FN "Five-seveN"
Summary
| Country | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Category | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Manufacturer | FN Herstal |
Technical specifications
| FN "Five-seveN" | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 30 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 5.7 x 28 mm |
| Magazine | 10 - 30 rounds |
| Length | 208 mm (8.2 in) |
| Weight | 0.744 kg (1.6 lb) |
| Range | 50 m (164 ft) |
Description
The FN Five-seven, stylized as Five-seveN, is a semi-automatic pistol manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. Developed in response to a NATO requirement for a replacement for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, it sought increased range, accuracy, terminal performance, and body armor penetration. Its development occurred concurrently with the FN P90 personal defense weapon and the FN 5.7×28mm cartridge, sharing design features such as lightweight polymer construction, large magazine capacity, ambidextrous controls, low recoil, and armor penetration capability. The Five-seven pistol was introduced in 1998, following the P90's introduction in 1990. The original SS90 5.7×28mm cartridge was refined to the SS190 for better compatibility with the Five-seven, which was under development in the early 1990s. A double-action only model entered production in 1998, followed by a single-action version. The pistol first entered service in May 2000. NATO evaluated the 5.7×28mm against Heckler & Koch's 4.6×30mm in the early 2000s, concluding the 5.7×28mm was the more efficient cartridge, though standardization was delayed.
The Five-seven is a semi-automatic delayed blowback pistol utilizing a concealed hammer. Its construction features extensive use of polymer materials, including a polymer shell encasing the steel slide, contributing to its low weight of 744 g (1.6 lb) when loaded with a 20-round magazine. It is a full-size pistol with an overall length of 208 mm (8.2 in). The barrel is cold hammer-forged and chrome-lined, with a total length of 122 mm (4.8 in). Current models operate in single-action mode with a light trigger pull and are equipped with a Picatinny accessory rail and a magazine safety. The grip features aggressive texturing, and the slide has serrations at the rear. Controls include a takedown lever and slide release on the left side, and an ambidextrous manual safety above the trigger guard. A chamber indicator pin provides status feedback. The pistol feeds from detachable double-stack staggered-feed magazines with standard 20-round capacity or 10-round capacity where mandated. The 5.7×28mm cartridge is notably lighter than 9×19mm, weighs 6.0 g (93 grains), has a relatively small diameter allowing high magazine capacity, and exhibits roughly 30 percent less recoil. The standard SS190 projectile, with a muzzle velocity of approximately 650 m/s (2,130 ft/s) from the pistol, is designed to penetrate protective vests and consistently tumbles in soft media.
Several variants of the Five-seven have been introduced since 1998:
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Original Five-seven: Double-action only, lacking a manual safety or slide release, and featured a pebbled grip and circular trigger guard.
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Five-seven Tactical: A single-action model with a lighter trigger pull, an ambidextrous manual safety, and a slide release.
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Five-seven IOM (Individual Officer Model): Introduced in 2004, was the first version offered to civilians, adding a Picatinny rail, serrated slide and trigger guard, adjustable sights, and a magazine safety to the single-action design.
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Five-seven USG (United States Government): Approved as a sporting firearm in 2004, replaced the IOM and incorporated a conventional square trigger guard, a tighter checkered grip pattern, and a reversible magazine release. It was available with adjustable or fixed sights and in black or limited black finishes.
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Five-seven FDE (Flat Dark Earth) and Five-seven ODG (Olive Drab Green): Models built to USG specifications but with brown and olive drab frames and black controls.
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Five-seven MK2: Introduced in 2013, became the standard model, featuring front cocking serrations, a one-piece metal slide structure, and different adjustable sights, available in black or flat dark earth.
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Five-seven MK3 MRD: Introduced in 2022, adds an interface for mounting mini red dot sights, potential for a threaded barrel, updated grip texture, and deeper slide serrations.
Developed as a personal defense weapon, the Five-seven pistol utilizes the same 5.7×28mm ammunition as the FN P90. It entered service in May 2000 with the special forces group of the Cypriot National Guard. Initially, availability was restricted to military and law enforcement entities. From 2004, a model approved for the civilian market using sporting ammunition was made available.
The Five-seven pistol is currently in service with military and police forces in over 40 nations worldwide, including Canada, France, Greece, India, Poland, Spain, and the United States. In the United States, the pistol is used by numerous law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, and by over 300 agencies as of 2010.