8 Best 5.7mm Pistols (2026): Tested and Ranked

Last updated March 16th 2026

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Handgun	Model Details	Key Specs	Check Price
	Best OverallFN Five-seveN MK3 MRD The legend that started it all. Now with an optics cut and still the benchmark for 5.7mm pistols.	Caliber: 5.7x28mm Capacity: 20+1 Barrel: 4.8″	Check Price ↓
	Best All-RounderSmith & Wesson M&P 5.7 S&W brought 5.7 mainstream with a rotating barrel, 22+1 capacity, and a killer trigger.	Caliber: 5.7x28mm Capacity: 22+1 Barrel: 5″	Check Price ↓
	Best BudgetPSA 5.7 Rock Under $400 for a 5.7mm pistol. PSA made this caliber accessible to everyone.	Caliber: 5.7x28mm Capacity: 23+1 Barrel: 5.2″	Check Price ↓
	Best Mid-RangeRuger-57 Classic Ruger reliability with an excellent trigger and fiber optic sights. It just works.	Caliber: 5.7x28mm Capacity: 20+1 Barrel: 4.94″	Check Price ↓
	Best for CarryKelTec PR-5.7 Under one pound. 20+1 of 5.7x28mm in a carry package. Nothing else like it.	Caliber: 5.7x28mm Capacity: 20+1 Barrel: 3″	Check Price ↓

Introduction: The 5.7x28mm Has Arrived

Five years ago, if you wanted a 5.7x28mm pistol, you had exactly one option: the FN Five-seveN. It cost over $1,200 and you were lucky to find one in stock. The ammo was expensive, availability was spotty, and half the gun community thought you were crazy for wanting one.

Fast forward to 2026, and the 5.7 market has exploded. You can get into the caliber for under $400. Multiple manufacturers are making pistols, ammo prices have dropped, and the round’s advantages (flat trajectory, low recoil, high velocity, serious capacity) are finally getting the recognition they deserve. I’ve been shooting 5.7 pistols for years now, and the current lineup is the strongest it’s ever been.

This guide covers every 5.7x28mm pistol worth buying in 2026. I’ve ranked them based on range time, real-world reliability, value, and how well each one takes advantage of what makes this caliber special. Whether you want the original legend, a budget entry point, or something completely wild (looking at you, P50), there’s a 5.7 pistol here for you.

If you’re also shopping for more conventional options, check out our picks for the best compact 9mm pistols and best full size 9mm pistols. But if you want something different, something that turns heads at the range and pokes holes in paper at distances most pistol shooters don’t even attempt, keep reading.

1. FN Five-seveN MK3 MRD — Best Overall

• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Barrel Length: 4.8″
• Weight: 22.9 oz
• Capacity: 20+1
• Frame: Polymer
• MSRP: ~$1,249

The FN Five-seveN created the 5.7x28mm caliber. FN designed the round and the gun together for NATO in the late 1990s, and the Five-seveN has been the gold standard ever since. The MK3 MRD is the latest version, and it finally adds the one thing the platform was missing: an optics cut. Mount a red dot without adapter plates, and you’ve got one of the flattest-shooting, lightest-recoiling pistols on the market with a proper modern sighting setup.

Shooting the Five-seveN is unlike anything else. The delayed blowback action, combined with the inherently low recoil of the 5.7x28mm round, makes follow-up shots almost effortless. At 25 yards, I can keep rapid strings inside a playing card. At 50 yards, it’s still making hits that would challenge most 9mm pistols. The 20-round magazine doesn’t hurt either.

The downsides are price and trigger preference. At around $1,249, it’s the second most expensive pistol here (behind the CMMG). The single-action trigger is good but not great by modern striker-fired standards, and the safety is a bit unusual if you’re used to Glocks or M&Ps. None of that changes the fact that this is the most proven 5.7 pistol ever made.

If you can afford it, the MK3 MRD is the definitive 5.7 experience. Everything else on this list is measured against it. You can find it at EuroOptic, Brownells, and Guns.com.

Best For: Shooters who want the original and the best, with no compromises. If you believe in buying once and buying right, this is your gun.

2. Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 — Best All-Rounder

• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Barrel Length: 5″
• Weight: 24 oz
• Capacity: 22+1
• Frame: Polymer
• MSRP: ~$649

Smith & Wesson’s M&P 5.7 was the gun that told the world this caliber wasn’t just an FN novelty. When S&W commits to a platform, that’s a signal. And they didn’t just phone it in. The gas-operated rotating barrel is a genuinely clever design that tames recoil even further than the Five-seveN’s delayed blowback. Shooting this thing feels like a .22 that hits like a centerfire.

The trigger is the star of the show. It’s a flat-face design with a crisp, predictable break and a short, tactile reset. I’d put it up against most aftermarket 9mm triggers. Paired with the near-zero recoil and 22+1 capacity, this is probably the easiest pistol to shoot fast and accurately on this entire list.

At around $649, the M&P 5.7 is roughly half the price of the FN Five-seveN while matching or beating it in several categories. The optics cut is standard, the grip ergonomics are pure M&P (which is a compliment), and it feeds everything I’ve run through it after the initial 100-round break-in. If I could only recommend one 5.7 pistol to a friend, this would probably be it.

Pick one up at Brownells, EuroOptic, or Guns.com.

Best For: The shooter who wants the best overall package of performance, features, and value. This is the 5.7 pistol I’d recommend to most people.

3. PSA 5.7 Rock — Best Budget

• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Barrel Length: 5.2″
• Weight: 23.4 oz
• Capacity: 23+1
• Frame: Polymer
• MSRP: ~$399

Palmetto State Armory did what PSA does best: they took a platform that was considered premium and made it affordable. The 5.7 Rock put a 5.7x28mm pistol in the sub-$400 bracket for the first time ever. That’s the same price as a basic 9mm. For a caliber that used to be reserved for people with FN money, that’s a big deal. We did a full writeup on it in our PSA 5.7 Rock review.

Is it as refined as the FN or S&W? No. The trigger is adequate, the fit and finish has some rough spots, and you’ll want to stick with brass-cased ammo for the best reliability. Some owners have reported occasional feeding issues with certain loads during break-in. But after a few hundred rounds, mine settled in and runs reliably with quality ammo.

What you do get is 23+1 rounds of 5.7x28mm in a lightweight, optics-ready package for less than $400. The recoil is the same “barely there” experience you get from every 5.7 pistol. It’s accurate enough for anything you’d realistically do with it. And at this price, you can buy the gun and a case of ammo for less than the cost of just the FN Five-seveN.

Grab one directly from Palmetto State Armory. Also check out our guide to the best PSA guns if you want to see what else they’re doing right.

Best For: Budget-conscious shooters who want into the 5.7 caliber without spending FN money. Get one, shoot it, and decide if you want to upgrade later.

4. Ruger-57 — Best Mid-Range

• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Barrel Length: 4.94″
• Weight: 24.5 oz
• Capacity: 20+1
• Frame: Glass-filled polymer
• MSRP: ~$649

Ruger has been making reliable, no-nonsense firearms for decades, and the Ruger-57 is exactly what you’d expect from them. It works. Every time. With every kind of 5.7x28mm ammo I’ve fed it. That’s not something every 5.7 pistol on this list can claim, and for a lot of shooters, that reliability alone is worth the price of admission.

The trigger is excellent. It’s a single-action design with a crisp, clean break that surprised me when I first shot it. The fiber optic front sight is bright and easy to pick up, and the adjustable rear sight lets you dial in your zero at whatever distance you prefer. These are iron sights done right.

The main knock on the Ruger-57 is that it sits at the same $649 price point as the M&P 5.7, which is optics-ready and has a higher capacity. If you want a red dot, the S&W is the better buy. But if you prefer irons, value bomb-proof reliability, and trust the Ruger name, the 57 is a fantastic choice. It’s the Toyota Camry of 5.7 pistols: not flashy, but it’ll never let you down.

Find it at Brownells, Guns.com, and EuroOptic.

Best For: Ruger loyalists and iron-sight shooters who want a 5.7 pistol that just works, every single time, without fuss.

5. KelTec PR-5.7 — Best for Carry

• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Barrel Length: 3″
• Weight: 0.87 lbs (13.9 oz) unloaded
• Capacity: 20+1
• Frame: Polymer
• MSRP: ~$399

KelTec is known for making guns nobody else would even think of, and the PR-5.7 might be their most compelling idea yet. It’s a carry-sized 5.7x28mm pistol that weighs under one pound unloaded. That’s not a typo. Under a pound, with 20+1 rounds of a caliber that was designed to defeat body armor. Nothing else in the firearms industry comes close to this concept.

The 3-inch barrel does sacrifice some of the 5.7’s velocity advantage. You’re not going to get the same 2,000+ fps that a full-size barrel delivers. But you’re still getting a centerfire round with significantly less recoil than 9mm, meaningful capacity, and terminal performance that’s more than adequate for personal defense. The trade-off is absolutely worth it for concealed carry.

Being a 2025 release, the PR-5.7 doesn’t have the long-term track record of the Ruger or FN. Early reports are positive, and KelTec has a history of iterating on their designs quickly if issues crop up. The trigger is typical KelTec (functional, not luxurious), and the recoil is noticeably snappier than the full-size 5.7 options. That’s physics, not a design flaw.

If you’ve ever wanted to carry 20+1 rounds of 5.7x28mm on your hip without feeling like you strapped on a full-size duty gun, the PR-5.7 is the only game in town. Get one before everyone else figures out how cool this is.

Best For: Concealed carry shooters who want maximum capacity and minimum weight. Twenty-one rounds of 5.7 in your waistband. Think about that.

6. Tisas PX-5.7 — Most Affordable

• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Barrel Length: 4.8″
• Weight: 27 oz
• Capacity: 20+1
• Frame: Polymer
• MSRP: ~$449

Tisas has been earning a solid reputation in the US market with their affordable 1911 clones, and the PX-5.7 shows they’re not afraid to try something different. This Turkish-made 5.7x28mm pistol offers SA/DA operation, which is genuinely unique in this caliber. If you prefer a long double-action first pull for carry safety, the Tisas is your only option here.

The FN-pattern magazine compatibility is a huge plus. You won’t be stuck buying proprietary Tisas mags. Any FN Five-seveN magazine works, and those are widely available. The trigger in single-action mode is clean and predictable, and the overall build quality punches above its price point.

It’s heavier than most of the competition at 27 ounces, and there’s essentially no aftermarket for it. You won’t find custom holsters or accessories as easily as you would for the FN, Ruger, or S&W. But at $449 with SA/DA capability and FN mag compatibility, it’s a compelling package for shooters who want a hammer-fired 5.7 option.

Best For: Shooters who want a hammer-fired SA/DA option in 5.7x28mm without spending FN money. Great second 5.7 pistol or entry point for DA/SA fans.

7. CMMG Dissent 5.7 — Best PDW

• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Barrel Length: 6.5″
• Weight: 5.1 lbs
• Capacity: 40+1 (FN P90 mags) or 20+1
• Frame: Aluminum/polymer AR-pattern
• MSRP: ~$1,399

The CMMG Dissent takes the 5.7x28mm out of the traditional pistol format and puts it where the caliber arguably makes the most sense: a personal defense weapon. The 5.7 round was originally designed for the FN P90 submachine gun, and a short-barreled PDW is much closer to that original concept than any handgun. The 6.5-inch barrel lets the round stretch its legs and approach its full velocity potential.

CMMG’s radial delayed blowback system is the real star. It’s one of the smoothest-cycling actions in the AR world, and when you pair it with the 5.7’s already-low recoil impulse, the result is a gun that barely moves during rapid fire. Add a suppressor and the Dissent becomes one of the quietest, flattest-shooting home defense platforms you can own. The 5.7 round loves suppressors.

Yes, it’s $1,399. Yes, it’s not a pistol in the traditional sense. But if you want a serious defensive tool that takes full advantage of what the 5.7x28mm can do, the Dissent format makes a strong case. AR controls mean there’s virtually no learning curve, and CMMG’s quality control is excellent. This is the 5.7 platform I’d grab if things went bump in the night.

Check pricing at Brownells and EuroOptic.

Best For: Home defense and suppressor enthusiasts who want the ultimate 5.7x28mm platform. If you’re building a nightstand gun, this is it.

8. KelTec P50 — Most Unique

• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Barrel Length: 9.6″
• Weight: 3.2 lbs
• Capacity: 50+1
• Frame: Polymer
• MSRP: ~$799

Fifty rounds. In a pistol. Let that sink in for a second. The KelTec P50 uses actual FN P90 magazines, the same ones designed for a military submachine gun, and stuffs them into a pistol-format package that looks like it fell out of a science fiction movie. It’s absurd. It’s impractical. It is the most fun I’ve had at a range in years.

The 9.6-inch barrel is the longest of any gun on this list, which means the P50 is extracting every bit of velocity the 5.7x28mm has to offer. You’re getting close to true rifle-like performance out of this thing. Suppressed, it’s even better. The threaded barrel comes standard, and the 5.7 round is quiet enough through a can that you’ll genuinely enjoy shooting it without ear pro (though you should still wear it).

The ergonomics are, well, KelTec. The gun opens like a clamshell to accept the P90 magazine, the grip angle is unconventional, and it takes some practice to get comfortable with it. Reloading P90 mags is also its own skill. This is not a gun you buy for efficiency or practicality. This is a gun you buy because you want to dump 50 rounds of 5.7 downrange and watch everyone at the range stop shooting to stare.

Best For: Range toy enthusiasts and 5.7 fanatics who want maximum capacity and maximum fun. Life is short. Buy the weird gun.

Why 5.7x28mm?

The 5.7x28mm was designed by FN Herstal in the late 1980s for NATO’s Personal Defence Weapon program. The goal was simple: create a round that could defeat body armor at close range while being controllable in a compact platform. The result was a small, bottlenecked cartridge that pushes a lightweight projectile at over 2,000 fps out of a full-length barrel. That’s handgun-sized packaging with rifle-like velocity.

For civilian shooters, the armor-piercing capability is mostly academic (the AP loads are restricted). But the other benefits are very real. The 5.7 shoots flat, meaning holdover at 50-100 yards is minimal compared to 9mm. The recoil is laughably light, making it one of the easiest centerfire calibers to shoot accurately. And the capacity is outstanding because the small cartridge dimensions let you stack 20+ rounds into a standard-sized grip.

The knock on 5.7x28mm has always been terminal performance. A 40-grain bullet at high velocity doesn’t create the same wound channel as a 124-grain 9mm hollow point. That’s a fair criticism, and I wouldn’t call the 5.7 a clear upgrade over 9mm for self-defense. But with modern defensive loads from Federal and Speer designed specifically for civilian use, the gap has narrowed significantly. For shooters who prioritize capacity, recoil control, and flat trajectory, the 5.7 is a legitimate option.

5.7x28mm Ammo: What You Need to Know

Ammo selection matters more with 5.7x28mm than with most pistol calibers. The most common loads you’ll encounter are the FN SS197SR (sporting round, 40-grain V-Max at ~1,700 fps from a pistol barrel), which is the standard range and target load. Federal American Eagle also makes a 40-grain FMJ that’s widely available and runs well in everything. For defensive use, look at the Speer Gold Dot 40-grain or Federal Personal Defense loads, which are designed for reliable expansion out of short barrels.

Expect to pay around $0.40-0.60 per round depending on the load and where you buy. That’s more than 9mm but significantly less than it was five years ago when 5.7 ammo regularly exceeded $1 per round. The increased competition in the pistol market has driven ammo prices down as manufacturers ramped up production. Buy in bulk from Palmetto State Armory or Brownells to get the best per-round pricing.

One important note: avoid the cheapest steel-cased imports if you’re shooting a PSA 5.7 Rock or any budget-tier 5.7 pistol. These guns can be more ammo-sensitive than the FN or Ruger. Stick with brass-cased ammo from established manufacturers and you’ll have zero issues. The FN Five-seveN and Ruger-57 tend to eat everything without complaint.

FAQ: 5.7mm Pistols