Short answer, no.
Long answer (with references to many other long answers)-
http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19913
The references in that post are over 10 years old. The opinions and facts within are based on underperforming ammunition developed 20+ years ago which are no longer on the market (SS90 + SS190).
The expectations placed on the 5.7x28mm round are a bit ridiculous. I feel like too many were trying to make it some "magical" round that it isn't, and the fact that it performs similar (with the right ammunition) to most average handgun calibers makes people write it off. One of the original intents of this round was to penetrate Kevlar and other body armors and barriers. With the right ammo, however, it can be an effective personal defense weapon. Another of the original intents was for personal defense... This round was very popular overseas before it was brought to the American market.
No, it isn't going to magically stop a person in one shot, but why would it? Handguns were never meant to fulfill a one shot, stop role. If that's what you're looking for, it's time to buy a .454 Casull or .500 S&W (or a 12 gauge).
http://www.hendonpub.com/resources/articlearchive/details.aspx?ID=309
Massad Ayoob -
http://www.ontargetmagazine.com/content/defensive-handguns-0
http://web.archive.org/web/20060411012151/www.fnhusa.com/contents/tw_57x28mm.htm
P.S. I have heard multiple rumors that certain Secret Service agents inside the White House (keyword: inside) carry the Five-seveN pistol. I have yet to see this rumor confirmed or denied. Most retorts are along the lines of, "SS agents are issued the P229 in .357 Sig."
P.P.S. (I'm not sure on the source of the material other than it came from a thread over at militaryphotos.net...I'm still searching for it. I happened to have copied it as part of my initial research into the 5.7x28mm round, but I seem to have forgot to source it). Here it is and it's very long:
"In actuality, the wound channel is approx. 3.5 to 4 in. due to the fact that the round tumbles in soft tissue and after it exits a solid medium such as wood or drywall. This system has also had a 100% fatality rate in the U.S. What this means is that everyone who was shot in a vital region of the body has expired. One subject in Sioux Fall S.D. was shot in the hand and the arm through a solid core door. He lost two fingers off his gun hand and the bone in his arm was shattered, leaving him with little use of the arm. Houston PD shot a subject who was firing at them with an AR-15. The subject was hit in the chest and the bullet tumbled into his heart, cutting it into two pieces. The coroner remarked that he had never seen a wound like that. The bullet also did not exit his body. I doubt that if this round had a wound channel that resembled a .22 Mag, it would do that sort of damage. Also the Secret Service and the Federal Protective Service has adopted the P90 as their new PDW. They did exhaustive tests of both reliability and ballistics. The SS190 bullet is almost 1 in. long. If it were passing sideways through soft tissue, which is what it does when it tumbles, it would certainly create at least a 1" wound cavity. Now, add to that syntactical energy produced by the round traveling 2300 fps (P90) or 2100 (FsN) and you have soft tissue tearing off the axis' (ends) of the bullet creating a much larger permanent wound cavity. I have done gelatin testing with this system and every police officer that saw it was needless to say very impressed. Again, if this were such a poor performer, why would the Secret Service adopt both the P90 and the FsN? Don't you think they would want a round that creates a large wound cavity and does not over penetrate? In fact the 5.7x28mm round is very close to be approved as a NATO round. If you have any question about the effectiveness of this round, I would encourage you to call Sgt. Sandy Wall at Houston PD SWAT and ask him about the shooting they had where the suspects heart was literally cut in two halves. I would also get in touch with the US Secret Service who has done extensive ballistic testing with this system. They are so impressed that they are replacing all 9mm sub machine guns with the P90. Do you think for a second that they would adopt a system that would not even work as well as what they had? In fact when they reliability tested the P90, it had only two malfunctions in 50,000 rounds out of 5 different guns. They stated in their report form the James J. Reilly Secret Service Training Center that the P90 is the most reliable weapon ever tested by that facility. Another interesting point that comes form this testing is that Dr. Fackler told the Secret Service before the tests that this system is ineffective. The Secret Service on the other hand had this to say... "While we respect Dr. Fackler's opinion, we have found this system to be a extremely effective system and we feel confident adopting it, we find that the 5.7x28mm system supports all claims made by FN concerning the effectiveness of this system"
I would be careful of anyone who claims to know this system after only having fired one round in testing. To make the statement that Dr. Roberts does undermines his credibility and that of the people in the ballistic community. Gelatin is not human tissue. Dr. Fackler has been wrong before and I believe he wrong here as well. The proof is in the adoption of this system by the US Federal Government as well as over 25 counties across the globe. In the assault on the Japanese embassy in Lima, Peru, which is where the P90/5.7 system first went operational, all of the hostage takers were eliminated through their level 3 body armor. This includes the leader who was
hit with one round through his body armor and expired. There are dozens of state and local departments here in the US who have adopted the system. I don't know of one department who said that the system was not effective ballistically.
All the experience and real life examples speaks louder than any single round fired into a mold or a
"professional" writing up ballistics on paper.
Fact: The expert told the Secret Service the round would not be effective.
Fact: The Secret Service did their own tests
Fact: The Secret Service, though they respected his opinion, said he was wrong.
I now have a solid opinion about this subject.
About a week ago, I had absolutely no credible opinion about this round and I knew very little about it. I had shot it in the past, but I didn’t do any research on it. The only thoughts I did have about it where based on what people were telling me here. Basically, all negative. I’ve taken the initiative and I’ve done the research into the allegations and rumors circling around the FN 5.7x28. So far, I’ve found that some of the opinions presented, even some of the professional ones, have been false, misguided or lack real world examples.
The only things left are your ballistics experts you continue to refer back to.
Example of single shot kills:
- Houston PD Swat - Single shot to the chest. tumbled into the heart and cut it in half.
- Doraville, GA. Swat - Single neck shot.
- Lima, Peru. Japanese Embassy. - Single shot to the chest, through body armor.
We’ll see more after the IOM hits the streets in mass.
I’ve already quoted three examples of single shots. Interesting note about the one person who managed to survive an attack from the P90 – The round went through a solid core door and was already starting to tumble. By the time it reached his bone, the round hit it flat and didn’t just break his arm, it powdered the bone within. Also, knocking two fingers off his gun hand.
Again, I would like to hear (from anyone) who has a CREDIBLE source of information that is able to
discredit this round legitimately. So far, no one has presented me with enough evidence to suggest this round should not be used to save someone’s life. In fact, I am retracting an earlier statement I made before – I would certainly use the Five-seveN system as a concealed weapon and a protective device for my own personal defense.
It’s safe, light, easy to shoot, powerful and it has been field-tested to have a proven performance record time and time again. I wish the departments and the US government would be willing to hand over their independent ballistics test results. I want to see the data that changed the Secret Service’s mind in the face of evidence presented by the experts. Note that the Secret Service WILL give their findings over to law enforcement departments who request the information. This information is confidential. But I’m sure it’s what other LE agencies are basing their judgments on. I’m asking my question again – Who has proof this round is a failure? And if no one can answer this question then I’d like to know – Why is there such a determined and organized effort out to discredit a perfectly good round of ammunition? It does everything FN said it would do. It is a disservice to present damning opinions without researching the actual field tests and people who use it. It is a disservice to FN and the people who represent that factory. But worse, it is a disservice to the 5.7x28, a round of ammunition that has been designed to save lives while causing minimal collateral damage.
But I implore you, do not take my word for what I’ve said. Do your own research. Get out of your labs and talk to the people who trust their lives to this system every day. Talk to the agencies who stepped up and did their own independent ballistics research. If I ask you to take my findings as the truth, then my findings would be no more valuable than an individual posting opinions in the Wound Ballistic Review." (Source unknown)
Hope this helps.
Edit: The premium ammo I mentioned is made by Elite Ammunition. (
www.eliteammunition.com)