Xdm 45 or fnh 5.7x28

[ms6852]

My brother just became the owner of a FNH FIVE SEVEN. He traded his XDM 45 for it and wanted to know if he had done good. I told him I have no experience with the FNH other than they go for $1k vs $6 or $700 for the XDM.

I carry a 1911 springfield target pistol so naturally I favor the 45 for sentimental reasons and carried one during my military career; but needless to say I am quite impressed with the ballistics of this pistol.

He states that the recoil is less than a 9mm and that he was actually hitting silhouettes at 100 yds. Normally I would be impressed but I can do that with my 45. My brother stated that the reason his friend traded it was that ammo was too expensive, but so is 45. Anyway I told him to enjoy it and warned him about buying armor piercing rounds.

Just wondering if anyone here on highroad have the five-seven pistol and how they like it. He is willing to sell it to me for $750 or should I go with a XDM 45.

 

[trex1310]

It's basically a souped up .22. I don't think you could compare it
to a .45acp (apples & oranges). It comes down to personal
preference.

 

[usp9]

I like the 5.7 very much. It has considerably less recoil than a 9mm. As I get older and my joints rebel, a softer shooting gun has it's place. While I agree the guns are apples to oranges in comparison, the 5.7 is no slouch. It's very well made, high quality, accurate and very reliable. If your brother is happy, then be happy with him.

 

[MachIVshooter]

If he has other handguns in capable defensive chamberings and that's what he wanted, dollar for dollar, he did well.

That said, if the XDm .45 was his only centerfire handgun, I don't think it was a wise decision.

On a personal note, I feel the Five-seveN is about a $500 handgun at best. It's a range toy/novelty in an obscure chambering that doesn't have much better terminal performance than a rimfire.

 

[ms6852]

If he has other handguns in capable defensive chamberings and that's what he wanted, dollar for dollar, he did well.

That said, if the XDm .45 was his only centerfire handgun, I don't think it was a wise decision.

On a personal note, I feel the Five-seveN is about a $500 handgun at best. It's a range toy/novelty in an obscure chambering that doesn't have much better terminal performance than a rimfire.

No, he has several handguns all FNH, he carries a 40, has one in 9mm, and now the 5.7X28. He also has an FNAR 308. I was curious about it because I was thinking of buying a 9mm for the wife. Right now when she goes out of town she uses a 642 airlight, much against my advice she bought it and has only fired it once. The recoil bruised her hand very much so needless to say she never practices with it. So hence my thinking and asking about the 5.7x28, and possibly buying one for her. But am still leaning towards a 9mm.

 

[G|0cKbYtE]

My brother just became the owner of a FNH FIVE SEVEN. He traded his XDM 45 for it and wanted to know if he had done good. I told him I have no experience with the FNH other than they go for $1k vs $6 or $700 for the XDM.

I carry a 1911 springfield target pistol so naturally I favor the 45 for sentimental reasons and carried one during my military career; but needless to say I am quite impressed with the ballistics of this pistol.

He states that the recoil is less than a 9mm and that he was actually hitting silhouettes at 100 yds. Normally I would be impressed but I can do that with my 45. My brother stated that the reason his friend traded it was that ammo was too expensive, but so is 45. Anyway I told him to enjoy it and warned him about buying armor piercing rounds.

Just wondering if anyone here on highroad have the five-seven pistol and how they like it. He is willing to sell it to me for $750 or should I go with a XDM 45.

Your brother made a helluva trade as long as the Five-seveN was in good condition. The Five-seveN is a state-of-the-art firearm that represents the future in sidearm technology. It's probably the most fun gun you will shoot and is so flat-shooting, hitting targets at 100 yards is a breeze. Yes the gun is expensive, but anybody who has spent any time with it will agree it is worth every penny. It is a fabulously designed firearm that has many advantages over other common self-defense calibers.

Factory ammunition is more than enough for self-defense purposes, but there is "souped up" ammo available as well that utilizes the full potential of this firearm's unique design. Don't worry about AP ammo because it is not illegal to own unless your state has a specific law against it. FNH restricts the ammo, not the government. Also, if you look around you can sometimes find SS198 which is the load developed for law enforcement. However, FN's "weakest" round, SS197, has been tested in gel and found to penetrate 12 inches as well as make some nasty wounds due to the fragmentation of the ballistic tip. SS197 can usually be found for around 18.00 per box of 50 if you buy in bulk.

The Five-seveN pistol makes a great self-defense option because it offers a few advantages other common self-defense pistols do not have, namely; it is smaller than any pistol made carrying 21 rounds or 31 rounds, it is the lightest full-size pistol made (lighter fully loaded than a Glock 17 empty), it has 70% of the recoil of a 9mm pistol allowing extremely fast - and accurate - follow up shots, imparts nasty wounds in tissue and pulverizes bone due to high velocity as well as advanced bullet behavior, and armor piercing ammunition is readily available and legal offering an added advantage that NO modern pistol can claim.

There is nothing wrong with the older caliber weapons like the .45ACP or 9mm Luger for a self-defensive choice, but I have done a LOT of research on the 5.7x28mm platform and based on everything I have seen, read, and tested, I wouldn't carry anything else. To me I would be giving up too many advantages. But to each his own.

 

[ms6852]

Your brother made a helluva trade as long as the Five-seveN was in good condition. The Five-seveN is a state-of-the-art firearm that represents the future in sidearm technology. It's probably the most fun gun you will shoot and is so flat-shooting, hitting targets at 100 yards is a breeze. Yes the gun is expensive, but anybody who has spent any time with it will agree it is worth every penny. It is a fabulously designed firearm that has many advantages over other common self-defense calibers.

Factory ammunition is more than enough for self-defense purposes, but there is "souped up" ammo available as well that utilizes the full potential of this firearm's unique design. Don't worry about AP ammo because it is not illegal to own unless your state has a specific law against it. FNH restricts the ammo, not the government. Also, if you look around you can sometimes find SS198 which is the load developed for law enforcement. However, FN's "weakest" round, SS197, has been tested in gel and found to penetrate 12 inches as well as make some nasty wounds due to the fragmentation of the ballistic tip. SS197 can usually be found for around 18.00 per box of 50 if you buy in bulk.

The Five-seveN pistol makes a great self-defense option because it offers a few advantages other common self-defense pistols do not have, namely; it is smaller than any pistol made carrying 21 rounds or 31 rounds, it is the lightest full-size pistol made (lighter fully loaded than a Glock 17 empty), it has 70% of the recoil of a 9mm pistol allowing extremely fast - and accurate - follow up shots, imparts nasty wounds in tissue and pulverizes bone due to high velocity as well as advanced bullet behavior, and armor piercing ammunition is readily available and legal offering an added advantage that NO modern pistol can claim.

There is nothing wrong with the older caliber weapons like the .45ACP or 9mm Luger for a self-defensive choice, but I have done a LOT of research on the 5.7x28mm platform and based on everything I have seen, read, and tested, I wouldn't carry anything else. To me I would be giving up too many advantages. But to each his own.

Thanks for the information. The little research I did was quite impressive. I have been thinking of getting it for my wife since she hates shooting the 642. I beleive that the Five-seveN will provide the protection I want for my wife when she travels out of town plus I will finally get her to the range and get her to shoot knowing that she will not flinch because of recoil.

 

[vvanders]

He did well on the trade.

I've shot one before and it's not really for me, mostly due to initial cost(~$1k) and ammo costs.

One thing to consider is that reloading for the 5.7x28 is not easy where as 45acp is very straight forward(and cheap).

 

[Skribs]

As to you, I think both are great firearms. The XDm is going to be a bit quieter, and some pistol ranges won't let you shoot the 5-7 (the range I go to has a 2K FPS limit). Also, just looking at the bullet, the .45 is a lot bigger.

The 5-7 has less recoil, greater capacity, and the bullet is traveling a lot faster, which has its advantages as well. I think its a great caliber. I will not own a 5-7 pistol unless they come out with a DAO or SFA version that has no manual safety.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

I will not own a 5-7 pistol unless they come out with a DAO or SFA version that has no manual safety.

I plan on getting one in the future and I will carry it. I would most likely carry it with the safety off because I played with one at the gunshop and it felt stiff that I was having trouble pushing it off. In a good holster, it's not a problem and I could imagine it getting pulled all the way by inertia from a fall.

 

[340PD]

We see a few at our range. The owners love them. The only drawback is the cost of ammo. If that is not an issue it looks like a great gun.

 

[MachIVshooter]

The Five-seveN is a state-of-the-art firearm that represents the future in sidearm technology.

ROTFL

The gun has been around 14 years now, and no other manufacturer has tried anything similar. It has a cult following, but is largely unknown and sales have been unspectacular.

They're kinda neat, but overpriced and impractical for most handgun uses.

 

[TheCalmGun]

It's well liked by rappers and sports figures. I didn't particularly care for it because it has a relatively short service life.

 

[19-3Ben]

I beleive that the Five-seveN will provide the protection I want for my wife when she travels out of town plus I will finally get her to the range and get her to shoot knowing that she will not flinch because of recoil.

Recoil won't be bad, but just make sure that the crack from that 50,000psi cartridge going off doesn't scare her off either.
I wouldn't want to shoot one of those inside a house without hearing protection when there are plenty of time tested lower pressure rounds available. Of course it's better to be alive and deaf than dead, but, if I can be alive AND save all that damage to my hearing it would obviously be preferable.

 

[G|0cKbYtE]

Thanks for the information. The little research I did was quite impressive. I have been thinking of getting it for my wife since she hates shooting the 642. I beleive that the Five-seveN will provide the protection I want for my wife when she travels out of town plus I will finally get her to the range and get her to shoot knowing that she will not flinch because of recoil.

I doubt the Five-seveN will help anybody to stop flinching. It belches a massive fireball on each shot plus it is VERY loud. It is loud enough that people will usually peer over to see what you are shooting at the range. Recoil is nice and smooth with hardly any muzzle flip; that part is soothing, but the "rockets red glare -- bombs bursting in air" part... not so much.

 

[G|0cKbYtE]

I plan on getting one in the future and I will carry it. I would most likely carry it with the safety off because I played with one at the gunshop and it felt stiff that I was having trouble pushing it off. In a good holster, it's not a problem and I could imagine it getting pulled all the way by inertia from a fall.

That's strange, was the gun new? My safety requires very little effort and my trigger finger just naturally flips it down (off) during my draw. You can also use your support hand to flip the safety down, but that takes a tiny bit more time, time you may not have in a life-and-death situation that requires you to fire the moment you draw.. perhaps single-handedly.

 

[G|0cKbYtE]

We see a few at our range. The owners love them. The only drawback is the cost of ammo. If that is not an issue it looks like a great gun.

At 18.00 per box of 50, the ammo is about the same as .45ACP. If you reload, you can make a box of 50 for around 6-7 bucks.

 

[481]

ROTFL

The gun has been around 14 years now, and no other manufacturer has tried anything similar. It has a cult following, but is largely unknown and sales have been unspectacular.

They're kinda neat, but overpriced and impractical for most handgun uses.

Well said MachIVshooter.



If the pistol/caliber was truly "a fabulously designed firearm that has many advantages over other common self-defense calibers" shooters by the tens of millions would've eschewed the "inferior" calibers in favor of it and begun to clamor for more offerings and options in the caliber and the market would have responded accordingly.

Fourteen years later....nothing. (queue sound of crickets in the background)

It seems that there is very little demand (in the LE, military and civilian markets) for the alleged "advantages" of this varmint cartridge over the proven service calibers.

 

[G|0cKbYtE]

ROTFL

The gun has been around 14 years now, and no other manufacturer has tried anything similar. It has a cult following, but is largely unknown and sales have been unspectacular.

They're kinda neat, but overpriced and impractical for most handgun uses.

Most who shoot it are impressed. Those that buy it are glad they do. It is a high-tech gun all the way and offers advantages no other pistol can. I saw sales figures somewhere - and I'm currently trying to dig them up - that were surprising to say the least. For a 1,000 dollar plastic gun, sales are very strong. More 5.7 chambered weapons are coming. Here is a pistol that is coming out next month.

http://youtu.be/is2GTXH7YPg

There are plenty of pistols in sufficient calibers to serve the needs of law enforcement, military, civilians, etc. Nobody needs to have a Five-seveN (unless they are concerned about body armor penetration), but everybody wants one. Once you shoot it, you are hooked. After thoroughly researching the capabilities and advantages of the firearm from legitimate, unbiased sources, the question changes from "why should I", to "why aren't I" carrying one.

 

[INMY01TA]

I'd have kept the XDm.

 

[G|0cKbYtE]

I didn't particularly care for it because it has a relatively short service life.

Compared to what? FNH has test guns that have fired over 50,000 rounds with no failures.

 

[G|0cKbYtE]

I'd have kept the XDm.

Why do that? He could just sell the Five-seveN and use the proceeds to buy two XDm's. The Five-seveN market is so strong that used guns routinely go for 900.00.

 

[481]

There are plenty of pistols in sufficient calibers to serve the needs of law enforcement, military, civilians, etc. Nobody needs to have a Five-seveN (unless they are concerned about body armor penetration), but everybody wants one.

Everybody? The market has indicated otherwise.

The ability to fire armor piercing ammo: the the 5.7's "claim to fame"..... rings quite hollow since such ammunition (AP) is also available for pistols in sufficient calibers where such ammo is legal to possess.

 

[G|0cKbYtE]

Well said MachIVshooter.



If the pistol/caliber was truly "a fabulously designed firearm that has many advantages over other common self-defense calibers" shooters by the tens of millions would've eschewed the "inferior" calibers in favor of it and begun to clamor for more offerings and options in the caliber and the market would have responded accordingly.

Fourteen years later....nothing. (queue sound of crickets in the background)

It seems that there is very little demand (in the LE, military and civilian markets) for the alleged "advantages" of this varmint cartridge over the proven service calibers.

Sales for the Five-seveN are strong and I continue to see new FiveseveN LEO owners joining forums and asking about holsters etc. You aren't going to see too many departments purchase these guns because they simply can't afford them. S&W and Glock practically give away firearms to many large agencies just to grab market share.

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend bought one, and a new member brought one to the IDPA match last month. We let him shoot it because we did not have any steel targets for it to chew up that day.

Against my will, I was impressed. The gun has a bright flash and a loud report, but very little recoil and flat trajectory. I am not going to pronounce on "stopping power" but you have 20 fast tries to work on the problem.

Ergonomics are strange if you are accustomed to a 1911. The manual safety is forward over the trigger and the slide stop to the rear, just the reverse of most single action autos. I guess you could learn to flip the ambi side with your trigger finger. I would not want to flip flop back and forth but if it were your main or only gun, it would be ok once learned.

Oh, by the way, the government does restrict handgun "armor piercing" ammunition, defined as a bullet having a core of iron, steel, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, tungsten or uranium.
I find on the FN www that the SS190 "duty round" for government sales only has an aluminum core and would not therefore be illegal if you happened upon some. But they are not going to sell it knowingly to an American Commoner, you are not trusted with it.