Should I get into 5.7mm pistols?

halorocks22

halorocks22

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Since the rise in popularity of 5.7mm and its adoption as an official NATO cartridge, I’ve been thinking more and more about getting into this caliber. I checked the going prices for ammo earlier and it was running around 50cpr. Not where I’d like it to be, but not terrible either. I like the thought of having a high-capacity flat shooting plinking round with minimal recoil and being a part of the cool kids club.

The only things that are putting me off is the lack of viable handloading for the cartridge, the high cost of ammo and the fact that it’s neutered for civilians. I don’t think I’d end up carrying 5.7mm over 9mm anytime soon. The fun factor is there but utility seemingly leaves a lot to be desired since I don’t anticipate having to penetrate Kevlar vests anytime soon, especially since we can only realistically get civilian “sporting” rounds. What do you guys think? I currently have .22LR, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 9mm, 10mm and .45 ACP for my pistol cartridges.

If I do end up getting into it I’d probably buy the new S&W 5.7mm pistol. That one looks nice.
 
halorocks22 said:
Since the rise in popularity of 5.7mm and its adoption as an official NATO cartridge, I’ve been thinking more and more about getting into this caliber. I checked the going prices for ammo earlier and it was running around 50cpr. Not where I’d like it to be, but not terrible either. I like the thought of having a high-capacity flat shooting plinking round with minimal recoil and being a part of the cool kids club.

The only things that are putting me off is the lack of viable handloading for the cartridge, the high cost of ammo and the fact that it’s neutered for civilians. I don’t think I’d end up carrying 5.7mm over 9mm anytime soon. The fun factor is there but utility seemingly leaves a lot to be desired since I don’t anticipate having to penetrate Kevlar vests anytime soon, especially since we can only realistically get civilian “sporting” rounds. What do you guys think? I currently have .22LR, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 9mm, 10mm and .45 ACP for my pistol cartridges.

If I do end up getting into it I’d probably buy the new S&W 5.7mm pistol. That one looks nice.
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One of the problems trying to reload 5.7 is when you shoot 5.7 the case shoulder can expand so far out that you won’t be able to resize it
 
I pondered the same. A pistol in 5.7 doesn't fit into any of the serious roles I use a handgun for (carry, competition or home defense).

And I already have a fun range blaster that shoots overpriced, non-reloadable ammo at Ludicrous Speed.

So for me, no. If I didn't already have a RIA in 22TCM filling that last slot I'd be very tempted by the recent PSA offerings.
 
No, probably not... unless you are the guy who has to have everything. Kind of like buying a Desert Eagle in .44 mag or .50 AE. What role would it fill another more common gun or caliber would fill? Can you get a good holster, and good cheap(ish) ammo for training? I dunno. I do wonder if the PSA is reliable because they are cheap!
 
If you’re wanting it for a sole caliber excursion for pistols and carbines…, no

If you’re just wanting another caliber to obsess and drool over and dump insane amounts of cash on…. A B S O L U T E L Y!!!

5.7 is FUN to shoot!!

I currently have a PSA Rock 57 with a Holosun optic on it…. L O V E it!!!
 
I'm so sorry but it must be said:

MAIN POINT OF SELLING BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN PISTOL IS EXTREME PRICE OF WEAPON AND CARTRIDGE.

BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS WEAPON OF MAN WHO WEARS EXPENSIVE ITALIAN FASCIST SUIT OF HAND SEWING, DRIVE HUGE EXPENSIVE NAZI MERCEDES OF A.M.G. SHOP, SAIL ON MASSIVE YACHT TO GREEK ISLANDS. I THINK YOU GET PICTURE. BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS WEAPON THAT SAYS IS NO SUCH THING AS CONCERN OF MONEY.

FOR MAN WITHOUT EXPENSIVE SUIT, BIG BLACK MERCEDES, AND MASSIVE YACHT, BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS FOR PRETENDING OF BE RICH LIKE GANGSTER OF AMERICAN CITY WITH GOLD CHAINS OF LOW QUALITY AND JEWELS OF COLORED GLASS. WHEN YOU EXPLAIN USE OF BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN PISTOL IS ONLY FOR SHOOT MAN WITH BULLET VEST WITH CARTRIDGE ILLEGAL TO CIVILIAN, THIS MAN HAS NUCLEAR RAGE. WHOLE IDENTITY OF THIS MAN IS SPENT IN PRETEND PISTOL SHOWS HE IS RICH. IS VERY AMUSE.

FOR REST OF WORLD THERE IS 9 MILLIMETERS OF LUGER WHICH IS SAME WOUND FOR COST LESS.
 
holdenarm said:
I'm so sorry but it must be said:

MAIN POINT OF SELLING BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN PISTOL IS EXTREME PRICE OF WEAPON AND CARTRIDGE.

BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS WEAPON OF MAN WHO WEARS EXPENSIVE ITALIAN FASCIST SUIT OF HAND SEWING, DRIVE HUGE EXPENSIVE NAZI MERCEDES OF A.M.G. SHOP, SAIL ON MASSIVE YACHT TO GREEK ISLANDS. I THINK YOU GET PICTURE. BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS WEAPON THAT SAYS IS NO SUCH THING AS CONCERN OF MONEY.

FOR MAN WITHOUT EXPENSIVE SUIT, BIG BLACK MERCEDES, AND MASSIVE YACHT, BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS FOR PRETENDING OF BE RICH LIKE GANGSTER OF AMERICAN CITY WITH GOLD CHAINS OF LOW QUALITY AND JEWELS OF COLORED GLASS. WHEN YOU EXPLAIN USE OF BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN PISTOL IS ONLY FOR SHOOT MAN WITH BULLET VEST WITH CARTRIDGE ILLEGAL TO CIVILIAN, THIS MAN HAS NUCLEAR RAGE. WHOLE IDENTITY OF THIS MAN IS SPENT IN PRETEND PISTOL SHOWS HE IS RICH. IS VERY AMUSE.

FOR REST OF WORLD THERE IS 9 MILLIMETERS OF LUGER WHICH IS SAME WOUND FOR COST LESS.
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Polish_20230709_000935915.jpg
 
holdenarm said:
FOR MAN WITHOUT EXPENSIVE SUIT, BIG BLACK MERCEDES, AND MASSIVE YACHT, BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS FOR PRETENDING OF BE RICH LIKE GANGSTER OF AMERICAN CITY WITH GOLD CHAINS OF LOW QUALITY AND JEWELS OF COLORED GLASS. WHEN YOU EXPLAIN USE OF BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN PISTOL IS ONLY FOR SHOOT MAN WITH BULLET VEST WITH CARTRIDGE ILLEGAL TO CIVILIAN, THIS MAN HAS NUCLEAR RAGE. WHOLE IDENTITY OF THIS MAN IS SPENT IN PRETEND PISTOL SHOWS HE IS RICH. IS VERY AMUSE.
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Hey, I resemble that statement.
 
halorocks22 said:
Since the rise in popularity of 5.7mm and its adoption as an official NATO cartridge, I’ve been thinking more and more about getting into this caliber. I checked the going prices for ammo earlier and it was running around 50cpr. Not where I’d like it to be, but not terrible either. I like the thought of having a high-capacity flat shooting plinking round with minimal recoil and being a part of the cool kids club.

The only things that are putting me off is the lack of viable handloading for the cartridge, the high cost of ammo and the fact that it’s neutered for civilians. I don’t think I’d end up carrying 5.7mm over 9mm anytime soon. The fun factor is there but utility seemingly leaves a lot to be desired since I don’t anticipate having to penetrate Kevlar vests anytime soon, especially since we can only realistically get civilian “sporting” rounds. What do you guys think? I currently have .22LR, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 9mm, 10mm and .45 ACP for my pistol cartridges.

If I do end up getting into it I’d probably buy the new S&W 5.7mm pistol. That one looks nice.
Click to expand...
I agree the psa rock is a firearm. The r 5.7 a great but unique platform. Psa gas done a lot to tame the trigger influence of these rounds . I cam say you get out of it what you put into it . Of course 9mm rules the board , but it will not hold a candle to the ballistics of a 5.7 , do some homework, I know a few that use it as there everyday carry . The round is a flat shooter tob100 yds. I have done that personally. For defense spend the money for a good round and plink with the average 40 grain , you can get them for .50 - .60 cents a round if you look a little , and the better stuff for .85 - 1.25 a round . A small investment to know what's in the magazine will go through bullet proof lexan , you cannot do that with a 9mm. They have there place , but if you absolutely have to Penetrate something , with a pistol say level 111 Kevlar. 5.7x28 wins out every time
 
halorocks22 said:
The only things that are putting me off is the lack of viable handloading for the cartridge
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The 5.7x28mm ?

halorocks22 said:
If I do end up getting into it I’d probably buy the new S&W 5.7mm pistol. That one looks nice.
Click to expand...

22TCM is overshadowed ~ overlooked and can be reloaded.

If you have not researched ~ looked into the 22TCM platform yet, you may want to and the only cost is your time.


Cartridges from top to bottom - 22 TCM _ 5.7x28 mm FN and .223 Rem a.jpg
 
Matthew777 said:
I agree the psa rock is a firearm. The r 5.7 a great but unique platform. Psa gas done a lot to tame the trigger influence of these rounds . I cam say you get out of it what you put into it . Of course 9mm rules the board , but it will not hold a candle to the ballistics of a 5.7 , do some homework, I know a few that use it as there everyday carry . The round is a flat shooter tob100 yds. I have done that personally. For defense spend the money for a good round and plink with the average 40 grain , you can get them for .50 - .60 cents a round if you look a little , and the better stuff for .85 - 1.25 a round . A small investment to know what's in the magazine will go through bullet proof lexan , you cannot do that with a 9mm. They have there place , but if you absolutely have to Penetrate something , with a pistol say level 111 Kevlar. 5.7x28 wins out every time
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Most of the commercially available ammo will not penetrate any truly bullet resistant media- at least when shot out of a handgun anyway. The only way a 5.7 handgun makes sense to me is if you plan to pair it with a carbine. But you can get better rifle ballistics from 5.56mm if you are talking about a carbine anyway.
And I owe a huge thanks to ZSA - I have had lots of practice at long range “bonus” shots with 9mm. It really doesn’t drop much at 100 either.

To the OP - if you want one get it - life is short.
 
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PUaDv_d.webp
 
If you want to penetrate bulletproof media, rapid fire center mass into it with green tip 5.56 will do that all day…..

If you want a viable self defense round with many carry options and projectile options, 10mm is your guy…..

If you want a cool toy to plink with, and money is not a hindrance, than 5.7x28 is a TON of fun to shoot….
 
holdenarm said:
I'm so sorry but it must be said:

MAIN POINT OF SELLING BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN PISTOL IS EXTREME PRICE OF WEAPON AND CARTRIDGE.

BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS WEAPON OF MAN WHO WEARS EXPENSIVE ITALIAN FASCIST SUIT OF HAND SEWING, DRIVE HUGE EXPENSIVE NAZI MERCEDES OF A.M.G. SHOP, SAIL ON MASSIVE YACHT TO GREEK ISLANDS. I THINK YOU GET PICTURE. BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS WEAPON THAT SAYS IS NO SUCH THING AS CONCERN OF MONEY.

FOR MAN WITHOUT EXPENSIVE SUIT, BIG BLACK MERCEDES, AND MASSIVE YACHT, BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS FOR PRETENDING OF BE RICH LIKE GANGSTER OF AMERICAN CITY WITH GOLD CHAINS OF LOW QUALITY AND JEWELS OF COLORED GLASS. WHEN YOU EXPLAIN USE OF BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN PISTOL IS ONLY FOR SHOOT MAN WITH BULLET VEST WITH CARTRIDGE ILLEGAL TO CIVILIAN, THIS MAN HAS NUCLEAR RAGE. WHOLE IDENTITY OF THIS MAN IS SPENT IN PRETEND PISTOL SHOWS HE IS RICH. IS VERY AMUSE.

FOR REST OF WORLD THERE IS 9 MILLIMETERS OF LUGER WHICH IS SAME WOUND FOR COST LESS.
Click to expand...

Was that written by AI???
 
I bought a FN FiveseveN on a whim - more money than brains, I guess. I then picked-up the PS90 and conducted range tests on both. I shot soft body armor, plates, ballistic helmets, poly-c bank glass, etc. I used regular and hi-test (LE/military only) ammo and the penetration results were unexpectedly poor. Even the LE stuff (forgot the FPS) didn't go through much. I've seen similar studies on YouTube with much better results - but not in my tests. The only way I could get any decent penetration was through the PS90's 16" barrel.

So, while fun to shoot, it sat in the safe for years until I watched a mob of people chase Kyle Rittenhouse even after she shot someone with a 5.56 rifle and 30-tound magazine. So, I decided then to carry my 20+1 FN, with extra 20-rounders and a 30-rounder. I carried this at work also for a few months, as things where I'm from were pretty bad and I felt high capacity in a very lightweight handgun was a good idea.
 
Exspiravit said:
"All I've got is this overpriced 22 Magnum"
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And I'll be deaf if I hafta actually shoot it.. 😁
I'll stick with muh big, slow rocks from a Farty Five. 🤠
Anything even mildly high velocity out of a short barrel is a real pain to shoot if "ears" ain't a practical option.
And sometimes even if they are..
 
The whole "armor piercing" angle is kind of moot. The crisat (not sure about spelling) armor piercing requirements and test is about 30 or 35 years old. The armor that the 5.7 defeated (quite well) is not used anymore. The last couple decades has seen body armor (and bullet design) improved dramatically. Basically, the 5.7 might defeat some light body armor but won't defeat rifle plates. If you are fighting a criminal or mass shooter who has armor don't bet your life that a hit in the vest will be effective. The only thing that's reliable is shooting where he's not armored. The face is the new center of mass.

In that light, the fact that 5.7 is easy to shoot means you may (depending on your skill, training and mindset) be a little more likely to land a round in between the eyes. But then again the lower price of 9mm means you can practice more. The whole thing goes in circles like a dog chasing his tail. Like most caliber debates, it's kind of pointless.

I like the idea of a 22 Hornet equivalent in a semi auto pistol. Probably a great 10" sbr round and I think the new and next generation of pistol optics will do great things with the low recoil, flat shooting little rounds. Is it "better than" this that or the other? I'm not sure the difference on paper means anything on meat one way or the other. It's just another way to skin a cat.

I stand by my initial comment. If you want it, get it. For those of you who don't like it, by all means stick with that.
 
The question to be answered is WHY you want a 5.7.

If the answer is "because I want one", then have at it. I'm all about people buying what they want. If it floats your boat, get it.

If it goes beyond that, then you need to start looking at pros and cons, doing research to see if it's actually going to perform up to snuff for your application, etc.

The bottom line is the 5.7 is a .22 caliber, low mass round. In my opinion, its largest advantage over the .22 WMR is the fact that it's a centerfire .22 cartridge, not rimfire.

The added velocity over a .22 WMR doesn't really buy you much more in effective terminal ballistics as a defensive round, in my opinion.

Now...it IS a bullet and it WILL poke holes in targets...paper or violent attackers. And you can carry quite a number of rounds in a magazine for this purpose, so there's that going for it.

But for something to consider as a self defense handgun in and of itself? I'm sure it could do the job, but I'm not so sure it's not easily overshadowed by other caliber choices readily available. I don't see this as a clear cut advantage over other available options.

But hey...as I said, if you want one, buy one! Shooting is fun!
 
Okay, everyone here is seriously over thinking the caliber and this topic.

I mean, if you put this amount thought and waffling in to every purchase, you'd have a seriously boring collection.

So go ahead, make that impulsive buy, go outside of your comfort zone, pull money out of your savings, hide the evidence of the purchase from your wife, tell your kids "sorry gonna be spam sandwiches for lunch this week"

And most importantly, have fun. FN doesn't make products for people who use logic and reason. They make products for people who have fun, for people buy now and cry later, for people who don't mind taking out a personal loan to buy the newest slightly different iteration of their products.

Don't be a party pooper, no one likes a party pooper.

20230709_201646.jpg
 
Hunter600rr said:
FN doesn't make products for people who use logic and reason. They make products for people who have fun, for people buy now and cry later, for people who don't mind taking out a personal loan to buy the newest slightly different iteration of their products.
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So, you're saying this is the Apple product of the gun world?
 
HawgBonz said:
And I'll be deaf if I hafta actually shoot it.. 😁
I'll stick with muh big, slow rocks from a Farty Five. 🤠
Anything even mildly high velocity out of a short barrel is a real pain to shoot if "ears" ain't a practical option.
And sometimes even if they are..
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TWO WORLD WARS!!! THE ONLY REASON I CARRY FORTY FIVE IS CAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE A FORTY SIX!!!!!
 
I wonder if a half century from now we’ll be neo-fudds complaining about how 5.7mm doesn’t have stopping power and that 9mm is a round with proven lung-blasting capabilities that’s been used in two gulf wars and that the youngin’s should get pistols with proper sporting purpose like Glocks

“Yup, I don’t trust them new dang-fangled guns made of 4D printed nano-laminate carbon resin. I heard they ain’t even detectable through spaceport giga scanners. Injection-molded polymer is simple, honest and time tested.”
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I'm still so proud of this comment I made on reddit.
 
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halorocks22 said:
TWO WORLD WARS!!! THE ONLY REASON I CARRY FORTY FIVE IS CAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE A FORTY SIX!!!!!
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460 Rowland | .460 ROWLAND®: A NAME YOU CAN TRUST.

460rowland.com 460rowland.com

now-old.gif

I kid, I kid. 45 ACP puts big ol holes in people just as well as any other handgun cartridge.


5.7x28 just isn't something that appeals to me, but as others have said, flat shooting little round if one of your niche interests includes long range handgun shooting. Otherwise, without ss190 it doesn't do much. P90s even aren't that viable in a world with 10.5" ARs sending rounds over 2500 fps. Neat concept though, just not for me as that is ANOTHER caliber to stock. If you are looking for an obscure, expensive high caliber round just get 7.5 FK Brno 🤣
 
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