fear of the 5.7x28!!!

i would be afraid to buy a 5.7 pistol or carbine because......1.after 20 years i think only FN chambers for it, so it doesn't appear to be caching on, and unless it is available in more affordable guns it never will.. 2. it seems to be a scapegoated round by the media etc and may face legislative issues in the future. 3. it is exceedingly hard to find the ammo around here.( far more rare than even 10mm or 357SIG ) . 4. bottle neck pistol cartridges are very difficult to reload. 5. with civilian ammo does it really offer any unique properties to justify its practical downsides?

I have seen a couple AR uppers designed for the round but I think otherwise you are correct, too rare and the ammo is too expensive.

yes there are some AR uppers for the 5.7 but even during the height of the gun buying frenzy of 2 years ago they weren't selling. often they were the only uppers still in stock during the buying craze!

He either fears his fate too much, or his desserts are small.
Who fails to put it to the touch, to win or lose it all.

If you want a 5.7, buy one. If you don't, buy some thing else. The cartridge is slowly catching on, not too bad for a niche cartridge. More guns are becoming available.

Its a fun cartridge to play with, but there are plenty of other fun cartridges to play with. When my hand was messed up, I really appreciated it. Now that my hand has semi-healed, I have gone back to carrying a .45 most of the time, occasionally a .38 Super.

The PS90 makes a great anti-coyote system.

Glock needs to make a new frame size that can take this cartridge, the 4.6 Hk one and 762 tok ammo!

Excell Arms is introducing 5 new firearms that use the 5.7x28mm cartridge. You could also get an AR57 upper and Savage is coming out with a bolt action 5.7 rifle soon. Here is a link: Excell Arms

Also, Elite Ammuntion makes high performance 5.7x28mm.

For about $250 you could have all the equipment you need to start reloading it yourself. Which is what I did. However, I wouldn't start out reloading this cartridge. I would start with a caliber that's a little easier first.

While your comments are somewhat true––the 5.7x28 is somewhat of a specialty round. Those of us who like it, bought it. As a civilian, I didn't buy it for all the magical AP ammo I'm not legally able to own. I bought it was I like smaller caliber guns––especially 20, 30 & 50 round guns, and I enjoy reloading. The 5.7 is a little tricker than a 9mm Parabellum––it's like reloading .223 compared to 9mm––a few extra steps, but so what? The flip side is more rounds per pound of powder. For me––it's a fun plinker that, unlike my .22LR, I can spend rainy days or cold weather reloading & waiting for better weather. I can't do that with my rimfires.

While the 5.7 is an OK option for defense, there are better choices that won't villify you as using the dreaded "copkilla" caliber and probably do a better job. It's just another tool in the kit. Not my personal first choice if zombies arrive, but it is a choice.

The 5.7x28 is just one more caliber added to the multitude––will it fizzle? Maybe––but for those of us who like it, there are ways to ensure a lifetime supply, simply by reloading.

You should ask yourself why you want to buy this caliber––If you're looking for a less involved caliber––maybe a 9mm Parabellum is a better choice for you.

Good luck with your choice.

5.7 seems to be the only available civilian PDW cartridge. I've heard good things about 4.6, but that ammo is almost non-existant in the US.

There's some desire for 5.7- PS90s, AR57s, FN SeveN, and the Excell Arms rifles. I wish there was a way to get a semi MP7 in 5.7.

The better alternative for civilian enthusiasts would be 7.62 TOK. Cheap, plentiful and very capable. I can't find any pictures of the 4.6, 5.7 and the 7.62 TOK side by side to know who close they are.

i was not putting down 5.7 in any way, just saying i personally wouldn't put out for a $900-1600 gun at this time with the rounds future in doubt. i like the PS90 though and i am not opposed to the less popular rounds. i'm a big 10mm and 357 Sig fan!

I like my FiveseveN, it's just so dang pretty!

And I believe if I did my job- it would do its job. Not that it's a primary sidearm of mine.

A few small arms companies are starting to chamber some niche guns in this round. I think that it is just slow to take-off, which is the case with most chamberings honestly. I think it is Federal that is actually making FN's ammo, so it's not like it is some strange imported unobtanium. I made the point about the newer guns in 5.7x28 because as it becomes more widespread, it will show up under other brands. If we were allowed to have the "good" ammo, everyone would be making guns chambered in 5.7x28, but it looses it's unique properties otherwise.

It's Fiocchi USA , they have been producing the domestic 5.7 for FN since 05 .
Excell Arms is producing some new guns chambered for the 5.7 x 28 .

Standing corrected!

5.7x28mm ammunition is produced by Fiocchi, but distributed by Federal.

I thought hornaday made the ss197

No, the SS197 only uses a Hornady V-MAX projectile.

I would be happy with a glock in just the 7.62 tok!

I'm hoping the 5.7 catches on. A small, light bolt rifle would make a good lightweight varmint rig.

Yes this.

Midway has actually had Fiocchi 4.6x30mm for some time. The 4.6mm prices are comparable to the 5.7mm prices, from Midway at least. Of course there is no MP7 semi, nor UCP, to shoot the 4.6mm if you purchased it.

Then don't buy one.

I am only going to give my opinion with the FiveSeven pistol in mind.

1. In additon to the P/PS90 and FiveSeven. Savage arms has plans to make a bolt action rifle chambered in 5.7x28mm and I believe there are a few manufs. making 5.7 uppers for the the AR platform.

2. In the past, it has grabbed the attention of the liberal media and the Brady Campaign. In 2005 the Brady bunch performed bogus tests and claimed that SS192 (a commercial/civilan round) was able to pentrate lvl 2a body armor....even though the ATF has already classified that particular round as NON AP. Still, the same year the 5.7x28mm round was specifically target for a Federal US ban, which failed. In 2009 it came under liberal media attention once again because of the Ft. Hood shooting and the increased usage of the mexican cartels. The Brady bunch has written letters to Pres. Obama calling him to ban the round......which since it was already shot down in federal court, I seriously doubt will go anywhere.

3. I cannot speak for your home state. But I do know that My local Cabelas, Dicks, 2 gunshops, and even Walmart has the round at all times. (in my experience). www.ammoengine.com lists several vendors that currently have it in stock as low as $.39 per round. AAArsenal, truehuntersupply, eliteammunition, and midwayusa.com have been my go to sources.

4. I don't reload, so i will take your word for it. But i would love to hear exacly why it's hard to reload.

5. If you left out EA, your two options (non LEO/MIL) are SS197SR and SS195LF.

SS197SR: 40gn bullet (blue Hornaday VMax tip) / 1750ft/sec
SS195LF: 28gn hollow point / 2050ft/sec
(This is data from a FiveSeven Pistol)

Upon hitting tissue, SS197SR has a tendency to expand (to about 10mm IIRC) and have some fragmentation.
Upon hitting tissue, SS195LF has a tendency to tumble and not fragmentate (SS198 will do the same, just has a little extra velocity)

The main advantages I see are a high capactiy (20/30rnds). very low recoiling round so follow up shots should be quicker and more accurate, the ability of "point of aim point of impact" at 100 yards from a pistol, great penetration from the SS95LF or 198 (car doors, interior doors...etc...)

Can someone please explain to me the comments about not being able to own the 'good' 5.7 ammo? Is it illegal to own or is that just that the companies who make the more effective round won't sell to non-leo? Couldn't you reload to the same specs?

FN's civilian ammunition types (SS195 and SS197) don't perform very well, and their 31 grain SS190 (the original LEO/Military cartridge) isn't offered to civilians.

However, Elite Ammunition offers a number of 5.7x28mm ammo types that perform significantly better than SS190. Their light bullets (30 gr) have been independently chronographed from the pistol at about 600 ft/s higher muzzle velocity than SS190 –– a velocity increase of about 30%. Their heavier bullets (40-55 gr) have muzzle velocities similar to the SS190, but the projectiles are about 30-80% heavier than the SS190 projectile. See:

http://www.eliteammunition.net/eliteammunition.html

Their ammunition is offered to civilians.




Yes.

You can buy 50 rounds of 5.7 for less than 50 rounds of 9mm. THE AMMO IS NOT EXPENSIVE!!!

Where?

I have a 57N and a ps-90. Both are fun to shoot, when I travel I usually take the 90 with me. It is small and
travels easily. The 50 round mags make it easy to carry several with me.

I do wish other manuf. would produce it and that brass makers would sell it. EA ammo is pretty expensive
and they have a long wait to get what you order, 4-6 weeks.

I got lucky a few months ago and shot 100 rounds through a p-90, that was a blast!

4-6 weeks on all ammunition orders.

nope, no way you are dreaming!

I got myself a ps90 that I'm going to sbr knowing the ammo's limits and features. I will say on top of the ar57 uppers that use p90 mags you also have cmmg working on a more normal ar upper in 5.7 that uses mags that go in the magwell on the lower. They are also working on a 22 conversion for said upper and the ps90.

The ammo isn't badly priced and others have mentioned vendors making guns in it. Both the fiveseven pistol and the ps90 are interesting guns and I'd say worth having in a collection. I don't expect my ps90 to be used as much as say my sbr'd ar-15 but it will see some good use. If cmmg can make their 22 conversion for it work right and get some high cap mags to go with it the gun might get used a lot.

I got the PS-90 and the FiveSeven. Love the guns. eight 50 round mags and six 20 round mags for the pistol. I am currently sitting on 2000 rounds for them both..

Nice...looks like you're ready for the zombies! Also, in the bottom pic - I can see what appears to be a Noveske KX3 flash hider sticking out...what's that mounted on - an SBR AR?

Sakic #19

This is how they used to look... i put the acog on the noveske and an aimpoint on the S&W VTAC. the eotech went back on my M1A sage.

I wouldn't mind buying an SBR PS90, but the drawbacks mentioned of the 5.7 have so far dissuaded me.

Considering that there is no such thing as true "ball" ammo for the 5.7 he is correct.

Try buying 50 rounds of 9x19 loaded with VMAX bullets for 25 bucks.

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