Is anyone familiar with the 5.7x28 round? I believe it is the Russian answer to the 5.56 but it looks like a 25 auto that has been lengthened to 1 3/16" and necked down to .223 ID on the neck.

I've checked my manuals and have nothing on it and wondered if any of you have information for this very small cartridge.

The 5.7x28mm was developed by FN as a "personal defense" round. Its about like a .22 Hornet. I'll look for some load info when I get home.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...%C3%9728mm

Pumpkin, reading your info I see that I do know this round. It's feed for FN's P90 and when here in Belgistan someone not in the military only thinks about it, you already hear "wee-oooh" in the street. It's a full-auto that shoots fast and without any recoil. What do you want to know about it? I go shooting on a military range and I often see some empty cases...
In Cartridges of the World: "... A sharply pointed ball bullet weighing only 23 grains is used, as intended range is limited. Despite this, this bullet has been designed to penetrate helmets and body armor at 50 m without breaking up."

The military load has a 23 gr FMJ-BT at 2790 fps, good for 400 fpe.

The P90 was one of the potential choices we looked at for an armed boarding party primary weapon because of its size. The other big plus was the penetration of its mi!itary version round. In the end the H&K MP5 was selected for compatabilty with other enforcement agencies. I don't believe military type bullets are available to civilians but I could be wrong. As a PDW the weapon is too big for carry and as a home defence gun the penetrative potential, even of the civilian round makes it a poor choice.

The Russian answer to the NATO 5.56 is the 5.45x39

Think more like a centerfire 22 magnum. There once was an AP load available for the P90, until the Five-Seven pistol made its appearance. I have a hard time finding something to like about either. But I am intrigued by the thought of a small bolt action rifle for shooting squirrels.

What's wrong with the .22 Hornet? And when you want something easier to reload then put a Hornet bullet in the .222 reload. The extra velocity will give you a flatter traject and a bigger chance so self-distruction on impact. Why change when you don't improve?

www.loaddata.com/artic...%20LR1.pdf

I think this would be an excellent cartridge for the zombie apocalypse. Enough power to penetrate zombie skulls but small enough to carry lots of ammo.

If I didn't already have a Hornet I'd be tempted to try this myself.

Pumpkinslinger,
I don't think I am going to do this one - at least for the time being. It is just too new and the cases are so fragile in the neck and shoulder area. The cartridge is supposed to have a maximum average pressure of 50000 psi and I don't think a blow-back action is able to handle that kind of pressure for the long term. The round is used in rifles, carbines and pistols. Factory ammo is limited to just three varieties because the other rounds are not sold outside the police and military.
The fact that it is a 22 means that it has limitations in all applications and it was made to satisfy the NATO world as a "standard round" but was not adopted because it failed to satisfy at least two of the NATO partners.
I get the feeling that it won't be around in ten years. (come to think of it I tend to buy rounds that quickly lose their appeal for the bulk of the public)

Paul, after reading the article on reloading it I'm less interested too. But I think his problems may be related more to the gun than the cartridge. Unless I buy a P90 or an AR upper ( www.midwayusa.com/prod...lash-hider ) I think I'll just stick with the Hornet.

Wanna bet the US was one of the member nations not happy with it.

Since we've lately had issues with barbarians that are zealots and not stop until they're dead a smaller round makes no sense, especially when they have pulled out the old M14 in .308 that guarentees RTA first or second shot.









RTA for all you noisy buggers is Return To Allah......

Pauls, one big advantage when you're interested in these little calibers, you don't risk this:

www.duffelblog.com/201...ng-50-cal/

Aloysius,
I can't imagine any firearm would do that to me - not even if it was being fire by some "flaxen haired, long legged, double breasted, matress thrasher.

Obviously, you haven't fired a .50-cal!

The FN 5.7 pistol is a very nice light weight [expensive] toy!

The KelTec pmr30 is a 22 mag pistol that almost performs as well at 1/2 the price or less.

Then you have the PCM22 being made on a 1911 design and with a 9mm barrel . [faster than the 5.7x28 ]

I personally love my Kel-Tec PMR 30 it is very accurate[ like head shots at 25 yards] and in many states you are allowed to have full magazines of 30 rounds . 10 rounds in ny

The fact is the Russian designed 7.62x25 is as good as a necked down pistol round gets ? and those pistols are cheap but not as nice to look at or shoot.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...mm_Tokarev

www.keltecweapons.com/...30/pistol/

The best of the best ?

I carry a glock converted to this ! the dillon 9x25

www.gunblast.com/9x25Dillon.htm

When your life is on the line carry the very best power available!
Check out the ballistics of this beast!