Anyone have Experience with an FN57?

I've been looking at the FN57 and it seems pretty interesting. It uses a round that was designed for the FNP-90 (RCP-90 for anyone that played Goldeneye on the N64) and it comes stock with a 20round magazine. Does anyone have actual experience with this weapon?

First hand experience? No. I've handled one and heard plenty about them though.

From what I remember from handling one in a shop, they were a typical polymer framed pistol-not uncomfortable, light, and of course it's an FN, so pretty well made.

Everything I've heard about them is they they are excellent guns to shoot. They have a huge capacity (20), very low recoil (they're firing a .22 caliber round, so that's to be expected), and moderate stopping power (it's a .22 cal round but it's coming out of the barrel at rifle speeds).

Everything about them screams perfect pistol except that ammo. The ammo was designed to defeat body armor, so in their tamed down, hollow point iterations they really don't have much purpose in the civilian world unless you like paying exhorbitant prices for what is basically a .22 Magnum round on steroids.

I've rented and shot one a few times at the range, to make a companion with my PS90.
They are indeed a .22, but don't let that color your judgement as to recoil nor blast, they don't recoil like a rimfire although many seem to expect that at first. I'd put it at about 2/3rd's of a 9mm recoil and the muzzle blast is mmmmmm..... noticeable.
Very fun guns to have, although I'm divided as to whether or not I'd carry one except as a companion piece to a PS90.

They're not "OMG rifle rounds in a pistol" or "policía la muerte", but it's not a .22magnum popgun either. Think of it as a niche weapon system; if you have a niche that it fits in, then it will work, if not, ...

Aknazer said:

I've been looking at the FN57 and it seems pretty interesting. It uses a round that was designed for the FNP-90 (RCP-90 for anyone that played Goldeneye on the N64) and it comes stock with a 20round magazine. Does anyone have actual experience with this weapon?

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Yes. I own one, I bought it brand new and have put 3700 rnds through it without out one hiccup and with the new ammo out the from Elite Ammunition it has become my carry weapon. Without a doubt a well made pistol and tons of fun to shoot!

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

Fallschirmjäger said:

I've rented and shot one a few times at the range, to make a companion with my PS90.
They are indeed a .22, but don't let that color your judgement as to recoil nor blast, they don't recoil like a rimfire although many seem to expect that at first. I'd put it at about 2/3rd's of a 9mm recoil and the muzzle blast is mmmmmm..... noticeable.
Very fun guns to have, although I'm divided as to whether or not I'd carry one except as a companion piece to a PS90.

They're not "OMG rifle rounds in a pistol" or "policía la muerte", but it's not a .22magnum popgun either. Think of it as a niche weapon system; if you have a niche that it fits in, then it will work, if not, ...

Click to expand...

I don't think you did, but just to make sure nobody misunderstood what I meant, when I said the 5.7mm is coming out at rifle speeds, I meant just that, rifle SPEEDS, not rifle power.

I'm in agreement with you, that was just an exaggeration of some comments I've hear online or from ranges that restricted 5.7x28's to the 'rifle lanes' because of the metal shredding power the .223 diameter, lightweight bullet was supposed to have.

Most comparisons of 5.7 and .22WRM are between FiveseveN pistol and .22WRM rifle, but in this quote from CheaperThanDirt, there's a distinct difference

A 40 grain, .22 magnum fired out of a 6″ barrel will only achieve about 1100 ft/sec while the 5.7 fired out of a 4.8″ barrel is launched at a velocity of about 2100 ft/sec. That translates to ~107.44 ft/lbs energy for the stubby .22 WMR and 391.60 ft/lbs energy for the 5.7 [Energy = .5 x gr x velocity squared / 7000 gr/lb / 32.175 (gravity)]

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I've never deeply researched the various velocities, since I only a PS90 and it's going to lose the few odd fps sometime in the coming year when I join the stamp club.

While the pistol is interesting the only real advantage of the round is the body armor piercing capability.

Unfortunately they don't sell those rounds to civilians (please correct me if I am wrong).

So IMHO it is like a 22 caliber pistol with a 20 round capacity. I don't think ammo is going to be as cheap as 22LR either.

I would rather have (and do) the FNP-45 with 15 rounds of 45acp. Just my opinion though.

45acpForMe said:

While the pistol is interesting the only real advantage of the round is the body armor piercing capability.

Unfortunately they don't sell those rounds to civilians (please correct me if I am wrong).

So IMHO it is like a 22 caliber pistol with a 20 round capacity. I don't think ammo is going to be as cheap as 22LR either.

I would rather have (and do) the FNP-45 with 15 rounds of 45acp. Just my opinion though.

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Nah you can't get the AP ammo still. In fact even if you could it would be illegal for me to buy it in my state as OK has a law specifically against ammo that is specially designed to defeat body armor. Sounds like I'll just stick to my XDm-40.

5.7x28 vs 22LR (apples & oranges)

http://www.youtube.com/user/BuffmanLT1#p/a/f/0/g0RC4_8Nt60

Test Results Summary

Chronograph Data
FPS Measurements (Average of 5 shots)
.................Weight...............Five-seveN.................AR57 12"
SS197........40gr....................1709.........................1969
ProtecTOR...40gr....................1957.........................2421
S5 .............32gr....................2101.........................2464
S4M ...........28gr....................2414.........................2917
CCI .22wmr40gr 1343

Ft-Lb Measurements (Average of 5 shots)
.................Weight...............Five-seveN.................AR57 12"
SS197 .......40gr....................259............................344
ProtecTOR ..40gr....................340............................521
S5 .............32gr....................314............................431
S4M ...........28gr....................362............................529
CCI .22mr....40gr...................160

Ballistic Gelatin Block Results
Blocks were 6x8x10” 10% ballistic gelatin, placed lengthwise for 20” total gelatin depth. All shots were taken from a distance of 10'.

SS197 (FsN Pistol)
Shot #1: Fragmented early in the block, fragments penetrated the entire depth of the block and exited the back.

Shot #2: 14” penetration, core separated from jacket.

Shot #3: Fragmented early in the block, fragments penetrated to 18”

SS190 (FsN Pistol)
Shot #1: Penetrated to 15”, round remained intact. Large (2.5”) cavitation present from 3”-10”, apparently due to bullet tumbling.

Shot #2: Penetrated to 14.5” before exiting the bottom of the block, bouncing off the metal, and continuing downrange outside (under) the block). Similar wound channel to shot #1 prior to exiting the block.

Shot #3: Penetrated to 15”, similar wound channel to shot #1. All rounds remained intact.

Elite Ammunition S4M
Shot #1: Penetrated to 14”, fragmenting approximately 1” after entering the block and creating a large wound cavity with fragments present throughout the wound channel.

Shot #2: Penetrated to 14”, similar wound channel to shot #1.

Elite Ammunition ProtecTOR (FsN pistol)
Shot #1: Penetrated to 11”, extensive fragmentation, core separated from jacket at 7.5”, largest diameter of wound channel was approximately 2.5”.

Shot #2: Penetrated to 14”, similar wound channel to shot #1 (extensive fragmentation).

Shot #3: Penetrated to 14”, similar wound channel to shots #1 and #2.

Elite Ammunition S4M (FsN pistol) 4-layer denim
Shot #1: Penetrated to 11”, exhibited fragmentation (less than when fired into bare gelatin).

Shot #2 – Penetrated to 12.5”, similar fragmentation as shot #1, core separated from the jacket and exited the block.

Shot #3 – Penetrated to 15”, exited the top of the block, bounced off the denim laying along the top, recovered in this position.

Elite Ammunition S5
Shot #1: Penetrated to 16”, no fragmentation and almost no deformation.

Shot #2 – Penetrated to 16”, same as above

Shot #3 – Penetrated to 18”, same as above

CCI .22WMR 40gr HP
These rounds were fired into a single 10" block. Both rounds penetrated the length of the block and created a wound channel not much larger than the bullet's diameter.
 
Guns used in this video:
FN Five-seveN
57Center AR57
FN PS90
Kel-Tec PMR-30

Ammunition Used:
Elite Ammunition ProtecTOR
Elite Ammunition S5
Elite Ammunition S4M
SS197
SS190
CCI Maxi Mag .22WMR HO