One of the firearms that has been mentioned the most in military and police conversations is the FN Five-seveN MRD. Going back to 1998, the Five-seveN was introduced as the secondary weapon for the FN P90; however, it soon became popular with the general public by employing the innovative 5.7x28mm cartridge. The pistol had low recoil, a high-capacity magazine, and was able to penetrate light body armor, so it was really the beginning of a new era in service weapons, but it was still a bit different from the usual sidearms.
At the very beginning, the Five-seveN got attention with its light-weight polymer frame and 20-round magazine—much more than the usual 15 rounds of the guns of similar class at that time. Its design concept also borrowed important features from the P90, which has a 50-round magazine and selectable firing modes.
The pistol is a delayed blowback version that goes with a single-action hammer, giving it a clean and predictable trigger pull as well as smooth cycling. As a result, it almost immediately became an option for military and law enforcement agencies all around the globe.
Throughout its development, the Five-seveN has adapted to the needs and wants of its users. In 2004, the USG was upgraded with a bigger trigger guard, improved grip, and a reversed magazine release. After that, in 2013, MK2, the model got notches on the slide, improved sights, and darker controls, which facilitated the handling and aiming in diverse situations. By 2010, the Five-seveN had been purchased by over 300 organizations, including the U.S. Secret Service, making it a well-known, reliable tactical sidearm.
FN Five-seven MRD is the most recent stage of this development. It has a modular optic mounting system, which makes it possible for a variety of small red dot sights to fit with the changeable plates that bring faster target finding under stressful conditions. Its 4.8-inch cold-hammered barrel matches with bright iron sights and provides a reliable fallback for use in low-light or other difficult environments.
Besides that, ergonomics received the same attention during the redesign. The aggressive stippling and serrations found on the grip, trigger guard, and safety are sure to give the grip even in wet or tensioned cases. Redesigned backstraps and frontstrap serrations not only improve comfort but also your grip control, while the ambidextrous safety is definitely within your reach, and yet it doesn’t interfere with safe trigger management.
Five-seveN has always been a very dependable gun, and that has been one of its core strengths. It is very fluid when it goes through 5.7x28mm ammo, even in bad weather conditions and stuff like that. The combination of delayed blowback and internal hammer ensures that the same trigger pull will be achieved, along with accuracy during rapid fire. Internally reinforced parts have been added to this firearm, thus increasing its longevity, keeping the same level of performance over time.
The 5.7x28mm cartridge itself is an important part of what this pistol is capable of. It is a low-recoil round designed for penetration of body armor, and it is easy to control as it follows a straight line. Civilian ammo is unable to penetrate, but police and military rounds still keep that ability. Making it is definitely a very precise task, though cooperating with manufacturers like Fiocchi has made it more accessible.
After the MRD debut, the 5.7x28mm cartridge has become a hot topic again. Besides that, the announcement has persuaded companies like Ruger and Palmetto State Armory to make their variants of the cartridge at a cheaper cost. Nonetheless, the FN Five-seveN MRD remains one of the top-class and versatile firearms with a long history of reliability.
When put to practical use, the Five-seveN MRD is a product of good thought, versatility, and modern features, and thus performs really well. The fact that it has an optics-ready slide, great ergonomics, and is durable makes it still very relevant for the military and law enforcement forces today.
More than twenty years after its release, Five-seveN MRD continues to be the main innovator of the new designs and a reliable tool in the handgun field by FN Herstal.