Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 Pistol 5.7x28mm – Superb 5″ Barrel with 22+1 Capacity

Description

The M&P 5.7 Pistol is Smith & Wesson’s entry into 5.7x28mm, holding 22+1 rounds behind a five-inch stainless barrel. What makes it interesting is not the capacity but the TEMPO barrel system, a gas-operated locked breech design built specifically for this cartridge.

The TEMPO Barrel System

Most 5.7x28mm pistols use either a simple blowback action, which is harsh, or a delayed system that fights the cartridge’s high pressure. Smith & Wesson took a different route with a front gas port that keeps the action locked until the bullet has left the barrel. Nothing moves until it is supposed to move. That gives the M&P 5.7 Pistol a consistent lockup shot to shot, which shows up directly in accuracy and in how reliably it cycles.

Twenty-Two Rounds

The magazine holds twenty-two rounds, so with one chambered you have twenty-three before a reload. That is a serious amount of ammunition in a pistol that weighs 26.7 ounces. The 5.7x28mm cartridge is what makes it possible: small diameter, light bullet, and a case that stacks efficiently in a double column.

Five-Inch Stainless Barrel

The barrel is stainless steel with a 1:9 twist and an Armornite finish, and at five inches it wrings close to full velocity out of a cartridge that rewards barrel length. The 5.7x28mm was designed around longer barrels, and short-barrelled versions leave real performance behind. Armornite is a nitride treatment rather than a coating, so the finish will not wear off the muzzle crown or the feed ramp.

Optic Ready Slide

The slide is cut to direct-mount most popular micro red dots without an adapter plate. White three-dot sights are fitted as standard and remain usable under most optics. A flat-face trigger gives the finger a consistent place to sit, which is one of the cheapest ways to improve repeatability across a string of shots.

Why 5.7x28mm

The cartridge drives a light bullet very fast, producing an exceptionally flat trajectory and very little recoil. Combined with the M&P 5.7 Pistol’s weight and its gas-delayed action, felt recoil is closer to a 22 magnum than a 9mm. That makes it easy to shoot accurately at speed and easy for recoil-sensitive shooters to manage, while still generating meaningful terminal performance from defensive loads.

Size and Handling

Overall length is 8.5 inches, height is 5.25 inches and width is 1.1 inches. It is a full-size pistol, and it handles like one: enough sight radius and enough mass to hold steady, in a package that still fits a duty holster.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
• Model: M&P 5.7
• Type: Semi-automatic, internal hammer fired
• Operating System: Gas operated, locked breech, TEMPO barrel system
• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Capacity: 22+1
• Barrel: 5 in., stainless steel, Armornite finish
• Twist: 1:9 in.
• Overall Length: 8.5 in.
• Height: 5.25 in.
• Width: 1.1 in.
• Weight: 26.7 oz.
• Frame: Polymer
• Slide: Stainless steel, Armornite finish
• Sights: White three-dot front and rear
• Optic Cut: Direct mount for most micro red dots
• Trigger: Flat face
• UPC: 022188898521

Who Should Buy It

This suits home defense, range shooting and anyone drawn to 5.7x28mm for its flat trajectory and mild recoil. Twenty-two rounds and almost no muzzle rise make it genuinely fun to shoot, and it is an excellent choice for recoil-sensitive or smaller-statured shooters.

The M&P 5.7 Pistol is a full-size handgun and 5.7x28mm ammunition costs more per round than 9mm, so practice is more expensive. Terminal performance of the cartridge is also still debated compared with established defensive rounds.

Shooters who want the cheapest possible practice should look at a 9mm, and anyone needing a concealed carry pistol should compare a compact in our catalog. Every firearm we list ships to your chosen FFL and is transferred in accordance with federal and state law.

Browse our full firearms catalog for more pistols, revolvers and rifles, and check factory specifications for the M&P 5.7 Pistol at Smith & Wesson before you order. Our team can help with optics, holsters, ammunition or transfer paperwork.