Hot Dawg!! The old 5.7 round is making a comeback! This is exciting news, as this is such a fun round to shoot and an amazing firearm to own. There are new futuristic pistols in 5.7, new 1911 style 5.7's, and new AR conversion magazines and parts by CMMG.  

SHORT HISTORY

The 5.7 x 28 caliber cartridge was developed by FN (Fabrique Nationale) per NATO request, as a replacement for the 9 x 19mm. It was primarily developed for the P90 submachine gun in the 1980s. In 1998, FN introduced a 5.7 pistol for law enforcement and military use, and in 2004 the FN finally made a 5.7 x 28mm pistol
available for civilian purchase. The 5.7 x 28 round is similar to the .22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire).

The FN Five-seveN

 

A LITTLE HOUSE-KEEPING

Before we get down to the skinny of this great round, let's clear up that old urban legend. We are certainly not promoting "cop-killing" rounds of ammunition. We have a lot of Police Officers in the Classic Firearms family, so we wanted to clarify the legend of the "cop-killer" round. The 5.7 x 28 caliber SS190 AP Ball FMJ is a round that is designated as Armor Piercing, and is designed to penetrate standard body armor. This round has a steel penetrator and an aluminum core. FN stated that the round will easily penetrate protective material made to stop normal pistol rounds, but it will not penetrate the protective material designed to stop a 5.56 x 45 NATO round. These rounds are stored by FN and are only released upon Military or Law Enforcement purchase orders.  

THE AMMUNITION

This is where the rubber meets the road. It's all in the ammo, and this little cartridge has high velocity. The round is bottlenecked down to a .224 inch bullet (5.7). This strategically engineered round will yield a large wound cavity without over penetrating through the target into whatever may be behind it. The science behind it's stopping power is that the center of mass is located towards the rear of the bullet. When the round hits the target at a high velocity it creates yaw and tumbles which helps the bullet's energy transfer to the target, creating a larger entrance cavity. The ammo was designed for high muzzle velocity and low recoil. Low recoil means a quicker recovery, keeping you on target and improving accuracy. 5.7 ammunition comes in several versions that are available for you to purchase:
  • The SS195LF Sporting Round has a lead free primer and bullet. The 28gr., copper-jacketed, aluminum core bullet can be identified by the silver-colored primer and a hollow void at the tip.
  • The SS197SR Sporting Round is a 40gr., Hornady V-Max projectile. The round is loaded for slightly higher velocity. This round can be identified by its blue polycarbonate tip.
  • The SS196SR Sporting Round has been discontinued and replaced with the SS197SR. It has all of the same features as the SS197SR, except for a red polycarbonate tip. The polycarbonate tips in the V-Max bullets contributes to the expansion of the bullet. The red tip differentiates the discontinued SS196SR from the SS197SR, which is blue. The SS196SR discontinued round can still be purchased in lots by civilians.
 

THE FIREARMS

CMMG has taken the bull by the horns by doubling down and taking the 5.7 x 28mm to new heights. They are currently producing a full line of BANSHEE
and RESOLUTE model firearms for use with their AR Conversion Magazines. This line of firearms is built with CMMG's Mk4 receivers and a dedicated 5.7 x 28 upper receiver. This line of firearms comes with an AR Conversion Magazine.

CMMG Banshee in 5.7

Check out the new Ruger-57. Ruger is getting on-board too! Ruger's new 5.7 x 28mm pistol
gives you a choice of capacity by offering a 10+1 model (16402) and a 20+1 model(16401). The Model-57 is compatible with accessories. It is a crisp, clean gun to shoot, with easy trigger reach and a 1911-style ambidextrous safety.

Ruger Model 57 5.7x28mm Semi-Auto Pistol 4.9" Barrel

FN has been there from the beginning of the 5.7 pistols. They are still in the game with their ever trustworthy FIVE-seveN pistols
. These modern-day masterpieces can be easily outfitted with tactical lights and lasers. FN is the original in 5.7 and is definitely worth taking a look at. With financing available, no firearm is out of reach!  

5.7 x 28mm - 5.7 AR CONVERSION MAGAZINE

If you have a mil-spec AR15 lower receiver and want to shoot a smaller caliber 5.7 x 28mm, CMMG has you covered! The new, innovative 40 round magazine is designed to fit and function in mil-spec AR15 lowers when paired with CMMG's 5.7 x 28mm upper. For gun builders, CMMG will also be offering bolt and barrel kits.  

SUMMED UP

The 5.7x28mm firearms and ammo are popular all over the globe among military and law enforcement agencies. With a recent resurgence in popularity, a few manufacturers are offering a great selection of these cool, fun, and effective pistols. This caliber is great for personal and home defense. The ammo is engineered to stop in the mass of your target rather than penetrating through, possibly causing harm to others. Ammunition is reasonably priced and is approximately the same cost as .45Auto. There's a lot to love about this ammunition and the firearms that shoot it! Shop All 5.7x28 Handguns
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