Few contemporary sidearms have garnered as much interest from warriors and law enforcement officers as the FN Five-seveN MRD. Introduced in 1998 as the handgun counterpart to the FN P90 personal defense weapon, the Five-seveN carved out a unique role thanks to its unusual 5.7x28mm cartridge. Offering light recoil, high magazine capacity, and the ability to defeat certain types of body armor, it delivered performance that set it apart from traditional service pistols.
Since its initial iteration, the pistol impressed. Made with an ultralightweight polymer frame and featuring a 20-round magazine—trumping the M9’s then-standard 15 rounds—it continued the same progressive design of the P90, which held 50 rounds and featured several different firing modes.
The Five-seveN’s operation employed a delayed blowback design in conjunction with a single-action internal hammer. The outcome was a precise, reproducible trigger pull and silky cycling, attributes that gained the interest of military and police units around the globe shortly after it was introduced.
Refinements continued to be made. In 2004, the USG model saw the addition of a squared trigger guard, enhanced grip texture, and reversible magazine release. The MK2 model in 2013 made further enhancements, including front slide serrations, enhanced sights, and darker control finishes for improved handling and accuracy. By 2010, over 300 agencies—ranging from the U.S. Secret Service—had accepted the pistol, solidifying its position as a reliable service weapon.
The newest chapter arrives with the FN Five-seveN MRD, which features a significant step forward in technology. Its optic-ready platform enables shooters to attach a range of miniature red-dot sights through the use of interchangeable plates, providing g faster sight picture in fast-paced situations.
The 4.8-inch cold hammer-forged barrel, finished with accuracy at the crown, is accompanied by suppressor-height iron sights that co-witness with optics, providing redundancy in darkness or degraded conditions.
Ergonomics has also improved. Aggressive texturing and serrations on the grip, trigger guard, and safety levers give a firm grasp even in wet or stressful conditions. New backstraps and better frontstraps enhance comfort and control, and the ambidextrous safety is still easily reachable without sacrificing trigger discipline.
Reliability and toughness are the pistol’s signatures. Five-seveN will feed hundreds of rounds of 5.7x28mm ammunition reliably, even in extreme conditions. Its delayed blowback system and internal hammer maintain trigger consistency and manageability even in a high-rate-of-fire environment, while strengthened slides and frames promote long life and consistent performance through years of service.
The ammo itself is one of the things that makes the platform so unique. Designed originally for high-speed and armor-piercing applications, the 5.7x28mm cartridge provides flat shooting and very little recoil. Civilian loads are limited to non-armor-piercing applications, but the military and police loads still have that feature. Due to the specialized production required by the cartridge, it has traditionally been in short supply, though new manufacturing alliances are making it more readily available and affordable.
The introduction of the MRD brought about interest anew in the caliber, with other gun manufacturers like Ruger and Palmetto State Armory bringing their own 5.7x28mm pistols to market at more entry-level pricing. However, the Five-seveN MRD remains best in class, appreciated for its versatility, precision engineering, and long-established dependability.
In combat or law enforcement duty, the FN Five-seveN MRD stands out for its smart design and contemporary versatility. Featuring optics-ready functionality, improved ergonomics, and a solid performance heritage, it is one of the most cutting-edge service pistols on the market today. The Five-seveN MRD represents FN Herstal’s long-standing dedication to innovation and quality, setting it as a standard in military handgun design.