going to be CCW oriented.

Look towards:
Kahr p9,k9, pm9, mk9
S&W M&P
S&W M&P 340, 340PD
Dan Wesson VBOB, CCO
LesBaer
Glock 19,23,26 (I'd take another long hard look at these, make sure your holding them with a modern thumbs forward combat grip. Glocks will not like a old fashioned Weaver grip with many shooters IME.)

There's nothing wrong with the 5.7 though.

 

[Orion8472]

Madcap, . . . there unfortunately WAS "real world experience" with the 5.7 round. . . . . . on a military base. It is much more than a .22 magnum.

 

[DmL5]

given the size of the bullet, I would expect ballistic performance in the realm of a super .22 magnum.

Kel-Tec claims only 1,230 ft/s with a 40 grain bullet from their new .22 WMR pistol, the PMR-30; this gives a resulting muzzle energy of 134 ft/lbs. Combat Handguns chronographed EA's 5.7x28mm Protector at 2,000+ ft/s from the Five-seveN pistol, again with a 40 grain bullet; this gives a resulting muzzle energy of 355+ ft/lbs.

The velocity difference between the two is nearly 800 ft/s; so the EA 5.7x28mm load is about 65% faster than the .22 WMR and produces nearly three times the muzzle energy. Even FN's SS197SR has a muzzle velocity about 500 ft/s higher than the .22 WMR. These are all pistol to pistol comparisons, with similar barrel lengths and identical bullet weights.

It's big pro as a defensive pistol is that you carry 20 rounds.

But if that was you overriding concern, you could get an XDm in 9mm with 20 rounds of a more powerful and cheaper caliber.

30-round Five-seveN magazines are only about 1 to 1.5 inches longer than the standard flush-fit Five-seveN magazines. A 30-round Five-seveN magazine can also be carried for less weight than a 17-round Glock magazine, even though it holds about twice as much ammunition. The Five-seveN pistol itself (loaded with 20 rounds) weighs the same as an empty Glock 17 or Glock 19 -- about 1.5 lbs.

 

[Toforo]

I've carried my FN57 before....

Size wise, it's about the same SIZE as a full size 1911 but not near the weight

It fits in ALL of the 1911 holsters that I use

Do I do it everyday? No, it's not my everyday carry. Are there certain times/places/conditions that I'll carry it?

Yup.

 

[Orion8472]

Good post, DmL5. To add to the argument:

But if that was you overriding concern, you could get an XDm in 9mm with 20 rounds of a more powerful and cheaper caliber.

There seems to be those who would disagree that the 9mm is "more powerful". I wouldn't want to be hit with either. . . . . and really is beside the point. Even IF the 9mm has a relatively greater edge in "power", the 5.7X28 round is plenty "powerful", and being less in recoil, should allow for quicker follow up shots [if needed].

 

[Strahley]

I think a 5.7 ranks #1 for guns I would never carry or use in a self defense scenario

 

[Orion8472]

State your case why.

 

[Strahley]

I don't find a hopped up .22 a good round for "stopping a threat" (sure, it'll kill just like a .22LR to the head can, but that's not what we're trying to do)

Potential legal ramifications if the jury doesn't find you to be innocent (something about using a 20+ round magazine in a crime automatically turns it into a felony..I can't remember exactly..but you wouldn't have the same issues if found guilty with a 10 round 9mm/.45)

Looks/sounds "evil" (same reason I wouldn't use an AR15 for home defense..hoping I don't need to explain this one)

Ammo isn't exactly easy to find, and it's expensive for what you're actually getting

The gun itself (size, bulk) isn't exactly an ideal CCH option. It's light yeah, but so is a Glock 21. I don't care to carry something that big, either

etc

 

[Sam1911]

Potential legal ramifications if the jury doesn't find you to be innocent (something about using a 20+ round magazine in a crime automatically turns it into a felony..I can't remember exactly..but you wouldn't have the same issues if found guilty with a 10 round 9mm/.45)

Some problems here.

The jury can't find you "innocent." If you are claiming self-defense, your first step is to say that you DID shoot/kill someone, and did so willfully. So you can't be innocent of the homicide. You can be found to have an "affirmative defense" such as defending your life, defending the life of a third party, stopping a forcible felony, etc.

There may be some state laws somewhere which increase the penalties for committing a crime with one kind of weapon vs. another, and it is possible that some of them mention magazine capacity. However, homicide is always a felony, everywhere. Your shooting is either going to be found justified or not. You've either committed a felony or no crime at all. This isn't shoplifting or other petty theft which could, maybe, be jacked up to a felony if found to be carrying a weapon while committing it. Killing or willfully injuring another person starts out as a felony. The crime may be excused if sufficient justification is deemed to exist for having committed it (again, "affirmative defense").

IF convicted, it is possible that some state laws may arbitrarily tack on additional sentencing requirements if the weapon used was particularly ... whatever the state has specified to be a naughty thing.

same reason I wouldn't use an AR15 for home defense..hoping I don't need to explain this one

Not to derail the conversation, but this concern is largely mitigated these days by the fact that almost everyone owns an AR15 and they are commonly considered to be reasonable defensive carbines -- even in common use by most police departments. "Looks scary" is less of a jury-poisoning issue than it once was.

 

[Orion8472]

I don't find a hopped up .22 a good round for "stopping a threat" (sure, it'll kill just like a .22LR to the head can, but that's not what we're trying to do)

As I pointed out before, . . . there was a very unfortunate event on a military base that would disagree with what it appears you are saying here. The round isn't a poor performer. . . it is not similar to a .22lr or .22magnum.

If you have some documentation that shows how this round fails in too many cases, I'd be glad to read it.

 

[Warp]

I really don't see the appeal to 5.7 for defensive carry.

 

[Orion8472]

It is a bit too large for conceal carry, so unless I had a jacket on, I wouldn't carry mine. My main carry is a Springfield Armory EMP.

 

[Humanartistry]

The main purpose for this gun is target shooting there is very little chance of drawing it in defense and even less of firing it in defense i have had a knife pulled on me and still kept my pistol holstered the reason for this thread was to find out if there were any equal or better guns (that i could easily carry) for distance and accuracy i have considered the close quarter defensive drawbacks of the 5.7 but as i have stated that is not my main concern but if by some chance I have to use it in that capacity it doesn't to me whether I have a .44 hogleg or a .22 derringer any caliber is suitable for me as a defensible weapon I am only interested in recommendations about other long range high accuracy pistols and reviews on the five seven if someone out there has experience with one but i appreciate everyone's comments keep em coming

additionally in my state the 20 round mag isn't an issue and the five seven is is a fine size for me but much larger would verge on uncomfortable to carry and in my original post i misspoke although carrying is a consideration concealment is not
I should also note a majority of the time this pistol is carried I will be in the woods/on a farm
one last thing (trying to reply to the majority of comments) I have several compacts/subcompacts that I never carry except maybe occasions where "High Dress" is required I just don't like them as I never really know when I might sporadically go for a shoot and they just aren't fun for plinking and a fullsize isn't a bother for me to carry

 

[NG VI]

Other service pistols probably don't have the same long range capability as the 5.7, and it is light <deleted>. I think for what you just described, it is actually a very good option.