Tag Archives: fn five seven mark three

500 Rounds with the Newest FN 5.7

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FN recently debuted the third generation of its 5.7x28mm caliber pistol, bringing the curious pistol from the 1990s kicking and screaming into a more modern period.

I’ve been testing for the past few months and have a 500-round review.

What the new MRD MK3 brings to the game is the ability to mount just about any micro red dot optic (hence “MRD”), something that was particularly hard to retrofit on previous models, as well as a lot of updates to the pistol’s ergonomics. All this in a hammer-fired delayed blowback action semi-auto with a semi-fixed barrel chambered for the spicy little 5.7 round.

A big bonus on the MRD MK3 is that it carries new stippling and textures on the frame as well as enhanced serrations on the slide, trigger guard, and safety selector that update the pistol’s ergonomics. Past classic and MK2 models have a much slicker surface texture. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

How does it shoot? More in my column at Guns.com.

FDE Times Two

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So on my plate in the next few weeks are these beauties by way of Fabrique Nationale’s hipper new American subsidiary, FN USA. I met both of these hoglegs in prototype/first run format at SHOT Show/NRAAM earlier this year and finally got hooked up with production versions of them for T&E purposes. 

The guns are the FN Five-seveN Mk3 MRD, the company’s third generation take on the 20+1 capacity 5.7x28mm pistol, and the new 17+1 9mm FN High Power, which looks a lot like Mr. Browning’s/M. Saive’s Hi-Power of old (notice the difference in spelling) but only looks that way.

Expect more on both very soon.

The Coolest Pistol of 1998, Now Optics-Ready

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FN America on Monday announced a long-anticipated update to its Five-seveN pistol, one that brings improved ergonomics and an optics-ready slide to the party.

Originally introduced in 1998 after a decade of development during the Cold War, the 5.7 NATO chambered FN Five-seveN, while interesting, feels very dated these days, especially now that the cartridge it fires is seeing a rebirth of sorts in a lot of new guns. Besides lots of tactile changes– enhanced slide serrations and extended cocking ridges at the rear of the slide, an enlarged/reshaped magazine release, and new stippled texturing on the grip frame– the new FN Five-seveN Mk3 MRD is miniature red dot-ready.

About time for a round that is laser-accurate to 100 yards.

The plate system is compatible with sights from Leupold (DeltaPoint Pro), Trijicon (RMR), Vortex, Burris (FastFire series), Docter, and more. In addition, it ships with three-dot photoluminescent sights that are adjustable for elevation and windage and co-witness with certain MRDs.

See more in my column at Guns.com.