5.7x28mm
Almost no recoil, 20-plus round magazines, and a flat trajectory — the trade-offs are pricey ammo and a bullet weight class all its own.
Family
Handgun
Introduced
1990
Origin
FN Herstal, Belgium
Military
5.7x28mm NATO (standardized 2021)
History
FN developed the 5.7x28mm around 1990 for its P90 personal defense weapon and Five-seveN pistol, answering a NATO request for a pistol-cartridge replacement. NATO formally standardized it in 2021. Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and PSA entering the market in the 2020s turned it from an FN exclusive into a mainstream niche.
What it's used for
Iconic platforms
FN Five-seveN and P90/PS90, Ruger-57, Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7, and PSA 5.7 Rock.
Common load types
FMJ, polymer-tip, and jacketed hollow point sporting loads.
Reference only — not loading data, not ballistics advice, and KitID links to no ammunition sellers. Know your local law before you buy anything that goes bang.