5.7x28mm Ammo: Complete Buyer's Guide
5.7x28mm ammo for the FN Five-seveN, Ruger-57, and PS90. Understand this unusual cartridge, its pros and cons, and find the best prices.
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Best 5.7x28mm by Use Case
Range & Practice
FN SS197SR (40gr V-MAX) is the most common commercial 5.7 load. Federal has also entered the market with American Eagle 5.7x28mm. Expect to pay $0.50-$0.80/round — 5.7 is expensive compared to 9mm.
Top Picks
- • FN SS197SR 40gr V-MAX
- • Federal American Eagle 40gr
- • Speer Gold Dot 40gr
Personal Defense
5.7 as a defensive cartridge is debated. Premium hollow points like Speer Gold Dot 40gr offer reasonable performance, but ballistic testing shows mixed results compared to 9mm hollow points. The lower recoil and high capacity (20 rounds in a Five-seveN) are real advantages.
Top Picks
- • Speer Gold Dot 40gr
- • FN SS197SR 40gr V-MAX
- • Federal American Eagle 40gr
Varmint / Small Game
The flat-shooting, high-velocity nature of 5.7 makes it effective for coyotes and similar small game at moderate ranges. The FN PS90 carbine extends the cartridge's effective range considerably.
Top Picks
- • FN SS197SR 40gr V-MAX
- • Federal American Eagle 40gr HP
What is 5.7x28mm?
5.7x28mm is a small-caliber, high-velocity cartridge developed by FN Herstal in the late 1980s. Originally designed as a military round to defeat body armor, the civilian versions are sold as high-capacity personal defense and target ammo.
For years, 5.7 was exclusive to the FN Five-seveN pistol and PS90 carbine. The Ruger-57 (released 2019) brought it mainstream by offering a $700 pistol vs the Five-seveN’s $1,300+ MSRP. Smith & Wesson’s M&P 5.7 followed.
Is 5.7 Worth It?
5.7’s selling points:
- Very low felt recoil — easier to shoot fast than 9mm
- High capacity (20 rounds standard in Five-seveN and M&P 5.7)
- Flat trajectory — good for longer-range pistol use
Downsides:
- Ammo cost ($0.50+/round vs $0.20/round for 9mm)
- Limited ammo availability compared to 9mm
- Terminal ballistics are debated — doesn’t match 9mm hollow points in gel tests
Firearms That Shoot 5.7x28mm
- FN Five-seveN
- Ruger-57
- Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7
- FN PS90 (civilian P90)
- Diamondback DBX57
- Palmetto State Armory Rock 5.7
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