The 5.7×28 doesn’t play by the usual pistol rules. It fires a tiny, light bullet at rifle-like speed from a pistol or a compact carbine. That makes a 5.7×28 gel test look different from a 9mm or 45 test. The bullet may expand, fragment or turn sideways, depending on how it’s built. This guide shows you how to read those results, what the FBI standard means for such a small bullet, and how the 5.7 loads we carry compare.
Bulk Ammo Vault hasn’t run its own gel tests. Every velocity and energy figure below is taken from the product listing it links to.
What Is the 5.7×28?
FN Herstal developed the 5.7x28mm for its P90 personal defense weapon, and later chambered it in the Five-seveN pistol. It is a small bottleneck cartridge that fires a .224 inch bullet, the same width as a 223 Remington bullet, from a much shorter case. Common bullet weights run from 27 to 40 grains, with some subsonic loads near 62 grains.
Speed is the selling point. Speer Gold Dot 40 grain lists 1,800 fps and 288 ft-lbs. FN SS198LF 27 grain lists 2,216 fps and 294 ft-lbs. Compare that with a 9mm defense load like Federal HST 9mm 147 grain, which lists 1,000 fps and 326 ft-lbs with a far heavier bullet.
Why 5.7×28 Gel Results Look Different
A 9mm hollow point is heavy and slow. It opens into a mushroom and pushes straight ahead. A 5.7 bullet is light and fast, and it can do one of three things in gel:
- Expand. Hollow points and bonded designs open like a pistol bullet, just smaller.
- Fragment. Thin-jacketed or polymer-tipped bullets can break into pieces at speed. Fragments make a wider, shallower wound path.
- Yaw. Some long, pointed bullets turn sideways as they slow down. That makes a wider track partway through the block.
Because of this, the classic expanded-diameter number tells you less for 5.7. Pay more attention to depth, the shape of the track, and how much of the bullet you can recover.
How to Read a 5.7×28 Gel Test
Start with depth
The FBI test protocol sets a 12 inch minimum for penetration, with 18 inches as the upper end of the ideal range. Light, fast bullets that fragment can fall short of 12 inches. Heavier, tougher bullets are more likely to make it. Check depth before anything else.
Then look at the track
Where does the track get wide? Early widening means the bullet opened or broke up fast. Late widening often means it yawed. A track that stays narrow the whole way means the bullet didn’t do much at all.
Then check the test conditions
- Gel. Calibrated 10% ordnance gel is the standard. Clear synthetic gel can differ.
- Clothing. Heavy fabric can plug a tiny hollow point or polymer tip.
- Barrel length. This matters a lot. A 5.7 pistol and a 5.7 carbine can give very different speeds, and speed drives how these bullets behave.
- Sample size. Look for five or more shots per load.
Our 5.7×28 Loads Compared
Here are the 5.7×28 loads we carry that list velocity and energy.
| Load | Bullet | Grain | Muzzle velocity (fps) | Muzzle energy (ft-lbs) | Pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speer Gold Dot 5.7 40 Grain Personal Protection | Gold Dot bonded hollow point | 40 | 1,800 | 288 | 50-round box |
| Hornady Critical Defense 5.7×28 40 Grain FTX | FTX (Flex Tip eXpanding) | 40 | 1,800 | 288 | 25-round box |
| FN SS200 5.7×28 30 Grain JHP DFNS | Jacketed hollow point (JHP) | 30 | 1,894 | 239 | 500-round case |
| SS198LF FN 5.7×28 27 Grain Lead-Free HP | Jacketed hollow point (aluminum core) | 27 | 2,216 | 294 | 2,000-round case |
| FN SS195LF 2000 Rounds 5.7×28 27 Grain Lead-Free HP | Lead-free hollow point | 27 | 2,150 | 277 | 2,000-round case (40 x 50) |
| FN SS201 5.7×28 40 Grain FMJ GUNR | Full metal jacket (FMJ) | 40 | 1,700 | 257 | 50-round box |
Several other loads list no velocity in their product data, so they aren’t in the table. They include Fiocchi Hyperformance 40 grain hollow point, Hornady Black 40 grain V-Max and Fiocchi 62 grain subsonic FMJ.
Defense-oriented loads
Speer Gold Dot 40 grain uses a bonded hollow point, which helps hold weight together at high speed. Hornady Critical Defense 40 grain uses a soft polymer tip and lists 1,800 fps and 288 ft-lbs. These two are the most pistol-like of the bunch in how they’re meant to work.
FN factory loads
FN SS200 30 grain hollow point lists 1,894 fps and 239 ft-lbs. The SS195LF and SS198LF lines use very light 27 grain lead-free bullets at the highest listed speeds in our lineup. FN SS201 40 grain FMJ lists 1,700 fps and 257 ft-lbs and is a range load.
Varmint and frangible loads
V-Max and frangible bullets are built to break apart fast. That suits varmints and small game. Frangible loads also suit indoor ranges and close-range steel. In gel, they tend to make a wide, shallow track.
Is 5.7×28 a Defense Round?
People do carry it, and it has real upsides: low recoil, flat shooting and high magazine capacity. The trade-off is a light bullet that has to be well designed to reach the FBI window. If you carry 5.7, pick a load built for defense, look for gel tests through clothing from a gun like yours, and shoot it a lot.
Laws on carry and on hollow point ammo vary by state and city. Check your state and local rules before you buy or carry.
Want to compare with heavier pistol rounds? See our 9mm ballistic gel test results guide. If you also shoot a 223 rifle, the 223 Remington ballistic gel test data page covers small, fast bullets from a longer barrel.
Shop 5.7×28 Ammo
Browse our 5.7×28 ammo for FN factory loads, defense hollow points, subsonic and range ammo. Read each 5.7×28 gel test with the bullet design in mind, and check how your chosen load runs in your own gun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caliber is 5.7×28?
The 5.7x28mm fires a bullet about .224 inch wide, the same width as a 223 Remington or 5.56 bullet. The case is 28mm long and bottlenecked. It is its own cartridge, so it is not interchangeable with any 22 caliber rifle round.
Is 5.7×28 better than 9mm?
It depends on what you value. The 5.7×28 has less recoil, a flatter path and more rounds per magazine. The 9mm has a much heavier bullet, a wider choice of defense loads and lower ammo cost. Many shooters find 9mm the simpler pick for carry.
Is 5.7×28 good for self defense?
It can be, with a load built for defense and good shot placement. Its light bullets need careful design to reach at least 12 inches in gel. Choose a bonded or defense hollow point and look for clothing-test results from a gun like yours.
What is 5.7×28 good for?
The 5.7×28 is used for target shooting, small game and varmints, and personal defense. Its low recoil makes it easy to shoot fast and accurately. It is a good fit for pistols and compact carbines where light weight and high capacity matter.
