https://youtu.be/iaivrBwDDXA
Raise your hand if you saw this one coming. No? Nobody? Me either. From straight out of left field, Ruger has surprised us all with the new Ruger-5.7, a polymer-framed, full-size pistol chambered in the high velocity 5.7x28mm cartridge. And it’s awesome.
If you aren’t familiar with the 5.7×28, it’s basically a .224-inch (exact same diameter as 5.56x45mm / .223 Rem), pointy projectile loaded into a scaled-down 5.56 case. It was designed by FN for use in both the P90 bullpup carbine and Fiven-seveN pistol as a high-capacity, flat-shooting, light-recoiling replacement for 9x19mm for military type use.
While the merits of using commercially-available 5.7x28mm for defensive purposes is the subject of much internet debate, the cartridge has a large following of loyal fans. What it doesn’t have is many firearms to shoot it through.
In fact, the market of commercially-available, traditional-format handguns includes only the FN Five-seveN and . . . well that’s it. Until now.
One thing to know is that the 5.7×28 is a long round. With an overall loaded cartridge length of 1.584 inches it’s in a whole ‘nother category from, say, a .45 ACP at 1.275 inches. Fitting the round into a magazine and then fitting that magazine into a grip means making a large grip (at least front-to-back) and a longer trigger reach.
There’s just no getting around this, and, for anyone with smaller than men’s size large hands, it has always made the FN Five-seveN a difficult pistol to wrap your hand around.
Ruger did the best they could at minimizing the grip dimensions of the new pistol. They’ve sucked in the polymer and kept the wall thickness at the bare minimum everywhere they could, adding just a teeny bit along the edges to create a rounded profile.
The end result is a gun that feels more comfortable in the hand than the Five-seveN and much less brick-like. When most people grip a Five-seveN they think, “oh man, this grip is too long and fat for me to really get my hand around and I’m not sure I can control this gun well.” That ends up not being the case, because the 5.7x28mm is so dang soft shooting, but the Ruger-5.7 will definitely put you on the range with more confidence. It feels and looks more like a “normal” pistol, whereas the Five-seveN is more futuristic and unique in various ways.
That said, the magazine release is still a stretch. It’s located in the traditional spot, but thanks to the longer (front-to-rear) grip it’s a full extension of my thumb just to land on top of it. And at that point I can’t depress it without ever so slightly shifting my grip to give my thumb a little more slack.
While out on the range this happened naturally without having to think about it. It’s right on that cusp for me where I barely have to tweak my normal process, and rotating the gun to the left slightly at the wrist took care of it. But, as I end up saying in a surprising number of my reviews, I wear men’s size large gloves so your mileage may vary. On this pistol, it definitely will if your hands are smaller than that.
But don’t fret if that grip feels slightly larger than you’d prefer. Not only is the Ruger-5.7’s grip texture great and in all the right places, but while the 5.7x28mm sounds like a lion it shoots like a pussycat. It’s soft shooting like a .22 WMR, and thanks to the lightweight projectiles it shoots so dang flat — muzzle flip, that is — it’s ridiculous.
This is a particularly wonderful pistol choice for the recoil averse shooter who has huge hands.
The Ruger-5.7 pistol shoots so darn flat that I never lose sight of the front sight. I can track it with my eye the entire time I’m shooting, as it more twitches than jumps. Heck, it barely leaves its spot in the notch of the rear sight. This makes the Ruger-5.7 an extremely fast-shooting pistol.
And speaking of the front sight, it’s a bright green fiber optic job . . .
While the rear is all black and mostly serrated. This all pleases me much, as my pistol sight preference is an eye-catching front and a blacked out rear. The Ruger-5.7’s sights are steel and they’re nice.
The rear sight is easily adjustable for both windage and elevation, too.
Don’t like iron sights? Those two threaded holes on the top of the slide with placeholder set screws in ’em are there for mounting an accessory optic plate.
Zooming out a little and we see a nice, long sight radius thanks to a 4.94-inch barrel. At the front of the slide, Ruger has milled a good looking lightening cut through the steel.
At the front of the Ruger-5.7’s polymer frame is a five-slot Picatinny rail for mounting lights, lasers, bayonets, etc. Lots of space.
A metal trigger shoe with safety blade, part of what Ruger calls its Secure Action fire control system, graces the Ruger-5.7’s trigger well. It’s a good trigger — a bit of squidgy travel ahead of a crisp break with minimal overtravel, and a pull weight between 4.5 and 5 pounds.
The Ruger-5.7’s trigger has a pronounced and positive reset, though it happens farther forwards than I would prefer. When trying to shoot the Ruger-5.7 as quickly as I could, I found myself occasionally short-stroking the trigger. That’s just a training issue, but with a shorter trigger travel this gun would be insanely fast.
Mirrored on each side of the Ruger-5.7 are slim ambidextrous manual safety levers with nice serrations. Function is precise and the levers somehow manage to be simultaneously easy to use and out-of-the-way.
Other controls include a takedown lever and left-side-only slide stop. The size, location, and shielding around the slide stop worked great for me — the Ruger-5.7’s slide locked back on empty every single time (my thumbs never interfered with the slide stop) and the lever was easy to use both to manually lock the slide back and to release it from lock.
To field strip the Ruger-5.7, at least when new, you’ll probably need an implement of some sort — I used the corner of a magazine baseplate — to pop the takedown lever out from the right side to the left side. Lock the slide back, pop the safety lever off its detent, pull it out by hand from the left side, then release the slide and slide it just forward of its normal, in-battery location then lift it up and off the gun. No trigger pull necessary.
Takedown is simple, but not as fast as with most modern, polymer-framed pistols.
The Ruger-5.7 is internal hammer-fired. It has short rail sections at rear and in front of the locking block.
Captured recoil spring, skinny alloy steel barrel.
Like the Five-seveN, the Ruger-5.7 operates with a delayed blowback action. Slide and barrel do not actually lock into battery, though unlike a straight blowback action semi-auto, the barrel travels rearwards with the slide until the projectile has left the barrel and pressures have dropped. At that point, the barrel is stopped and the slide continues rearwards to extract and eject the empty case at high velocity, sending it about 20 feet above and 20 feet to the right of the shooter.
As you can see in this fancy GIF, the barrel and slide move rearwards together for a short distance — about 3/16-inch — before the slide continues on alone.
On the range, the Ruger-5.7 is a freakin’ hoot to shoot. The 20-round magazines — it comes with two — are easy to load and functioned flawlessly.
Combine high capacity with the boom of a magnum, the occasional fireball, a good single-action trigger, solid accuracy, nice sights, and extremely low recoil with minimal muzzle flip and you have a recipe for lots of fun. If your desired use is fun.
As a defensive weapon or for running through a competition course (one that doesn’t require meeting a certain ammo power factor), the Ruger-5.7 is a force to reckon with. Its ability to rapidly put rounds on target is exceptionally hard to match.
Speaking of accuracy, the Ruger-5.7 did well. I’m not very good when it comes to making tight groups with iron pistol sights, so this result at 25 yards is really solid for me. It was shot with Elite Ammunition’s Protector rounds, which are little ballistic tip jobs that are great for critter hunting and self-defense. Elite Ammo’s Penetrator rounds made near-identical groups.
I also shot (and cut myself with) a few rounds of the ridiculously sharp and noticeably hotter-loaded Vanguard Outfitters Dragon Fang ammo and tried to shoot some Detroit Ammo Co. 55 grain subsonic 5.7x28mm but ran into issues.
Though the Ruger-5.7 doesn’t have a threaded barrel, I expect this will be available in the future whether from Ruger or the aftermarket, so I thought I’d see if it cycled the subsonic loads (though, yes, adding a suppressor could easily help or hurt that function so this test may have been of limited utility anyway). Unfortunately, due to the shoulder shape on this ammo it wouldn’t fully chamber in the Ruger and couldn’t be fired.
I had previously noticed this different shoulder shape when testing the CMMG Mk57 BANSHEE in 5.7×28, but the BANSHEE chambered and ran it without issue. Judging from online reviews, FN’s 5.7×28 guns seem to chamber it fine as well. So the Ruger-5.7 may have a tighter chamber, but this is still clearly an issue with the ammo, not the gun.
There are few pistols more fun to shoot than the Ruger-5.7. And priced at just more than half the MSRP of the FN Five-seveN, it has finally brought 5.7x28mm to the masses. The Ruger-5.7 is also easier to grip and, in my opinion, a lot nicer to look at. It’s one hell of a fast, flat-shooting pistol. I hope it drives an increase in availability and a decrease in cost of the previously-niche 5.7x28mm cartridge.
Though certainly not a fanboy of the caliber, the Ruger-5.7 is the first gun that makes me consider stocking up and shooting it on the reg. This thing’s a blast! And in more ways than one.
Specifications: Ruger-5.7
Caliber: 5.7x28mm
Capacity: 20+1
Barrel Length: 4.94 inches
Overall Length: 8.65 inches
Width: 1.2 inches
Height: 5.6 inches
Weight: 24.5 ounces
Frame: glass-filled nylon
Slide: alloy steel with black oxide finish
Barrel: alloy steel with black nitride treatment for wear resistance
Safety: ambi thumb safeties
Sights: green fiber optic front and fully adjustable, black serrated rear
Trigger: yes
MSRP: $799 (retail should be anywhere from $600 to $699, at least to start)
Ratings (out of five stars):
Style and Appearance * * * *
I think the thing looks great.
Reliability * * * * *
It ran 100% with a range of ammo weights and styles, feeding smoothly and ejecting [very] confidently, aside from not chambering those subsonic rounds with the weird shoulders.
Ergonomics * * * *
Compared to the rest of the polymer pistol market I’d give the Ruger-5.7 two stars. Compared to the only other truly comparable 5.7x28mm pistol, the FN Five-seveN, it’s a definite improvement with a more comfortable grip. So four stars it is.
Customization * * * *
Optics-ready is cool and it warrants one star better than your average pistol, though if I’m honest the Ruger-5.7 employs a somewhat kludgy optics mounting design.
Accuracy * * * *
Rock solid.
Overall * * * *
A strong four stars, indeed! My biggest gripe is the reach to the reversible magazine release, and unless the aftermarket comes up with an extended button, this is just a side effect of having to fit the long 5.7×28 round into the grip. Ruger has managed to accommodate it in a much sleeker, more comfortable fashion than FN, so overall I’ll happily call it a win. On the plus side, the Ruger-5.7 is one of the funnest and fastest pistols there is, and whether you’re planning on taking advantage of that on the range or in self-defense, it will absolutely serve you well.
If ammo prices drop I may consider this. The Five-seveN is one of my favorite pistols. I haven’t shot one in a long time, but I still remember how controllable and fun the FN was to shoot.
I agree I’m quite interested in this. Plus, As 5.7 prices drop, I think I’ll be able to justify a PS90.
“If ammo prices drop I may consider this.”
The problem is manufacturing scale. It’s such a niche caliber we’re a long way’s off from seeing the price drop significantly.
300 Black is just now being found commonly on the shelves, and it has the advantage of being based on the common .223/5.56 cartridge.
So you’re probably left with ‘rolling one’s own’ for the foreseeable future. How many times can it be re-loaded before being scrapped, anyways?
Geof I’ve been a 300 black fan for years. Never had any problems finding ammo. Walmart was carrying it in 2014 in Michigan. I had my whole family using the round for 50 yard and under deer hunting, recently went to 7mm-08 because the girls sit on the edge of a 200-400 yard field and our preferred supersonic Blackout doesn’t have enough energy left after 125.
I don’t have time to reload, and almost not enough time to shoot lately, so I can’t answer your question for reloading 5.7
I also wasnt aware that I wanted a 5.7, but now I do.
Cant think of a purpose for it other than fun shooting, cause that sumbitch is loud.
I tried to “Tell the CEO” on Ruger’s website that they need to make a conversion to 7.62 Tok. But the site says the CEO is travelling and emails to Killoy are not available.
Anyway, it’s a cool gun and fun is plenty of reason to buy one.
Great review as well, Jeremy. Thanks
I think the “Tell the CEO” is just bait to make grabbers waste their time, he aint reading those
Maybe. But with the precious CEO, I did get two replies over several years.
I don’t think Tok would be possible unless you could swap an entirely new slide onto the same frame and somehow it had a Browning style locked breech short recoil operated action etc. It ain’t a blowback compatible cartridge and this slide couldn’t accommodate a barrel with a bore large enough for 7.62×25…
Comrades Shpagin and Sudayev would like a word with you!
The CZ-52 barrel is scary-skinny. Plus, with so much of the slide milled away in the middle (probably for lightness as well as appearance) I’m pretty sure a Tok slide could be machined from the same forging or casting with no / negligible gain in width.
Next time I’m in Utah I’ll see if the rental range has one. This is a no go in CA until Trumps judges bitch slap newsome.
Same. Now I’m finally intrigued by this newer caliber, and the MSRP of this Ruger at least puts in into my radar of interest. Alas, Sacramento is holding its ground on rights infringement, so I’m waiting upon the outcomes of both the VA standoff and the SCOTUS 2A case in the coming weeks and months. If they go favorably for us, there will be ripples coming across the land toward California to embolden POTG here.
Isn’t there a recall effort ending in about a month for Gavin?
There are allegedly a few of them. I signed one of them via petition last week (volunteers with clipboards and formal paperwork). Hope something goes through.
That’s a pipe dream.
I had a fun time once with the FN that fires this cartridge. You have no idea what you are missing if you have never shot this round. It is lightening fast.
If affordable ammo appears this gun and others like it may take off.
Wolf 5.7 would be really cool. I’d load up on that for sure.
If it was cheap to shoot a suppressed 5.7 banshee would do everything I actually do with my AR pistols.
Exactly. Just checking in-stock ammo at a couple of ammo search websites, $0.38 to $0.58 a round. That’s steep for adding another cartridge for a gun designed to be a heck of a lot of fun to shoot ’em up in quantity. Especially on a limited budget.
Right now I’m at five handgun and four rifle cartridges I keep a good quantity of. Not counting all the 12ga shotgun shells. Used to be more but I condensed into fewer guns about a dozen years ago and focused on more ammo on hand all the time.
Would enjoy the heck out of the5.7x28mm, from all I’ve read and seen on YouTube about it. Just need affordable ammo, that’s all.
The Ruger 57, in about a year’s time, would eat up a bunch of my Cabela’s/Bass Pro Club Card points … but after that the darned thing would need feeding …
“If affordable ammo appears this gun and others like it may take off.”
That’s not gonna be happening until more makers like FN and Ruger create more guns and more people buy them.
Shooters only shoot so much ammo a year, typically…
“If affordable ammo appears this gun and others like it may take off.” is a bit like “I will get into the water as soon as I’ll learn to swim.”
Thanks to the economy of scale, ammo prices drop with massive production numbers. As long as only relatively few shooters buy this admittedly still boutique round, the prices stay high.
Best thing to happen to a cartridge is its adoption in armed forces. Billions of units made for and sold to uncle Sam pay for the investment in production capacity, allowing the price to go significantly low.
Looks like Ruger made a winner with this one. But I’ve never even *seen* 5.7×28 for sale anywhere.
Probably want to want for a suppressor-ready version anyway. 5.7×28 is loud as frack.
No thanks. Especially to the cartridge. It’s an ice pick. Especially with ball ammo. Slightly better with expanding. Then there is the barrel length issue. Only familiar with one homicide with this caliber. It was a head shot. One of our major coke dealers went to Montgomery for a street drag race. One car crashed. His finished the race. The guy holding the purse was slow to pay. He’s no longer with us. Chad was tracked to S. Florida. I understand he couldn’t stay in that house with two K-9s. Chad lives in Alabama now.
Could have been Birmingham. It was a long time ago.
Have you contacted Ruger to let them know what a stupid idea this is? I’m sure they would love to hear from you. You are so filled with street-smarts. What would gun owners do without the likes of you to edumacate them?
Ruger, no I haven’t talked to Ruger. I only just read about this pistol. And, no, I’m not going to Las Vegas for SHOT. Casino towns don’t appeal to me. I used to go every other year. Orlando, Atlanta, New Orleans and Houston. When it was offered in the East. I told plenty of manufactures what I thought of what they were offering from one out on the street. They didn’t care. Most of the guy’s didn’t even know firearms. Unless you got to someone who did. They were hired for the show. Finally, if you reread my post, the criticism was of the caliber. Not the pistol. You can put a butter knife in a Bowie sheath, but it’s still a butter knife.
Ruger, one other thing. I like Rugers. Own several. Just bought a #1 a week ago today. Again, my criticism is of the caliber, not the pistol. However, since you raised the issue. It is just another Tubberware pistol. Yawn.
Fort Hood
Ft. Hood – 2009
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Fort_Hood_shooting
Ah, yes. The terrorist attack in which the perpetrator used a 5.7mm pistol. He was walking up behind people who were trying to hide under desks and shooting them ten-twelve times in the back. Two thirds of his victims still lived.
There is also the unattributed story that’s been making the rounds of the Internet for 15+ years, about the SOCOM guys who chose suppressed P90s for house cleaning in Trashcanistan, who complained about having to “sprinkle 5.7mm all over their torsos like throwing rice at a wedding” before they’d fall down and stop trying to kill them. A meme story it may have been, but it rings true to me
If you expect a small caliber, low energy round like 5.7mm to be even as effective and lethal as 9mm ball, you do not understand terminal ballistics. It was designed to do one thing and one thing only: poke holes in soft body armor. Much engineering cleverness was invested in it to that end. it is remarkably good at that, for a 200 foot-pound cartridge. At damaging soft tissue, whether Kevlar is present or not, 5.7mm is not so hot. Energy is the capacity to do work. Breaking bone and crushing soft tissue is work. It has so little to work with. We shouldn’t be surprised.
Gadsden – Is there a point in there somewhere? 5.7 is poor choice because ONE gangbanger ……
Neiowa, the point is I don’t believe the round is for much of anything except punching tiny little holes in things. The reference to Chad was because that is the only street shooting I am personally familiar with, that’s all.
There was a detective killed in a drug raid, there was a cop shot dead while chasing a suspect, then there is the Fort Hood attack.
There was a video on Youtube showing the cop get in a shootout with a man armed with a Five Seven. The bullet went through his vest and killed him. The gunmen was shot dead by other officers.
This is why the government wanted to ban the gun and ammo completely.
Anybody here ever seen a home made, curved, laminated Lexan “body shield”? Probably not, but they’re growing in popularity. They’re like the old “bucklers” used in sword-fighting – a small, rectangular Lexan plate just big enough to be used as a chest shield…they’ll stop a 9mm dead everytime, .45 auto need not apply! Even the mighty 10mm is stopped cold! But with the right bullet – pretty much anything “pointy” not meant to blow up on impact, the 5.7×28 will punch a hole through one!
More and more people, both good and bad guys are making their own custom ballistic products from armored back packs, jacket panel inserts, even plate-carriers under sweatshirts! A ballistic shield gives a tremendous advantage and everyone out there carrying a short-barrel 9mm, up to even .44 magnum using expanding bullets is disadvantaged by the person who pulls one out.
I load my own, long 45gr solids. It tumbles reliably and fairly straight in gel, doing two end over ends, 16-18″ deep always, and and the track looks like it crushes quite a swath. Of course gel isn’t a person and it is a gamble without reliable data from many shootings. It isn’t for everyone. It is for those that want its characteristics and are willing to gamble that the wounds will be sufficiently debilitating. Reloading is expensive and tricky and most factory loads suck except some of the expensive boutique stuff.
The real life how-effective-is-it-on-humans data for 5.7×28 comes from Mexico.
Now this is a useful and interesting comment. Thank you, Vic. It includes some personal experience and real data, unlike some other comment that basically says: “This not very common cartridge was used in only one murder I know about. That’s why it’s bad”
If you’re wondering how lethal the round is just look up the Fort Hood shooting. I recently ran some penetration tests with some SWAT guys at one of the clubs I belong to. The Fiocchi green tip 27 gr. bullet penetrated TWO level 3 vests laid over each other!
Thirteen dead and 32 more seriously wounded – not kids or old people, but young, in shape, military personnel. That’s quite a little “sample” of the effectiveness of generic, OTC ammo and the Five-seveN pistol. The one thing NO 5.7×28 bullet EVER does is go straight through like a “needle”…even the stubby 40 grain American Eagle FMJ will swap ends. There are many gelatin tests showing the performance of every kind of 5.7×28 round made including one that zipped through a Kevlar helmet, the gel head inside, and bounced back off the other side of the helmet! The gelatin had a sizeable bullet track through it. Even the 40 grain Vmax is a surprising peformer – there is an easy to find video showing it creating a rather large expansion cavity in gel – “brassfetchers” I believe has that. The Barnes 45 grain TSX is also shown punching through a Kevlar vest in a brassfetcher video – going around 1,600fps – I believe several companies load that in the 5.7. I have my own hand load version.
Whenever I read a comment stating someone has seen what a 5.7 did in an actual shooting but they remain unconvinced….I know they’ve never seen what a 5.7 did in an actual shooting…
I think this would work as well as 9mm, plus it will penetrate a level IIIA vest. Pricey though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRrUghF-VA4
Prvi Partisan makes 7.62×25 in 85gr JHP, that works exceedingly well on kudzu pigs. I tend to carry then thin TT around the back forty instead of a bulkier revolver, and encounters with those pigs are almost always by surprise, and at close range.
The last one I got was a stem-to-stern, the round ending up almost in it’s nutsack; I believe any other would’ve bounced off the skull with that shot. It’s happened enough times, that I’m considering hunting a carbine in the caliber. God knows it’s still easier to find than 5.7.
Geez… Just get a 10mm or 9x25mm Dillon.
10mm at 14+1, 4.75″ bbl. 220 WFNHCGC at 1,240 fps, 750 ft-lbs, PF of 270. 115 gr Lehigh Defenders at over 1,700 fps
9x25mm at 14+1, 4.75″ bbl. 125 gr bonded FMJ, 1,760 fps, 850 ft-lbs, PF of 220. 90 gr Lehigh Defenders at 2,040 fps and 820 ft-lbs.
As soon as it is available in the wild at the MSRP minus $100, I am getting one. Price on ammo will eventially come down if there are enough shooters and ammo production increases. This reminds me of the PMR 30. I know it’s not even remotely the same gun, but it has the same essence to me. Nice review!
It already is, I got mine for $170 under MSRP.
Is it wrong that I find myself wanting to see a .22 TCM version?
Nope, it’s never wrong to want to see your preferred cartridge available in a gun you want to own. Keeps gun makers busy trying to give us all what we want. Without us wanting what they ain’t got to sell us, there’d never be anything new tempting us to wipe out or toy,budgets….. 🙂
They do. It’s called a Glock 17 with Armscor .22 TCM9R barrel, guide rod and spring. Barrel runs about $140 or so. Can also get one for the G19 but the .22 TCM/9R loses a lot of speed with each half-inch reduction in barrel. I built a dedicated .22 TCM9R using the Armscor top end on a Poly80 frame for under $500. I’ve chrono’d my hand loads at over 2,000 fps from the 4.5″ barrel, and I also developed the 5.56×24 from the .22 TCM to allow hand loaders to use standard .224″ bullets and fit into the confines of a 9mm magazine.
The .22 TCM is made to feed through 1911 length actions.
The .22 TCM9R uses a special short-nose bullet and is made to feed through 9mm length actions.
I don’t think Ruger will compete with itself so readily. The 57 was clearly designed ground-up as a 5.7×28 gun. They really don’t have an awesome .45/10mm platform to spring off of for a .22TCM, unless you count their 1911.
I’m more interested in the .22TCM myself just because the other shooters in my home have small hands. The 5.7×28 is no joke and the reviewer did a good job making us all understand it’s a big grip.
I’m with Rookie. It’s a very nice review, but it makes me want a good pistol chambered in .22TCM. The 57 seems to be a compromise, that only works in the pistol format for a Mr. GorillaHands. I don’t really care about the PS90.
Here is picture comparison of .22TCM, 5.7, and .223 Rem
This thing would be neat for a varmint pistola on a farm, at least until the varmint you have to kill is a pissed off cow. It appears to be pretty much a .22 Hornet in terms of oomph.
I needed something a little easier to wheel around with on coyotes, with short to medium range and also not blow a gaping hole out the exit side. This might fit the bill.
Selling the pelts?
I bet reloads with a flat nose solid shaped like a .22 WMR flat nose FMJ would work great for that.
Sure wanna see the performance of the new Gold Dot HP in it
Matt, I like Gold Dot HP. All my handguns are loaded with it. Got hundreds of it set back. There is not a thing about 5.7 that interests me. Nor should it interest anyone else. It’s a wanna be pistol/rifle caliber. Like one thing does everything. It doesn’t do either well. Carry at your peril.
Looking mighty pious there Flag…..lol.
Not all guns have to carried for defense or hunting to be worthwhile for fun.
Most guns are range guns….pure and simple.
I just bought a Beretta 81 in 32 acp. No intention of carrying it for defense. Kinda like my PP 32. I have used 32 on armadillos to good effect.
I bought because they are beautifully-made machines and a part of firearms history.
I’ll buy an SR cause it looks like fun to shoot. Might never be my choice for defense, but I imagine it could serve if pressed. I imagine it does more damage than 22 LR.
A shot to the head with 22LR will take down about anyone / anything. Now imagine tripling the energy.
I guess this is for those people that have enough money to shoot 5.7 but not enough to buy an FN (all three of them?).
Why would you buy the FN?
Ruger is a great manufacturer….and is building a nice, nice firearm for $4-500 less?
HUMMMMMMMMMMMMM…..
I bought one.
Ah, the ol’ took-more-time-taking-pictures-than-shooting “review”.
No rain. No video. No round count.
Just a free gun from Ruger, yet another tired use of the word “flawless”, and a bye on the gun not chambering subsonic ammo that has predated it by 25 years.
Never change, blog network. Never change.
The video’s at the top. This gun is a loaner that I’ll either return or buy (haven’t decided). The ammo is very clearly out of spec and I’m shocked any gun will chamber it considering the shoulder is higher and fatter. The Ruger-57 is everything I said it is and nothing I didn’t.
Those who can’t do… criticize.
I liked the review, have a ps-90 and a ar5.7 pistol upper from when they used to make it. Used to own the pistol but the grip was too big for me, gonna have to check this one out, thanks for the review!
For those complaining of prices, last I checked a few months ago it was 26 per box of 50. That’s not the end of the world when compared to 556 ammo. ($9-11for 20 rounds?)
Yes, if you compare it to 9mm it’s expensive, but if you use it as a varmint round, compare it to 223/556
A suppressed P90 would be the ultimate zombie gun.
It is!
Just noticed one of the gun selling websites offering the FN pistol for $956 with free shipping.
Yeah, that’s a sale price. So Ruger offering a 5.7x28mm pistol for several hundred dollars less (real price in the gun shops that is), makes sense. You could buy the Ruger plus about 15 boxes (750 rounds) of Federal for the same price as the FN.
I’m not planning on buying one, but the appeal of the thing at a price people can get started shooting it is obvious enough.
Oh and enough with the BS about it being a wimpy ass round. That terrorist scum that hit Fort Hood didn’t seem to have any trouble killing good people with it.
enu, I can kill people with a brick. Or a knife. Or a hammer. Or the Randall #1 I bought today. Oh. Just because the Ft. Shooter did what he did with a particular caliber doesn’t mean anything. It just means that too many people were unarmed. He probably could have done the same thing with a .22 LR.
Yeah? So we what? We actually agree. Hell, the Mafia was known in the bad old days for killing guys with a .22 short in the back of the head. Empty some throw-away cheap revolver.
Besides, SG1 fought a galactic war against the System Lords mainly using the 5.7x28mm in a P90. Killed hell of a lot of armored Jaffa fighters.
I’m betting that come the Alien Vampire Zombie Virus Apocalypse, this round is going to save human civilization as we know it!!!
enuf, I don’t know about that alien, vampire, zombie, thing. Hope you were kidding. From everything I read the Good Fellas liked the Ruger .22 auto. Wiped down. Ten in the head. Tossed. What’s to trace? Maybe I’m wrong. I live a long way from most of that.
Hood. I really do hate spell check.
Is that ‘Vanguard Outfitters Dragon Fang’ considered ‘armor piercing’ and ‘verboten’ in handguns?
IIRC the projectiles are really soft copper and will not penetrate soft body armor.
They are a soft copper, which is what makes them not considered armor piercing, and they zip right through 3a.
It looks cool but I need another 9mm pistola. And mebbe another AR for the missus. And she wants a revolver. And a new house😩
You know what? That makes perfect sense. You buy more guns you are going to be needing a bigger house to store them all in.
Smart thinking, planning ahead so you do not run out of space.
We agree on something. 🙂
I once said that when my current gun safe was full I’d quit buying more guns or sell one for every new one I bought. Just got done ordering another new safe.
Haha I told myself the same thing 3 years ago when I ordered the biggest safe Liberty had… now I just need to buy a new safe.
I want one, never shot a 5.7 and I don’t need one but I want it. I like the look and the review is promising.
I believe 5.7 will eventually dethrone 9mm. It will take some time, but it will eventually become the primary pistol round.
You believe wrongly. The round went quickly out of favor with SWAT units because it is a relatively low energy .22 round. Sure the guy you shoot will eventually die but not before he kills you.
You could easily make roughly the same argument about 9mm.
Not really. It’s .22 round with only about 60% of the energy and half the size hole. There are a lot wounds which rapidly degrade the threat with a 9mm that won’t with a 5.7. A good hit is not independent of caliber. The increase in effectiveness of caliber may suffer rapidly diminishing returns but when you get below 9mm/.357 there is a big falloff.
The 5.7 is a full sized pistol. If you were to reduce the size to what most peoe want to carry it isn’t much better than a 22WMR.
When FN first came out with the pistol it had a capacity advantage but it no longer has. The round has only one advantage. Certain types of ammo can penetrate body armor. If you don’t face that threat an armor piercing round is going to over penetrate.
Approximately zero chance of 5.7 ever gaining as much as 1% of the popularity of 9mm.
I read an interview somewhere with a SWAT commander (Houston?) Who said they ditched their P90 because it was hard to explain why their unhappy customers needed to be shot so many times.
If you look at gel tests the round dumps a lot of energy in the first 3″ of gel. Just penetrating the skin is equal to 3″ of gel so the round loses much of it’s energy before in penetrates into deep tissue.
You see a lot of claims that the round has nearly the energy of 9mm. But that’s not true out of a pistol. The round is chronograpghed around 1650 fps or in the range of 250 ft/ibs. Even STB misrepresents the energy level. If you notice he didn’t chrono his test.
The 5.7 shines in low-recoil ballistic penetration, not terminal ballistics. Few bad guys wear soft armor, so it’s main benefit is a non-factor for SWAT or self defense. Being able to inflict enough damage to stop a bad guy becomes most important, and that’s not where 5.7 shines. Few people talk about how great a stopper 5.56 is at 200+ yards, but that’s about what 5.7 is in terms of velocity and diameter (.224 less than 2000 fps). 5.7 typically is 40 grains or less, so it will penetrate less in tissue since it has a lower sectional density than the 55grain+ 5.56.
I think I said that in a non technical way.
Another worthless caliber to clutter up the ammo shelves at gun dealers.
The 22 TCM is a superior choice. It has been available for many years for single-stack and double stack 1911s in both regular and Commander sizes at a price less than the Ruger-57. Some of these are easily convertible to 9MM Luger.
.224 BOZ. I plan a river adventure this summer, kayaking, camping, I’m looking hard at a suitable light weight hi capacity firegunm that would be appropriate for anything I may encounter. This one has some appeal
Second thought, Nope, I’ll just use one of the gunms I got save the money for more beef jerky and granola bars. ,. Has anyone shot an alligator or BigFoot in self defense with a .25 acp? Note to self, Don’t forget to pack the meat cleaver
Not in self defense, no…….Bigfoot owed me money.
The biggest advantage would be that the ammo is so light. Carrying extra ammo wouldn’t be as much of a burden while hiking when every extra ounce counts.
Well in that case, carry a 22LR, load it with CCI Stingers and you can carry hundreds of rounds easy peasy.
The ammo costs twice as much as .45acp. And doesn’t do much other than put little tiny holes in things.
As much as I like the 7.62X25 I’ve found it doesn’t do much better at killing stuff then a 9mm. I got hollow points and figured I’d blow armadillos all to hell, but nope, just poked 30 caliber holes, and just like s 9 mm discounting head shots takes two shots to gettr done. .I did have an experience with a close range copperhead snake once, missed the snake but the muzzle blast put the hurt on it. Then like a dumbass I started to pick up the snake and it damned near bit me, it was only stunned.
Before I get to my question, lemme clearly state: I am NOT anti-hunting, in any way. I hunt, and eat my ‘catch’. I have friends who varmint hunt and leave their prey where it drops. I have a (wealthy) friend who does the overseas trophy thing every few years. I got no problems with any of that. Now my honest “just curious” question: why do you shoot armadillos? No judgement there, I’m honestly just curious what the motivation is. Is it worth eating an armadillo? Are they considered pests? If the answer is just “They’re plentiful and make good moving targets” that’s cool too. I’ve just never heard of them being a target before. Personally I’ve always had a soft spot for the little buggers (high school mascot) and don’t think I could find it in myself to pick one off, but that’s just me (no judgement here).
@Just Askin…
I was “just wondering” the same thing…
Why shoot Armadillos?
They dig holes that aren’t good for horses or cattle (or humans) to step in. They can carry leprosy. They’ll dig-up your yard and garden.
5.7×28 would be a good choice for a pistol caliber carbine loaded with JHPs for self defense.
It’s called a P90
Or the CMMG Mk57 BANSHEE
Even if they adapted it to take the Ruger magazines instead of FN, it would still be a rather expensive toy/tool.
me want ruger 57 carbine
The 5.7×28 is an excellent solution to a non existent problem.
It’s a democrat?
Next up, the Ruger 8 in barrel carbine at half the price of the CMMG.
I got a chance to shoot a Five-SeveN at a range a year or so ago. I’ve never shot a pistol in my life that was that flat. It was a joy to shoot, and not just because of the huge fireballs out the muzzle (though that certainly didn’t hurt). That thing was some of the most fun I’ve ever had at the range, but it was too rich for my blood.
If this gun is a few hundred cheaper and just as good to shoot, I might have to put some money away.
What’s that they say? The ideal number of guns to have in your collection is “one more”?
It’s, hopefully, my next gun. I bought a PS90 several years ago then had it converted to short barrel threaded and a silencer. Tax stamps were a bitch, but hey, I LOVE that bullpup. I was looking at the FiveSeven but didn’t care for it. This one looks promising.
I read an interview somewhere with a SWAT commander (Houston?) Who said they ditched their P90 because it was hard to explain why their unhappy customers needed to be shot so many times. مشاوره قبل از ازدواج
Security 9 chambered in 5.7. Got it.
Personally, I love my Sec9. If 5.7 ammo becomes more affordable, I would consider this.
Man, other than the ruger name on it, it’s got basically nothing in common with the Security 9. It uses a different action, a different trigger design, different grip frame, different sights, etc etc etc. Hell it doesn’t even LOOK all that much like a Security 9 to my eye. I mean, its a full-size polymer pistol. But by that logic its also basically a glock, or M&P, or Walther or… well you get the picture
Lots of misinformation in this article and the comments section.
Excel Arms in Chino CA has been making Accelerator pistols chambered in 5.7 for years and years.
Nobody saw it coming and I’m not sure how many were asking for it. Still cool though.
What many of us HAVE been asking for from Ruger is a 3-inch LCRx with low profile sights for carry. Either a the same channel rear sight as the snubby, or NOVAK style sights like the TALO/Clapp versions of the SP and GP. I’m holding off on buying my next revolver until I see if a Goldilocks LCRx gets announced at SHOT.
The Boomer generation is dumping their collections of big bores, 9mms and sig 357s because of changing NEEDS due to their physical deline (sore hands, weaker eyes). Ruger is spot on with this 57 offering that is going out the door at 2,000 units plus per month (guess which generation has the money for one?) I predict it will be offered as an AR15 upper or carbine, and 5.7×28 will rival 300 blackout in growth curve (gains 300 fps).
I was trying not to add a new caliber for old age needs, and looked at .380 for SD. Fiber optic front sight with a red dot option sound great. I do not want to be undergunned with a 22lr or 380, so what are my options? The clay block cavities on You Tube are the SAME SIZE as the 45 acp cavities. Echoes from the past with the SIG 357 vs 45 acp. Do a weight comparison with my HK usp in 45 and 20 round mag with the Ruger 57 fully loaded? When you are back packing, or getting old, pack onces matter. The new generation is often counting pack ounces as well. My hat is off to Ruger, and the money is sent.
If Ruger fixes the long reset and ammo price comes down to .45 ACP range, I’ll probably buy one. Sounds like one heck of a PDW.
I like my FiveSeven. Ive hit targets well over 30 yards. This one looks even better.
I only shoot mines in the house. Since it’s plastic I worry about sun damage.
Love the fast accurate rounds. TCM 22, 762×25 tok, even the 22 mag out of the Kel Tech are a blast to shoot and you can hit what you shoot at. The 57 is my next go to but would love to see them come up with a 7.62 light pistol.
Wow. I am angry, because just weeks ago, I put my $341 down at Bass Pro for the cute little Glock 44 ($359 less veteran’s discount). Cool little gun. but nothing like the Ruger 5.7.
Did the same when the Glock 42 and 42 came. Just had to be the first guy around to have one, I do not like Glocks all that much. Carried them in law enforcement where I got the bug. Being a Ruger guy, semi autos, bolt guns, mini 14, mini 30, several single actions, a Redhawk and maybe others, I just trust them more than anybody these days, and I have a large collection of many brands.
This one just seems to fill a hiking need, self defense OK, lots of ammo on board, and much softer for an old guy that all those 44s and 45s. I do wonder about the “practical” hunting uses. Most of us are not good beyond about 75 yards with a handgun, and on smaller game like coyotes, that is a stretch. Just wonder if it is much better at that range than my 38 super which is inherently accurate>
Just Add a 4X leupold pistol scope, and hit the button on a screaming rabbit call.
Great review.
Ruger 57 should give FN a run for the money as the FN is soooo expensive!
The 5.7 round tumbles upon entry. It is certainly not an “ice pick”.
Once the COVID-19 Virus scare wears off and the anti-gun voters who have realized how foolish they are, stop buying our ammo, prices should settle down. As of today, March 27, 2020 everybody is out of ammo.
Interesting times.
YouTube gun guru Paul Harrell gave a good comparison review of the Ruger 57 vs FN FiveseveN.
Yes, he has hunted and taken deer with that caliber.
Be well.
Gotta see what this weapon looks like in 6 months or so after trying to find THE DEAL on a Herstal somewhere for too many years. The round has a lot of potential if the manufacturers got any kind of incentive to exploit it. Maybe this one from Ruger will do that along with snagging my purchase also. A bunch of them in Joe Public’s hands will see where it is going after half a year.
Make a nice addition to my full power 10 mm weapons and yep, that 30 round 22 mag from Florida is quite the hoot also. And I thought I would slow down with these kinds of buys after 70!
I’ve had the Ruger on order for over 5 months, why is it taking Ruger so long to get them out. This is stupid.
Given the long OAL of this cartridge and high pressure, I was wondering if a replacement barrel and some futzing with the mag lips would allow it to be turned into a double stack 7.62×25 pistol? Unsure about the delayed blowback though? Oh well.
If “kludgy” means sucky in regards to the optics mounting system, then I totally agree!
My R57’s mounting plate is big, loose fitting and doesn’t really look like it was made for the gun.
I’d have been alright with paying $10-$20 more for a milled slide.
I do love my R57. Can’t wait till someone comes out with 30rd mags for it!
I would really like to see Ruger offer it in DA/SA. I would definitely buy one!
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