5.7x28mm was once seen as the round of choice for Central American drug lords — at least as far as most in the U.S. were concerned.
But as time has passed and the general population became more aware of the round, it’s developed a solid following here in America.
With that, more and more manufacturers are jumping on the 5.7×28 train and supporting this once-niche round.
While I wouldn’t quite call it mainstream just yet, and it’ll likely never be as popular as 9mm or .45 ACP, it certainly has a sizable cult following.
If you’re interested in picking up a 5.7×28 gun of your very own or need ammo recommendations for a 5.7 gun you already have…you’ve come to the right place.
We’re going to walk you through a bit of background on the 5.7, and then we’ll cover everything you need to know about 5.7 guns and ammo.
Keep reading!
Summary of Our Top Picks
Table of Contents
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Best 5.7x28mm Guns
1. FN P90 and PS90
The select-fire FN P90 was first produced in 1990 (hence the name). It quickly became popular with police and counter-terrorist units, as well as various military personnel such as tankers, military police, support staff, and special forces.
In the U.S. alone, over 200 law enforcement agencies use the P90 or its tri-railed brother the P90 TR.
Of course, unless you’re a SOT, and a fairly wealthy one at that, you’ll have to settle for the semi-auto version, the PS90.
All P90 variants use a bullpup design with a lightweight polymer frame making it incredibly maneuverable in tight spaces such as inside vehicles.
It’s available in 16-inch and 10.4-inch barrel configurations, the latter of course requires a $200 SBR stamp. And it uses the same 50-round magazines as the select-fire model.
OG 5.7 Option
FN PS90
$1799 at Brownells
Prices accurate at time of writing
2. FN Five-seveN
The FN Five-seveN is the companion sidearm meant to go with the P90.
Developed by FN early on in the life of the cartridge, this handgun actually caused significant changes to be made to the overall design and dimensions of the round — particularly so it would feed reliably in a handgun.
Like the P90, the Five-seveN is a lightweight, polymer-framed gun that has a high capacity for its size with 20 rounds on tap in a Glock 17-sized frame.
The gun is not striker-fired as many would assume. Instead, it uses an internal pre-cocked hammer design. It’s also deceptively light at just 1.6 pounds loaded.
Modern models utilize blacked-out controls and a fairly nice trigger. Even the older models are surprisingly accurate. The flat trajectory of the 5.7x28mm round only helps the gun perform even better.
The one downfall of this gun is the price. Want to dive deeper? Check out our full review of the FN Five-seveN.
Best 5.7 handgun
FN Five-seveN
$999 at Sportsman’s Warehouse
Prices accurate at time of writing
3. Ruger-57
Ruger went head to head with FN in producing the Ruger-57.
The design goal for this pistol seems to be something along the lines of “make the Five-seveN, but without all the weird stuff that makes Americans not want to buy it.” A noble goal.
To achieve this, Ruger kept the basic dimensions and operating system of the Five-seveN, and did away with the European-style controls. This gives the gun a familiar 1911-style safety.
Beyond that, you have all the same benefits as the Five-seveN…low recoil, high capacity, and a good trigger. Oh, and it’s half the price of the Five-seveN.
Budget 5.7 Pick
Ruger 57
$654 at Kentucky Gun Co
Prices accurate at time of writing
What are your thoughts on the Ruger-57? Rate it below!
4. CMMG Banshee MK47
Let’s move away from handguns again for a minute and talk about one of the few 5.7x28mm ARs on the market.
CMMG is a powerhouse in the world of pistol caliber carbines, and the Banshee is one of their most popular offerings.
It’s actually available in 10 calibers, with three barrel length options, and numerous configurations among those choices. So, you can pretty much style it how you like.
While it’s not a true AR — it uses a blowback-operated action — it offers the same stylings of the ARs you’re used to.
Oh, and did we mention it takes FN Five-seveN compatible mags? That’s vastly preferable to CMMG selling some proprietary thing.
If you’re already interested in the idea of a 5.7 PCC but don’t love the P90 (which is fine, you’re allowed to be wrong) then this is your best option by a country mile.
You should also take a look at our complete video review of the Banshee because it’s awesome!
5. Keltec P50
The Keltec P50 is a spacey-looking gun that will take care of the 5.7x28mm need.
Weighing in at 3.2 pounds, this gun can tote 50 rounds. That’s plenty of firepower for whatever your needs.
With a 15-inch overall length, the P50 sports a 9.6-inch barrel.
If you want to add accessories, a Picatinny style rail and QD mounts fill that need.
Coolest Look
Keltec P50
$1099 at Palmetto State Armory
Prices accurate at time of writing
Best 5.7x28mm Ammo
There are two main options we recommend — one for defensive use and one for training/plinking or varmint removal.
1. Speer Gold Dot
Speer Gold Dots are absolutely legendary in the world of defensive ammo. They’re one of the most popular law-enforcement hollow points in North America.
If you’re non-military and you’re looking for a defensive 5.7 round, this is the one you should use, no question.
2. Federal American Eagle
Another venerable and familiar choice here, Federal American Eagle is one of the most popular budget FMJ ammo choices out there.
If you’re looking for cheap, reliable, FMJ 5.7 ammo, Federal has got you covered.
History of the 5.7x28mm Round
The FN 5.7x28mm round was originally created as part of an attempt by NATO to replace the 9x19mm round that was (and is) the standard sidearm round for most of the Western military and police forces.
The goal was to create a round with better range, accuracy, and terminal performance than the 9mm.
In 1990, FN completed development on the first 5.7 round, designated the SS90. It used a 23-grain projectile moving at 2,800ft/s when fired out of the 10.4-inch barrel of the FN P90 (developed at the same time).
Out of the P90, the round was capable of penetrating Level IIIA ballistic armor at 200 meters.
NIJ IIIA armor is rated to stop a .357 magnum. So, having a lightweight and lightly-recoiling round that could defeat this type of body armor was attractive to many potential adopters from various militaries and police agencies.
Further development led to a round with a slightly shorter, but heavier projectile that still reached speeds of 2,350ft/s out of the P90. This SS190 would go on to become the standard 5.7×28 round.
The shorter length allowed the round to feed more reliably in the FN Five-seveN handgun that was also in development at the time.
The P90 was then modified slightly to feed the SS190 reliably. and the two weapons, the SS190 round, and a few other specialty ammo variants such as the L191 tracer and the SB193 subsonic round were submitted to NATO for testing and evaluation.
Germany backed their own H&K alternative. This kept the 5.7 and its accompanying PDW/sidearm combo from being adopted as a standard NATO armament.
Many Western militaries decided independently to adopt the round. Thereafter, many law enforcement agencies did as well.
Today, the P90, FN Five-seveN, and the 5.7x28mm round are in the hands of military and police forces in over 40 countries. There’s also a growing interest in the round and civilian-legal firearms chambered in amongst the general population as well.
5.7x28mm Performance & Why You Want It
The whole goal of the 5.7x28mm was to improve on the 9x19mm. In some ways, it does that.
Logistically, it is smaller and weighs less than 9mm.
It also has a higher velocity, lower recoil, and a flatter trajectory than the 9mm, even though it has a lower maximum range overall because of the lightweight projectile.
This lighter projectile is actually a boon in many respects because overpenetration is less of a concern.
The projectile tends to be very heavy towards the base, meaning it tends to tumble upon striking a soft surface. This leaves a larger wound channel than the small bullet would seem capable of.
Finally, the lower diameter gives you a capacity boost over other similar pistol rounds. The Glock 17-sized FN Five-seveN can hold 20 rounds in a standard mag that’s about the size of the 17 rounders in the Glock.
Final Thoughts
This awesome little round has a fun history, and while it is something of a niche caliber, it really is a practical choice for personal defense.
It’s not ideal for plinking given the relative expense of the round compared to 9mm or .22 LR, but if you’ve got the cash…send it.
If you are thinking about adding a 5.7x28mm to your collection, you won’t regret it.
What do you think of the 5.7x28mm? Let me know in the comments! If you’re intrigued by the PS90, check out the Best Bullpup Rifles and Shotguns — you know you wanna!
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