Like many a 2nd Amendment-loving teenagers of my generation, I was introduced to the FN 5.72x28 via the Showtime television series Stargate SG-1. Fans of the show will remember how the main characters, played by Richard Dean Anderson and Amanda Tapping, would travel across the galaxy battling alien forces armed with their full-auto FN P90s.
Although FN Herstal (FNH) did not initially develop the 5.7x28mm as an alien-slaying cartridge, it has become an integral part of multiple law enforcement and military organizations due to its impressive terminal ballistics, low recoil, and armor-piercing capability.
But how does the relatively new 5.7x28 round stack up to the most popular centerfire rifle cartridge in North America, the 223 Remington?
In this article we’ll take an objective look at how the 223 Rem compares to the 5.7x28 and give you some insights into both cartridges and how they apply to your self-defense needs.
What is the difference between 5.7 x 28 vs 223?
The difference between 5.7x28 and 223 is that the 223 is a rifle cartridge, whereas the 5.7x28 is classified as a handgun cartridge. The 5.7x28 was developed for use in a personal defense weapon (PDW) like a submachine gun or handgun for close-quarters battle (CQB), while the 223 Rem was developed for use in a carbine or rifle with a longer effective range.
A Note on Nomenclature
Please note that within this article we will refer to the 223 Remington (223 Rem) and the 5.56x45mm NATO round interchangeably. There are differences between the two, and you can read about them in this article: .223 vs 5.56.
In short, a 223 Rem can safely be fired from a rifle or handgun chambered in 5.56; however, the opposite is not true.
Cartridge Specs
When evaluating centerfire cartridges, it’s a good idea to analyze the cartridge specs to gain more knowledge of each.
One major similarity between 5.7x28 vs 223 is that they fire the same diameter bullet: 0.224”. However, this is where their similarities end.
The simple truth is that the 223 Remington is just a bigger cartridge than the 5.7x28. The 223 Rem towers over the 5.7 in terms of case length, and has more than double the case capacity to show for it. The 223 Rem’s max chamber pressure is also 5,000 psi higher.
Due to its larger capacity, the 223 Rem can fire heavier bullets at higher velocities.
Recoil
When it comes to recoil, the 5.7x28 has considerably less than the 223.
Felt recoil will differ between rifles, shooters, barrel length, bullet weight, and powder charge. In fact, the FNH 5.7x28 is advertised as having approximately 30% less recoil than a 9mm Luger.
The 223 Remington is known for having low recoil for a rifle round. But as the 5.7x28 has half the powder charge and is firing lighter bullets, the 223 simply can’t keep up.
Assuming a 7lb rifle, the 223 will have an average free recoil of around 4 ft-lbs compared to 1.2 ft-lbs for NATO standard 5.7x28. To put this in perspective, a high-velocity 40 grain 22 LR cartridge delivers approximately 0.15 ft-lbs of recoil energy when fired in a 7lb rifle.
The low recoil of the 5.7x28 is one of the key selling points for using it in a submachine gun, PDW, or handgun. In these types of firearms, having low muzzle flip helps keep the shooter on target during rapid or full-auto strings of fire. This allows the shooter to get a lot of shots on target in a very short period of time.
One thing that many shooters discover is that it takes some training to get used to the recoil impulse of the 5.7x28, especially in a handgun.
Although the free recoil on the 5.7x28 is low, its bottle-neck cartridge and relatively large powder charge cause a rather large report in a handgun like the FN Five-seveN or Ruger-5.7”. The recoil impulse is also described as fast and a little snappy, but with very little energy imparted to the hands.
Loud report and fast recoil can be a bit surprising at first, but they can be easily controlled with proper training and grip.
Continue reading 5.7x28 vs. 223: Which Is Better For CQB? on Ammo.com