FN Five Seven Ammo

[Grill Kracker]

Does anyone know why 5.7x28mm ammo is Out of stock almost eveywhere, and when it's going to be available again? I know the price increase will follow it's return.

 

[nucone]

This is from the FNH website:

Q: I’m having a hard time finding 5.7x28mm ammunition. Is there a shortage?
A: The SS195LF and the SS197SR are two types of 5.7x28mm ammunition distributed commercially in the U.S. They are both fully compatible with the FN Five-seveN® pistol and the FN PS90 carbine. During the past few months, the U.S. market has experienced intermittent shortages of both rounds due to an unexpected and overwhelming increase in sales of the Five-seveN and the PS90, as well as a nationwide shortage of ammunition in general. Production levels were recently increased and a new supply is expected to be available shortly. Please visit www.fnhusa.com or follow us on Facebook to receive future updates. In the meantime, we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate your patience while we work to resolve this issue
​

Based on a discussion I had with one FN dealer, after the FiveSeven and PS90 were featured on Top Shots and Top Guns, they were flying off the shelves. It only follows that the ammo would too.

 

[toddcraft33]

The biggest problem is they are the only company making ammo.

 

[kiddchaos]

Ha. I had wondered about that. Thanks.

 

[Armed-N-Ready]

It has been a long time.

I placed my order for 500 rounds in March at Sportsmansguide.com expected shipping currently is late December. I hope Santa brings me some 5.7. I stocked up a long time ago and am glad I did.

It can be found but I'm not willing to pay $30/box right now.

 

[LLDJR]

This is one reason I have held off on buying this pistol, I want one badly for sure

 

[Disposable Heart]

Caliber war, Caliber war, Caliber war!

Per Gary Roberts...

Small Caliber PDW's: FN 5.7 mm/HK 4.6 mm

10/13/11

Small caliber PDW's like the MP7 and P90 are niche weapons that have very narrow and specific roles to play.

Below are comments specifically on the MP7 by a combat experienced senior SOF NCO currently serving in the U.S. military:


”When employing the MP7 up close, you literally use it like a fire hose and sprinkle 4.6 all over the torso of the guy you want to reduce (usually on Auto, which is a CQB no-go anyway), and you have to keep hosing him down with bullets until his brain figures out that you are filling him in. Usually this takes longer than shooting a NSR with a rifle, so by the time that your brain figures out that the guy has quit and is crumpling, you are almost out of bullets and any other threats in the room have most likely started to engage you. IF your team is on their **** and everyone grasps the true importance of primary/secondary sectors of fire, then perhaps you can get in there and all of your guys can sprinkle 4.6 liberally on all of the bad guys in an efficient manner, but if you fail to do that, then bad things will happen quickly.”



Pat Rogers, a former NYPD officer and combat veteran Marine, is a highly respected firearms trainer who has also commented on the use of small caliber PDW’s like 4.6 and 5.7 mm:

”Multiple rounds are required to incapacitate. This means significantly more training, which translates into significantly more ammunition expended, at a higher cost per round and with limited sources available. To ensure immediate incapacitation, brain shots will need to be emphasized. Which requires more training, and also more insertion of luck into the equation- especially dealing with multiple opponents. Limited capability within the system means engagement at anything outside of CQB distances may be problematic. This means movement to objective, egress etc will present a whole new range of difficulties. The gun is easy to shoot and fun as well. This does not always translate well to real world applications. If there is a single reason why these platforms are in any way superior to the M4 FOW, it is not apparent to me.””



A decorated, experienced SWAT officer at a U.S. LE agency that has had multiple OIS incidents with 5.7 mm FN P90's has written the following--note that his comments equally apply to the 4.6 mm MP7:

”The 5.7 pistol as a carry gun is a mistake. There are far more effective weapons and ammunition combinations out there. The only factor that comes close to equalizing the P90 (not the 5.7 pistol) is it's full auto capability: 900 rpm of very controllable fire. Even this advantage is limited to close-in, CQB type engagements. I can put more rounds on target faster with the P90 than with my M4 in close contact engagements. Unfortunately you may HAVE to put more rounds in the threat due to the lack of damage the projectile causes. The 5.56 is far more effective at getting the attention of men than 5.7 mm. This is not speculation. We have been using 30 P90's for five years now. There have been multiple BG's shot with them. We will not be buying more 5.7 mm or other small caliber PDW systems”

- 30 P90's for five years
- 100,000 rounds per year through those weapons
- very reliable weapon
- very user friendly
- very easy to shoot
- everyone happy
- three OIS's later and some unbelievably poor terminal balistic performace we dropped them...quickly.
- 22+ OIS shootings using AR-15's with .223...everyone happy (except the 21 dead bad guys)."

As a result of poor terminal performance, a large Federal agency is also no longer running P90’s like they used to. Likewise, some military units that tried small caliber PDW's in combat are procuring other options, like 9" .300 Blackout uppers to run on M4 lowers.

When a civilian LE agency chooses a full-auto system, significantly more time is needed for training. This increases costs, both in the amount of ammunition necessary to purchase, as well as the need to pay officers for increased time in training, rather than being in the field. Instead of a 1-5 shot NSR with an AR15 based system, with an MP7 each officer is now going to be routinely shooting 15-20+ rounds into each target both in training and in actual OIS incidents, thus the amount of ammo expended is going to be 4 times what would be used with an AR15 based system shooting any common CQB caliber like 5.56 mm, .300 Blackout, 6.8mm, or even 7.62x51mm. How is an LE agency going to afford four times more training ammo for a weapon system like the MP7 that needs to be always shot full auto and whose ammo is more expensive than other common calibers?

In the civilian realm, how is an LE agency going to explain to their Admin and media why they are now needing to shoot every suspect 15-20+ times? In addition, when you are having to shoot 15-20 rounds full-auto at every target, there is a higher likelihood that some of those rounds may miss the target; how is an LE agency going to handle the liability from the potential increased number of missed shots that can occur with a system that needs to be used full-auto like a "fire hose" in order to offer adequate incapacitation of threats?
​

 

[zoglog]

That is dated info 2011....come on Vern!

And, I thought you liked my AR 5.7?

 

[Ltrain]

I was at gander mountain yesterday in Fort Wayne and they had a couple hundred rounds of that helps.

 

[Disposable Heart]

That is dated info 2011....come on Vern!

And, I thought you liked my AR 5.7?

Okay, Okay: I will say this about that cartridge: It's low impulse/recoil, accurate and a head turner due to it's muzzle blast. It's fun to shoot.

The little bit of jello shooting we did with it at Eagle Creek, well, sucked compared to 9mm and other cartridges. The JHP did nothing but bend in half or mildly deform, even from a 16 inch barrel. The Vmax stuff REQUIRED the 16 barrel to do anything and was pretty weaksauce compared to a short barreled 9mm pistol (Karh PM9) shooting a Winchester bonded JHP. The pistol fired Vmax looked like it could be loaded and fired again.

Not uber scientific, I understand the aura and mystery behind these weapons, but the ammo availability, the unimpressive effect on the gel blocks and the relative cost of these weapons, I fail to see them in my hands outside of a range environment, unless we are allowed the "good" AP ammo (keep wishing).

Speer and Winchester are really hindered not being able to make ammo for this cartridge. A good, bonded SP that can actually expand at the pistol velocities and you would have a WONDERFUL beginner defense round. Couple that with an idea I have, and you would have THE home defense carbine for anyone (hey, Ruger, rechamber a 10/22 sized carbine, make it take 5.7 magazines and you have the combination).

 

[Wysko]

Forgive me for asking but why is FN the only company making 5.7 ammo?
I like the firearms but was put off by high ammo prices and lack of reloading components.

 

[t413]

SS198 seems to be avaliable more often then SS197 and SS195.
http://www.sgammo.com/product/surpl...d-free-cartridge-high-performance-ammo-107000

FN Herstal 5.7x28mm Ammo SS198LF Green Tip

 

[nucone]

American Eagle is now making 5.7x28 ammo in addition to the FNH brand made by Fiocci. Still not much is available.