Ar 57?

[Baldman]

Ok Guys, I'm not an AR guy buy any means but I saw a video on you tube regarding an AR57 PDW.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q68mJip_ngA&feature=fvsr

I get that it's an upper for a normal AR, but what about the caliber (5.7) ?

I get 5.56 / .223 for the AR and 7.62 / .308 for the AK but is 5.7 a standard enough caliber it, seems like it may be harder to get and maybe more expensive.

From what little I've seen so far it also looks more like a pistol round size wise as compared to a normal rifle round

The fact that it can carry 50 rounds and catch it's own brass (although if you used that function while on the move the noise might give you away) are nice, but is it effective or just more of a marketing idea.


Thanks

 

[Big Boy]

5.7 is a round made by FN Herstal. Used in the P90 and Five-Seven pistol. Now they have AR conversions for it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_5.7×28mm

 

[MachIVshooter]

The 5.7x28mm was conceived and designed as an armor defeating PDW round, and intended to be fired from a very compact weapon with a very high rate of fire that is still controllable. The FN P-90 with the AP 5.7mm round serves this purpose well.

However, if one is looking at a larger and semi-automtic AR, there is no good reason I can think of to buy a 5.7 instead of a standard 5.56. 5.56mm is more powerful, less expensive and, if armor defeating is among your requirements, that type of 5.56mm ammunition can be had; AP ammo for 5.7 is restricted to LE. Standard 5.56mm magazines are also less expensive ($13 for P-mags, $5 for GI mags). AR-57 mags run $20 minimum and, from what I know, have some reliabilty/durability issues on account of the rotating feed mechanism.

If you feel inclined later on, pick up a 5.7 upper. But I would suggest for a first rifle, you get a standard 5.56mm AR.

 

[6x6pinz]

There is no doubt that for the first AR it should be in the 556. I have a couple of the 57 uppers and really like the way the handle and shoot. The reliability of the mag only comes into play when using cheap knock offs. Stick with the AR57 mag or the FN mag and there is no issues.
As far as a good reason to own a 57 it becomes a person preference, after all there is really no good reason to own an AR in the first place. Fortunately we live in the USA where we don't need good reasons to own firearms. Might offend some with that statement but then I don't care. The AR does nothing that another more conventional rifle doesn't do better other than satisfy the desire to own one. My desire is not satisfied and I have over a dozen in different calibers and styles.

 

[JustinJ]

The advantages it offers are less weight (of ammo), higher capacity and reduced recoil. Benefits of the reduced recoil are far greater when full auto is employed.

If i were to buy a 5.7 rifle i would certaintly go with the PS90 for the shortened over all length provided by the bullpup design. A very compact weapon is one of the main advantages of the originally intended carbine that one loses in the AR version.

...and 7.62 / .308 for the AK but..

To clarify the AK fires the 7.62x39 which is different from the .308(7.62x51). Yes, the Saiga .308 utilizes the AK operating system but is technically not an AK.

 

[NG VI]

The main benefits I can see are downwards ejection, even less recoil than 5.56 unless the straight blowback nixes that, and it would be a great platform to use if you needed less capability than a .223 offers, but want a little more than you can get out of a .22 magnum. Of course it's expensive and there's an awfully small window of usefullness for a caliber between a .22 magnum rifle and a .223 rifle, but if someone just wanted one, that's how I'd justify it to myself.

 

[marktx]

The AR 57 is a neat platform but I have mixed feelings about it, compared to other AR uppers it's a bit on the expensive side though the barrel is completely free floating which should make it very accurate. On the downside I have had reliability problems with mine..... though I will say that I got a demo unit that I put together with an inexpensive lower setup. The mags I use, original FN production, don't quite snap into place like they do in a PS90 which is annoying. Then there are the jams.... sometimes it will go for a few mags without a jam and sometimes it will jam multiple times per mag. Not really sure why which is particularly frustrating, it's a blowback design so it's hardly as if there are a lot of moving parts to cause problems. When the thing is working it's great for blasting through an entire mag and keeping it right on target.

Ultimately I don't really see too much advantage to the 5.7 upper for the AR, the ammo is more expensive and less powerful than 5.56 and capacity isn't that much greater. It's fairly easy to find 40 round double stack mags and the quad stack mags are just coming out that give 60+ round capacity if that's what you need.

In my estimation the 5.7 round really shines in the 5.7 pistol and PS90 pistol for which it was originally designed and the AR upper is tough to justify unless you really just want another option to go with your 5.7 guns.

 

[pitime]

pros of the ar-five seven

~you can get 50 rd mags that don't bulk up your gun.
~bottom ejection port through ar platform mag well
~easy to save brass into striped out ar magazines
if you want a bi-pod you can have a 50 rd mag with out the mag interfering with either the the ground or your shooting bench


however if you want a longer scope an ar five seven may not be the gun for you, because it it will inhibit speed of mag changes

 

[Walkalong]

I bought an AR 57, but was underwhelmed by it. The round would make a whole lot more sense in a smaller carbine, like the gun it was designed for. Or a Contender pistol. Yea.

 

[tahunua001]

the AR57 is a conversion kit jsut like any other caliber swap for the AR. the AR15 can do dozens of calibers ranging from intermediate rifle calibers like the 5.56 to pistol calibers like the 9mm.

the 5.7 is 5.7x28 FN, developed by FN Herstal for the PS90 peronal defense weapon. it is also chambered in the FN five seven pistol. it is fairly expensive for a pistol cartridge but now that ATK has rights to produce it there is some more affordable options now. it is pretty light but yes the whole appeal of the ar57 is the fact that you get 50 round capacity and that you don't have to worry about gathering your brass.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

The mags I use, original FN production, don't quite snap into place like they do in a PS90 which is annoying.

Which generation of AR57 upper did you have? The 2nd gen ones with the fluted barrel, modified magazine release and folding charging handle don't have mag seating problems like the earlier generation did and are a lot easier to run one handed. I must admit, I have a friend who has an early generation one and I hate it. I love mine.




His isn't SBR'd though, which takes half the fun out of the AR-57.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

6x6pinz, remember that is your opinion that "there is no good reason to own an AR in the first place". I have many reasons for AR's. I have - 24" RRA that is a sub MOA gun and great for varmints. Trust me too, if you go coyote hunting, you want as many rounds as possible just incase. An AR15 is the same as ANY othe semi auto rifle, just different design. You don't offend me by your opinion, just don't say that there is no good reason to own an AR, others would disagree with their opinion. Obviously 3gunners like them better than an M1garand or such. Too.

I have shot the AR 5.7 at a local gun shop. The owner is a huge 5.7 fan. His and his wife both have FN 5.7 pistols as their EDC's. It is a great round for accuracy and we shot out to 100 yards with it. It worked great. I would still prefer the 5.56 over it just because of ammo price and availability. For the ammo cost I would pick a 7.62x39 or 6.5 Grendel if 5.56 wasn't an option. If you already have a 5.7 pistol this is a good alternative to the PS90 rifle.

 

[browningguy]

We shot mine quite a lot varmint hunting last month at the deer camp, works really well for that purpose. It's also just a fun plinker with almost zero recoil, if it was all I had for an HD weapon I wouldn't feel too bad about it come to think of it.