The new Smith and Wesson M&P 5.7 NTS arrived in a hard case with an extra magazine and a mag loader. My first thought when opening the case was, “Well, it’s another M&P.” I don’t have anything against M&Ps, mind you. I have more M&Ps than I have teeth.
Features
When I picked it up, the differences between the 5.7 and my other M&Ps were easily discernible. The grip is thinner, but elongated to handle the 5.7×28 cartridges, which are longer than most pistol caliber cartridges. The whole gun is thinner than any of my M&Ps, except perhaps the .22 Compact. It has the same grip texture as the other 2.0 M&Ps and the same type of cuts on the slide for racking serrations.
The trigger is different. The Smith and Wesson also features an extended, threaded barrel. The slide is cut for optic mounting. The slide is ported at the top, but the barrel is not. The cuts do make the gun lighter. The slide lock is different. It’s small and ambidextrous.
I chose a model that does not have an external manual safety. However, if there was one, it would have also been ambidextrous. Three-dot sights top the slide, and the Picatinny rail on the dust cover has four notches for light/laser mounting.
Smith and Wesson has done something different with a Tempo barrel system that is gas operated and something similar to the Carbine Williams-designed barrel for the Colt .22 Ace Service Model. At the heart of the design is the 5-inch Tempo barrel which is a locked-breech, gas-operated, rotating assembly that does not cam until the bullet passes the gas port, which initiates the unlocking process.
In addition to harnessing extra capability from each fired round, the system also provides for fast, easy extraction after unlocking. The 5.7×28 cartridges are a bottleneck cartridge (sort of a smaller versions of the M16 rifle cartridge). So, they need special handling to operate efficiently in a pistol action. The barrel is threaded for a silencer. Like the EZ-Rack Shield and Equalizer, the 5.7 has an internal hammer.
The gun shipped with two stainless steel, 21-round magazines and a mag loader that is different from any I’ve seen. You drop a round into a hole in the front of the mag loader then push it down to insert the round into the magazine.
Maintenance
Disassembly for cleaning is different, but easy, as long as you have a small punch. You start by engaging the safety (if equipped), dropping the magazine, and checking the chamber to ensure the gun is unloaded. From the closed position, push the slide back about ¼ inch. Align the takedown notch with the raised part of the takedown pin.
You may have to look in the manual the first time to see what these parts are, because they’re not something you’re used to seeing on M&P guns. While holding these two items together, push the takedown pin through from the right side of the gun with a small punch. If they are aligned properly, the pin comes through easily.
Once the pin is removed, remove the slide from the frame by pushing it forward. Remove the recoil spring assembly from the slide by compressing the spring slightly and lifting it up and out. Remove the barrel shroud as a unit by grasping it by the lug and lifting it out.
With the barrel shroud out of the gun, remove the barrel by sliding it out the back of the shroud. This is where I recommend studying the barrel and shroud a bit to see how the barrel rotates within the shroud when fired. There is no tilting cam lock as in most semi-automatic handguns.
The rotation absorbs much of the recoil. It’s similar to how the Beretta PX4 Storm’s rotating barrel design works. After cleaning and lubricating the gun, reassemble it in reverse order. Ensure the hammer is in the cocked position before attempting to put the slide back on.
Range Testing
When it came time to shoot the Smith and Wesson 5.7, I was anxious to compare it to the two other 5.7 pistols I had on hand — my son’s FN 57 and my own Ruger 57. We had some FN 5.7x28mm ammo on hand. To go with it, I ordered some Federal 5.7×28. I’m hoping as more and more companies build 5.7x28mm firearms, more companies will make the ammo for them. I know Fiocchi is producing ammo for these guns, but I was not able to get any for my test.
One thing I can say about shooting the 5.7, any of them, they are fun! They are loud, flat shooting, and accurate — with very little recoil. Among the three, the S&W was the tamest. The rotating barrel seems to do the trick. I didn’t bother to load the magazines to capacity. Both the FN 57 and the Ruger 57 have 20-round magazines. Smith and Wesson bumped its magazine capacity to 22 rounds. I wanted to cycle through the guns (one after the other) at various targets, so I loaded 10 rounds at a time. Shooting freehand at 10 yards, I found all three guns plenty accurate with easy triggers and great sights.
The Ruger had a Riton red dot sight. That’s probably what I’ll add to the Smith and Wesson, but I wanted to shoot it initially with open sights. Several of my 10-yard groups were inside of 1.5 inches with strays on some of the targets opening to 2 inches. If that’s all the flyer I’m going to get, I’ll take it any day of the week. The other two guns weren’t quite that tight, but in all fairness, I wasn’t shooting them for the camera. Concentration does make a difference.
Final Thoughts
My overall opinion of the 5.7x28mm cartridge is that it is a lot of fun to shoot. The round will make a good defensive option, if you’re careful to keep the shots on target and not let any of those fast buggers go zinging around unbridled. There’s no doubt the bullets will produce enough damage to stop a person with evil intent.
Smith and Wesson’s example of the pistol is as good as any I’ve seen, and a welcome addition to my arsenal. Because of its slim design, it fits well into a 1911 holster, but that won’t work with a red dot sight mounted. I found a Galco King Tuk Cloud IWB made for the M&P that will handle the 5.7 with a red dot sight mounted.
Since the S&W 5.7 comes with a threaded barrel, the question I have is, “Can I use my .22 suppressor on it without causing damage to the suppressor?” I did a little YouTube research and saw a number of guys shooting through .22 suppressors with their 5.7 pistols. My .22 suppressor is from Tactical Innovations, and it is not one of the ones that was being used. It will take months before I can have a true 5.7 suppressor on hand, so unfortunately, I cannot report on that part of the pistol for you.
The 5.7x28mm is gaining in popularity and the Smith and Wesson 5.7 is a welcome addition to the pack. Would you carry a 5.7 or rely on it for home defense? How do you think it compares other handgun cartridges? Share your answers in the comment section.