{"id":124810,"date":"2020-05-31T16:34:09","date_gmt":"2020-05-31T20:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=124810"},"modified":"2020-05-31T16:34:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T14:54:10","slug":"cold-war-classic-cartridge-in-an-ar-translating-5-7-x-28mm-into-american","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/cold-war-classic-cartridge-in-an-ar-translating-5-7-x-28mm-into-american\/","title":{"rendered":"Cold War Classic Cartridge in an AR: Translating 5.7x28mm into American – CMMG Banshee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 5.7\u00d728mm cartridge was designed for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the late ’80s as a replacement for the 9mm. Based on their experience in Afghanistan, Soviet forces were issuing body armor and the western alliance wanted a better cartridge with greater range, accuracy, and terminal performance so that NATO vehicle crews, operators of crew-served weapons, support personnel, special forces, and counter-terrorist groups could shoot bad guys too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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NATO called for two weapons chambered for the 5.7\u00d728mm cartridge. FN Herstal<\/a> responded by developing the FN P90<\/a> personal defense weapon<\/a> (PDW) and FN Five-seven pistol. Photo courtesy of Pinterest.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

FN Project 1990 PDWS and the FiveSeven Pistol<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The FN P90, also known as the FN Project 1990 PDWS, is a compact select-fire personal defense weapon (PDW) with a 10.4-inch barrel. Designed in conjunction with the FN Five-seveN pistol and FN 5.7\u00d728mm ammunition, the futuristic P90 is a compact bullpup design that has a number of unique features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The P90 fires from a closed bolt for improved accuracy. The ergonomic thumbhole stock acts as a pistol grip and a contoured trigger guard functions as a foregrip for the support hand. An integrated tritium illuminated reflex sight provides quick target acquisition in any light. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The P90 design makes extensive use of polymer and weighs 5.6 lbs. empty, or 6.6 lbs. with a loaded 50-round magazine. The gun is handy. All controls are ambidextrous. The top-mounted magazine provides a low profile and good balance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over forty countries adopted the P90, including Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Greece, India, Malaysia, and Poland. In the United States, the P90 is in service with over 200 law enforcement agencies, most notably the U.S. Secret Service. American civilians can buy a 16-inch barreled semi-automatic version called the PS90.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The civilian PS90 with a 16″ barrel. Photo courtesy of GunsAmerica.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mexican Cartels and Terminal Ballistics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My first contact with the 5.7 was in the Customs Service. We didn’t use them, but they were being smuggled to Mexican drug cartels. They called it the “mata policia” (cop killer) for its alleged ability to penetrate armor. I say allegedly because, in the United States, 5.7 armor-piercing ammunition is restricted to military and law enforcement. The guys we caught were sending ball ammo to Mexico<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We rolled up an organization that was using multiple straw purchasers to buy dozens of 5.7 guns and cases of ammunition in Texas and bringing them to San Diego to cross the border. The smugglers revealed in post-arrest interviews that the FN PS90 carbines and FN Five-seveN pistols they were carrying to Tijuana Mexico were bound for a specific cartel lieutenant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mexican Navy troops show captured P90. Photo by Francisco Olver courtesy of borderlandbeat.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While other cartels acquired belt-fed machineguns and rocket-propelled grenades (which will penetrate body armor), this cartel boss had the PS90’s converted to full auto and the barrels cut down by his gunsmiths. He was crazy for 5.7 and had his bodyguards carrying the P90 clones and FN Five-seveN pistols,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They told us that the FN PS90 carbines and FN Five-seven pistols were worth $5,000 in Mexico with a similar mark up on ammunition. They (and presumably their customers) were unaware that the ball ammo they provided would not penetrate Level III armor. The more you know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.7x28mm Ammunition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The 5.7\u2019s flat trajectory allows for an effective range of 200 meters from a PDW and 50 meters from a pistol. The 5.7 has greater range than 9mm with nearly double the muzzle velocity and lighter recoil. You can get 50 rounds in a P90 magazine and a full-size Five-seveN pistol can hold 20 rounds with a flush magazine and 30 rounds in the extended magazine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The FN 5.7x28mm is a rimless bottleneck design that utilizes a 5.7mm (.224 caliber) projectile. It weighs about half as much as 9x19mm parabellum and produces 30% less recoil. The FN 5.7x28mm round on the left, 5.56x45mm (.223) on the right<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The original 5.7\u00d728mm cartridge, the SS90<\/em>, was introduced in 1990. It fired a 23-grain plastic-core projectile. The secret sauce was a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps out of the P90. In 1993, the SS90 cartridge was replaced by a 2.7-mm shorter SS190 to function in the FivesSeven pistol. The SS190 uses 31 grains (producing a muzzle velocity of 2,350 fps). Fired from the FN P90, the SS190 can penetrate a Level IIIA Kevlar vest at a range of 200 meters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about terminal performance? According to published reports, Federal SS197SR 40gr 5.7mm VMAX makes a permanent wound cavity similar to the Winchester Ranger T-series (127gr +P+) round. While this won’t penetrate soft body armor, it will leave an ugly and permanent wound on unprotected skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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