A few years ago, I was curious about exploring the subject of the FN 5.7 cartridge as a survival rifle option. More formally known as the FN 5.7x28mm or 5.7x28mm NATO, it's been described as the '5.56 Junior,' the little cartridge that could and the .22 WRM on steroids. These descriptions made it an intriguing round to explore in a survival role. However, the handguns and long guns available at the time were quite limited. Thankfully things have changed since then.
The popularity of FN 5.7 has grown significantly in the past half a decade or so, along with the selection of firearms chambered for this cartridge. With this in mind, I headed out to the 2025 SHOT Show in Las Vegas hoping to revisit the topic of exploring its use as a survival-gun caliber. I mentioned this idea to a KelTec associate as we were walking through the showroom floor. He asked if I had been to the company's booth yet.
The .223 Remington cartridge (Left) compared to the FN 5.7 (Center) and .22 WMR (Right).
I had been told a few weeks before this to keep an eye out for the latest version of Kel-Tec's Sub2000 Gen3 folding carbine which was going to be available chambered in FN 5.7. But there was another new model that was being launched at that show, namely, the PR57 semi-automatic pistol. Examining it for the first time, it had 'kit gun' written all over it. This makes it an ideal partner with the Sub2000 for this survival gun conversation.
Here is a quick look at what the FN 5.7 cartridge has to offer outdoor enthusiasts, the two new KelTec models and the information gleaned from some time spent at the shooting range.
Is the FN 5.7 a Useful Survival Round?
Developed in 1990 by Fabrique Nationale Herstal (FN) for NATO as a potential replacement for the 9mm pistol round, the FN 5.7 landed in cartridge limbo for a few reasons. NATO did not immediately adopt it as a standard caliber and the only guns chambered for it were the relatively expensive, and somewhat exotic, FN PS90 personal defense weapon (1990; $1,949) and eventually the FN Five-seveN pistol (1998; $1,400). As for the ammunition selection, it was limited primarily to FN’s in-house offerings and fairly expensive.
The KelTec Sub2000 Gen3 is available chambered in 9mm, FN 5.7 and 10 mm Auto.
The metamorphosis of the FN 5.7 from a military oddity into a more mainstream defensive caliber option here in the United States began in 2019. This was the year that Ruger released their interpretation of a FN 5.7 semi-automatic pistol dubbed the Ruger-57. It was the first new pistol platform in two decades and with listed retail prices starting at $549, it’s roughly one third the price of a new FN Five-seveN. This pistol was a hit with the shooting sports community which in turn encouraged other gun makers to add this caliber to their catalogs.
Today we enjoy access to a noticeably more diverse selection handguns and long guns from FN, Ruger and other manufacturers including Smith & Wesson, Palmetto State Armory, CMMG, Tisas and KelTec. Ammunition availability and pricing has improved significantly as well. Early in 2021, the FN 5.7 was finally accepted as a NATO standard cartridge followed by SAAMI standardization mid 2024. Now the available loads include those made by FN along with offerings from AAC, Federal Premium, Fiocchi USA, Hornady and Speer.
The Sub2000 was topped with a Riton X1 TACTIX ARD red-dot optic.
The FN 5.7 is a rebated rim, centerfire bottleneck cartridge with a nominal overall length of 1.594-inches. In truth, it looks like a .223 Remington round that shrank in the wash. It launches 0.224-caliber bullets weighing between 23 and 62 grains with the most common weights currently available tending to be 27 or 40 grains. Listed bullet muzzle velocities range from subsonic up to over 3,000 fps. This translates into muzzle energy levels ranging from 152 to 582 ft.-lbs. That's a fairly flexible performance range for a relatively small pistol cartridge.
Some folks are quick to compare the FN 5.7 to the trusty .22 WMR or .22 Mag. rimfire round. They are certainly similar in size. Compared side-by-side, 50-round boxes of both of these calibers take up just about the same amount of space in a range bag or backpack pocket. Topped with 40-grain bullets, a box of .22 Mag. weighs about 9 ounces with the FN 5.7 tipping the scales at about 12 ounces. This makes both caliber options a good fit for those looking to save on weight and storage space.
The Sub2000’s trigger guard also serves as the release lever for the hinged barrel.
In regards to bullet design, both calibers are available with effective modern, polymer-tipped, jacketed hollow point and full-metal jacket options. As for performance, it's true that there can be bullet energy overlap between these two rounds under the right conditions. The .22 Mag. can generate bullet velocities of between 2100 and 2300 fps with lighter bullets, just like the FN 5.7. However, you'll need a rimfire rifle with a 24-inch barrel to achieve those velocities. The centerfire FN 5.7 can push bullets that fast and faster (up to 3,060 fps with 28-grain bullets) using a 16-inch barrel. This gives the FN 5.7 an edge in regards to bullet velocity and energy potential.
The Gen 3 version of the Sub2000 has a rotating forend allows the carbine to fold with an optic installed.
This brings us to cartridge primers which, in turn, affect ammunition costs. Perusing a few ammunition websites, the rimfire .22 Mag. is currently available for about $0.19 to $0.45 per round, depending on the brand and bullet style. The same sites listed the centerfire FN 5.7 for $0.50 to $1.10 per round. If the .22 Mag. is looking more like your cup of tea, then KelTec has you covered with the semi-automatic CMR-30 carbine and the PMR-30 pistol. These make for a perfect packin' pair that share the same 30-round magazines. But for those who want a boost in performance and the inherent reliability of a centerfire primer, the FN 5.7 is going to be the more attractive survival rifle option despite the higher prices for ammunition.
KelTec offers a variety of support gear through the company website.
KelTec's 5.7 Sub2000 Gen3 Carbine and PR57 Pistol
In production for nearly 25 years, the KelTec Sub2000 folding carbine was designed from the ground up to be light weight and portable. The judicial use of polymer and aluminum contributes to an unloaded weight of just 4-pounds 6-ounces. With an overall length of 29.25-inches, the hinged barrel swings up and over the receiver for a folded length of just 16.15-inches. The Sub2000 is now available in the Gen3 configuration with a rotating forend. This allows for an optic to be installed and left in place when the gun is folded in half. For a deep dive into the specifications of the Gen3 models, click here.
Accessories for the PR57 pistol include optics, holsters and additional ammunition clips.
As of this writing, the Sub2000 is available chambered in 9 mm, FN 5.7 and a just about to launch 10 mm Auto version. The FN 5.7 model is nearly a clone of the 9mm model with the only key changes related to accommodating the different caliber. This includes a grip modified to accept FN FiveSeven 20-round magazines with one ProMag polymer magazine provided. The carbine sent for this evaluation exhibited a two-stage trigger pull of 3-pounds 12-ounces and has a listed retail price of $511.
But the gun that has really stirred things up this year is the brand new PR57 semi-automatic pistol. Like other KelTec offerings, it’s mechanically and cosmetically unconventional with a rounded slide that gives it a retro sci-fi blaster profile. Once again, with extensive use of polymer and aluminum parts to support the steel components, the PR57 weighs in at just 13.9-ounces. When fitted with the provided aluminum optics plate, a polymer-housing micro-red-dot optic and fully loaded with 20+1 rounds of 40-grain bullet FN 5.7 ammunition, the ready to use pistol tips the scales at just 19.9 ounces.
The PR57’s blind magazine provides a 20+1 ammunition capacity.
Although the barrel is listed at four-inches, a set of digital calipers measured it at 3.87-inches making the PR57 the shortest barreled FN 5.7 pistol I've worked with so far. The single-stage trigger is listed with a pull weight of 4-pounds 8-ounces. The gun used for this evaluation had a smooth, creep-free trigger which broke cleanly with 4-pounds 7.9-ounces of trigger pull—definitely close enough for government work. For those who want a more detailed look into the features of this pistol, I would recommend this technical review by Kelly Young, the American Rifleman’s Senior Executive Editor.
The most uncommon feature of the PR57 is that it does not use a removable magazine like the vast majority of modern polymer pistols. Instead, the grip contains a blind (or fixed) magazine that provides a 20+1 ammunition capacity. With the slide locked open, rounds are pressed straight down and click into place just like loading an AR-15 magazine. Cartridges can be loaded individually, one at a time, or by using KelTec's 10-round polymer stripper clips.
The pistol was evaluated using a Burris Fastfire C micro red-dot optic.
The primary purpose of this pistol's blind magazine is to provide a workaround for concealed carry practitioners in states which restrict the use of removable pistol magazines with capacities greater than 10-rounds. This pistol does not have a removable magazine, therefore it will be legal to own and carry in a greater number of states (be sure to check your local regulations first).
In addition to this pistol's light weight, compact size, ammunition capacity and softer shooting characteristics, the blind magazine adds a level of simplicity comparable to that of a revolver. There is no magazine to drop in the mud or lose in the brush. Although the stripper clips speed up the loading process nicely, they are not necessary to keep the gun running. If you have the pistol and a box of ammunition, you're ready to go. The trade-off for this simplicity is notably slower reloading and unloading. But as we've mentioned in other posts, trail guns and kit guns do not always need the same kind of high-speed, low-drag design features favored for tactical and urban situations. The PR57 has an affordable suggested retail price of $399.
As configured, the PR57 shown here weighs just 19.9-ounces when fully loaded.
KelTec's In-House Support Gear
When looking over the Sub2000 and PR57 as a pair of outdoor guns, I was curious to see what this company might offer in the way of useful support gear. As it turns out, they have several handy options available through their online catalog. The KelTec Everyday Utility pack ($94.99) is a flexible backpack made from a tough 900D PU coated material. Available in gray or black (shown), it is designed for use as a day pack, for road trips or for rapid deployment situations. Although this low profile pack is not configured specifically for use with the Sub2000, the roomy main or middle pockets provide plenty of spice for the folded carbine with an optic installed. The interior has a few suitable locations for carrying the PR57 and extra ammo with plenty of room left over for useful gear. Other features include adjustable padded shoulder straps, hydration pouch support, a variety of pockets inside and out along with MOLLE-compatible attachment points.
The PR57’s trigger is also the pistol’s takedown lever. Pressing it forward releases the slide assembly.
KelTec currently offers two Kydex holsters made by Rounded Gear for the PR57 pistol ($41.95). Shown here is the optics-ready, inside-the-waistband (IWB) version which weighs a feathery 2.6-ounces. Features include black oxide steel hardware, ‘Posi-Click’ retention and a -5 to +20-degree cant adjustment for the belt clip. It proved to be comfortable to wear and transferred quickly and easily from belt carry into a pocket of the pack. If you are still looking for a light weight and compact optic, KelTec stocks the Viridian RFX11 1×16 Green Dot optic for $169. I shot with this optic extensively in this review and feel perfectly comfortable recommending it for this and other subcompact pistols.
The PR57 arrives with two polymer 10-round stripper clips designed to fit into this pistol's slide when it is locked open. Each clip has a grooved plunger which is pressed downward to load all 10 cartridges in a single swift motion. Additional clips are available from KelTec in two-packs ($5.95), four-packs ($9.95) and 10-packs ($25.95). Be aware that the plungers can snap out of the clips with relative ease. Should one manage to escape, four-packs of the plungers only are available ($2.50).
At the shooting range both KelTec models provide to be soft shooting and reliable.
At The Range
For the range test, the Sub2000 was topped with the same Riton Optics’ X1 TACTIX ARD red-dot ($199) and AR-height quick release mount I used to test the 9mm version. This optic proved to be an ideal fit for the platform and is available for a fair price. Testing for the PR57 with an optic began before the accessory set arrived. That's why it appears in the photos fitted with the light weight Burris Fastfire C which sports a polymer housing, 6MOA red-dot, Intelligent Auto-Bright system and 'always on' technology for a listed price of $276.
The FN 5.7 cartridge is designed to generate high velocity from relatively short barrels, it shoots with a flat trajectory and it does so with notably lower levels of felt recoil when compared to the 9mm pistol round. This is due in part to the reduced bullet weights. And yet bullet energy levels are comparable to the 9mm at the lower end of the 9mm cartridge's performance range.
A Labradar LX chronograph was on hand to measure bullet velocities.
Personally, I had no experience with the FN 5.7 cartridge until conducting a review of the PSA 5.7 Rock RK1 pistol last year. The shooting experience can best be described as addictive. The increased magazine capacity, the modest, almost rimfire levels of felt recoil and tight groups all contributed to a positive shooting experience. Quite frankly, the FN 5.7 is more accurate for me than most of the 9mm pistols and carbines I've worked with so far. This is why I've pursued more range tests including the PSA Rock Compact, the Dark Mountain Arms Stowaway rifle (check out my review of it here) and now the two KelTec models tested here.
The Sub2000 operated reliably with all ammunition tested using the provided ProMag magazine. Formal bench rested testing was conducted at 50-yards by firing three 3-shot groups using three loads of ammunition. They included Federal's practice-grade American Eagle, Fiocchi USA Hyperformance and Speer Gold Dot rounds, all topped with 40-grain bullets. A Labradar LX chronograph was used to measure muzzle velocities for 10-shot strings. Here are the carbine results:
The PR57 pistol also fed reliably from its fixed magazine using the same ammunition as the carbine. The formal accuracy testing was conducted at 15-yards due to its sub 4-inch barrel:
With the formal accuracy completed, the target was moved out for some informal groups at 25 yards using the Federal load, just to see what the pistol could do. At that distance, the group average was just 2 inches. Even with the shortest barrel on the market, this little pistol is a hitter.
Parting Shots
What does the future hold for the FN 5.7 cartridge? It's got a firm enough foothold as a military and self-defense round now that it's going to stick around. And based on the results from this range test, it still has plenty of room to grow as a sporting and outdoor cartridge. Hopefully more enthusiasts will adopt it in order to keep the price of ammunition moving down.
The PR57 shot a best individual group of 0.75-inches using the Federal American Eagle load.
As for the Sub2000 and the PR57 used in this evaluation, both proved to be reliable, soft shooting and enjoyable to work with. The ammunition performance and accuracy are promising as well. But after working with both models, I think Keltec could borrow features from each for the other.
It seems likely that there is a segment of the population who would love to see a version of the PR57 pistol with a removable magazine so that they can reload in the more speedy manner to which they are accustomed. At the same time, folks who live in states with restrictive semi-automatic rifle regulations would be happy to have access to a stripper-clip loaded, blind magazine version of the Sub2000 carbine. It will be interesting, as always, to see what KelTec develops next.
Sub2000 5.7 Gen3 Carbine Technical Specifications:
- Type: semi-automatic centerfire rifle
- Caliber: FN 5.7
- Magazine: FN-type polymer Promag; 20-round capacity
- Barrel: 16.15” carbon steel, round profile, black oxide finish; 1:7 RH twist; 1/2x28 TPI threaded muzzle
- Trigger: two-stage; pull weight 3-lbs. 12-ozs. (as tested)
- Sights: none; full-length polymer optics rail
- Safety: 2-position cross bolt
- Stocks: steel tube with adjustable polymer buttplate, LOP 13.25-, 13.75- or 14.5-inches
- Metal Finish: black oxide
- Overall Length: 29.25” (stock collapsed)
- Overall Length Folded: 16.15”
- Weight: 4-lbs. 7.8-ozs. unloaded with magazine
- Accessories: one magazine, lock, owner's manual
- MSRP: $511
PR57 Pistol Technical Specifications:
- Type: single-action; recoil operated semi-automatic; centerfire pistol
- Caliber: FN 5.7
- Capacity: 20+1 rounds, blind internal magazine
- Barrel: 4” 4140 steel; black oxide finish, 1:7-inch RH twist
- Trigger: single-action; 4-lbs. 2-ozs. as tested
- Sights: fixed three-dot, Shield footprint compatible aluminum optics plate provided
- Grip: checkered black polymer
- Metal Finish: matte black oxide
- Overall Length: 7.13”
- Weight: 14-ozs. unloaded
- MSRP: $399; keltecweapons.com
