FN Five Seven vs Smith and Wesson 357 Revolver?

[Bongos]

When it's all said and done, what comes down to the final decision is ammo cost and abundance.. 38 spl and 357 can be found in every Walmart... no so with 5.7x28, also after a few shooting sessions, the revolver will be softer on the wallet.

Sure people will say $$ is not an issue.. but in reality, even subconsciously.. is always is.. get the revolver

[Litespeeds]

I was looking to purchase a FN 5.7 awhile back and bought some ammo for around .30 cents per round. My buddy had a 5.7 so I fired 10 rounds from it and I sold the rest of my ammo. It didn't feel good in my hand nor when I shot it. Gave me no thrill what so ever. I'd rather shoot my AR if I am spending .30 cents a shot.

I'm sure the OP will buy his 5.7 and be happy with it until he starts shooting it. Then it'll go back into his safe and he will have buyers remorse for spending so much to shoot such a small caliber.

Now if he can get his hands on some armor piercing rounds and shoot it through bullet proof glass or other things, then it's worth getting. But to shoot at paper once in awhile, definitely not a good purchase.

[Erichp]

I dont think there is anything really wrong with looking for some affirmation or helping a rationalization given there is a stated intent to get both. Yes you must have a 357 wheel gun at some point.

What I am a little surprised by, but happy to see, is that there are many that are rabid about the 5.7's ballistic capability. There are plentiful accounts of what damage it can cause though on paper other calibers appear line up to it or appear to exceed it. The big thing is you can get legal ammo that is in the neighborhood of 2000 fps and it yaws in soft tissue. Big exit holes with extensive tissue damage. But a well placed shot from other calibers make something just as dead. Dead is dead though fans of it will claim they are deader and have nastier autopsy findings.

Its an interesting argument.

They are available at many ranges to rent. I always recommend renting any gun you are considering buying, especially if they are a lot of coin. You can decide if it ticks your boxes.

Personally I did not shoot it well at first, much like Colin found. But I found the faster I fired it, the better I actually did. Again similar to Colin.

The biggest selling point to me is that it IS extremely light. Wicked legal ammo can be purchased for it as well, though its spendy. Nothing wrong with having one as much as its been panned in this thread.

You do see alot of them resold in the marketplace. Like anything cool, that aspect fades. I believe you have to have specific purpose or rationale to justify it long term and most folks dont appear to find that, but it can have a place depending on your personal preferences.

You will never find a need to justify your 357 wheel gun. I've had a 686 for over 20 years, I will always own it.

[someoneeasy]

OP, it's pretty clear you want the 5.7, so get the 5.7.

[captainsavaho]

If you can AFFORD a Badass 5.7, go get it.

If you can't afford it, START hating it.

Best answer. 🤣

[NYT]

Way back in post #35 http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...1&postcount=35 I listed several other guns he should get before even thinking about an FN Five-seveN, including .22 handguns. Try to keep up with the conversation.



So you fell for the hype and are trying to justify your expensive purchase, including actually talking about carrying a gun that shoots an anemic - someone in this thread called it "impotent" - round for self-defense. I understand.


.

the op is going back and forth between two guns, you brought in others. i try to stick to the topic of threads, not wonder off like some old folks tend to do.

lol, i dont have to justify it. im lucky enough to have enough money to buy any firearm on or off the roster that i want, expensive ammo or not. i understand folks like yourself though who want to downplay something they dont understand because its a modern gun shooting a modern round.

[Milsurp Collector]

the op is going back and forth between two guns, you brought in others. i try to stick to the topic of threads, not wonder off like some old folks tend to do.

He was never "going back and forth between two guns", he had already decided he wants the 5-7 and he wanted people like you to tell him what a great choice he is making. He thought if he put up a fake poll between the 5-7 and a boring old revolver it would be a slam-dunk victory for the 5-7, but surprise surprise, about 75% of the people who responded are smarter than that.

lol, i dont have to justify it. im lucky enough to have enough money to buy any firearm on or off the roster that i want, expensive ammo or not.

Not every expensive gun on the roster is a smart purchase, for example, the 5-7. But FN is happy to take your money anyway.

i understand folks like yourself though who want to downplay something they dont understand because its a modern gun shooting a modern round.

Oh, I understand it completely: the 5-7 is an overpriced gun that doesn't do anything that other guns can't do as well or better, at a fraction of the price. And I have several "modern" guns, but not every "modern" round is a good round for civilian use. People have been using .38 Special, 9x19mm, and .45ACP for over a hundred years. We'll see if anyone is still using 5.7x28mm in a hundred years. It will probably go the way of the Gyrojet and the dodo bird.

[JJZ3]

Without the right to full acess to 20 round mags the 5.7 seems silly!

[wpage]

Get both enjoy!

[Johneracer]

buy a 357 and a buck mark in 22. That has you covered. Let the other suckers buy a boutique pistol with ammo that is sure to go obsolete at some point.

[Mikemass]

...the 5-7 is an overpriced gun that doesn't do anything that other guns can't do as well or better, at a fraction of the price.

I get that it's expensive, but what other small caliber pistol (in the .22 range) fires bullets in the 2000+ fps range?

The low weight of the ammo makes the 5-7 a good choice IMO for a SHTF pistol if you have to grab your bag and GO. (Assuming you've stocked up on ammo, which everyone should have done/be doing) Could you use a 22lr instead? Absolutely! But if cost isn't an issue, I'm taking the 5-7.

For reference I just weighed 1000 5.7 x 28 and 9 mm

5.7 x 28 40 Grain - 7.9 lbs (about the same as 22lr)
9 mm 115 Grain - 28 lbs

All that said, and back to OP's original question, I wouldn't use the 5-7 or the .357 for home defense. I prefer the combination of controllability, stopping power, higher capacity (especially if you have "high capacity" magazines legally obtained pre ban) and wide choice of ammo options of a 9 mm.

[Milsurp Collector]

I get that it's expensive, but what other small caliber pistol (in the .22 range) fires bullets in the 2000+ fps range?

The actual velocities of the ammo offered to civilians fired from the FN Five-seveN pistols (not the PS90) are significantly lower:

http://www.range365.com/fn-five-seven-pistol-gun-review#page-6

Put 1624.5 and 40 gr into the calculator http://www.ballistics101.com/muzzle_energy_calc.php and you get 234 ft/lb of energy.

38 Special +P muzzle energy is 278 and up depending on the particular bullet weight and brand. .357 Magnum muzzle energy is in the 500s and 600s depending on bullet weight and brand. 9mm is in the 300s depending on the round. .357 Magnum muzzle velocity is in the 1200-1400 fps range with some specialty loads reaching up into the 1600 fps neighborhood of the 5.7x28mm round fired out of the FN Five-seveN pistol http://www.ballistics101.com/357_magnum.php

Since you aren't going to be shooting at targets 200 yards away with an FN 5-7 pistol the moderately higher velocity with small light bullets out of a 4.8" barrel gets you no real benefit, since the advantage in bullet drop at handgun ranges is minimal.

i [sic] understand folks like yourself though who want to downplay something they dont [sic] understand because its a modern gun shooting a modern round.

I hope that discussion wasn't too technical for you and you were able to understand it.

I also understand the spelling of contractions and that the first word of sentences and the personal pronoun I should always be capitalized, so you whiffed both ways.

[Milsurp Collector]

The low weight of the ammo makes the 5-7 a good choice IMO for a SHTF pistol if you have to grab your bag and GO. (Assuming you've stocked up on ammo, which everyone should have done/be doing) Could you use a 22lr instead? Absolutely! But if cost isn't an issue, I'm taking the 5-7.

When listing the really important advantages of the FN Five-seveN you forgot to mention how useful it would be in a zombie apocalypse.

if cost isn't an issue, I'm taking the 5-7.

If cost isn't an issue? That's like saying "If looks and sexual orientation aren't an issue, I'm taking Rosie O'Donnell!" Cost should always be a factor. Wealthy people don't become wealthy by being dumb with money.

Regarding SHTF, I would rather take the $1000+ I didn't waste on a 5-7 and its ammo and use it to buy more ammo for useful guns, food, medical supplies, water filtration equipment, etc.

[Mikemass]

The actual velocities of the ammo offered to civilians fired from the FN Five-seveN pistols (not the PS90) are significantly lower:

This guy is getting 2200+ fps out of the pistol with 32 gr loads (and other loads as well) that are available for civilian purchase.

https://youtu.be/PptVhga0fV0

38 Special +P muzzle energy is 278 and up depending on the particular bullet weight and brand. .357 Magnum muzzle energy is in the 500s and 600s depending on bullet weight and brand. 9mm is in the 300s depending on the round. .357 Magnum muzzle velocity is in the 1200-1400 fps range

I wasn't stating that the 5-7 has more energy than any of the above mentioned, although based on the ammo in the above video with average velocities rounded down to 2200 fps and a 32 grain bullet it comes in at 344 lb/ft so besides the .357 it seems to on paper. It's appeal/benefit is the lightweight ammo so you can carry A LOT MORE more easily.

If cost isn't an issue?

Cost should always be a factor. Wealthy people don't become wealthy by being dumb with money.

Regarding SHTF, I would rather take the $1000+ I didn't waste on a 5-7 and its ammo and use it to buy more ammo for useful guns, food, medical supplies, water filtration equipment, etc.

Wealth is relative, there are good number of people that can drop a few thousand on a pistol and ammo and still have all the other items mentioned and multiple homes, fancy cars, art, jewelry etc. Based on your comments this doesn't appear to be the case for you, that's fine and honestly more representative of MOST people so I do agree with your advice for most people and that's why I added the caveat "if cost isn't an issue."

I don't think anyone is arguing that this is practical pistol for most. As I said before it's a cost is no object alternative to a 22. The pistol and ammo are lightweight and has a ballistic advantage over a 22lr.

[Milsurp Collector]

This guy is getting 2200+ fps out of the pistol with 32 gr loads (and other loads as well) that are available for

I wasn't stating that the 5-7 has more energy than any of the above mentioned, although based on the ammo in the above video with average velocities rounded down to 2200 fps and a 32 grain bullet it comes in at 344 lb/ft so besides the .357 it seems to on paper.

So with some custom loads you can deliver as much energy as much more available and less expensive 9x19mm. *yawn*

It's appeal/benefit is the lightweight ammo so you can carry A LOT MORE more easily.

Are you going into battle or SHTF? You can bring your little pistol, I'll bring an AR.

Wealth is relative, there are good number of people that can drop a few thousand on a pistol and ammo and still have all the other items mentioned and multiple homes, fancy cars, art, jewelry etc.

Do you think the OP is one of those people? Do you think an FN 5-7 is a smart purchase for him if he isn't?

By the way, I can easily afford an FN 5-7. I've handled some at gun shows. But I couldn't see any reason to buy one. It just isn't as useful as almost any other gun I could buy, both more or less expensive than the 5-7.

...so I do agree with your advice for most people and that's why I added the caveat "if cost isn't an issue."

I don't think anyone is arguing that this is practical pistol for most.

Finally, something we can agree on. Maybe, to paraphrase Richard Pryor's joke, buying an FN 5-7 is God's way of telling you that you have too much money.

The pistol and ammo are lightweight and has a ballistic advantage over a 22lr.

Wow! A ballistic advantage over a .22LR! Now I understand what all the excitement is about!