5 Best 5.7x28mm Ammo

The 5.7x28mm cartridge was designed to be a high-velocity, armor-penetrating round in response to a NATO request during the Cold War. FN created the FN Five-seveN, which was one of the first guns chambered in 5.7x28mm. Since then, it has become a favorite of many due to its low recoil and flat trajectory. The 5.7x28mm’s lightweight design limits over-penetration, which makes this cartridge a great choice for self-defense in both rifles and handguns.

Here are a few things to look out for when choosing your 5.7 ammo.

Bullet Styles

5.7 Ammo comes in several bullet styles depending on the intended use. Full Metal Jacket is great for days on the range as it is low cost and reliable. For defense situations, hollow point or polymer-tipped ammo is a more common choice. These bullet styles offer plenty of expansion and penetration for maximum takedown power.

Grain Weights

While the 5.7 is known for its light recoil, variances in grain weight can cause differences in felt recoil and takedown power. While 5.7 ammo can commonly be found between 30-65 grains, the most common grain weight is the 40-grain bullet.

Manufacturers

MidwayUSA carries a range of 5.7 Ammo from several trusted manufacturers. While all of these manufacturers produce quality ammunition, the difference in components used may cause differences in performance and accuracy. We carry 5.7 ammo from popular brands like Fiocchi, Hornady, and Federal Premium.

This list includes our 5 best 5.7x28mm ammo choices.

Federal American Eagle 5.7x28mm FN Ammo 40 Grain Full Metal Jacket

Federal American Eagle Ammunition is designed specifically for target shooting, training and hunting. This ammo is loaded to the same exacting tolerances as Federal Premium Ammunition offerings, but at a more practical price for high volume, economical target shooting. The Total Metal Jacket bullet is designed to completely encase the lead core of the bullet making it an ideal and safe choice for indoor training applications. Hit your target and train harder with the proven line of American Eagle handgun ammunition. It provides performance similar to self-defense and competition loads for a familiar feel and realistic practice. This ammunition is new production in reloadable brass cases.

Features

Clean-burning powders
Federal primers and brass
Bullet style excellent for target practice

What Customers Are Saying

Great Ammo At A Good Price

I had to have a Ruger 57. I doubt I'll reload for it, so I looked for the least expensive ammo. I've bought this from various places & haven't had any issues. It feeds & fires and is accurate - 2" @ 25 yds. The Ruger 57 is an excellent pistol on its own merits, not just as a novelty, so if you have or want one, get some Federal 5.7 to feed it. Maybe if demand increases production will increase so availability goes up & cost goes down. It's a lot of fun to shoot!

- Shawn, 2/23/2020

About Federal Premium

Federal Cartridge Company, as we know it today, started in 1922 when Charles Horn purchased Federal Cartridge and Machine out of receivership. Federal’s first products were shotshells, followed by rimfire in 1924. In 1976, Federal Premium was launched, combining boutique bullets with premium propellants and nickel-plated brass to create the “best of the best” in centerfire ammunition. Over a century later, MidwayUSA offers a complete spectrum of Federal ammunition, ranging from shotshell offerings like: Top-Gun, High Over All, Game Loads, Gold Medal Grand, and Prairie Storm; and centerfire rifle ammunition such as Fusion, Power-Shok, Gold Medal Match, Meat Eater; to centerfire pistol ammunition: HST, Punch, and American Eagle. Federal continues to manufacture rimfire ammo in the form of AutoMatch, Champion, and Game-shok. Federal supports handloaders with standard: small pistol, small rifle, large pistol, large rifle, 209 shotshell primers, and the Gold Medal-series match primers.

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Speer Gold Dot 5.7x28mm FN Ammo 40 Grain Bonded Jacketed Hollow Point

Speer Gold Dot Ammunition is the first 5.7x28mm round specifically designed for self-defense. Like all Gold Dot ammunition, the bullet is built using Speer’s exclusive Uni-Cor method. The jacket is bonded to the core one atom at a time, virtually eliminating core-jacket separation and creating a projectile that’s accurate, tough and consistent through all common barriers. High-quality brass, reliable primers and specially formulated propellant produce optimal feeding and ballistics in most 5.7x28mm firearms including the FN handgun. Not for use in the rotating feed design of the FN P90 magazine. This ammunition is new production in reloadable brass cases.

Features

First 5.7x28mm round designed specifically for self-defense
Consistent penetration and expansion through common barriers
Extremely uniform jacket maximizes accuracy
Gold Dot technology virtually eliminates core-jacket separation

What Customers Are Saying

Left a little on the table, but solid performance.

Velocity from the pistol put us right around 1800 fps. Years of data suggest that 40gr 5.7 loads could comfortably take 1875-1900 fps. The 10.4" barrel produced a little over 2000 fps. The 16". We have cycling issues in the PS90. 1 in the P90, and based on what I'm seeing is the bullet design doesn't play well with the P/S90s feed system, ie a lack of a ramp/cone for funneling the bullets into the barrel like on the Five-seveN, Ruger 57. Penetration and expansion were very consistent in all barrel lengths. All over 14" in bare clear gel. Surprisingly the bullet was able to penetrate IIIA kevlar panels. Overall a solid load that should be able to be obtained more easily than the boutique loads, but may fall short of some of those rounds performance.

- BuffmanRANGE, 10/24/2020

About Speer

Vernon Speer started building bullets in 1943 to provide components to reloaders. Due to World War II, ammo companies were unable to provide bullets to the commercial market. Speer’s first offerings were focused on hunting rifle bullets, but later he made the first mass-produced jacketed handgun bullets for hunting and law enforcement. In the 1960s, the Lawman line of loaded ammunition for self-defense and law enforcement was born. MidwayUSA offers a comprehensive assortment of Speer products including: Gold Dot Self-Defense Ammunition and Lawman Personal Defense Ammunition, Hot-Cor Bullets, Impact Bullets, Gold Dot Bullets, Boat-Tail Bullets, TNT Bullets, Grand Slam Bullets, CPRN Pistol Bullets, Varmint Hollow Point Bullets, and Round Lead Ball muzzleloader bullets.

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Fiocchi Hyperformance 5.7x28mm FN Ammo 40 Grain Polymer Tip

Fiocchi Hyperformance Ammunition for maximum terminal performance in a defensive cartridge, the Hyperformance tipped hollow point in 5.7x28mm stands ready. The 40-grain projectile exhibits deep penetration and reliable performance. It also features a polymer tip to ensure proper feeding and delivers the perfect balance of exceptional ballistic and terminal performance.

What Customers Are Saying

Too expensive. I buy local for less than $40

Works well just over priced here

- SW5.7, 7/4/2023

About Fiocchi

Fiocchi was founded in 1876 in Lecco, Italy and has been producing high-quality ammunition ever since. In 1983 a site in Ozark, Missouri was chosen, right in the heart of America, and a facility was built on a former dairy farm. Since then, Fiocchi has continued to grow and expand, currently employing nearly 200 hardworking Americans to produce some of the highest quality shotshell and centerfire ammunition available. MidwayUSA offers a wide variety of Fiocchi Ammunition: Hyperformance Hunt, Hyperformance Match, Hyperformance Defense, KnockDown, Field Dynamics, Range Dynamics, Defense Dynamics, Cowboy Action, Heritage, Golden Waterfowl, Golden Pheasant, Golden Goose, Flyway, Speed Steel, Exacta, International Clays, Shooting Dynamics, Jerry Miculek 3-Gun, and more. As Fiocchi grows, they are committed to remaining true to the Italian and American heritages and continue to focus on quality, craftsmanship, innovation, and unequaled Customer service.

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Fiocchi Hyperformance 5.7x28mm FN Ammo 35 Grain Polymer Tip Lead Free

The Fiocchi Hyperformance jacketed frangible cartridge hosts a 35-grain copper core and copper jacketed projectile. Featuring a polymer tip to ensure proper feeding through all 5.7x28mm chambered firearms, this lead-free cartridge delivers rapid expansion to prevent over-penetration. Whether fired from a handgun or a carbine, this cartridge offers consistent ballistic and terminal performance for defense, hunting, and range applications.

What Customers Are Saying

Excellent high performance 5.7x28 ammo

Fiocchi ammo has produced a hyper accurate 5.77x28 round; stays together and velocity is high until termination. AND MIDWAY USA has a better than fair price. Bundle these up with other rounds of your needs; not only have you saved money and received them quickly, a great product

- Boomer, 2/22/2023

About Fiocchi

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Fiocchi Range Dynamics 5.7x28mm FN Ammo 62 Grain Full Metal Jacket

Fiocchi Range Dynamics ammunition offers great quality and consistency for the high-volume shooter and hunter. Loaded with similar grain weights as the Exacta line, this ammunition is perfect for training and practicing with similar results at a much cheaper price. This allows you to shoot, plink, or hunt as much as possible. This ammunition is new production, non-corrosive, in boxer-primed, reloadable brass cases.

What Customers Are Saying

Yes, I am buying again.

Used this in a Smith and Wesson 5.7 with 5 inch barrel and Sparrow can. Runs subsonic very quiet about like a BB gun. Cycled very well. Do not use a completely full mag, loaded with 12 rounds.

- Steel, 7/12/2023

About Fiocchi

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