This is a VERY interesting video!
So there were some SERIOUS gaps in the test. The AP rounds are moot for me, since they’re VERY hard to come by, under dubious legal status, and there is nothing comparable to the .22 WMR.
Second pistols are pistols, and rifles are rifles. Once you get to a long-barrel gun, most high-speed rounds will defeat level IIA vests. This goes from your standard .223 ammo, but every deer rifle load out there. I’m sure he would have seen similar results if he had loaded the .22 WMR into a carbine as well.
Third, the only round tested was the federal V-Max, which is a hollow-point round (with ballistic tip) designed to expand. It didn’t expand in his tests, but that hollow point is going to harm penetration. I REALLY would have liked to see JHP .22 WMR loads used in this, just for sport.
Last is why I called this post “Ninja Bait”. Look at the wound channel and the penetration of that AP round fired from the pistol. This is the same reason why I’m really not concerned about say 7.62x25mm out of say a CZ-52 against an armored target. Will it punch through the armor. YES, but then what? Look at that wound track. To get a pistol round going screeching fast out of a short barrel, you need to make the round small, thin, and light, and even after it penetrates it’s going to lose a LOT of energy.
So with all we saw, the 5.7x28mm really does appear to be a glorified .22 WMR IMHO. And in the end they’re BOTH tiny little bullets, and I have my concerns about what they would do defensively.
Now I’ve shot both of those pistols, and they are REALLY REALLY easy guns to run. They have big magazines, light, easy-to-rack slides, and very low recoil. They’re also super easy to keep on target. On a downside they’re both BIG pistols. We’re talking full-size 1911 size. They’re lighter than 1911s or Glock 17s (tho the FiveSeveN is close to the Glock) but they’re harder to conceal than a smaller gun. If you are physically weak by nature, or injury/disability, they might be the best guns for you, but if you can handle a more conventional gun, I just think for defensive use you’re better off with a standard centerfire cartridge.
Regarding AP rounds, my understanding may be faulty, but is as follows:
On the federal level, AP rifle cartridges are perfectly legal to possess. .30-06 and .308 AP rounds are sometimes seen at gunshows. On the other hand, handgun AP cartridges are illegal under federal law.
As far as the state level, can’t say. Wisconsin has no restrictions other than those set by federal law. Other jurisdictions may be different.
Yeah that’s my understanding as well (but I’m no way an expert). I think since the FiveSeveN Pistol came to the US Market around the same time as the PS90 I think us law considers 5.7x28mm to be a “pistol” round. Again there’s lots of grey area, as you’ll see AP 5.56×45 Mil surplus rounds at the gun show, as well as AR-pistols, or Thompson Contender pistols with .308 or .30-06 barrels that will chamber those surplus black-tips.
There’s no grey area — M855 5.56x45mm ammo is explicitly exempted from the statute. (M2 .30-06 is also exempted). You’ll note that both of these are the standard US service rifle “ball” rounds of their day.
The federal law covers bullets having one of several particular construction characteristics, designed to be fired from a handgun.
ATF has limited their definition of “handgun” to “commercially available” and “repeating”, because otherwise, EVERY “commercially available” small arms caliber other than shotgun shells would be considered “handgun” calibers. Yes, there have even single shot .50BMG pistols made in (very) small quantities.
Cool! I haven’t spent much time reading these laws. Thanks for the info!