FN 57 - good, bad, indifferent?

[Guns_and_Labs]

After seen a couple of rabbit with torso hots hop away, I have little interest for this round.

After another couple thousand rounds, I have to say I'm impressed.

It won't knock over thick steel plates, but it will penetrate and disable completely quite a number of other targets. And it WILL go through some backstops. I've seen the holes to prove it at one of our indoor ranges. I've used it on everything up to and including wild hogs, and I've yet to have anything that was really hit hop away. I'm not saying the above bunny didn't hop away, I'm just saying I've seen all my bunnies (and a badger, a couple of pigs, and a coyote) down for the count.

The trigger gets better, the mag disconnect is trivial to disconnect, and you eventually get used to the light muzzle compared to your favorite 1911. Once past all that, it is pretty darned accurate.

I've started carrying it in the field regularly (after I saw it destroy a pig), and I'm thinking I may put it on my CCW. It's certainly light enough for daily carry, unlike my 10mm. It doesn't knock down like the 10mm, but that bullet has some impressive terminal ballistics. And I mean terminal.

I have read accounts of swat team members shooting a suspect and walking past the downed guy thingking he was dead only to have the guy get up a few minutes later and try running off.

I saw that happen with a 12 ga, the stopping power of which I would not have doubted.

 

[Big Boomer]

You should do a search on OOB firing (out of battery) apparently there was some serious issues with these firing OOB up to a quarter of an inch causing catastrophic failure in the handgun.

Many guys checked theirs at home, reloaded rounds with just primers and pulled it out of battery and tried firing. They all just about pooed themselves with the results.

Thread can be found here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=362563&highlight=5.7+oob+firing

 

[Jason_G]

I think it's good for what its intended purpose is. It's meant as a compliment to the P90 and have the ability to fire the same ammo (I know I'm preachin' to the choir). For a person who is on a vehicle crew or something, the P90/FiveseveN duo makes perfect sense. For civilian use, I honestly don't see the appeal other than as a novelty or conversation piece. The "good" ammo is restricted, and there are so many widely available calibers that make bigger holes than the 5.7. That's not to knock the caliber or the pistol at all, I think they have their place, I just don't see much need for it for my uses. I think there are better choices for a dedicated SD gun, but I wouldn't want to be shot with a 5.7 either. Same opinion about the H&K 4.6, too.

I guess put me in the "indifferent" category.

Jason

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

You should do a search on OOB firing (out of battery) apparently there was some serious issues with these firing OOB up to a quarter of an inch causing catastrophic failure in the handgun.

Many guys checked theirs at home, reloaded rounds with just primers and pulled it out of battery and tried firing. They all just about pooed themselves with the results.

Thread can be found here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthrea...5.7+oob+firing

Investigation showed that it was not OOB firing, but a handload issue.

The OP on the issue posted FN's response here:

http://fnforum.net/viewtopic.php?t=7781&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=70.

Warning

DANGER CAUSED BY RELOADED AMMUNITION!

Subject: Five-seveN serial # 386102425

Date: 6-9-2008

The following conclusions are results from FNH USA's evaluation of the Five-seveN serial # 386102425 sent in to our service facility after a failure using reloaded ammunition.

Upon examination of this pistol we were able to determine that it did not fire "out of battery" and the catastrophic failure exhibited in this example was clearly caused by excessive cartridge pressure generated by reloaded ammunition.

Our examination showed that the shoulder of the case was separated from the rest of the cartridge and it was left in place inside the chamber. The position of this piece of brass shows that the handgun was in full battery when the reloaded cartridge was fire and the excessive pressure occurred. Another indicator that confirmed our findings is the primer extruded back into the firing pin hole and a portion of the case head was stuck to the breech face. This was caused by brass flow back into the leaded chamber indicator hole.

Additionally there was serious damage to the slide assembly which is clear evidence of excessive pressure. The lower edge of the breech face was peeled away and the slide itself was deformed from the excessive pressure. The pressure that caused this damage exceeded OEM ammunition standards.

The FN ballistics laboratory was able to duplicate the catastrophic failure almost identically with 2x the load data provided by the consumer. In this test the shoulder of the cartridge was left in the chamber at the same position as #386102425, the slide was damaged in the exact same way as #386102425, and the cartridge case head seperated in the same manner with the brass flowing into the loaded chamber indicator hole.

The design of the Five-seveN pistol, being a recoil operated delayed blow back system, has key parameters that prevent an "out of battery" firing.

Our established testing data indicates the firing pin will not strike the primer of a cartridge after .1180 inch. of rearward slide travel. With the slide moved rearward .1540 - .1545 inch. (true out of battery limit), it is impossible for the firing pin to strike the primer, at this point the trigger lever does not actuate the lever of the firing pin safety. It was also noted in our examination that the firing pin safety was still fully functional on Five-seveN #386102425.

It is FNH USA's finding that the catastrophic failure of Five-seveN #38610xxxx was due completely to excessive pressure caused by the reloaded ammunition and was not the result of an "out of battery" firing.



Please be aware that the owner's manual for the Five-SeveN handgun clearly states on page 4 that FN Herstal declines any responsibility and invalidates any guarantee and liability claims for incidental or consequential damages (injuries, loss of property, commercial loss, lost of earnings and profits, ...) resulting in whole ore partly from the use of reloaded ammunition.

If you have lost or misplaced your owners manual please contact our customer service department at 703-288-3500 x122 for a replacement.




Tommy Thacker
Product Manager
FNH USA, LLC.

 

[old_ironsights]

It'll piss off a ferral boar, but that's about it. My brother-in-law wasted a shot with his 5-7 "toy" and it took us about an hour to track down the hog. That doesn't speak to the accuracy of the weapon, but it does address its effectiveness.

 

[TexasRifleman]

I enjoy shooting mine but it hasn't had to kill anything but paper IPSC targets so far.

I'm about 800 rounds in and it's never failed once.

Trigger sucks but you get used to it, or at least learn to deal with it.

Mine's VERY accurate.....

It's a handful.....fat grip and all

I dunno. I like it but it's certainly not at the top of the list for "best handgun"

 

[ohioshooter]

I bought one about 3 weeks ago and I love it. It's not my carry gun but it's definitely a nice piece of 'art' so to speak. Some people buy guns as a novelty and most that have 10 or more pistols probably have a gun that has withstood time (glock, h&k....etc.) that is preferred.

Most newer guns in my opinion probably aren't carry pistols anyway cause they haven't been around long enough to go through the rigors of the above mentioned pistols. With that being said, I own a 500 S&W and it's not a gun that i use often but I like the joy of collecting something that I think looks great and has great craftsmanship so having a gun like the FN or any other crazy sounding round doesn't mean it has to be a carry gun or serve as a gun that has to 'prove itself worthy' in order to be bought. Can we just buy a nice gun just for the sake of craftsmanship anymore...lol.

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

It'll piss off a ferral boar, but that's about it. My brother-in-law wasted a shot with his 5-7 "toy" and it took us about an hour to track down the hog. That doesn't speak to the accuracy of the weapon, but it does address its effectiveness.

Yeah, it's not the optimal wild pig hunting handgun (think hot 10mm or 44mag), since the commonly available ammo is the wrong load for that thick hide of the boar. The wild pigs I shot with the FiveseveN were all head shots, behind the ear, and they were DRT -- I wouldn't have tried the shot otherwise.

I do think it's interesting that some tests seem to indicate that it will penetrate Level II vests with the military ammo (which I can't get, of course) and still incapacitate -- but I've no idea how vests and wild pigs compare.