FN 5.7 for Every Day Carry?

[thunderoussilence]

Does anyone EDC one of these? A gentleman at Burnsville let me shoot his. I am in love. But wonder how it would be for EDC.

Thanks for your time.

[45usp45]

I shot one once and it was fun to shoot. Thought about getting one at one time but after gathering a little data on the round...cost to reload..it's not a round that's
worth while to reload.Can only get 1 reload out of the case and in some opinions that may be pushing it.
As for a carry gun I can think of a few options that are better than a high speed 22.

[Shipyard]

since it is widely boasted in the media that a 5.7 can penetrate light body armor, it may be quite unwise to carry this particular round. if you ever get into a situation where you had to use it one of those there lawyer types would have a field day portraying you as an uber wana be para military cop killer type.

my $0.02 and something to think about.

[Rodentman]

I have carried mine, it's pretty light, but rather large.

I'd chose something else, like my 229 .357sig or the G29. I am fortunate to have several choices. Frankly my favorite EDC is my Kahr PM40 in the nylon holster with a slot for a spare mag. I can't remember the mfr of the holster. it clips onto my belt and stores nicely in the console in the car.

[Seismic Sam]

Marty Ter Weeme, inventor of the 458 SOCOM round and AR rifle, has quite a few DoD contacts, and has told me that the 5.7 will punch neat little holes in people and they just keep coming. As a self defense stopping round, it's an abysmal failure. In addition, the gun is big and costly, with the price hovering around $900. Yes, there's the fact that it holds 20 rounds like an AR, but consider what you can get for half that price:

An EAA Match in 38 Super, for under $500. Now, you put in a 22# recoil spring, and go buy a box of 9x23 Winchester Silvertips. The 9x23 Winchester is a cut down and reamed 223 case, uses small rifle primers, and runs at 52,000 PSI. It will put a 125 grain Silvertip out the barel at 1450 FPS, so it is the FULL equivalent of the 357 SIG or .357 Magnum, AND it holds 18 rounds. If you want 20, you can get an IPSC mag for it.

So, a 22 magnum auto for 900 that holds 20 rounds and has debatable stopping power, or a REAL 357 Magnum power level gun for half that price that holds 18 rounds, and there is NO debate on the effectiveness of that round!! Kind of a no-brainer if you ask me.

Oh - the much vaunted AP ammo is not available to civilians at all, and Shipyard's comment is very well taken, so you wouldn't want it anyway. As such, you get the little polymer tipped bullets which are great if you are mugged by a pack of prairie dogs, but a 270 pound biker on meth will be an entirely different matter

[Pinnacle]

since it is widely boasted in the media that a 5.7 can penetrate light body armor, it may be quite unwise to carry this particular round. if you ever get into a situation where you had to use it one of those there lawyer types would have a field day portraying you as an uber wana be para military cop killer type.

my $0.02 and something to think about.

Yeah well here we are again - you are either justified or not. I have 9mm ammunition that will penetrate MOST issued vests and well, I do not see that as a problem.

the 5.7x28mm is a miserabsle little round to deal with - reloading it is not that tricky.

[zonk]

I would have to agree with the guys so far . For an every day carry you do not want a bulky and heavy handgun because you are going to get tired of the weight and you'll have a big bump on your hip that everybody will be able to see. Also if you have a shootout on the street or indoors you don't want your rounds to penetrate the walls and hurt somebody else so I would give the ammunition in question another tought not even mentioning the price . I have a Beretta 92 Fs witch I love and was determened to carry every day so in a nut shell I ended up buying another handgun for every day carry and the beretta stays at home for a home defence .

[Pinnacle]

:) I would have to agree with the guys so far . For an every day carry you do not want a bulky and heavy handgun because you are going to get tired of the weight and you'll have a big bump on your hip that everybody will be able to see. Also if you have a shootout on the street or indoors you don't want your rounds to penetrate the walls and hurt somebody else so I would give the ammunition in question another tought not even mentioning the price . I have a Beretta 92 Fs witch I love and was determened to carry every day so in a nut shell I ended up buying another handgun for every day carry and the beretta stays at home for a home defence .

There is a time and a place for a small gun and there is a lot to be said for carrying a small gun. Myself - I prefer a full sized gun in a good holster.

[zonk]

:) I would have to agree with the guys so far . For an every day carry you do not want a bulky and heavy handgun because you are going to get tired of the weight and you'll have a big bump on your hip that everybody will be able to see. Also if you have a shootout on the street or indoors you don't want your rounds to penetrate the walls and hurt somebody else so I would give the ammunition in question another tought not even mentioning the price . I have a Beretta 92 Fs witch I love and was determened to carry every day so in a nut shell I ended up buying another handgun for every day carry and the beretta stays at home for a home defence .

There is a time and a place for a small gun and there is a lot to be said for carrying a small gun. Myself - I prefer a full sized gun in a good holster.

I did not mean a small small double action little thing but somewhere in the middle . I carry Steyr M1-A1 and absolutely love it .It's light with 4" barrel , full size grip and shoots like a champion .

[DeanC]

Yes, there's the fact that it holds 20 rounds like an AR

You can also get a 30rd mag

Oh - the much vaunted AP ammo is not available to civilians at all

But you could reload it with the Barnes TSX, and well, I'll just leave it at that.

As such, you get the little polymer tipped bullets

There is also the SS195LF available which is not polymer tipped.

It is not a heavy gun and the recoil is negligible. As a centerfire, it's far more reliable than a rimfire. If someone was convinced all they could handle is a 22, this would be the gun for them.

[Joe Camo]

Sorry to stray off topic a bit ... I realize this thread is about the 5.7 pistol (never shot one of those) but the PS90 carbine / subgun which also shoots the 5.7 has to rank as one of the top 3 or 4 "fun guns" that I have ever shot ... esp the FA versions. That said, there's probably a good reason the PS90 has 50rnd mags with that little cartridge, not a lot of knockdown with one or two, but 5 or 6 ...

JC

[thunderoussilence]

Thanks everyone I really appreciate your opinions.

[bstrawse]

Sorry to stray off topic a bit ... I realize this thread is about the 5.7 pistol (never shot one of those) but the PS90 carbine / subgun which also shoots the 5.7 has to rank as one of the top 3 or 4 "fun guns" that I have ever shot ... esp the FA versions. That said, there's probably a good reason the PS90 has 50rnd mags with that little cartridge, not a lot of knockdown with one or two, but 5 or 6 ...

JC

The PS90 is on my list of guns I want to own in 2010
b

[Pinnacle]

I find that the 5.7 is a problem looking for a solution.

[DeanC]

If your agency/department issues you a PS90, the Five seven is a good solution.