5.7 x 28 centerfire

[Catpop]

Searching the range today, I found an unusual cartridge case. Upon very close inspection and I do mean I had to squint for my old eyes to make it out, a 5.7 x 28. I mean practically the whole base was taken up by the primer alone. Internet search found info on it, FL 57.
Has anyone fired one of these pistols?
Catpop

 

[earlthegoat2]

FN FiveseveN and FN P90 use the cartridge.

Maybe a very few others. It is/was proprietary to those two FN arms.

 

[Walkalong]

An AR57 (AR upper in 5.7X28) also fires it. I had one for awhile.

 

[MikeS.]

P90 is full auto and PS90 is semi, I have 1 and it is a true treat to shoot. I was lucky to shoot a P90 once with a hundred rounds. The ammo is expensive, it can be hard to come by and FN restricts the good 28gn AP ammo to LEO and .mil.

It can be tricky to reload, you must pay close attention to the specs and be careful of the coating on the case.

FN imports the ammo from Belgium and American Eagle started selling some 2-3 years ago.

 

[Rule3]

I have always wanted one and passed up many nice used pistols due to the ammo being such a trick to reload. Yes, I know it can be reloaded but as mentioned the coating on the brass and the fact that they can not be reloaded many times turned me away.Not like loading a 38 special! Plus the guns are darn expensive!

Actually the ammo has held pretty steady in price it came out at around $20 a box of 50 and is not a whole lot different today

 

[Catpop]

Lots of good info BUT
I really wanted to know about the cartridge itself.
Is it just a short range pistol cartridge?
Or is it something more?
Accurate and to what range?
Good for varmints? Small game? Worth pursuing for anything?
Thanks Catpop

 

[ATLDave]

Catpop, the premise of the cartridge is that its small frontal area and high velocity make it naturally well-suited to penetrating body armor. It was designed as a cartridge for "personal defense weapons" in military settings. The wikipedia entry actually has a good deal of information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_5.7×28mm

 

[Walkalong]

Off the top of my head? More powerful than a .22 Mag, should be plenty accurate in a contender, plus if you reload the shoulder it behaves normally in that action. You could also choose from many projectiles to suit your need if you reloaded it. I am guessing power wise between the .22 Mag and the .22 Hornet, or maybe the .221 Fireball. I would have to check ballistics. It would definitely be be good for varmints up to 200 or so yards and small game a little closer.

The 5.7X28 wasn't designed for varmints or small game, and neither were the FiveSeven pistol or the PS90 that it debuted in, but power wise that is about where it fits.

Both of those platforms are very hard on brass and blow the shoulder forward quite a bit, which makes reloading a special little pain and seriously shortens case life, but in a bolt gun or single shot it will behave like any other bottle necked caliber and be easy to reload.

Hope that was better.

 

[Havok7416]

It is a short-range cartridge for use out to about 200 yards (carbine) with the previously mentioned AP intent. My Five-SeveN is plenty accurate if I do my part. Reloading for it is a whole different can of worms though.