I have a hunch that in coming years, if FNH ever decides to let other manufacturers make their ammo too, you'll continue to see the popularity of the 5.7 rise, including with PDs and swat teams. I'll bet you a milk shake that in 10 years the 5.7 will be even more popular than it is now. When I bought my 5.7, nobody had really heard of it. Now, they're in every gun shop.
I'll take you up on that milkshake bet! Whoever's right, we'll at least be able to sit down together and have a good shake and talk guns & hunting. Sounds like a win-win to me!
And yes, it's always a good idea to avoid kicking over a hornets' nest...
No, it's not for war. Home defense, swat, PD, plinking, varmints, and having fun? Absolutely.
Like I said, I have no problems with the round for general pistoleer work. But I'm more than a little hesitant to endorse it for general LE use, and less so for military use. I'm called upon to review actual shootings and make ammunition recommendations on a fairly frequent basis and while I've seen ammunition "failures" ascribed to everything from the 5.7mm thru 45 ACP and .223 Rem, in most cases the ammunition is not the problem. Unfortunately, the 5.7mm has had some pretty bad documented failures that in my opinion and that of others far more expert than I would likely not have happened if the round in question had been a 9mm 124 gr JHP or 40 S&W 185 gr JHP, or equivalent in other generally accepted service calibers. I know there are agencies that endorse and even issue the 5.7mm, but these aren't agencies that get into a lot of gunfights. The agencies that DO shoot a lot of bad guys don't endorse the 5.7mm. Is it prejudice? Bad first impressions leading to a general negative view by the industry? I can't say about that.
But as Dr. Roberts points out, in addition to its marginal performance in gelatin tests, the 5.7 has not had a great record in actual gunfights/OIS with agencies that have used it. Yes, the 5.7 lets folks make fast and accurate shots, but with training and experience you can do that with a 45 ACP 1911 or a 9mm, too, and have a much higher probability of a good terminal ballistics/effects outcome.
