FN Five-seveN
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The FN Five-seven (stylized as Five-seveN) is a semi-automatic
pistol A pistol is a handgun, more specifically one with the chamber integral to its gun barrel, though in common usage the two terms are often used interchangeably. The English word was introduced in , when early handguns were produced in Europe, a ...
designed and manufactured by
FN Herstal Fabrique Nationale Herstal (), trading as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a leading firearms manufacturer based in Herstal, Belgium. It is currently the largest exporter of military small arms in Europe. ...
in Belgium. The pistol is named for its 5.7×28mm (.224 in) bullet diameter, and the trademark capitalization style is intended to emphasize the manufacturer's initials—''FN''. The Five-seven pistol was developed in conjunction with the
FN P90 The FN P90 is a compact 5.7×28mm personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. It can also be considered a submachine gun. Created in response to NATO requests for a replacement for 9×19mm Parabellum firearms, th ...
personal defense weapon Personal defense weapons (PDWs) are a class of firearms intended for self-defense and security rather than warfare and infantry. Most PDWs fire a small-caliber (less than ), centerfire bottleneck cartridge resembling a scaled-down intermedia ...
and the FN 5.7×28mm cartridge. The P90 was introduced in 1990, and the Five-seven was introduced in 1998 as a pistol using the same 5.7×28mm ammunition. Developed as a companion pistol to the P90, the Five-seven shares many of its design features: it is a lightweight
polymer A polymer (; Greek '' poly-'', "many" + '' -mer'', "part") is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic a ...
-based weapon with a relatively large
magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
capacity,
ambidextrous Ambidexterity is the ability to use both the right and left hand equally well. When referring to objects, the term indicates that the object is equally suitable for right-handed and left-handed people. When referring to humans, it indicates that ...
controls, low
recoil Recoil (often called knockback, kickback or simply kick) is the rearward thrust generated when a gun is being discharged. In technical terms, the recoil is a result of conservation of momentum, as according to Newton's third law the force r ...
, and the ability to penetrate
body armor Body armor, also known as body armour, personal armor or armour, or a suit or coat of armor, is protective clothing designed to absorb or deflect physical attacks. Historically used to protect military personnel, today it is also used by variou ...
when using certain cartridge types. Sales of the Five-seven were originally restricted by FN to military and law enforcement customers, but since 2004, the pistol has also been offered to civilian shooters for personal protection,
target shooting Shooting sports is a group of competitive and recreational sporting activities involving proficiency tests of accuracy, precision and speed in shooting — the art of using ranged weapons, mainly small arms ( firearms and airguns, in forms suc ...
, and similar uses. Although offered only with sporting ammunition, the Five-seven's introduction to civilian shooters was met with vocal opposition from
gun control Gun control, or firearms regulation, is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians. Most countries have a restrictive firearm guiding policy, with onl ...
organizations such as the Brady Campaign, and the pistol has been subject to ongoing controversy in the United States. The Five-seven is currently in service with military and police forces in over 40 nations, including Canada, France, Greece, India, Poland, Spain, and the United States.Tirans, Ivars (2009). "Baltic Defence Research and Technology 2009 Conference Proceedings". Military Review: Scientific Journal for Security and Defence (), Nr. 3/4 (132/133), p 103. In the United States, the Five-seven is in use with numerous law enforcement agencies, including the
U.S. Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...
. In the years since the pistol's introduction to the civilian market in the United States, it has also become increasingly popular with civilian shooters.Grevillius, Nils (September 11, 2006). "One Hot Number". Guns & Ammo, Vol. 50 (No. 10): pp 48-53.


History


Development

The Five-seven pistol and its 5.7×28mm ammunition were developed by
FN Herstal Fabrique Nationale Herstal (), trading as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a leading firearms manufacturer based in Herstal, Belgium. It is currently the largest exporter of military small arms in Europe. ...
in response to
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...
requests for a replacement for the
9×19mm Parabellum The 9×19mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Luger or simply 9mm) is a rimless, tapered firearms cartridge. Originally designed by Austrian firearm designer Georg Luger in 1901, it is widely considered the most popular handgun ...
cartridge and associated pistols and submachine guns.Gourley, S.; Kemp, I (November 26, 2003). "The Duellists". Jane's Defence Weekly (), Volume 40 Issue 21, pp 26–28. NATO called for two types of weapons chambered for a new cartridge—one a shoulder-fired weapon, and the other a handheld weapon. According to NATO, these new weapons, termed
personal defense weapon Personal defense weapons (PDWs) are a class of firearms intended for self-defense and security rather than warfare and infantry. Most PDWs fire a small-caliber (less than ), centerfire bottleneck cartridge resembling a scaled-down intermedia ...
s (PDWs), were to provide "personal protection in last-resort situations when the user is directly endangered by the enemy .." In 1989, NATO published document ''D/296'', outlining a number of preliminary specifications for these weapons: * The new cartridge was to have greater range, accuracy, and terminal performance than the 9×19mm cartridge. Additionally, it was to be capable of penetrating certain types of
body armor Body armor, also known as body armour, personal armor or armour, or a suit or coat of armor, is protective clothing designed to absorb or deflect physical attacks. Historically used to protect military personnel, today it is also used by variou ...
. * The shoulder-fired personal defense weapon was to weigh less than 3 kg (6.6  lb), with a
magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
capacity of at least 20 rounds. * The handheld personal defense weapon (pistol) was to weigh less than , although a weight of was deemed desirable; it was to have a magazine capacity of no fewer than 20 rounds. * Both weapons were to be sufficiently compact to be carried hands-free on the user's person at all times, whether in the cab of a vehicle or the cockpit of an aircraft, and were to perform effectively in all environments and weather conditions. FN Herstal was the first
small arms A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...
manufacturer to respond to NATO's requirement; FN started by developing a shoulder-fired personal defense weapon, the
FN P90 The FN P90 is a compact 5.7×28mm personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. It can also be considered a submachine gun. Created in response to NATO requests for a replacement for 9×19mm Parabellum firearms, th ...
, along with a small caliber, high velocity 5.7×28mm cartridge type. The original 5.7×28mm cartridge, called the ''SS90'', went into production with the P90 in 1990. This cartridge type was discontinued in 1993, and replaced with the 5.7×28mm ''SS190'', which used a heavier and slightly shorter
projectile A projectile is an object that is propelled by the application of an external force and then moves freely under the influence of gravity and air resistance. Although any objects in motion through space are projectiles, they are commonly found i ...
weighing 2.0 g (31  grains). The reduced length of the SS190 projectile allowed it to be used more conveniently in the Five-seven, which was under development at that time. In 1993, Jean-Louis Gathoye of FN filed a United States patent application for a delayed blowback operating system intended for the Five-seven pistol, and ''U.S. Patent 5,347,912'' ("Elements for decelerating the recoil of the moving parts of a firearm") was received the following year. In 1995, FN officially announced development of the Five-seven pistol, and a prototype of the pistol was publicly displayed the following year. With some improvements, a
double-action only A trigger is a mechanism that actuates the function of a ranged weapon such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow, or speargun. The word may also be used to describe a switch that initiates the operation of other non-shooting devices such as a tr ...
model of the pistol went into production in 1998, and a
single-action A trigger is a mechanism that actuates the function of a ranged weapon such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow, or speargun. The word may also be used to describe a switch that initiates the operation of other non-shooting devices such as a tra ...
model called the ''Five-seven Tactical'' was then introduced shortly afterward. The Five-seven first entered service in May 2000, when the
Cypriot National Guard , name2 = National Guard General Staff , image = Emblem of the Cypriot National Guard.svg , image_size = 100px , caption = Emblem of the National Guard of Cyprus , image2 = Flag of the ...
( el, Εθνική Φρουρά) purchased 250 pistols for their special forces group.


NATO evaluation

In 2002 and 2003,
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...
conducted a series of tests with the intention of standardizing a
PDW Personal defense weapons (PDWs) are a class of firearms intended for self-defense and security rather than warfare and infantry. Most PDWs fire a small-caliber (less than ), centerfire bottleneck cartridge resembling a scaled-down intermediate ...
cartridge as a replacement for the
9×19mm Parabellum The 9×19mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Luger or simply 9mm) is a rimless, tapered firearms cartridge. Originally designed by Austrian firearm designer Georg Luger in 1901, it is widely considered the most popular handgun ...
cartridge. The tests compared the relative merits of the FN 5.7×28mm cartridge and the HK 4.6×30mm cartridge, which was created by German
small arms A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...
manufacturer
Heckler & Koch Heckler & Koch GmbH (HK; ) is a German defense manufacturing company that manufactures handguns, rifles, submachine guns, and grenade launchers. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, and also ...
as a competitor to the 5.7×28mm. The results of the NATO tests were analyzed by a group formed of experts from Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and the group's conclusion was that the 5.7×28mm was "undoubtedly" the more efficient cartridge. However, the German delegation and others rejected the NATO recommendation that 5.7×28mm should be standardized, halting the standardization process indefinitely. As a result, both the 4.6×30mm and 5.7×28mm cartridges (and the associated weapons) have been independently adopted by various NATO countries, according to preference; the Five-seven pistol is currently in service with military and police forces in over 40 nations throughout the world.


Present

At first, sales of the Five-seven pistol were restricted by FN to military and law enforcement customers, but in 2004 the new ''Five-seven IOM'' model was introduced and offered to civilian shooters for use with 5.7×28mm sporting ammunition. The IOM model incorporated several modifications to the weapon's design, such as the addition of an
M1913 The Picatinny rail ( or ), or Pic rail for short, also known as a MIL-STD-1913 rail, 1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail (cancelled), is a military standard rail interface system that provides a mounting platform for firearm accessories. It was ...
accessory rail, a magazine safety mechanism, and fully adjustable sights. Further development of the Five-seven pistol led to the introduction of the ''Five-seven USG'' model, which was approved by the ATF as a sporting firearm in 2004. The USG model incorporates a conventionally shaped square
trigger guard A trigger guard is a protective loop surrounding the trigger of a firearm designed to prevent unwanted contact with the trigger, which may cause an accidental discharge. Other devices that use a trigger-like actuator mechanism, such as inhaler ...
, a reversible
magazine release A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device for a repeating firearm, either integral within the gun (internal/fixed magazine) or externally attached (detachable magazine). The magazine functions by holding several cartridges withi ...
, and other minor changes. The ''Five-seven MK2'' was introduced in 2013, replacing the USG model. The MK2 model has cocking serrations on the front of the slide, all black controls, and slightly different iron sights. The ''Five-seven MK3 MRD'' was introduced at
Eurosatory Eurosatory is the largest international defence and security exhibition for land and airland that is held every two years in the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with ...
in 2022, introducing a threaded barrel, making it possible to use a silencer, a new texture pattern on the grip and deeper slide serrations. The MRD variant is available only to the government and law enforcement, with a civilian version scheduled for a later release.


Design

The Five-seven is a semi-automatic delayed blowback pistol chambered for FN's 5.7×28mm ammunition. The pistol has a concealed
hammer A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal (as wi ...
.
Polymer A polymer (; Greek '' poly-'', "many" + '' -mer'', "part") is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic a ...
materials are used extensively in the pistol's design, and even the steel slide is encased in a polymer shell. This provides reduced weight and greater resistance to corrosion. The slide's polymer shell gives the pistol the appearance of being constructed entirely of polymers, but the slide interior, barrel, trigger, springs, pins, and similar parts are all steel. However, the pistol is unusually lightweight, weighing only 744 g (1.6  lb) with a loaded 20-round magazine. The Five-seven is a full-size pistol, having an overall length of , a height of , and a max width of . It has the same grip angle as the distinguished
Browning Hi-Power The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, semi-automatic pistol available in the 9×19mm Parabellum and .40 S&W calibers. It was based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at FN Herstal ...
and
M1911 The M1911 (Colt 1911 or Colt Government) is a single-action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The pistol's formal U.S. military designation as of 1940 was ''Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911'' for th ...
pistols. Despite the considerable length of the pistol's 5.7×28mm ammunition, the grip is not particularly unwieldy—the distance from the trigger to the back of the grip measures , which is identical to a U.S. Military issue
M9 pistol The Beretta M9, officially the Pistol, Semiautomatic, 9mm, M9, is the designation for the Beretta 92FS semi-automatic pistol used by the United States Armed Forces. The M9 was adopted by the United States military as their service pistol in 19 ...
chambered in
9×19mm Parabellum The 9×19mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Luger or simply 9mm) is a rimless, tapered firearms cartridge. Originally designed by Austrian firearm designer Georg Luger in 1901, it is widely considered the most popular handgun ...
. The Five-seven
barrel A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers for liquids, ...
is cold hammer-forged and chrome-lined, with a total length of and a rifled length of . The barrel has eight
rifling In firearms, rifling is machining helical grooves into the internal (bore) surface of a gun's barrel for the purpose of exerting torque and thus imparting a spin to a projectile around its longitudinal axis during shooting to stabilize the ...
grooves with a right-hand twist rate of 1:231 mm (1:9.1 in), and it weighs . The small caliber gives the barrel a length in
calibers In guns, particularly firearms, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel bore – regardless of how or where the bore is measured and whether the finished bore match ...
of more than 20, 58% more than a comparable 9x19 barrel. It has a stated service life of 20,000 rounds and the Five-seven is noted for being very accurate. Current models of the Five-seven are
single-action A trigger is a mechanism that actuates the function of a ranged weapon such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow, or speargun. The word may also be used to describe a switch that initiates the operation of other non-shooting devices such as a tra ...
, having a short and light trigger pull of 20 to 30 N (4.4 to 6.6  lb''F''). They have a
Picatinny rail The Picatinny rail ( or ), or Pic rail for short, also known as a MIL-STD-1913 rail, 1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail (cancelled), is a military standard rail interface system that provides a mounting platform for firearm accessories. It was ...
for mounting accessories, and a magazine safety mechanism that prevents the pistol from firing without a magazine inserted. The grip texture on current pistols is extensively checkered for a superior hold, and each side of the slide has a series of narrow ridges at the rear to aid grasping. The trigger and
trigger guard A trigger guard is a protective loop surrounding the trigger of a firearm designed to prevent unwanted contact with the trigger, which may cause an accidental discharge. Other devices that use a trigger-like actuator mechanism, such as inhaler ...
surfaces also have grooves to reduce finger slip, and the trigger guard is elongated to ease firing while wearing gloves. The Five-seven is currently offered in two different frame finishes (standard black or flat dark earth), and two different iron sight systems (adjustable sights or low profile fixed sights).


Ammunition

Particularly significant to the design of the Five-seven pistol is the small caliber, high
velocity Velocity is the directional speed of an object in motion as an indication of its rate of change in position as observed from a particular frame of reference and as measured by a particular standard of time (e.g. northbound). Velocity i ...
bottlenecked cartridge it uses. The 5.7×28mm cartridge was created by
FN Herstal Fabrique Nationale Herstal (), trading as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a leading firearms manufacturer based in Herstal, Belgium. It is currently the largest exporter of military small arms in Europe. ...
in response to
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...
requests for a replacement for the
9×19mm Parabellum The 9×19mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Luger or simply 9mm) is a rimless, tapered firearms cartridge. Originally designed by Austrian firearm designer Georg Luger in 1901, it is widely considered the most popular handgun ...
cartridge, which is commonly used in pistols and submachine guns. The 5.7×28mm cartridge weighs 6.0 g (93  grains)—significantly lighter than the average
9×19mm Parabellum The 9×19mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Luger or simply 9mm) is a rimless, tapered firearms cartridge. Originally designed by Austrian firearm designer Georg Luger in 1901, it is widely considered the most popular handgun ...
cartridge (M882 NATO total cartridge weight of 12 grams (180 grains)) —making extra ammunition less burdensome, or allowing more ammunition to be carried for the same weight. Since the 5.7×28mm cartridge also has a relatively small diameter, an unusually high number of cartridges can be contained in a
magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
. The cartridge has a loud
report A report is a document that presents information in an organized format for a specific audience and purpose. Although summaries of reports may be delivered orally, complete reports are almost always in the form of written documents. Usage In ...
and produces considerable
muzzle flash Muzzle flash is the light — both visible and infrared — created by a muzzle blast, which is caused by the sudden release and expansion of high-temperature, high-pressure gases from the muzzle of a firearm during shooting. Both the bla ...
, but it has roughly 30 percent less
recoil Recoil (often called knockback, kickback or simply kick) is the rearward thrust generated when a gun is being discharged. In technical terms, the recoil is a result of conservation of momentum, as according to Newton's third law the force r ...
than the 9×19mm cartridge, improving controllability. Due to its high velocity, the 5.7×28mm also exhibits an exceptionally flat
trajectory A trajectory or flight path is the path that an object with mass in motion follows through space as a function of time. In classical mechanics, a trajectory is defined by Hamiltonian mechanics via canonical coordinates; hence, a complete tr ...
. One of the design intents for the standard 5.7×28mm cartridge type, the ''SS190'', was that it would have the ability to penetrate
Kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...
protective vests—such as the NATO
CRISAT Collaborative Research Into Small Arms Technology (CRISAT) is the name of a series of studies conducted by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), identifying and defining threats with regard to the standardisation in the manufacturing of mi ...
vest—that will stop conventional pistol bullets. Fired from the Five-seven, the 5.7×28mm SS190 has a muzzle velocity of roughly 650 m/s (2,130 ft/s) and is capable of penetrating the CRISAT vest at a range of , or 48 layers of
Kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...
material (roughly equivalent to two stacked Level II Kevlar vest panels) at a range of . It is also capable of penetrating a PASGT vest at a range of or a PASGT helmet at a range of . FN states an effective range of and a maximum range of for the 5.7×28mm cartridge when fired from the Five-seven pistol. In testing conducted by
Passaic County, New Jersey Passaic County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the population of Passaic County was enumerated at 524,118, an increase of 22,892 (4.6%) from ...
Sheriff's Department, the 5.7×28mm SS190 penetrated to a depth of in bare
ballistic gelatin Ballistic gelatin is a testing medium designed to simulate the effects of bullet wounds in animal muscle tissue. It was developed and improved by Martin Fackler and others in the field of wound ballistics. It is calibrated to match porcine mus ...
, and a depth of in gelatin protected with a Kevlar vest. In testing, the SS190 and similar 5.7×28mm
projectile A projectile is an object that is propelled by the application of an external force and then moves freely under the influence of gravity and air resistance. Although any objects in motion through space are projectiles, they are commonly found i ...
s consistently turn base over point ("tumble") as they pass through ballistic gelatin and other media, using the 21.6-mm (.85 in) projectile length to create a larger wound cavity. However, some are skeptical of the bullet's terminal performance, and it is a subject of debate among civilian shooters in the United States. The 5.7×28mm
projectile A projectile is an object that is propelled by the application of an external force and then moves freely under the influence of gravity and air resistance. Although any objects in motion through space are projectiles, they are commonly found i ...
potentially poses less risk of
collateral damage Collateral damage is any death, injury, or other damage inflicted that is an incidental result of an activity. Originally coined by military operations, it is now also used in non-military contexts. Since the development of precision guided ...
than conventional pistol bullets, because the projectile design limits overpenetration, as well as risk of ricochet. The lightweight projectile also poses less risk of collateral damage in the event of a miss, because it loses much of its
kinetic energy In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acce ...
after traveling only , whereas a conventional pistol bullet such as the 9×19mm retains significant energy beyond . This range exceeds the engagement distances expected for the 5.7×28mm cartridge's intended applications, so the cartridge's limited energy at long range is not considered to be disadvantageous. Since the 5.7×28mm SS190 projectile does not rely on fragmentation or the expansion of a hollow-point bullet, the cartridge and pistol are considered suitable for military use under the
Hague Convention of 1899 The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 are a series of international treaties and declarations negotiated at two international peace conferences at The Hague in the Netherlands. Along with the Geneva Conventions, the Hague Conventions were amon ...
, which prohibits the use of expanding bullets in warfare.


Feeding

The Five-seven pistol feeds from detachable box magazines, but it is unconventional in that it feeds cartridges into the
chamber Chamber or the chamber may refer to: In government and organizations *Chamber of commerce, an organization of business owners to promote commercial interests *Legislative chamber, in politics *Debate chamber, the space or room that houses deliber ...
without the use of a barrel
feed ramp A feed ramp is a basic feature of many breech loading cartridge firearm designs. It is a tightly machined and polished piece of metal which guides a cartridge from the top of the magazine into the firing chamber of the barrel. The feed ramp may ...
, having a beveled chamber only—the pistol's feeding is inherently reliable because of its use of bottlenecked cartridges. The pistol is supplied with 20-round magazines as standard, or 10-round magazines for jurisdictions with a
high-capacity magazine ban A high-capacity magazine ban is a law which bans or otherwise restricts high-capacity magazines, detachable firearm magazines that can hold more than a certain number of rounds of ammunition. For example, in the United States, the now-expired Fe ...
. The Five-seven will also accept an aftermarket extended 30-round magazine, which protrudes an additional from the base of the pistol. With an additional cartridge in the chamber, the Five-seven pistol has a total capacity of 11, 21, or 31 rounds depending on which magazine type is used. Magazine pouches for the Five-seven magazine are available from various manufacturers. The Five-seven's magazine can be disassembled for cleaning or lubrication by removing the polymer floorplate. The magazine body is constructed of polymer, with steel inserts at the feed lips. Unlike a conventional pistol magazine, it feeds from double-stack staggered-feed magazine, with a follower that has the same appearance as that of an
M16 rifle The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-r ...
's magazine, and which is loaded in the same manner: by pushing cartridges straight down into the magazine, rather than pushing them down and back. This setup makes it very easy to load individual cartridges into the magazine. The magazine floorplate has a slight finger spur, and four holes in the left side of the magazine body allow a convenient estimate of the amount of remaining ammunition.


Controls

All controls (excluding the trigger) on the Five-seven USG and earlier models are grey polymer, in contrast to the black polymer frame and slide cover. Similarly, all of the controls on the Five-seven FDE and Five-seven ODG models are black polymer, in contrast to the flat dark earth and olive drab polymer frames. A takedown lever is located at the front on the left side of the weapon's frame, and a slide release is located at the rear on the left side of the frame; these controls are protected from accidental movements by slight projections in the frame contour. A chamber indicator, in the form of a pin inside a tiny hole, is provided on the left side of the slide. When a round has been chambered, this pin will protrude , which is sufficient to provide both visible and tactile indication of the chamber's status. Current models of the Five-seven have an
ambidextrous Ambidexterity is the ability to use both the right and left hand equally well. When referring to objects, the term indicates that the object is equally suitable for right-handed and left-handed people. When referring to humans, it indicates that ...
manual
safety device Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are two slightly dif ...
, which is located in an unconventional position: one control is found on each side of the frame above the trigger guard, where it is reachable with the trigger finger or support hand thumb. A red dot is visible here when the safety is deactivated and the pistol is ready to fire; when the safety is moved to the raised position, it is activated and the red dot is no longer visible. The pistol's push-button
magazine release A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device for a repeating firearm, either integral within the gun (internal/fixed magazine) or externally attached (detachable magazine). The magazine functions by holding several cartridges withi ...
, located on the left side of the frame where the trigger guard intersects with the grip, is square-shaped and reversible for left-handed shooters. The Five-seven can be disassembled quickly and easily, by using the left hand to retract and hold the slide rearwards, while simultaneously using the left-hand thumb to push and hold the takedown lever rearwards. When the slide is released, it moves forward freely and the complete slide assembly can be disengaged from the frame, whereupon the barrel (and captured recoil spring) can be removed from the slide. This level of disassembly is sufficient to perform thorough
cleaning Cleaning is the process of removing unwanted substances, such as dirt, infectious agents, and other impurities, from an object or environment. Cleaning is often performed for aesthetic, hygienic, functional, environmental, or safety purposes. ...
of the pistol, and FNH USA recommends no further disassembly except by an authorized armorer,
FN Herstal Fabrique Nationale Herstal (), trading as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a leading firearms manufacturer based in Herstal, Belgium. It is currently the largest exporter of military small arms in Europe. ...
, or FNH USA. Reassembly of the pistol is done in the reverse order, except no use of the disassembly lever is necessary.


Sights and accessories

The Five-seven has a sight radius of ; the pistol is currently offered with either adjustable sights or fixed sights. The "three-dot" type adjustable sights consist of a 2.9-mm (0.12 in) square notch rear and a 3.6-mm (0.14 in) blade front, which has a height of . The sights are targeted at , but can be adjusted for either
windage Windage is a term used in aerodynamics, firearms ballistics, and automobiles. Usage Aerodynamics Windage is a force created on an object by friction when there is relative movement between air and the object. Windage loss is the reduction in ...
or
elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § ...
. The "three-dot" type C-More fixed sights, which are offered as a low profile alternative to the adjustable sights, can only be adjusted for
windage Windage is a term used in aerodynamics, firearms ballistics, and automobiles. Usage Aerodynamics Windage is a force created on an object by friction when there is relative movement between air and the object. Windage loss is the reduction in ...
. The fixed sights are targeted at using SS195LF ammunition, and are available with or without tritium-illuminated inserts ("night sights") to aid use of the pistol in dim lighting. The Five-seven is supplied with a lockable hard case, a locking device and keys, a
magazine release A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device for a repeating firearm, either integral within the gun (internal/fixed magazine) or externally attached (detachable magazine). The magazine functions by holding several cartridges withi ...
reversal tool, a sight adjustment tool (not included with the fixed sights model), a cleaning kit, an owner's manual, and three 20-round magazines (or three 10-round magazines, where restricted by law). The Five-seven can be used in conjunction with a wide range of firearm accessories; holsters are offered by various manufacturers, and the pistol's MIL-STD-1913 (''Picatinny'') accessory rail will accept tactical lights or laser aiming devices. With the use of an extended, threaded barrel, the pistol can also be fitted with various
sound suppressors A silencer, also known as a sound suppressor, suppressor, or sound moderator, is a muzzle device that reduces the acoustic intensity of the muzzle report (sound of a gunshot) and muzzle rise when a gun ( firearm or air gun) is discharged, b ...
developed by Advanced Armament Corporation, Gemtech, Silencerco, and other manufacturers. The Gemtech ''SFN-57'', which was developed in 1998 specifically for use with the Five-seven, is a matte black aluminum suppressor with a length of , a diameter of , and a weight of . Israeli manufacturer FAB Defense offers a complete PDW conversion kit for the Five-seven, designated the ''KPOS G2 FN 5.7'', that allows the pistol to be reconfigured into a shoulder-fired
personal defense weapon Personal defense weapons (PDWs) are a class of firearms intended for self-defense and security rather than warfare and infantry. Most PDWs fire a small-caliber (less than ), centerfire bottleneck cartridge resembling a scaled-down intermedia ...
, and
CornerShot CornerShot is a weapon accessory invented by Lt. Col. Amos Golan of the Israeli Defense Forces in cooperation with American investors. It was designed in the early 2000s for use by SWAT teams and special forces in hostile situations usually invol ...
offers a weapon system compatible with the Five-seven that allows the shooter to aim and fire around corners without being exposed.


Variants

;Five-seven :The original ''Five-seven'' was introduced in 1998, and it is now discontinued. It had no manual safety device and it was
double-action only A trigger is a mechanism that actuates the function of a ranged weapon such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow, or speargun. The word may also be used to describe a switch that initiates the operation of other non-shooting devices such as a tr ...
, with a heavy trigger pull of 4.5 to 6.5
daN Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa **Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoir ...
(10 to 14 lb''F''); its double-action only trigger was harshly criticized. The original Five-seven had a pebbled grip pattern, a smoothly contoured accessory rail, low profile fixed sights and a large circular-shaped trigger guard designed to facilitate gloved use. It did not have a slide release and the slide was not serrated as on newer models, but a portion at the rear of the slide was instead slightly concave to aid grasping. The pistol also had slightly different markings, with an ''FN'' logo placed on the left side of the frame above the trigger guard. ;Five-seven Tactical :The ''Five-seven Tactical'' was introduced shortly after the original
double-action only A trigger is a mechanism that actuates the function of a ranged weapon such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow, or speargun. The word may also be used to describe a switch that initiates the operation of other non-shooting devices such as a tr ...
model, as a
single-action A trigger is a mechanism that actuates the function of a ranged weapon such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow, or speargun. The word may also be used to describe a switch that initiates the operation of other non-shooting devices such as a tra ...
alternative. It had a short and light trigger pull of 2 to 3
daN Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa **Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoir ...
(4.4 to 6.6  lb''F''), as on current models. It also had the addition of an
ambidextrous Ambidexterity is the ability to use both the right and left hand equally well. When referring to objects, the term indicates that the object is equally suitable for right-handed and left-handed people. When referring to humans, it indicates that ...
manual
safety device Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are two slightly dif ...
(located on each side of the frame, as on current models), and a slide release. Aside from these modifications, the Tactical model was identical to the original double-action only Five-seven. It was discontinued following the introduction of the IOM model. ;Five-seven IOM :The ''Five-seven IOM'' (Individual Officer Model) was the first model of the Five-seven pistol to be offered to civilian shooters, debuting in 2004. It is now discontinued in favor of the USG model. The IOM was similar in its basic design to the Tactical version, but differed in that it had a MIL-STD-1913 (''Picatinny'') accessory rail, a serrated slide and trigger guard, and fully adjustable sights. It also had a magazine safety mechanism incorporated into the design, to prevent the pistol from being fired without a magazine inserted. ;Five-seven USG :The ''Five-seven USG'' (United States Government) model was approved by the ATF as a sporting firearm in 2004, replacing the IOM model. The USG retained the changes that were incorporated in the IOM, but it had further modifications, including a conventionally shaped square trigger guard, a tightly checkered grip pattern, and a larger, reversible magazine release. It was originally offered with adjustable sights, but starting in 2009 it was also offered with low profile fixed sights. The USG model had a black frame finish with grey controls as standard, but it was also offered in limited quantities with black controls. Since 2013, the USG model is no longer listed by FNH USA. ;Five-seven FDE :The ''Five-seven FDE'' (Flat Dark Earth) model was built to the same specifications as the Five-seven USG, but it had a brown frame finish and black controls, as opposed to the standard black frame finish and grey controls of the Five-seven USG. Like the USG model, the FDE was offered with either adjustable sights or low profile fixed sights. Since 2013, the original FDE model is no longer listed by FNH USA, although a flat dark earth version of the new MK2 is available. ;Five-seven ODG :The ''Five-seven ODG'' (Olive Drab Green) model was built to the same specifications as the Five-seven USG model, but it had an
olive drab Olive is a dark yellowish-green color, like that of unripe or green olives. As a color word in the English language, it appears in late Middle English. Shaded toward gray, it becomes olive drab. Variations Olivine Olivine is the typic ...
frame finish and black controls, as opposed to the standard black frame finish and grey controls of the Five-seven USG. Like the USG model, the ODG model was offered with either adjustable sights or low profile fixed sights. Since 2012, the ODG model is no longer listed by FNH USA. ;Five-seven MK2 :The ''Five-seven MK2'' model was introduced in 2013, and is now the standard version of the Five-seven offered by FN Herstal. This new model has cocking serrations on the front of the slide, and has a one-piece metal slide (under the polymer cover), whereas the previous models have a two-piece welded metal slide. It is available only with adjustable sights. The rear sight on the adjustable-sight version has also been changed, with beefed-up construction and white straight-edge sight references compared to the present three-dot target-style sights; these have been described as "combat adjustable sights". :The MK2 has a black frame and slide, with flat black controls in place of the grey controls of the IOM and USG models. It is also available with a flat dark earth frame color. It is slightly wider than previous models and will not fit most custom holsters made for earlier versions of the Five-seven.


Current model

;Five-seven MK3 MRD :The ''Five-seven MK3 MRD'' model was introduced in 2022, the main difference is the new FN patented interface that accepts the most commonly used red dot sights, and multisurfaced textures. Optically it has a new slide and a more textured grip, compared to the MK2. It is available in black and flat dark earth.


Controversies

The Five-seven pistol and 5.7×28mm ammunition were originally restricted by FN to military and law enforcement customers, but in 2004 the new ''Five-seven IOM'' model was introduced, and offered to civilian shooters for use with 5.7×28mm SS192 ammunition. FNH USA has marketed the Five-seven to civilian shooters as a pistol suitable for personal protection, target shooting, and similar uses, but the Five-seven's introduction to civilian shooters was strongly opposed by U.S.
gun control Gun control, or firearms regulation, is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians. Most countries have a restrictive firearm guiding policy, with onl ...
organizations such as the Brady Campaign; by the end of 2004, sales of the Five-seven pistol had increased dramatically. In early 2005, the pistol was subject to controversy in the United States after the Brady Campaign stated that commercially available 5.7×28mm SS192 ammunition penetrated a Level IIA Kevlar vest in testing. The
National Rifle Association The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while cont ...
(NRA) shortly countered the Brady Campaign's claim by stating that the gun control group may not have adhered to standard testing procedures, and that FN offers
armor-piercing Armour-piercing ammunition (AP) is a type of projectile designed to penetrate either body armour or vehicle armour. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armour-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armour carried on many warsh ...
varieties of the 5.7×28mm cartridge only to military and law enforcement customers. Varieties offered to civilians are classified by the U.S.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preve ...
(ATF) as not armor-piercing, and it was stated that the SS192 and SS196 cartridge variations were unable to penetrate various types of Kevlar vests in tests conducted by FNH USA.
Michael D. Barnes Michael Darr Barnes (born September 3, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician who represented the eighth district of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987. Early life Born in Washington, D.C. to John P. Ba ...
, then-president of the Brady Campaign, responded to the NRA's statements on the Five-seven by challenging NRA Executive Vice President
Wayne LaPierre Wayne Robert LaPierre Jr. (born November 8, 1949) is an American gun rights lobbyist who is CEO and executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA), a position he has held since 1991. Personal background Wayne Robert LaPierr ...
to be shot with the pistol while wearing a Kevlar vest. The NRA again responded to the Brady Campaign's statements, saying that "Barnes demonstrated his group's complete and utter disregard for gun safety and its flaming zeal to further restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners." In the same year, two pieces of legislation were introduced in the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...
, specifically targeting the Five-seven pistol and 5.7×28mm ammunition for a federal ban: the ''H.R. 1136: PLEA Act'' was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep.
Eliot Engel Eliot Lance Engel (; born February 18, 1947) is an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from New York from 1989 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented a district covering portions of the north Bronx and sou ...
(D-NY), and the ''S. 527: PLEA Act'' was introduced in the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ); neither bill proceeded to a vote by the House or Senate. In March 2007, legislation was again introduced in the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...
by Rep. Engel, under the new designation ''H.R. 1784: PLEA Act''. Once again, the bill failed to proceed to a vote. In the following years, the Five-seven was subject to further controversy due to reports of the pistol's use by
drug cartel A drug cartel is any criminal organization with the intention of supplying drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the l ...
s in the Mexican Drug War. In the United States, the Five-seven has been used once to shoot and kill a police officer, causing the line of duty death of Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper Trevor Casper. Various news sources such as ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' and ''
La Jornada ''La Jornada'' (''The Working Day'') is one of Mexico City's leading daily newspapers. It was established in 1984 by Carlos Payán Velver. The current editor ''(directora general)'' is Carmen Lira Saade. ''La Jornada'' has presence in eight sta ...
'' also report incidents in which the pistol was used to shoot and kill police officers or civilians in Mexico. According to the ATF, the Five-seven is one of the weapons favored by drug cartels in the Mexican Drug War, and a smuggled Five-seven pistol can sell for up to 66,000
peso The peso is the monetary unit of several countries in the Americas, and the Philippines. Originating in the Spanish Empire, the word translates to "weight". In most countries the peso uses the same sign, "$", as many currencies named " doll ...
s (US$5,000) in Mexico. From Mexico, the pistols have been smuggled into other South American countries; in a July 2010 drive-by shooting in Envigado, Colombia, two cartel gunmen armed with Five-seven pistols opened fire on a group of bystanders outside a nightclub, leaving 9 people dead and 10 wounded. In November 2009, the Five-seven again became subject to controversy in the United States, following the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, shooting at Fort Hood military base, in Texas. A U.S. Army psychiatrist, Major Nidal Hasan, opened fire on fellow soldiers with a Five-seven pistol, killing 13 people and wounding 29 in the worst shooting spree, shooting ever to take place on an American military base. Shortly after the shooting, FNH USA responded with a fact sheet dismissing allegations about the nature of the pistol, stating that it is only offered to civilians with sporting ammunition. Later in the month, a number of gun control organizations such as the Brady Campaign wrote a collaborative letter to U.S. President Barack Obama, citing the weapon's use by the Fort Hood shooter and Mexican drug cartels, and calling on him to ban importation of the Five-seven pistol and 5.7×28mm ammunition. In July 2010, legislation was introduced in the United States Congress by Rep. Engel, for a third time, under the new designation ''H.R. 6030: PLEA Act''. Like its previous incarnations, the ''H.R. 6030'' bill failed to proceed to a vote by either the House of Representatives or
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
.


Users

The first military organization to adopt the Five-seven was the
Cypriot National Guard , name2 = National Guard General Staff , image = Emblem of the Cypriot National Guard.svg , image_size = 100px , caption = Emblem of the National Guard of Cyprus , image2 = Flag of the ...
(Greek: ''Εθνική Φρουρά''), which purchased 250 pistols in May 2000 for its special forces group. By 2009, the Five-seven was in service with military and police forces in over 40 nations throughout the world. In the United States, the Five-seven (as of 2010) is used by over 300 law enforcement agencies, including the
U.S. Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...
. Military and law enforcement organizations using the Five-seven include:


See also

* Ruger-57 – Semi-automatic pistol chambered for the 5.7×28mm cartridge * Heckler & Koch UCP – Competing 4.6×30mm PDW-caliber pistol project briefly developed by Heckler & Koch in Germany. * FK BRNO Field Pistol – Modern Czech pistol chambered for bottlenecked, high velocity 7.5 FK ammunition. * QSZ-92 – Chinese pistol designed by Norinco, utilizing proprietary 5.8×21mm armor-piercing ammunition. * Remington XP-100 – The Remington XP-100 (from eXperimental Pistol number 100) is a bolt-action pistol produced by Remington Arms from 1963 to 1998. The XP-100 was one of the first handguns designed for long-range shooting, and introduced the .221 Fireball and 6×45mm. * Thompson/Center Contender – The Thompson/Center Contender is a break-action single-shot pistol or rifle that was introduced in 1967 by Thompson/Center Arms. It can be chambered in cartridges from .22 Long Rifle to .45-70 Government.


References


External links

* * – FNH USA
Owner's Manual

FNH Firearms Blog

"FNH USA Five-seven Pistol 5.7×28mm"
– Tactical-Life ;Video * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fn Five-Seven 5.7×28mm firearms Delayed blowback firearms FN Herstal firearms Police weapons Semi-automatic pistols Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1998