Really? Which round are you talking about? The current commercial rounds don't have much velocity. Most of the rounds that would have penetrated body armor have been pulled off of the market or are LE/military only.

 

What's with the attitude and what state do you live in. the five seven shoots the 5.7 round that has a muzzle velocity of 2100 fps. It is a great gun and I have had a couple of chances of shooting it. In fact, the guy that has it also has the P90 and uses the exact same ammo with his pistol as he does with his rifle. It's not like they sell special ammo just for the pistol. What are they going to do.... sell you a round that you promice only to shoot with your rifle?

 

I own a 5.7 but don't really ever carry it. It's a lot of fun to shoot and fairly accurate. As far as the ammo goes, FN has separate ammo for the LE/military and civilian markets. Both the civilian and LE ammo have similar muzzle velocity 1800-2300 fps. The big difference is the actual bullet. Civilian ammo has a ballistic tip(SS197) or hollow point(SS195) while military ammo(SS190) has the steel penetrator. I have shot my 5.7 using SS197 at a 22LR swinging steel target and it didn't even dent it. It's my understanding that the civilian available ammo will not penetrate a modern vest. The SS190 isn't even available for the PS90.



Screen cap of my wife firing my 5.7

 

No attitude was intended, but the 5.7 round has been demonized by misinformation. The most available round, the ss197, has a velocity of about 2100 fps from a PS90, 16" barrel, and only about 1700 fps in a FiveSeven, 4.75" barrel. Some 22 magnum rounds shoot 2000 fps. The 5.7 round is designed to break apart and yaw, not over penetrate.

 

Good to know... I was talking to a few folks at the range and they said it could go through the vest. I really don't have any experience with the gun outside of shooting it a couple of times. I have heard good things about the 5.7 round, but I don't own one so I can't talk to it too much.

 

I run a training school in Indiana, and teach everything from Basic Firearms Safety and Familiarization to Advanced Active Shooter Response, Pistol, Revolver, Shotgun, and Carbine and Precision Rifle.
First- WHY do you want a hammer?
Second- Will you carry it EVERYWHERE all the time? or will it be too bulky/heavy.
Third- Will it reliably stop an attacker?
Fourth- Can you HIT with it? You cannot miss someone fast enough to kill them.

I will offer this- AMMO choice means a LOT. My everyday/everywhere all the time rig is a Diamondback .380 in a behind the belt rig. It is SMALL, LIGHT, and I ALWAYS have it. I can HIT with it, and with the R.B.C.D. ammo that I carry in it, it is mucho lethal. If you do not know about R.B.C.D., google them. They are geniuses at ammo design, and their stuff is EFFECTIVE.
If I am going somewhere that might be more than low/average risk (i.e. downtown, mall, overnight trip, etc..) I carry a Springfield 1911 in .45 ACP. I will tell you now, the 1911 is NOT the best choice carry gun. John Browning's design is outdated and heavy, BUT with that said, I am a pistolsmith, I do my own reliability jobs, (ream out the match chamber, POLISH feedramp, test and adjust) and I LOVE MY 1911, but I am an old guy taught to shoot by older guys. All the newfangldy match grade stuff is NOT conducive to reliability. There is a REASON Army .45's were LOOSE and rattly. Find a gun that works for you, is able to be carried everywhere, and that fires a round that kills.
As to some of these new hopped up b.b. pistols- learn about how a bullet kills.
Bullets either use HIGH velocity to cavitate tissue (which pulps and shreds it causing massive damage and shock) or they tear through it causing blood loss, nerve damage and broken bones. Head shots desconnect the brain from the body, joints can be broken, stopping movement. The .380 load I use is a 45 Gr. Fragmenting bullet at 1800 Fps. It is NOT fast enough to kill with cavitation shock, therefore I have to focus on the brain, blood filled organs (heart, liver, aorta) or on multiple hits. The .45 is able to smash up bones, so I can ALSO hit the hips, spine, and case big holes in the lungs, center body area. I DO NOT advocate handguns in the .22 range INCLUDING the 5.7. Out of a handgun it IS NOT fast enough to kill with velocity, and the bullet is NOT big enough to tear things up adequately for me. It is not good through glass, and WHY do I care if it shoots through a vest. AP bullets DO NOT FRAGMENT, so IF I shoot through the hypothetical bad guy's vest, unless I center punch his actual heart (a target the size of the human FIST) It will not kill him fast enough to stop him from shooting me. Why not shoot for the HEAD (the fatal "T" area), bigger than a fist, and instant incapacitation.
AND BEFORE someone tells me all about how they read this or that data about the 5.7, I have put 3 5.56 rounds into a somewhat human (Maadi Army fighter) center mass, and had to put #4 into his dome since he was still able to get a mag into his rifle. The 5.56 is FASTER than the 5.7, and the Army is seing that it is not effective enough hence the 6.8 mm.
Humans are HARD to kill at times, and you had better have enough gun, enough accuracy, and a will to win. Use the gun you are confident with, will always carry, and can HIT with, and remember that the MIND is the greatest weapon.
Stepping off of soapbox now.

 

I have a 5.7 and I would sell it in a heartbeat. I bought it on a whim at a gun store based on all the hype the salesman was throwing at me... Vest piercing, 2300ft/sec, extremely accurate, etc. Plus, I have a PS90 (Which I love) and they share a round. Seemed to good to be true and it was. It is the least accurate handgun I own, the bullets are kinda expensive for practice, and the thing is huge. It is a great novelty item and conversation piece but that is all.

 

Sad that a sales guy ripped you... I help a friend at his store from time to time, and I always steer customers away from the 5.7. If the 5.56 aint enough gun, then a smaller volume of powder is not the answer. The Army lost all interest in the 5.7 FAST after Iraq and Assghanistan. The worst part is that when the 5.7 was new, guys were paying $1200.00 BUCKS, now they won't bring $900.00
Sorry you got ripped, try gunbroker to sell it....

 

Yeah, tell me about it! I paid $999.99. I have developed a good relationship at a local store and he offered me a large amount for trade in. Thats all I really need!

 

Sounds like you are doing the smart thing and getting out while you can. A friend and customer bought one AFTER I told him it was NOT a good idea, and now he can't get out of his... He basically has a SUPER expensive .22 Mag pistol that shoots hard to find ridiculously expensive ammo... Find a sucker, get a Glock, S&W M&P, Springfield, Sig, etc.... Hope you get what you want soon...