On the FN website it indicates LE sales only, but in several web discussions I felt this was available to mere mortals (non LE). Yea or nay?

It goes like this:

Here's how I understand their policy... Officially: FN requires you to be LE to purchase this firearm. Legally: Any civilian can purchase this firearm. Process: You send in proof of your identity AFTER you've got the gun. I guess you could just "forget" to fill out FN's paperwork. Reason: When 60 Minutes comes knocking on FN's door because a civilian used this round in a crime, FN can say "We clearly state you have to be LE to own this pistol"

So you want to shoot through buller proof vest?h  Lucky.
These guys sell them.  

www.impactguns.com/store/fn_fiveseven.html

You can buy the LE Individual officer's model right now, but I would get a .223 pistol. You get 30 round mags, cheaper ammo and much better performance. Granted they won't fit in your pants like a 5Seven.  I almost got one, but after much research on the performance of the round and the fact that it will be hard, if not impossible and/or illegal to obtain any but the training ammo I decided to sit this one out.  

I have a Carbon 15 Type 97 .223 pistol that kicks ass, but it is hard to beat an AR-15 with a 16" barrel and a four position stock.

Our PD is scrapping their P-90s and 5Sevens after two years due to poor performance, high ammunition cost and the superior ballistics of the .223.

I think CDNN sells the guns and ammo.  I haven't checked their latest downloadable catalog.

One of the shops I support $$$$$ has 2 for sale for $799 , with 3 mags .  I pick one up and play with it about once a month , it has a scary light DA trigger that feels more like an SA  . I will probably buy one sooner or later , but for now there are others that are higher on my list .

ETA

They are for sale to anyone with the money  

Yes, like any other handgun now. At first it wasn't, but because only the FMJ armor piercing 5.7mm FMJ was available. now there is soft point civvy legal 5.7mm ammo which takes away the armor piercing capability to a large degree, the FMJ 5.7mm cartridges are still LE only. Kind of silly, IMHO since the AR15 with FMJ M855 will do the same thing, but oh well you know how it is.  The 10 round mags are also now available rather than only the LEO 20 rounders, this was the other thing that made it LEO before.

The weapon is less useful with softpoint, since it was designed as a body armor defeating solution to be used with FMJ for LE and it is very good at that, being very small caliber and very high velocity. However, on a soft target, it just punches small perforating holes, much less effective for personal or home defense. The soft point makes it a bit better for soft targets, but not as good as .40, .45 or even 9mm on unarmored targets. it is a very specialized pistol, so I would like one, but only as a curiousity, not for personal defense. The Five-Seven was really meant as a companion weapon to the 5.7mm FN P90 Submachinegun which has been used effectively in the HRT/anti-terrorist role in taking down terrorists who had seized the Japanese embassy in Peru several years ago. It proved to be quite effective in taking out these body-armor equipped perpetrators.

It would no doubt have been useful to the LAPD in the North Hollywood shootout.

The Saint2004 wrote:
"So you want to shoot through buller proof vest? Me too."
No I don't really have a need for that feature, but was confused by conflicting threads and advertisements regarding civilian ownership of this weapon. However, I have been a long time proponent of high velocity rounds, kind of like the Gunnies' watermelon tests, and was just curious. I guess that goes back to my early interest in prarie dog hunting, a somewhat perverted activity, watching relatively harmless little creatures explode, but one that I still enjoy on occasion.

Quoted: One of the shops I support $$$$$ has 2 for sale for $799 , with 3 mags .  I pick one up and play with it about once a month , it has a scary light DA trigger that feels more like an SA  . I will probably buy one sooner or later , but for now there are others that are higher on my list . ETA They are for sale to anyone with the money

Thats because the Five seveN IOM is SA, not DA.  Just because the hammer is concealed within the pistol doesnt automatically make it DA.  It cannot be fired without the hammer being cocked with the slide, much like a AR15/M16 needs to have the hamemr set before it can fire.  Also, the SS192 "civi" ammo pierces body armor just like its restricted counterpart, only difference being that the SS192 has a hollow core thus exempting it from the "armor piercing" label that the SS190 steel core rounds have.  Do a search on here about the 5-7 and a level II vest, youll see some pretty good pics of it tearing up a nice vest.

Quoted: Quoted: Thats because the Five seveN IOM is SA, not DA.  Just because the hammer is concealed within the pistol doesnt automatically make it DA.  It cannot be fired without the hammer being cocked with the slide, much like a AR15/M16 needs to have the hamemr set before it can fire.  Also, the SS192 "civi" ammo pierces body armor just like its restricted counterpart, only difference being that the SS192 has a hollow core thus exempting it from the "armor piercing" label that the SS190 steel core rounds have.  Do a search on here about the 5-7 and a level II vest, youll see some pretty good pics of it tearing up a nice vest.

I thought it felt like an SA , but the Smith at the shop said it was DA only .

I had no reason to argue with him at the time

Gents,

I have one, and it is Single Action.  The DA version is an issue model for LE/Military.  You probably will not want one, the ammo is expensive, the round is not that powerful and the ergonomics are bad.  If I were procuring weapons, there is no way I would field this weapon to troops.  It has more parts than a Toyota Land Cruiser.   The manual says not to use petroleum nor teflon based lubricants, WTF?  Cooking oil?

It does come with a letter from FN requesting that you show you are LE/Military after purchase.  

G23c

Quoted: Gents, I have one, and it is Single Action.  The DA version is an issue model for LE/Military.  You probably will not want one, the ammo is expensive, the round is not that powerful and the ergonomics are bad.  If I were procuring weapons, there is no way I would field this weapon to troops.  It has more parts than a Toyota Land Cruiser.   The manual says not to use petroleum nor teflon based lubricants, WTF?  Cooking oil? It does come with a letter from FN requesting that you show you are LE/Military after purchase.   G23c www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid133/p626871cb8c82e727eece32c33d2a9742/f78204c5.jpg

I read the same thing about the lubricants, I still use military CLP on it as I do with all my guns.