I'm considering a purchase of a pistol, the FN Five seveN in 5.7 x 28mm caliber. Other than the typical online reviews of best or worst round ever conceived, does anyone have any actual hand on experience with one. Any thoughts on the round or the gun itself? Appreciate your input.

I’ve got the pistol and the civilian PDW that uses the round.

The pistol is large, a normal full size service pistol.

It’s accuracy is good.

Think of the cartridge as essentially a .22 hornet and you get an idea of it’s power level.

It’s design was to use AP ammo to deal with body armored soldiers (Comblock paratroopers) in rear echelon service troops.

You can’t really get the AP ammo as a civilian, so it’s real reason for existence isn’t available to most of us.

It does do an effective job with varmints. I think it would be a good SD gun using expanding bullets on soft targets.

The pistol has a 20 round magazine, so it’s quite hicap. Recoil is rather mild, but it is loud.

The ammo was (pre Covid) available, but not commonplace.

Note that (at least for the FN ammo) the cases are covered with a polymer coating to ensure good function. I haven’t had issues at all with factory ammo, and while the reloads can look a little funky, they have worked fine also.

Not sure what more to say about it.

A friend of my son has one, came over, used the range, + left me a handful of brass. Anyone that wants it can have it just for the cost of shipping.

I have shot and played with them.

If some one else was buying the ammo.

I would be fine with it.

Same with the 357 sig.

I agree. There have been a few 'abstract' pieces that I would like to shoot at least once + would prefer that someone else was the buyer + I just a one-time user.

Can't say anything about the gun, or shooting
factory ammo.

A friend used that brass for a necked down 17x28mm
varmint cartridge. Sounded like just what I wanted
at the time. So I remodeled a NEF HMR to shoot it.
That was a real challenge but, with help we got it
done and it's a dandy 200 yard shooter for P/dogs
and diggers. A couple years later he sold me the first one: Cooper M 38. Now I have both.

At first it was mighty hard to find brass. I bought 250 rnds from Midway and pulled the 40gr V'max bullets for the . 223 loads.

Saved the powder, amazing that it only has 5 gr of
almost dust like powder. Later I used it too.

The 5,7's shoot about 2000fps with the 40gr. The right source has a great range of bullets.
The .17x28 kicks a 20gr at 3460fps with 9.5gr AA1680. I don't know the powder used. Bob has played with it a lot and came up with 14 grs? at
over 4400fps with a 15gr bullet in another Cooper.

We found the case head is very narrow and needs
extra care when seating primers as the rim's can
pull off real easy. He's found the 4x30? brass for another round almost alike works better. I have some but, never tried them yet.

Bob also had a problem with the coating causing problems. I just put 'em in the shaker and it came off. Bare brass works just fine for me.

I put the word out I wanted brass. Ended up with I'm guessing at 3-4000 of them.

I've nearly filled a 30 cal ammo can with reloads. And have a 50 cal can over 3/4's full of brass I've reformed. Don't recall if I have any factory brass not formed. Sure don't need any more.

This conversion makes a fine looking cartridge. Bulberry makes a one stroke forming die, and RCBS carries the 17x28 dies.

This is mostly just info related, whether you can use it or not don't matter. Some may find an interest in such 17's. Loaded they're just about the height a quarter is standing on edge. Thing I like is they're reloadable and a whole lot cheaper
than HMR ammo, plus they shoot half again as fast.

Accuracy can only be stated as: One hole shooter
no matter how many shots you fire.

George

That is a lot more work then I ever want to do.

To shoot a 17 cal.

IF cycling brass thru a sizer ONCE is work,

Bet you feel sex is even more work for you!

George