It’s crazy to think, up until several months ago, I had never shot a gun chambered in 5.7x28mm. I never put much thought to the caliber, as nothing about it really excited me.

If I’m being honest, it still doesn’t excite me, but it does intrigue me…a lot. After having the opportunity to shoot hundreds of rounds of it through two popular pistols (the new M&P 5.7 and an FN Five-SeveN), I definitely see the appeal.

Now, just because the caliber may not be my first choice, that doesn’t mean it’s not a good choice. Let’s take a closer look at the 5.7x28mm from both an ammunition and firearm(s) perspective.

THE HISTORY OF THE 5.7

Over 30 years ago, NATO was on a mission to find potential replacements for the 9x19mm cartridge. Its goal was to have a round with greater performance, including range and accuracy, than the 9mm, but also be able to penetrate body armor.

 

Naturally, the main ammo that I put through the M&P 5.7 was FN’s 40-grain polymer tip rounds. It’s likely the most common you’ll see available.

FN Herstal took the request head-on and wound up developing the 5.7x28mm from scratch. It was officially introduced in 1990. However, it wasn’t until a couple of years ago, 2021 to be more specific, that the 5.7x28mm was adopted as a NATO standardized caliber.

5.7 FIREARMS

Look familiar? I thought so…the infamous P90 from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare! Photo source: gamesatlas.com

Even if you didn’t know it was chambered in 5.7x28mm, I’d be willing to bet you’re familiar with FN’s PS90 (civilian version of the above P90). Whether it’s from video games like Call of Duty, or various movies and television shows, you’ve at least seen one. It was the first firearm chambered in 5.7x28mm and remains extremely popular (and expensive) to this day. FN then released the Five-SeveN pistol several years after, which actually wound up being the second 5.7x28mm gun that I had the chance to shoot.

Having larger hands is not an issue with the FN Five-seveN. It fits wonderfully in hand and is very comfortable shooter.

Once NATO standardized the cartridge, it was only a matter of time before we started seeing some new 5.7 firearms enter the market.

Enter Smith & Wesson’s M&P 5.7 pistol…that’s literally the name, the M&P 5.7. The M&P 5.7 wound up being the first ever gun chambered in this odd-ball of a round that I had the opportunity to shoot. Once I pulled the trigger and that little bullet went down range with almost no felt recoil, I was into it.

Since I didn’t have great lighting at the range where I was shooting the M&P 5.7, Smith & Wesson was nice enough to provide me with this shot from its own photo collection!

Since the M&P 5.7 was the first of what will be many 5.7x28mm firearms that I shoot, and the one I spent the most time with, let’s take a closer look at what it has to offer so that you can decide if it’s for you, or even if 5.7x28mm in general is.

THE M&P 5.7

I won’t bore you all with listing every specification and detail of the M&P 5.7, but instead I’ll focus on the highlights of it. If you are interested in the nitty-gritty details, here is a copy of the spec sheet that S&W had on hand at its SHOT Show range event.

In case you want some light reading…

The M&P 5.7 created quite stir when it was released a few months ago, and for good reason. With the higher velocity of the 5.7x28mm round, comes more gasses which in turn can affect reliability. Smith & Wesson designed a new two-part barrel system in attempt to make this the most reliable 5.7x28mm pistol on the market. At a high level, the bullet is able to pass the gas port before the barrel cams open, creating a consistent and repeatable extraction.

It comes standard with two 22-round magazines, which is actually two more rounds than the FN Five-seveN offers. You’re also going to get a flat-face trigger, an optics-ready slide and a threaded barrel, just to name a few of the pros.

Shooting the M&P 5.7 is a blast…pun intended. The recoil feels like it falls between a .22LR and 9mm and feels great in hand thanks to the slim but tall grip. All of these features and its solid ergonomics translate into improved accuracy.

This was my not only my first magazine through the M&P 5.7, but my first time shooting 5.7x28mm ever. As you can see, the recoil is extremely minimal.

I saved the best part about the M&P 5.7 for the end of this section, to reward those of you who are still reading. The MSRP is only $699! Compare that to the $1,409 MSRP of the FN Five-seveN and I’ll let you decide for yourself which seems like a better value. 

IS A 5.7X28MM MY NEXT PURCHASE?

I’ll say this, as much as I would like to own one sooner rather than later, I probably won’t be rushing out to buy one.

One of the most obvious downsides of 5.7x28mm is the cost and availability. At least where I’m located, many local FFLs do not stock it and if they do, it’s anywhere from $40 to $70 for a box of 50 rounds. Yes, I’ll take exactly zero boxes at that price, thank you.

Secondly, I prefer to be able to share ammo across multiple firearms. While I know you technically can with 5.7x28mm, I don’t ever see myself having the variety of options at my disposal, like I do with say 9mm firearms.

Lastly, imagine if sh*t really does hit the fan one day. If you think you have a hard time finding 5.7x28mm ammo currently, imagine having to scavenge for it! It would probably be damn near impossible to find. I know it’s stretch, but it’s one of those “what-ifs” that live in the back of my mind.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you’re confused with how I just mentioned several pros of the 5.7x28mm and how much fun I had shooting it, then went on to say I don’t plan to rush out and buy one, that’s understandable.

If I was to purchase a 5.7x28mm pistol soon, it would very likely be the M&P 5.7.

To explain prior to wrapping up, I’ll say that I believe the 5.7x28mm will continue growing in popularity over the next couple of years and I can see why. Looking at its ballistic specs, it’s a well-performing round and allows for higher capacity magazines compared to 9mm. However, for me to start investing in yet another caliber, I will need to see many more firearm options and for the ammo to drop in price while increase in availability. Before all of that happens, I expect it to be several more years, so we’ll revisit then!

 

LINKS

M&P 5.7 Mags: https://themagshack.com/shop/pistol-magazines/other-pistol-magazines/smith-wesson-mp-5-7x28mm-22-round-magazine/

FN Five-seveN Mags: https://themagshack.com/shop/pistol-magazines/other-pistol-magazines/fn-five-seven-5-7x28mm-20-rd-magazine/

PS90 Mags: https://themagshack.com/shop/pistol-magazines/pcc-magazines/fn-ps90-p90-5-7x28mm-50-round-magazine/

 

M&P 5.7: https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/mp-57-no-safety

FN Five-seveN: https://fnamerica.com/products/pistols/fn-five-seven/

PS90: https://fnamerica.com/products/rifles/fn-ps90-standard/

Ryan Domke
Ryan Domke
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