Five-seveN
Encyclopedia
The FN Five-seven, trademarked as the Five-seveN, is a semi-automatic
pistol
designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium
. The pistol is named for its 5.7-mm (.224 in) bullet
diameter, and the trademark capitalization style is intended to emphasize the manufacturer's initials—FN.
The Five-seven pistol was developed in conjunction with the FN P90
personal defense weapon
and the 5.7×28mm cartridge. The P90 was introduced in 1990, and the Five-seven was introduced in 1998 as a pistol using the same 5.7×28mm ammunition. Developed as a companion pistol to the P90, the Five-seven shares many of its design features: it is a lightweight polymer
-based weapon with a large magazine capacity, ambidextrous controls, low recoil
, and the ability to penetrate body armor when using certain cartridge types.
Sales of the Five-seven were originally restricted by FN to military and law enforcement customers, but since 2004, the pistol has also been offered to civilian shooters for personal protection
, target shooting, and similar uses. Although offered only with sporting ammunition, the Five-seven's introduction to civilian shooters was met with vocal opposition from gun control
organizations such as the Brady Campaign
, and the pistol has been subject to ongoing controversy in the United States
.
The Five-seven is currently in service with military and police forces in over 40 countries, such as Canada
, France
, Greece
, India
, Poland
, Spain
, and the United States
. In the United States, the Five-seven is in use with numerous law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service. In the years since the pistol's introduction to the civilian market in the United States, it has also become increasingly popular with civilian shooters.
s (PDWs), were to provide "personal protection in last-resort situations when the user is directly endangered by the enemy [...]." In 1989, NATO published document D/296, outlining a number of preliminary specifications for these weapons:
FN Herstal was the first small arms
manufacturer to respond to NATO's requirement; FN started by developing a shoulder-fired personal defense weapon, the FN P90
, along with a small caliber, high velocity 5.7×28mm cartridge type. The original 5.7×28mm cartridge, called the SS90, went into production with the P90 in 1990. This cartridge type was discontinued in 1993, and replaced with the 5.7×28mm SS190, which used a heavier and slightly shorter projectile
weighing 2.0 g
(31 grains). The reduced length of the SS190 projectile allowed it to be used more conveniently in the Five-seven, which was under development at that time.
In 1993, Jean-Louis Gathoye of FN filed a United States patent application
for a delayed blowback operating system intended for the Five-seven pistol. The following year, U.S. Patent 5,347,912 ("Elements for decelerating the recoil of the moving parts of a fire arm") was received. In 1995, FN officially announced the development of the Five-seven pistol, and a prototype of the pistol was publicly displayed the following year. With some improvements, a double-action only variant of the pistol went into production in 1998, and a single-action variant called the Five-seven Tactical was introduced shortly afterward. The Five-seven first entered service in May 2000, when the Cypriot National Guard
(Greek
: Εθνική Φρουρά) purchased 250 pistols for their special forces group.
cartridge, which was created by German
small arms
manufacturer Heckler & Koch
as a competitor to the 5.7×28mm. The results of the NATO tests were analyzed by a group formed of experts from Canada
, France
, the United Kingdom
, and the United States
, and the group's conclusion was that the 5.7×28mm was "undoubtedly" the more efficient cartridge.
However, the German delegation and others rejected the NATO recommendation that 5.7×28mm be standardized, halting the standardization process indefinitely. As a result, both the 4.6×30mm and 5.7×28mm cartridges (and the associated weapons) have been independently adopted by various NATO countries, according to preference; the Five-seven pistol is currently in service with military and police forces in over 40 countries throughout the world.
accessory rail, a magazine safety mechanism, and fully adjustable sights. Although offered only with sporting ammunition, the Five-seven's introduction to civilian shooters was met with strong opposition from gun control
organizations such as the Brady Campaign
.
Further development of the Five-seven pistol led to the introduction of the Five-seven USG variant, which was approved by the ATF as a sporting firearm in 2004. The USG variant incorporates a conventionally-shaped square trigger guard
, a reversible magazine release
, and other minor changes. This is the current Five-seven pistol offered by FN Herstal, but different frame finishes and sight options have also been made available.
delayed blowback pistol chambered for FN's 5.7×28mm ammunition. The pistol appears hammerless, but it has a concealed hammer
. Polymer
materials are used extensively in the pistol's design; even the steel slide
is encased in a polymer shell. In addition to providing reduced weight and greater resistance to corrosion, this also prevents unwanted light reflection. The slide's polymer shell gives the pistol the appearance of being constructed entirely of polymers, but the slide interior, barrel, trigger, springs, pins, and similar parts are all steel. The Five-seven pistol is unusually lightweight, weighing only 744 g
(1.6 lb
) with a loaded 20-round magazine.
The Five-seven is a full-size pistol, having an overall length of 208 mm (8.2 in) and a height of 137 mm (5.4 in). The pistol has a max width of 36 mm (1.4 in), and it has the same grip angle as the distinguished Browning Hi-Power
and M1911 pistols. Despite the considerable length of the Five-seven pistol's 5.7×28mm ammunition, the grip is not particularly unwieldy—the distance from the trigger to the back of the grip measures 69.85 mm (2.75 in), which is identical to a U.S. Military issue M9 pistol
chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum. The Five-seven barrel
is cold hammer-forged
and chrome-lined
, with a total length of 122 mm (4.8 in) and a rifled length of 94 mm (3.7 in). The barrel has eight rifling
grooves with a right-hand twist rate of 1:231 mm (1:9.1 in), and it weighs 113 g (0.25 lb). It has a stated service life of 20,000 rounds and the Five-seven is noted for being very accurate.
Current variants of the Five-seven are single-action, having a short and light trigger pull of 2 to 3 daN
(4.4 to 6.6 lbF
). They have a MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) accessory rail and a magazine safety mechanism that prevents the pistol from firing without a magazine inserted. The grip texture is extensively checkered for a superior hold, and each side of the slide has a series of narrow ridges at the rear to aid grasping. The trigger and trigger guard
surfaces also have grooves to reduce finger slip, and the trigger guard is elongated to ease firing while wearing gloves. In addition to the black frame finish of the standard USG variant, the Five-seven pistol is also currently offered with a flat dark earth
frame finish (as the Five-seven FDE) or an olive drab green frame finish (as the Five-seven ODG). Since 2009, the Five-seven has also been offered with fixed sights as a low profile alternative to the standard adjustable sights.
bottlenecked cartridge it uses. The 5.7×28mm cartridge was created by FN Herstal in response to NATO requests for a replacement for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, which is commonly used in pistols and submachine guns. The 5.7×28mm cartridge weighs 6.0 g (93 grains)—roughly half as much as a typical 9×19mm cartridge—making extra ammunition less burdensome, or allowing more ammunition to be carried for the same weight. Since the 5.7×28mm cartridge also has a relatively small diameter, an unusually high number of cartridges can be contained in a magazine. The cartridge has a loud report and produces considerable muzzle flash, but it has roughly 30 percent less recoil
than the 9×19mm cartridge, improving controllability. Due to its high velocity, the 5.7×28mm also exhibits an exceptionally flat trajectory
.
One of the design intents for the standard 5.7×28mm cartridge type, the SS190, was that it have the ability to penetrate Kevlar
protective vests—such as the NATO CRISAT
vest—that will stop conventional pistol bullets. Fired from the Five-seven, the 5.7×28mm SS190 has a muzzle velocity of roughly 650 m/s (2,130 ft/s) and is capable of penetrating the CRISAT vest at a range of 100 m (109 yd), or 48 layers of Kevlar
material (roughly equivalent to two stacked Level II Kevlar vest panels) at a range of 50 m (55 yd). It is also capable of penetrating a PASGT
vest at a range of 300 m (328 yd) or a PASGT helmet at a range of 240 m (262 yd). FN states an effective range of 50 m (55 yd) and a maximum range of 1,510 m (1,651 yd) for the 5.7×28mm cartridge when fired from the Five-seven pistol.
In testing conducted by Passaic County, New Jersey
Sheriff's Department, the 5.7×28mm SS190 penetrated to a depth of 27 cm (11 in) in bare ballistic gelatin
, and a depth of 23 cm (9 in) in gelatin protected with a Kevlar vest. In testing, the SS190 and similar 5.7×28mm projectile
s consistently turn base over point ("tumble") as they pass through ballistic gelatin and other media, using the 21.6-mm (.85 in) projectile length to create a larger wound cavity. However, some are skeptical of the bullet's terminal performance
, and it is a subject of debate among civilian shooters in the United States.
The 5.7×28mm projectile
potentially poses less risk of collateral damage
than conventional pistol bullets, because the projectile design limits overpenetration, as well as risk of ricochet
. The lightweight projectile also poses less risk of collateral damage in the event of a miss, because it loses much of its kinetic energy
after traveling only 400 m (437 yd), whereas a conventional pistol bullet such as the 9×19mm retains significant energy beyond 800 m (875 yd). This range exceeds the engagement distances expected for the 5.7×28mm cartridge's intended applications, so the cartridge's limited energy at long range is not conversely considered to be disadvantageous. Since the 5.7×28mm SS190 projectile does not rely on fragmentation or the expansion of a hollow-point
bullet, the cartridge and pistol are considered suitable for military use under the Hague Convention of 1899, which prohibits the use of expanding bullets in warfare.
The Five-seven's magazine can be disassembled for cleaning or lubrication by removing the polymer floorplate. The magazine body is constructed of polymer, with steel inserts at the feed lips. Unlike a conventional pistol magazine, it feeds from dual feed lips, with a follower that has the same appearance as that of an M16 rifle
's magazine, and which is loaded in the same manner: by pushing cartridges straight down into the magazine, rather than pushing them down and back. This setup makes it very easy to load individual cartridges into the magazine. The magazine floorplate has a slight finger spur, and four holes in the left side of the magazine body allow a convenient estimate of the amount of remaining ammunition.
, in the form of a pin inside a tiny hole, is provided on the left side of the slide
. When a round has been chambered, this pin will protrude 1.6 mm (0.06 in), which is sufficient to provide both visible and tactile indication of the chamber's status.
Current variants of the Five-seven have an ambidextrous manual safety device
, which is located in an unconventional position: one control is found on each side of the frame above the trigger guard, where it is reachable with the trigger finger or support hand thumb. A red dot is visible here when the safety is deactivated and the pistol is ready to fire; when the safety is moved to the raised position, it is activated and the red dot is no longer visible. The Five-seven's push-button magazine release
, located on the left side of the frame where the trigger guard intersects with the grip, is square-shaped and reversible for left-handed shooters.
The Five-seven can be disassembled quickly and easily, by using the left hand to retract and hold the slide 5 mm (0.25 in) rearwards, while simultaneously using the left-hand thumb to push and hold the takedown lever rearwards. When the slide is released, it moves forward freely and the complete slide assembly can be disengaged from the frame, whereupon the barrel (and captured recoil spring) can be removed from the slide. This level of disassembly is sufficient to perform thorough cleaning
of the pistol, and FNH USA recommends no further disassembly except by an authorized armorer, FN Herstal, or FNH USA. Reassembly of the pistol is done in the reverse order, except no use of the disassembly lever is necessary.
or elevation
. The "three-dot" type C-More
fixed sights, which are offered as a low profile alternative to the adjustable sights, can only be adjusted for windage
. The fixed sights are targeted at 7.6 m (25 ft) using SS195LF ammunition, and are available with or without tritium-illuminated inserts ("night sights") to aid use of the pistol in dim lighting.
The Five-seven is supplied with a lockable hard case, a locking device and keys, a magazine release
reversal tool, a sight adjustment tool (not included with the fixed sights model), a cleaning kit, an owner's manual, and three 20-round magazines (or three 10-round magazines, where restricted by law). Holsters for the Five-seven are offered by various manufacturers, and the pistol's MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) accessory rail will accept various tactical light
s or laser aiming devices. With the use of an extended, threaded barrel, the pistol can also be fitted with various sound suppressors
such as the Gemtech SFN-57 suppressor, which was developed in 1998 specifically for use with the Five-seven. This matte black aluminum suppressor has a length of 147 mm (5.8 in), a diameter of 32 mm (1.25 in), and a weight of 147 g (0.33 lb).
Five-seven Tactical
Five-seven IOM
Five-seven FDE, ODG
, target shooting, and similar uses, but the Five-seven's introduction to civilian shooters was strongly opposed by U.S. gun control
organizations such as the Brady Campaign
; by the end of 2004, sales of the Five-seven pistol had increased dramatically.
In early 2005, the pistol was subject to intense controversy in the United States after the Brady Campaign stated that commercially available 5.7×28mm SS192 ammunition penetrated a Level IIA Kevlar vest in testing. The National Rifle Association
(NRA) shortly countered the Brady Campaign's claim by stating that the gun control group may not have adhered to standard testing procedures, and that FN only offers armor-piercing varieties of the 5.7×28mm cartridge to military and law enforcement customers. Varieties offered to civilians are classified by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(ATF) as not armor-piercing, and it was stated that the SS192 and SS196 cartridge variations were unable to penetrate various types of Kevlar vests in tests conducted by FNH USA.
Michael D. Barnes
, then-president of the Brady Campaign, responded to the NRA's statements on the Five-seven by challenging NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre
to be shot with the pistol while wearing a Kevlar vest. The NRA again attacked the Brady Campaign's statements, saying that "Barnes demonstrated his group's complete and utter disregard for gun safety and its flaming zeal to further restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners." In the same year, two pieces of legislation were introduced in the United States Congress
, specifically targeting the Five-seven pistol and 5.7×28mm ammunition for a federal ban: the H.R. 1136: PLEA Act was introduced in the House of Representatives
by Rep. Eliot Engel, and the S. 527: PLEA Act was introduced in the Senate
by Sen. Frank Lautenberg
; neither bill proceeded to a vote by the House or Senate.
In March 2007, legislation was again introduced in the United States Congress
by Rep. Engel, under the new designation H.R. 1784: PLEA Act. Once again, the bill failed to proceed to a vote. In the following years, the Five-seven was subject to further controversy due to reports of the pistol's use by drug cartel
s in the Mexican Drug War
. In the United States, the Five-seven has never been used to kill a police officer, but various news sources such as The Boston Globe
and La Jornada
reported incidents in which the pistol was used to shoot and kill police officers or civilians in Mexico. According to the ATF
, the Five-seven is one of the weapons favored by drug cartels in the Mexican Drug War, and a smuggled Five-seven pistol can sell for up to 66,000 peso
s (US $5,000) in Mexico
. From Mexico, the pistols have been smuggled into other South America
n countries; in a July 2010 drive-by shooting
in Envigado
, Colombia
, two cartel gunmen armed with Five-seven pistols opened fire on a group of bystanders outside a nightclub
, leaving 9 people dead and 10 wounded.
In November 2009, the Five-seven again became subject to intense controversy in the United States, following the Fort Hood shooting
at Fort Hood military base
, in Texas
. A U.S. Army psychiatrist, Major Nidal Malik Hasan
, reportedly opened fire on fellow soldiers with a Five-seven pistol, killing 13 people and wounding 29 in the worst shooting ever to take place on an American military base. Shortly after the shooting, FNH USA responded with a fact sheet dismissing allegations about the nature of the pistol, pointing out that it is only offered to civilians with sporting ammunition. Later in the month, a number of gun control organizations such as the Brady Campaign wrote a collaborative letter to U.S. President Barack Obama
, citing the weapon's reported use by the Fort Hood shooter and Mexican drug cartels, and calling on him to ban importation of the Five-seven pistol and 5.7×28mm ammunition. In July 2010, legislation was introduced in the United States Congress by Rep. Engel, for a third time, under the new designation H.R. 6030: PLEA Act. Like its previous incarnations, the H.R. 6030 bill failed to proceed to a vote by either the House of Representatives
or Senate
.
(Greek
: Εθνική Φρουρά), which purchased 250 pistols in May 2000 for its special forces group. By 2009, the Five-seven was in service with military and police forces in over 40 countries throughout the world. In 2009, the Military of Libya
purchased 367 Five-seven pistols from FN Herstal, along with various other FN weapons, in a controversial sale valued at 11.5 million euro
s (US $15.8 million). In 2011, these weapons were used by Muammar Gaddafi
's military forces in the Libyan Civil War, and Libyan rebel forces
were also photographed using captured examples in the war.
In the United States
, the Five-seven is currently used by over 300 law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service. Military and law enforcement organizations using the Five-seven include:
Video
Semi-automatic firearm
A semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. The pistol is named for its 5.7-mm (.224 in) bullet
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
diameter, and the trademark capitalization style is intended to emphasize the manufacturer's initials—FN.
The Five-seven pistol was developed in conjunction with the FN P90
FN P90
The FN P90 is a selective fire personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. The P90's name is taken from 1990, the year it was introduced...
personal defense weapon
Personal defense weapon
A personal defense weapon is a compact semi-automatic or fully automatic firearm similar in most respects to a submachine gun, but firing an armor-piercing rifle round, giving a PDW better range, accuracy and armor-penetrating capability than submachine guns, which fire pistol-caliber cartridges...
and the 5.7×28mm cartridge. The P90 was introduced in 1990, and the Five-seven was introduced in 1998 as a pistol using the same 5.7×28mm ammunition. Developed as a companion pistol to the P90, the Five-seven shares many of its design features: it is a lightweight polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
-based weapon with a large magazine capacity, ambidextrous controls, low recoil
Recoil
Recoil is the backward momentum of a gun when it is discharged. In technical terms, the recoil caused by the gun exactly balances the forward momentum of the projectile and exhaust gasses, according to Newton's third law...
, and the ability to penetrate body armor when using certain cartridge types.
Sales of the Five-seven were originally restricted by FN to military and law enforcement customers, but since 2004, the pistol has also been offered to civilian shooters for personal protection
Self-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
, target shooting, and similar uses. Although offered only with sporting ammunition, the Five-seven's introduction to civilian shooters was met with vocal opposition from gun control
Gun politics
Gun politics addresses safety issues and ideologies related to firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, and distribution of firearms.-National sovereignty:...
organizations such as the Brady Campaign
Brady Campaign
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence are affiliated non-profit organizations in the United States. They are named after James Brady who was permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
, and the pistol has been subject to ongoing controversy in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The Five-seven is currently in service with military and police forces in over 40 countries, such as Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In the United States, the Five-seven is in use with numerous law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service. In the years since the pistol's introduction to the civilian market in the United States, it has also become increasingly popular with civilian shooters.
Development
The Five-seven pistol and its 5.7×28mm ammunition were developed by FN Herstal in response to NATO requests for a replacement for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge and associated pistols and submachine guns. NATO called for two types of weapons chambered for a new cartridge—one a shoulder-fired weapon, and the other a handheld weapon. According to NATO, these new weapons, termed personal defense weaponPersonal defense weapon
A personal defense weapon is a compact semi-automatic or fully automatic firearm similar in most respects to a submachine gun, but firing an armor-piercing rifle round, giving a PDW better range, accuracy and armor-penetrating capability than submachine guns, which fire pistol-caliber cartridges...
s (PDWs), were to provide "personal protection in last-resort situations when the user is directly endangered by the enemy [...]." In 1989, NATO published document D/296, outlining a number of preliminary specifications for these weapons:
- The new cartridge was to have greater range, accuracy, and terminal performanceBallistic traumaThe term ballistic trauma refers to a form of physical trauma sustained from the discharge of arms or munitions. The most common forms of ballistic trauma stem from firearms used in armed conflicts, civilian sporting and recreational pursuits, and criminal activity.-Destructive effects:The degree...
than the 9×19mm cartridge. Additionally, it was to be capable of penetrating body armor. - The shoulder-fired personal defense weapon was to weigh less than 3 kgKilogramThe kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
(6.6 lbPound (mass)The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
), with a magazine capacity of at least 20 rounds. - The handheld personal defense weapon (pistol) was to weigh less than 1 kg (2.2 lb), although a weight of 700 g (1.5 lb) was deemed desirable; it was to have a magazine capacity of no less than 20 rounds.
- Both weapons were to be sufficiently compact to be carried hands-free on the user's person at all times, whether in the cab of a vehicle or the cockpit of an aircraft, and were to perform effectively in all environments and weather conditions.
FN Herstal was the first small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
manufacturer to respond to NATO's requirement; FN started by developing a shoulder-fired personal defense weapon, the FN P90
FN P90
The FN P90 is a selective fire personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. The P90's name is taken from 1990, the year it was introduced...
, along with a small caliber, high velocity 5.7×28mm cartridge type. The original 5.7×28mm cartridge, called the SS90, went into production with the P90 in 1990. This cartridge type was discontinued in 1993, and replaced with the 5.7×28mm SS190, which used a heavier and slightly shorter projectile
Projectile
A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon....
weighing 2.0 g
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
(31 grains). The reduced length of the SS190 projectile allowed it to be used more conveniently in the Five-seven, which was under development at that time.
In 1993, Jean-Louis Gathoye of FN filed a United States patent application
Patent application
A patent application is a request pending at a patent office for the grant of a patent for the invention described and claimed by that application. An application consists of a description of the invention , together with official forms and correspondence relating to the application...
for a delayed blowback operating system intended for the Five-seven pistol. The following year, U.S. Patent 5,347,912 ("Elements for decelerating the recoil of the moving parts of a fire arm") was received. In 1995, FN officially announced the development of the Five-seven pistol, and a prototype of the pistol was publicly displayed the following year. With some improvements, a double-action only variant of the pistol went into production in 1998, and a single-action variant called the Five-seven Tactical was introduced shortly afterward. The Five-seven first entered service in May 2000, when the Cypriot National Guard
Cypriot National Guard
The Cypriot National Guard , also known as the "Greek Cypriot National Guard" or simply as "National Guard", is the combined arms military force of the Republic of Cyprus...
(Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Εθνική Φρουρά) purchased 250 pistols for their special forces group.
NATO evaluation
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 FN 5.7×28mm cartridge and the HK 4.6×30mmHK 4.6×30mm
The HK 4.6×30mm cartridge is a type of ammunition used in the Heckler & Koch MP7 Personal Defense Weapon and by the HK UCP pistol. It is designed to minimize weight and recoil while increasing penetration of body armor. It features a bottlenecked case and a pointed, steel-core, brass-jacketed...
cartridge, which was created by German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
manufacturer Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch GmbH is a German defense manufacturing company that produces various small arms. Some of their products include the SA80, MP5 submachine gun, G3 automatic rifle, the G36 assault rifle, the HK 416, the MP7 personal defense weapon, the USP series of handguns, and the high-precision...
as a competitor to the 5.7×28mm. The results of the NATO tests were analyzed by a group formed of experts from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the group's conclusion was that the 5.7×28mm was "undoubtedly" the more efficient cartridge.
However, the German delegation and others rejected the NATO recommendation that 5.7×28mm be standardized, halting the standardization process indefinitely. As a result, both the 4.6×30mm and 5.7×28mm cartridges (and the associated weapons) have been independently adopted by various NATO countries, according to preference; the Five-seven pistol is currently in service with military and police forces in over 40 countries throughout the world.
Present
Historically, sales of the Five-seven pistol were restricted by FN to military and law enforcement customers, but in 2004 the new Five-seven IOM variant was introduced and offered to civilian shooters, for use with 5.7×28mm SS192 ammunition. The IOM variant incorporated several modifications to the weapon's design, such as the addition of an M1913Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail or MIL-STD-1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail or a "Tactical Rail" is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform. A similar system is the Weaver rail mount.-Description:...
accessory rail, a magazine safety mechanism, and fully adjustable sights. Although offered only with sporting ammunition, the Five-seven's introduction to civilian shooters was met with strong opposition from gun control
Gun politics
Gun politics addresses safety issues and ideologies related to firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, and distribution of firearms.-National sovereignty:...
organizations such as the Brady Campaign
Brady Campaign
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence are affiliated non-profit organizations in the United States. They are named after James Brady who was permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
.
Further development of the Five-seven pistol led to the introduction of the Five-seven USG variant, which was approved by the ATF as a sporting firearm in 2004. The USG variant incorporates a conventionally-shaped square trigger guard
Trigger guard
A trigger guard is a loop surrounding the trigger of a firearm and protecting it from accidental discharge.Some assault rifles can have their trigger guard removed or positioned as not to impair firing with gloves for example in Arctic conditions....
, a reversible magazine release
Magazine release
A magazine release is the control on a firearm that retains a weapon's magazine.-Pistol:Heel or "European" magazine release is located at the butt of the pistol grip and is commonly a simple catch as on the Makarov or Walther P-38. This has the advantages of being both ambidextrous and resistant...
, and other minor changes. This is the current Five-seven pistol offered by FN Herstal, but different frame finishes and sight options have also been made available.
Design details
The Five-seven is a semi-automaticSemi-automatic firearm
A semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
delayed blowback pistol chambered for FN's 5.7×28mm ammunition. The pistol appears hammerless, but it has a concealed hammer
Hammer (firearm)
thumb|150px|Hammer with an integral [[firing pin]] on a [[S&W Model 13]] revolver The hammer of a firearm was given its name for both resemblance and functional similarity to the common tool...
. Polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
materials are used extensively in the pistol's design; even the steel slide
Pistol slide
The slide is the part of the weapon on a majority of semi-automatic pistols that moves during the operating cycle and generally houses the firing pin or striker and the extractor, and serves as the bolt...
is encased in a polymer shell. In addition to providing reduced weight and greater resistance to corrosion, this also prevents unwanted light reflection. The slide's polymer shell gives the pistol the appearance of being constructed entirely of polymers, but the slide interior, barrel, trigger, springs, pins, and similar parts are all steel. The Five-seven pistol is unusually lightweight, weighing only 744 g
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
(1.6 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
) with a loaded 20-round magazine.
The Five-seven is a full-size pistol, having an overall length of 208 mm (8.2 in) and a height of 137 mm (5.4 in). The pistol has a max width of 36 mm (1.4 in), and it has the same grip angle as the distinguished Browning Hi-Power
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
and M1911 pistols. Despite the considerable length of the Five-seven pistol's 5.7×28mm ammunition, the grip is not particularly unwieldy—the distance from the trigger to the back of the grip measures 69.85 mm (2.75 in), which is identical to a U.S. Military issue M9 pistol
M9 Pistol
The Beretta M9, formally Pistol, Semiautomatic, 9mm, M9, is a 9×19mm Parabellum pistol of the United States military adopted in 1985. It is essentially a military specification Beretta 92F, later the 92FS....
chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum. The Five-seven barrel
Gun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
is cold hammer-forged
Forging
Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which it is performed: '"cold," "warm," or "hot" forging. Forged parts can range in weight from less than a kilogram to 580 metric tons...
and chrome-lined
Chrome plating
Chrome plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness.-Process:A component to be chrome plated will...
, with a total length of 122 mm (4.8 in) and a rifled length of 94 mm (3.7 in). The barrel has eight rifling
Rifling
Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
grooves with a right-hand twist rate of 1:231 mm (1:9.1 in), and it weighs 113 g (0.25 lb). It has a stated service life of 20,000 rounds and the Five-seven is noted for being very accurate.
Current variants of the Five-seven are single-action, having a short and light trigger pull of 2 to 3 daN
Kilogram-force
A kilogram-force , or kilopond , is a gravitational metric unit of force. It is equal to the magnitude of the force exerted by one kilogram of mass in a gravitational field...
(4.4 to 6.6 lbF
Pound-force
The pound force is a unit of force in some systems of measurement including English engineering units and British gravitational units.- Definitions :...
). They have a MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) accessory rail and a magazine safety mechanism that prevents the pistol from firing without a magazine inserted. The grip texture is extensively checkered for a superior hold, and each side of the slide has a series of narrow ridges at the rear to aid grasping. The trigger and trigger guard
Trigger guard
A trigger guard is a loop surrounding the trigger of a firearm and protecting it from accidental discharge.Some assault rifles can have their trigger guard removed or positioned as not to impair firing with gloves for example in Arctic conditions....
surfaces also have grooves to reduce finger slip, and the trigger guard is elongated to ease firing while wearing gloves. In addition to the black frame finish of the standard USG variant, the Five-seven pistol is also currently offered with a flat dark earth
Brown
Brown is a color term, denoting a range of composite colors produced by a mixture of orange, red, rose, or yellow with black or gray. The term is from Old English brún, in origin for any dusky or dark shade of color....
frame finish (as the Five-seven FDE) or an olive drab green frame finish (as the Five-seven ODG). Since 2009, the Five-seven has also been offered with fixed sights as a low profile alternative to the standard adjustable sights.
Ammunition
Particularly significant to the design of the Five-seven pistol is the small caliber, high velocityMuzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
bottlenecked cartridge it uses. The 5.7×28mm cartridge was created by FN Herstal in response to NATO requests for a replacement for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, which is commonly used in pistols and submachine guns. The 5.7×28mm cartridge weighs 6.0 g (93 grains)—roughly half as much as a typical 9×19mm cartridge—making extra ammunition less burdensome, or allowing more ammunition to be carried for the same weight. Since the 5.7×28mm cartridge also has a relatively small diameter, an unusually high number of cartridges can be contained in a magazine. The cartridge has a loud report and produces considerable muzzle flash, but it has roughly 30 percent less recoil
Recoil
Recoil is the backward momentum of a gun when it is discharged. In technical terms, the recoil caused by the gun exactly balances the forward momentum of the projectile and exhaust gasses, according to Newton's third law...
than the 9×19mm cartridge, improving controllability. Due to its high velocity, the 5.7×28mm also exhibits an exceptionally flat trajectory
Trajectory
A trajectory is the path that a moving object follows through space as a function of time. The object might be a projectile or a satellite, for example. It thus includes the meaning of orbit—the path of a planet, an asteroid or a comet as it travels around a central mass...
.
One of the design intents for the standard 5.7×28mm cartridge type, the SS190, was that it have the ability to penetrate Kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
protective vests—such as the NATO CRISAT
CRISAT
CRISAT, short for Collaborative Research Into Small Arms Technology, is an EU-NATO standard in the manufacture of military equipment. The CRISAT target is defined as a 1.6mm titanium plate supplemented by 20 layers of Kevlar. This target is intended to replicate the personal protection used by...
vest—that will stop conventional pistol bullets. Fired from the Five-seven, the 5.7×28mm SS190 has a muzzle velocity of roughly 650 m/s (2,130 ft/s) and is capable of penetrating the CRISAT vest at a range of 100 m (109 yd), or 48 layers of Kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
material (roughly equivalent to two stacked Level II Kevlar vest panels) at a range of 50 m (55 yd). It is also capable of penetrating a PASGT
Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops
Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops, sometimes abbreviated to PASGT, was a combat helmet and ballistic vest used by the American military from the mid 1980s until 2005, when the system was succeeded by the Lightweight Helmet, Modular Integrated Communications Helmet, and Interceptor body...
vest at a range of 300 m (328 yd) or a PASGT helmet at a range of 240 m (262 yd). FN states an effective range of 50 m (55 yd) and a maximum range of 1,510 m (1,651 yd) for the 5.7×28mm cartridge when fired from the Five-seven pistol.
In testing conducted by Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
Sheriff's Department, the 5.7×28mm SS190 penetrated to a depth of 27 cm (11 in) in bare ballistic gelatin
Ballistic gelatin
Ballistic Gelatin is a testing medium scientifically correlated to swine muscle tissue , in which the effects of bullet wounds can be simulated. It was developed and improved by Martin Fackler and others in the field of wound ballistics. Ballistic gelatin is a solution of gelatin powder in water...
, and a depth of 23 cm (9 in) in gelatin protected with a Kevlar vest. In testing, the SS190 and similar 5.7×28mm projectile
Projectile
A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon....
s consistently turn base over point ("tumble") as they pass through ballistic gelatin and other media, using the 21.6-mm (.85 in) projectile length to create a larger wound cavity. However, some are skeptical of the bullet's terminal performance
Ballistic trauma
The term ballistic trauma refers to a form of physical trauma sustained from the discharge of arms or munitions. The most common forms of ballistic trauma stem from firearms used in armed conflicts, civilian sporting and recreational pursuits, and criminal activity.-Destructive effects:The degree...
, and it is a subject of debate among civilian shooters in the United States.
The 5.7×28mm projectile
Projectile
A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon....
potentially poses less risk of collateral damage
Collateral damage
Collateral damage is damage to people or property that is unintended or incidental to the intended outcome. The phrase is prevalently used as an euphemism for civilian casualties of a military action.-Etymology:...
than conventional pistol bullets, because the projectile design limits overpenetration, as well as risk of ricochet
Ricochet
A ricochet is a rebound, bounce or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. The possibility of ricochet is one of the reasons for the common firearms safety rule "Never shoot at a flat, hard surface."-Variables:...
. The lightweight projectile also poses less risk of collateral damage in the event of a miss, because it loses much of its kinetic energy
Kinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
after traveling only 400 m (437 yd), whereas a conventional pistol bullet such as the 9×19mm retains significant energy beyond 800 m (875 yd). This range exceeds the engagement distances expected for the 5.7×28mm cartridge's intended applications, so the cartridge's limited energy at long range is not conversely considered to be disadvantageous. Since the 5.7×28mm SS190 projectile does not rely on fragmentation or the expansion of a hollow-point
Hollow point bullet
A hollow point is an expanding bullet that has a pit or hollowed out shape in its tip, generally intended to cause the bullet to thin upon entering a target in order to decrease penetration and disrupt more tissue as it travels through the target. It is also used for controlled penetration, where...
bullet, the cartridge and pistol are considered suitable for military use under the Hague Convention of 1899, which prohibits the use of expanding bullets in warfare.
| SS190 | SS195LF | SS197SR | EA Protector | EA Varmintor | EA S4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projectile Projectile A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon.... weight |
2.0 g Gram The gram is a metric system unit of mass.... (31 gr) |
1.8 g (28 gr) | 2.6 g (40 gr) | 2.6 g (40 gr) | 2.3 g (36 gr) | 1.8 g (28 gr) |
| Muzzle velocity Muzzle velocity Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns... |
650 m/s (2,130 ft/s) | 625 m/s (2,050 ft/s) | 520 m/s (1,700 ft/s) | 610 m/s (2,000 ft/s) | 640 m/s (2,100 ft/s) | 770 m/s (2,520 ft/s) |
| Muzzle energy Muzzle energy Muzzle energy is the kinetic energy of a bullet as it is expelled from the muzzle of a firearm. It is often used as a rough indication of the destructive potential of a given firearm or load... |
424 J (313 ft-lb) | 350 J (260 ft-lb) | 350 J (260 ft-lb) | 480 J (355 ft-lb) | 480 J (355 ft-lb) | 535 J (395 ft-lb) |
| Reference | ||||||
Feeding
The Five-seven pistol feeds from detachable box magazines, but it is unconventional in that it feeds cartridges into the chamber without the use of a barrel feed ramp—the pistol's feeding is inherently reliable because of its use of bottlenecked cartridges. The pistol is supplied with 20-round magazines as standard, or 10-round magazines for jurisdictions where magazines are restricted by law to a maximum capacity of 10 rounds. The Five-seven will also accept an aftermarket extended 30-round magazine, which protrudes an additional 38 mm (1.5 in) from the base of the pistol. With an additional cartridge in the chamber, the Five-seven pistol has a total capacity of 11, 21, or 31 rounds depending on what magazine type is used. Magazine pouches for the Five-seven magazine are available from various manufacturers.The Five-seven's magazine can be disassembled for cleaning or lubrication by removing the polymer floorplate. The magazine body is constructed of polymer, with steel inserts at the feed lips. Unlike a conventional pistol magazine, it feeds from dual feed lips, with a follower that has the same appearance as that of an M16 rifle
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
's magazine, and which is loaded in the same manner: by pushing cartridges straight down into the magazine, rather than pushing them down and back. This setup makes it very easy to load individual cartridges into the magazine. The magazine floorplate has a slight finger spur, and four holes in the left side of the magazine body allow a convenient estimate of the amount of remaining ammunition.
Controls
All controls (excluding the trigger) on the Five-seven USG and earlier variants are grey polymer, in contrast to the black polymer frame and slide cover. Similarly, all of the controls on the Five-seven FDE and Five-seven ODG variants are black polymer, in contrast to the flat dark earth and olive drab polymer frames. A takedown lever is located at the front on the left side of the weapon's frame, and a slide release is located at the rear on the left side of the frame; these controls are protected from accidental movements by slight projections in the frame contour. A chamber indicatorLoaded chamber indicator
The loaded chamber indicator is a safety device present on many semi-automatic slide handguns intended to alert an operator that there is a round in the chamber...
, in the form of a pin inside a tiny hole, is provided on the left side of the slide
Pistol slide
The slide is the part of the weapon on a majority of semi-automatic pistols that moves during the operating cycle and generally houses the firing pin or striker and the extractor, and serves as the bolt...
. When a round has been chambered, this pin will protrude 1.6 mm (0.06 in), which is sufficient to provide both visible and tactile indication of the chamber's status.
Current variants of the Five-seven have an ambidextrous manual safety device
Safety (firearms)
In firearms, a safety or safety catch is a mechanism used to help prevent the accidental discharge of a firearm, helping to ensure safer handling....
, which is located in an unconventional position: one control is found on each side of the frame above the trigger guard, where it is reachable with the trigger finger or support hand thumb. A red dot is visible here when the safety is deactivated and the pistol is ready to fire; when the safety is moved to the raised position, it is activated and the red dot is no longer visible. The Five-seven's push-button magazine release
Magazine release
A magazine release is the control on a firearm that retains a weapon's magazine.-Pistol:Heel or "European" magazine release is located at the butt of the pistol grip and is commonly a simple catch as on the Makarov or Walther P-38. This has the advantages of being both ambidextrous and resistant...
, located on the left side of the frame where the trigger guard intersects with the grip, is square-shaped and reversible for left-handed shooters.
The Five-seven can be disassembled quickly and easily, by using the left hand to retract and hold the slide 5 mm (0.25 in) rearwards, while simultaneously using the left-hand thumb to push and hold the takedown lever rearwards. When the slide is released, it moves forward freely and the complete slide assembly can be disengaged from the frame, whereupon the barrel (and captured recoil spring) can be removed from the slide. This level of disassembly is sufficient to perform thorough cleaning
Firearm maintenance
Firearm maintenance includes inspecting and testing a gun for worn or compromised parts, replacing parts, and keeping the gun properly cleaned and stored.- Cleaning :...
of the pistol, and FNH USA recommends no further disassembly except by an authorized armorer, FN Herstal, or FNH USA. Reassembly of the pistol is done in the reverse order, except no use of the disassembly lever is necessary.
Sights and accessories
The Five-seven has a sight radius of 178 mm (7 in); the pistol is currently offered with either adjustable sights or fixed sights. The "three-dot" type adjustable sights consist of a 2.9-mm (0.12 in) square notch rear and a 3.6-mm (0.14 in) blade front, which has a height of 9.2 mm (0.36 in). The sights are targeted at 91.4 m (100 yd), but can be adjusted for either windageWindage
Windage is a force created on an object by friction when there is relative movement between air and the object.There are two causes of windage:# the object is moving and being slowed by resistance from the air...
or elevation
Elevation (ballistics)
In ballistics, the elevation is the angle between the horizontal plane and the direction of the barrel of a gun, mortar or heavy artillery. Originally, elevation was a linear measure of how high the gunners had to physically lift the muzzle of a gun up from the gun carriage to hit targets at a...
. The "three-dot" type C-More
C-More Systems
C-More Systems is an American manufacturer of firearms and firearm accessories. Its primary products are red dot sights, marketed as being for M1911 pistols, Glock pistols, and AR-15s. Its sights are also recommended by FN Herstal for the M249 SAW and M240 machine gun...
fixed sights, which are offered as a low profile alternative to the adjustable sights, can only be adjusted for windage
Windage
Windage is a force created on an object by friction when there is relative movement between air and the object.There are two causes of windage:# the object is moving and being slowed by resistance from the air...
. The fixed sights are targeted at 7.6 m (25 ft) using SS195LF ammunition, and are available with or without tritium-illuminated inserts ("night sights") to aid use of the pistol in dim lighting.
The Five-seven is supplied with a lockable hard case, a locking device and keys, a magazine release
Magazine release
A magazine release is the control on a firearm that retains a weapon's magazine.-Pistol:Heel or "European" magazine release is located at the butt of the pistol grip and is commonly a simple catch as on the Makarov or Walther P-38. This has the advantages of being both ambidextrous and resistant...
reversal tool, a sight adjustment tool (not included with the fixed sights model), a cleaning kit, an owner's manual, and three 20-round magazines (or three 10-round magazines, where restricted by law). Holsters for the Five-seven are offered by various manufacturers, and the pistol's MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) accessory rail will accept various tactical light
Tactical light
A tactical light is a flashlight used in conjunction with a firearm to aid low light target identification, allowing the marksman to simultaneously aim and illuminate the target. Tactical lights can be handheld or mounted to the weapon with the light beam parallel to the bore...
s or laser aiming devices. With the use of an extended, threaded barrel, the pistol can also be fitted with various sound suppressors
Suppressor
A suppressor, sound suppressor, sound moderator, or silencer, is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm which reduces the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon....
such as the Gemtech SFN-57 suppressor, which was developed in 1998 specifically for use with the Five-seven. This matte black aluminum suppressor has a length of 147 mm (5.8 in), a diameter of 32 mm (1.25 in), and a weight of 147 g (0.33 lb).
Variants
Five-seven- The original Five-seven was introduced in 1998, and it is now discontinued. It had no manual safety device and it was double-action only, with a heavy trigger pull of 4.5 to 6.5 daNKilogram-forceA kilogram-force , or kilopond , is a gravitational metric unit of force. It is equal to the magnitude of the force exerted by one kilogram of mass in a gravitational field...
(10 to 14 lbFPound-forceThe pound force is a unit of force in some systems of measurement including English engineering units and British gravitational units.- Definitions :...
); its double-action only trigger was harshly criticized. The original Five-seven had a pebbled grip pattern, a smoothly-contoured accessory rail, low profile fixed sights and a large circular-shaped trigger guard designed to facilitate gloved use. It did not have a slide release and the slide was not serrated as on newer variants, but a portion at the rear of the slide was instead slightly concave to aid grasping. The pistol also had slightly different markings, with an FN logo placed on the left side of the frame above the trigger guard.
Five-seven Tactical
- The Five-seven Tactical was introduced shortly after the original double-action only variant, as a single-action alternative. It had a short and light trigger pull of 2 to 3 daNKilogram-forceA kilogram-force , or kilopond , is a gravitational metric unit of force. It is equal to the magnitude of the force exerted by one kilogram of mass in a gravitational field...
(4.4 to 6.6 lbFPound-forceThe pound force is a unit of force in some systems of measurement including English engineering units and British gravitational units.- Definitions :...
), as on current models. It also had the addition of an ambidextrous manual safety deviceSafety (firearms)In firearms, a safety or safety catch is a mechanism used to help prevent the accidental discharge of a firearm, helping to ensure safer handling....
(located on each side of the frame, as on current models), and a slide release. Aside from these modifications, the Tactical variant was identical to the original double-action only Five-seven. It was discontinued following the introduction of the IOM variant.
Five-seven IOM
- The Five-seven IOM (Individual Officer Model) was the first variant of the Five-seven pistol to be offered to civilian shooters, debuting in 2004. It is now discontinued in favor of the USG variant. The IOM was similar in its basic design to the Tactical version, but differed in that it had a MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) accessory rail, a serrated slidePistol slideThe slide is the part of the weapon on a majority of semi-automatic pistols that moves during the operating cycle and generally houses the firing pin or striker and the extractor, and serves as the bolt...
and trigger guard, and fully adjustable sights. It also had a magazine safety mechanism incorporated into the design, to prevent the pistol from being fired without a magazine inserted.
Current models
Five-seven USG- The Five-seven USG (United States Government) is currently the standard version of the Five-seven pistol offered by FN Herstal. This variant was approved by the ATF as a sporting firearm in 2004, replacing the IOM variant. The USG retains the changes that were incorporated in the IOM, but it has further modifications, including a conventionally-shaped square trigger guard, a tightly checkered grip pattern, and a larger, reversible magazine release. It was originally offered with adjustable sights, but since 2009 it has also been offered with low profile fixed sights. The USG variant has a black frame finish with grey controls as standard, but in 2010, it was also offered by AcuSport with black controls.
Five-seven FDE, ODG
- The Five-seven FDE and Five-seven ODG variants are built to the same specifications as the Five-seven USG. The FDE (Flat Dark EarthBrownBrown is a color term, denoting a range of composite colors produced by a mixture of orange, red, rose, or yellow with black or gray. The term is from Old English brún, in origin for any dusky or dark shade of color....
) has a brown frame finish, and the ODG (Olive Drab Green) has an olive drab frame finish. Both variants have black controls, as opposed to the standard grey controls of the Five-seven USG variant. Like the USG variant, the FDE and ODG variants are offered with either adjustable sights or low profile fixed sights.
Controversy
The Five-seven pistol and 5.7×28mm ammunition were originally restricted by FN to military and law enforcement customers, but in 2004 the new Five-seven IOM variant was introduced, and offered to civilian shooters for use with 5.7×28mm SS192 ammunition. FNH USA has marketed the Five-seven to civilian shooters as a pistol suitable for personal protectionSelf-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
, target shooting, and similar uses, but the Five-seven's introduction to civilian shooters was strongly opposed by U.S. gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
organizations such as the Brady Campaign
Brady Campaign
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence are affiliated non-profit organizations in the United States. They are named after James Brady who was permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
; by the end of 2004, sales of the Five-seven pistol had increased dramatically.
In early 2005, the pistol was subject to intense controversy in the United States after the Brady Campaign stated that commercially available 5.7×28mm SS192 ammunition penetrated a Level IIA Kevlar vest in testing. The National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
(NRA) shortly countered the Brady Campaign's claim by stating that the gun control group may not have adhered to standard testing procedures, and that FN only offers armor-piercing varieties of the 5.7×28mm cartridge to military and law enforcement customers. Varieties offered to civilians are classified by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is a federal law enforcement organization within the United States Department of Justice...
(ATF) as not armor-piercing, and it was stated that the SS192 and SS196 cartridge variations were unable to penetrate various types of Kevlar vests in tests conducted by FNH USA.
Michael D. Barnes
Michael D. Barnes
Michael Darr Barnes represented the eighth district of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987 and was the president of the Brady Campaign gun control organization from 2000 through 2006.After serving in the Marine Corps , being discharged with the rank of...
, then-president of the Brady Campaign, responded to the NRA's statements on the Five-seven by challenging NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre
Wayne LaPierre
Wayne LaPierre , is an American author and Second Amendment advocate. He is best known for his position as the Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association.-Background:...
to be shot with the pistol while wearing a Kevlar vest. The NRA again attacked the Brady Campaign's statements, saying that "Barnes demonstrated his group's complete and utter disregard for gun safety and its flaming zeal to further restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners." In the same year, two pieces of legislation were introduced in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, specifically targeting the Five-seven pistol and 5.7×28mm ammunition for a federal ban: the H.R. 1136: PLEA Act was introduced in the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
by Rep. Eliot Engel, and the S. 527: PLEA Act was introduced in the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by Sen. Frank Lautenberg
Frank Lautenberg
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.-Early life, career, and family:...
; neither bill proceeded to a vote by the House or Senate.
In March 2007, legislation was again introduced in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
by Rep. Engel, under the new designation H.R. 1784: PLEA Act. Once again, the bill failed to proceed to a vote. In the following years, the Five-seven was subject to further controversy due to reports of the pistol's use by drug cartel
Drug cartel
Drug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
s in the Mexican Drug War
Mexican Drug War
The Mexican Drug War is an ongoing armed conflict taking place among rival drug cartels who fight each other for regional control, and Mexican government forces who seek to combat drug trafficking. However, the government's principal goal has been to put down the drug-related violence that was...
. In the United States, the Five-seven has never been used to kill a police officer, but various news sources such as The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
and La Jornada
La Jornada
La Jornada is one of Mexico City's leading daily newspapers. It was established in 1984 by Carlos Payán Velver. The current editor is Carmen Lira Saade...
reported incidents in which the pistol was used to shoot and kill police officers or civilians in Mexico. According to the ATF
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is a federal law enforcement organization within the United States Department of Justice...
, the Five-seven is one of the weapons favored by drug cartels in the Mexican Drug War, and a smuggled Five-seven pistol can sell for up to 66,000 peso
Mexican peso
The peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most...
s (US $5,000) in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. From Mexico, the pistols have been smuggled into other South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n countries; in a July 2010 drive-by shooting
Drive-by shooting
A drive-by shooting is a form of hit-and-run tactic, a personal attack carried out by an individual or individuals from a moving or momentarily stopped vehicle without use of headlights to avoid being noticed. It often results in bystanders being shot instead of, or as well as, the intended target...
in Envigado
Envigado
Envigado is a city of Colombia in the department of Antioquia, located at the south of the Aburrá Valley and belonging to the Metropolitan Area of Medellín. It has limits at its north with El Poblado, Medellín; at its south with Sabaneta; at its east with El Retiro and Caldas and at west with Itagüí...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, two cartel gunmen armed with Five-seven pistols opened fire on a group of bystanders outside a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, leaving 9 people dead and 10 wounded.
In November 2009, the Five-seven again became subject to intense controversy in the United States, following the Fort Hood shooting
Fort Hood shooting
The Fort Hood shooting was a mass shooting that took place on November 5, 2009, at Fort Hood, the most populous U.S. military installation in the world, located just outside Killeen, Texas. In the course of the shooting, a single gunman killed 13 people and wounded 29 others...
at Fort Hood military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
, in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. A U.S. Army psychiatrist, Major Nidal Malik Hasan
Nidal Malik Hasan
Nidal Malik Hasan, USA is a United States Army officer and sole suspect in the November 5, 2009, Fort Hood shooting, which occurred less than a month before he would have deployed to Afghanistan....
, reportedly opened fire on fellow soldiers with a Five-seven pistol, killing 13 people and wounding 29 in the worst shooting ever to take place on an American military base. Shortly after the shooting, FNH USA responded with a fact sheet dismissing allegations about the nature of the pistol, pointing out that it is only offered to civilians with sporting ammunition. Later in the month, a number of gun control organizations such as the Brady Campaign wrote a collaborative letter to U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, citing the weapon's reported use by the Fort Hood shooter and Mexican drug cartels, and calling on him to ban importation of the Five-seven pistol and 5.7×28mm ammunition. In July 2010, legislation was introduced in the United States Congress by Rep. Engel, for a third time, under the new designation H.R. 6030: PLEA Act. Like its previous incarnations, the H.R. 6030 bill failed to proceed to a vote by either the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
or Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
.
Users
The first military organization to adopt the Five-seven was the Cypriot National GuardCypriot National Guard
The Cypriot National Guard , also known as the "Greek Cypriot National Guard" or simply as "National Guard", is the combined arms military force of the Republic of Cyprus...
(Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Εθνική Φρουρά), which purchased 250 pistols in May 2000 for its special forces group. By 2009, the Five-seven was in service with military and police forces in over 40 countries throughout the world. In 2009, the Military of Libya
Military of Libya
The Libyan Armed Forces constituted the state defence organisation of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya before they were destroyed, and are being replaced by a new national army. A Major General, Suleiman Mahmoud al-Obeidi, was named interim chief of staff of the rebellion's armed forces in mid July...
purchased 367 Five-seven pistols from FN Herstal, along with various other FN weapons, in a controversial sale valued at 11.5 million euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s (US $15.8 million). In 2011, these weapons were used by Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
's military forces in the Libyan Civil War, and Libyan rebel forces
Anti-Gaddafi forces
The anti-Gaddafi forces were Libyan groups that opposed and militarily defeated the government of Muammar Gaddafi, killing him in the process. These opposition forces included organised and armed militia groups, participants in the 2011 Libyan civil war, Libyan diplomats who switched their...
were also photographed using captured examples in the war.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Five-seven is currently used by over 300 law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service. Military and law enforcement organizations using the Five-seven include:
| Country | Organization name | Model | Quantity | Date | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Belgium |
Composante Air (Belgian Air Force) pilots | — | — | — | |
| Composante Terre Belgian Army The Land Component is organised using the concept of capacities, whereby units are gathered together according to their function and material. Within this framework, there are five capacities: the command capacity, the combat capacity, the support capacity, the services capacity and the training... (Belgian Army) |
— | — | — | ||
| Directorate of Special Units Federal Police Special Units The Directorate of Special Units is the Belgian Federal Police's Counter-Terrorism unit. The DSU is deployed in cases of terrorism, kidnappings, hostage taking and other forms of serious crime. In major terrorist operations outside the country, the DSU would be replaced by the Belgian Army Special... (DSU) group of the Federale Politie/Police Fédérale Federal Police (Belgium) The Federal Police carry out specialized police and investigation missions that cover more than one region in Belgium. The federal police have approximately 12,500 personnel that provide support units for the local police and the federal police itself.... |
— | — | — | ||
| Special Forces Group Special Forces Group (Belgium) The Special Forces Group is a special forces unit in the Land Component of the Belgian Armed Forces.Members of the Special Forces Group are normally selected from the paracommando units of the Belgian Army. Lately, there has been a problem in filling vacancies in this Army group... (SFG) |
— | — | — | ||
| Liège Liège Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.... metropolitan police force |
— | — | — | ||
 Canada |
Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) SWAT in Montreal, Quebec | — | — | — | |
 Cyprus |
Εθνική Φρουρά Cypriot National Guard The Cypriot National Guard , also known as the "Greek Cypriot National Guard" or simply as "National Guard", is the combined arms military force of the Republic of Cyprus... (Cypriot National Guard) special forces |
Five-seven | 250 | 2000- | |
 Early Modern France |
Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure The General Directorate for External Security is France's external intelligence agency. Operating under the direction of the French ministry of defence, the agency works alongside the DCRI in providing intelligence and national security, notably by performing paramilitary and counterintelligence... (DGSE) intelligence agency Intelligence agency An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public... |
— | — | — | |
| GIGN Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale The National Gendarmerie Intervention Group, commonly abbreviated GIGN , is a special operations unit of the French Armed Forces. It is part of the National Gendarmerie and is trained to perform counter-terrorist and hostage rescue missions in France or anywhere else in the world.The GIGN was... counter-terrorist unit of the Gendarmerie Nationale Gendarmerie Nationale (France) In France, the National Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces, in charge of public safety, with police duties among the civilian population. It also contains a military police force and a special forces component . It has a strength of more than 105,975 persons... |
— | — | — | ||
| Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion or RAID is, like the GIPN, a Special Operations tactical unit of the National Police with more manpower and equipment... (RAID) unit of the Police Nationale |
— | — | — | ||
 Greece |
Ειδική Κατασταλτική Αντιτρομοκρατική Μονάδα (EKAM) unit of the Hellenic Police | — | — | — | |
 Guatemala |
Dirección General de Inteligencia Civil (DIGICI) intelligence agency Intelligence agency An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public... |
USG | — | 2008- | |
 India |
Special Protection Group Special Protection Group The Special Protection Group is the executive protection agency of the Government of India. It is responsible for the protection of the Prime Minister of India, other top officials, and their immediate families. The force was established in 1985 after the assassination of Indira Gandhi. It is one... (SPG) assigned to the prime minister Prime Minister of India The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament... and other officials |
USG | — | 2008- | |
 Indonesia |
Komando Pasukan Katak KOPASKA Kopaska or Komando Pasukan Katak is the premier frogman and underwater demolition unit of the Indonesian Navy. The Unit's motto is 'Tan Hana Wighna Tan Sirna', which means 'There is no obstacle that can not be defeated'. It was officially established on March 31, 1962 by President Sukarno to help... (Kopaska) tactical diver group of the Indonesian Navy Indonesian Navy The role of the Indonesian Navy is to patrol of Indonesia's immense coastline, to ensure safeguard the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone , to protect Indonesia's maritime strategic interests, to protect the islands surrounded Indonesia and to defend against seaborne threats. The TNI... |
— | — | — | |
| Komando Pasukan Khusus Kopassus Kopassus is an Indonesian Army special forces group that conducts special operations missions for the Indonesian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sabotage, counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, and intelligence gathering.Kopassus was founded on April 16, 1952... (Kopassus) special forces group of the Indonesian Army Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army , the land component of the Indonesian Armed Forces, has an estimated strength of 328,517 regular personnel. The force's history began in 1945 when the Tentara Keamanan Rakyat "Civil Security Forces" served as paramilitary and police.Since the nation's independence struggle,... |
— | — | — | ||
 Italy |
Col Moschin 9º Reggimento d'Assalto Paracadutisti 9th Parachute Assault Regiment The 9º Reggimento d'Assalto Paracadutisti ' is the or proudest Special Forces unit of the current Italian Army — in part due to its distinguished history, but also due to the arduous training which members must undertake... (9th Parachute Assault Regiment) special forces of the Italian Army Italian Army The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft... |
USG | — | — | |
 Libya |
Military of Libya Military of Libya The Libyan Armed Forces constituted the state defence organisation of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya before they were destroyed, and are being replaced by a new national army. A Major General, Suleiman Mahmoud al-Obeidi, was named interim chief of staff of the rebellion's armed forces in mid July... (used by Muammar Gaddafi Muammar Gaddafi Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a... 's military forces in the Libyan Civil War, and some of these examples were captured and used in the war by Libyan rebel forces Anti-Gaddafi forces The anti-Gaddafi forces were Libyan groups that opposed and militarily defeated the government of Muammar Gaddafi, killing him in the process. These opposition forces included organised and armed militia groups, participants in the 2011 Libyan civil war, Libyan diplomats who switched their... ) |
USG | 367 | 2008- | |
 Mexico |
Ejército Méxicano Mexican Army The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue... (Mexican Army) |
— | — | — | |
| Estado Mayor Presidencial Estado Mayor Presidencial The Estado Mayor Presidencial — EMP is the institution charged with protecting and safeguarding the President of Mexico and the First Lady of Mexico. It is described in its regulations as a techno-military organism and an administrative unit of the Presidency of the Republic of Mexico in... (EMP; Presidential Guard) |
— | — | — | ||
| Fuerzas Especiales Fuerzas Especiales The Fuerzas Especiales , also known as FES , is a special operations unit of the Mexican Navy officially established in late 2001... (FES; Special Forces) of the Mexican Navy Mexican Navy The Mexican Navy is the naval branch of the Mexican military responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to use the naval force of the federation for the exterior defense, and to help with internal order". The Navy consists of about 56,000 men and women plus reserves, over... |
— | — | — | ||
 Nepal |
Nepalese Armed Forces | — | — | — | |
 Peru |
Grupo de Fuerzas Especiales (GRUFE) of the Peruvian Armed Forces | USG | — | 2009- | |
 Poland |
Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego GROM GROM is one of five special forces units of the Polish Armed Forces. It was officially activated on July 8, 1990... (GROM) special forces (used primarily for dignitary protection) |
USG | — | 2007- | |
 Saudi Arabia |
Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia | USG | 12,000 | 2007- | |
 Singapore |
Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation The Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation is an elite branch of the Singapore Armed Forces . An offensive unit, it specialises in pre-emptive operations involving small groups of specially trained soldiers in enemy territory... (CDO FN) |
— | 500 | — | |
 Spain |
Fuerzas Armadas Españolas Spanish Armed Forces The Spanish Armed Forces are the military forces of the Kingdom of Spain. The Spanish Armed Forces are a modern military force charged with defending the Kingdom's integrity and sovereignty... (Spanish Armed Forces) |
— | — | — | |
| Pozuelo de Alarcón Pozuelo de Alarcón Pozuelo de Alarcón is a suburb of over 85,000 inhabitants near the city of Madrid, capital of Spain. It is surrounded by large Mediterranean pine-tree forests: la Casa de Campo, el Monte del Pardo and el Monte del Pilar... (Madrid Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... ) municipal police force |
— | — | — | ||
 Suriname |
Security Security Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection... forces |
— | — | — | |
 Thailand |
กองทัพบกไทย (Royal Thai Army) | — | — | — | |
 United States |
U.S. Secret Service United States Secret Service The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States... |
— | — | — | |
| Duluth Duluth, Georgia Duluth is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia and an increasingly more affluent and developed suburb of Atlanta. Unincorporated portions of Forsyth County also have Duluth as a mailing address, though this area is outside city limits... police department in Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... |
— | — | — | ||
| Passaic County Passaic County, New Jersey Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson... sheriff's department SWAT in New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... |
— | — | 2002- | ||
See also
- CZ 52 — Czech military pistol chambered for bottlenecked, high velocity 7.62×25mm ammunition.
- Heckler & Koch UCPHeckler & Koch UCPThe Heckler & Koch Universal Combat Pistol , a double action, semi-automatic handgun also known as the HK P46, was developed under commission for the German Bundeswehr....
— Competing 4.6×30mm PDW-caliber pistol project briefly developed by Heckler & Koch in Germany. - MP-443 GrachMP-443 GrachYarygin PYa, MP-443 Grach |rook]]) is the latest Russian standard military-issue side arm. It was developed in response to Russian military trials, which began in 1993. In 2003, it was adopted as a standard sidearm for all branches of Russian military and law enforcement, alongside GSh-18 and SPS...
— Soviet military pistol chambered for armor-piercing 9×19mm 7N21 +P+ ammunition. - QSZ-92QSZ-92The QSZ-92 Services Pistol is a semi-automatic pistol designed by Norinco and it is in limited service in the People's Liberation Army since the late 1990s.-Development:...
/ QSW-06QSW-06The QSW-06 is a suppressed semi-automatic pistol in limited use with the People's Liberation Army and various Chinese police departments...
— Chinese military pistols designed by Norinco, utilizing proprietary 5.8×21mm armor-piercing ammunition. - TT pistol — Soviet military pistol chambered for bottlenecked, high velocity 7.62×25mm ammunition.
- VBR-Belgium CQBWVBR-Belgium CQBWThe CQBW is a semi automatic pistol manufactured by VBR-Belgium. It is chambered for the 7.92x24mm round but can also be converted to fire 4.6x30mm or 5.7x28mm rounds.-References:* * -See also:* 7.92x24mm* FN Five-seven* Heckler & Koch UCP* QSZ-92...
— Multi-caliber pistol designed by VBR-Belgium, utilizing 4.6×30mm, 5.7×28mm or 7.92×24mm ammunition.
External links
- FNH USA- Owner's Manual
- Radical Tactical Firepower - Tactical Weapons
- FNH USA Five-seveN Pistol 5.7×28mm - Tactical Life
Video