FN 5.7×28mm

5.7×28mm
5.7×28mm sporting cartridges. From left to right: SS195LF, SS196SR, and SS197SR.
Type	Personal defense weapon
Place of origin	Belgium
Service history
In service	1991–present
Used by	40+ nations; see: P90 Users Five-seven Users
Wars	Gulf War Afghanistan War Iraq War Mexican Drug War 2011 Libyan civil war
Production history
Designer	Jean-Paul Denis (SS90) Marc Neuforge (SS90)
Designed	1986–90 (SS90) 1992–93 (SS190)
Manufacturer	FN Herstal
Produced	1990–93 (SS90) 1993–present (SS190)
Variants	See Varieties
Specifications
Case type	Rimless, bottleneck
Bullet diameter	5.7 mm (0.224 in)
Neck diameter	6.35 mm (0.25 in)
Shoulder diameter	7.9 mm (0.311 in)
Base diameter	7.9 mm (0.311 in)
Rim diameter	7.80 mm (0.307 in)
Rim thickness	1.14 mm (0.045 in)
Case length	28.83 mm (1.135 in)
Overall length	40.50 mm (1.594 in)
Case capacity	0.90 cm3 (13.9 gr H2O)
Rifling twist	228.6 mm (1:9 in)
Primer type	Boxer Small Rifle
Maximum pressure	345.0 MPa (50,040 psi)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 23 gr. (1.5 g) SS90 AP FMJ (prototype) 850 m/s (2,800 ft/s) 540 J (400 ft·lbf) 31 gr. (2.0 g) SS190 AP FMJ 716 m/s (2,350 ft/s) 534 J (394 ft·lbf) 28 gr. (1.8 g) SS195LF JHP 716 m/s (2,350 ft/s) 467 J (344 ft·lbf)
Test barrel length: 263 mm (10.35 in) Source(s): The Encyclopedia of Handheld Weapons

40+ nations; see:

The FN 5.7×28mm is a small-caliber, high-velocity cartridge designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. It is a bottlenecked centerfire cartridge that is somewhat similar to the .22 Hornet or .22 K-Hornet. The 5.7×28mm was developed in conjunction with the FN P90 personal defense weapon (PDW) and FN Five-seven pistol, in response to NATO requests for a replacement for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge.

In 2002 and 2003, NATO conducted a series of tests with the intention of standardizing a PDW cartridge as a replacement for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge. The tests compared the relative merits of the 5.7×28mm cartridge and the 4.6×30mm cartridge, which was created by Heckler & Koch as a competitor to the 5.7×28mm. The NATO group subsequently recommended the 5.7×28mm cartridge, citing superior performance in testing, but the German delegation objected and the standardization process was indefinitely halted.

By 2006, FN's 5.7×28mm firearms—the P90 personal defense weapon and Five-seven pistol—were in service with military and police forces in over 40 nations throughout the world. In the United States, 5.7×28mm firearms are currently used by numerous law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service.

In addition to being used in the FN P90 and FN Five-seven firearms, the 5.7×28mm cartridge has subsequently been used in a number of other weapons, such as the AR-57 and FN PS90 carbines. Excel Arms has developed four firearms chambered in 5.7×28mm, and MasterPiece Arms offers three different firearms in 5.7×28mm. The 5.7×28mm cartridge itself is produced in a number of varieties, two of which—the SS195LF and SS197SR—are currently offered by FN to civilian shooters.