Watch This Before You Buy The New S&W FPC 5.7

Published on April 13, 2026
Duration: 22:10

This review of the Smith & Wesson FPC in 5.7x28mm highlights its innovative folding design and affordability, positioning it as a potential survival carbine or PDW. While praising its shootability, accuracy, and low recoil, the review identifies significant reliability issues, particularly with first-round feeding, across multiple magazines and ammunition types. The reviewer suggests the 9mm variant may be a more reliable choice for self-defense.

Quick Summary

The Smith & Wesson FPC in 5.7x28mm offers a compact folding design, M-LOK rails, and integrated magazine storage, making it appealing as a survival carbine. However, significant reliability issues, including frequent first-round failures to chamber, were observed, leading the reviewer to question its suitability for self-defense compared to the more reliable 9mm variant.

Chapters

  1. 00:08Introduction to S&W FPC 5.7
  2. 00:36FPC Folding Mechanism and Design
  3. 00:58Technical Specifications and Features
  4. 01:415.7x28mm as a Survival Cartridge
  5. 02:00Price and Ammunition Cost Considerations
  6. 03:20First Shots and Zeroing
  7. 04:25Initial Malfunction Encountered
  8. 05:00Troubleshooting Magazine Issues
  9. 05:50Magazine Loading Difficulty
  10. 06:22PDW Configuration and Deployment
  11. 07:10Overall Impression: Affordability vs. Durability
  12. 07:35Accuracy at 65 Yards
  13. 08:30Magazine Release and Further Malfunctions
  14. 09:08Malfunction Count and Break-in Period
  15. 09:32Comparison to PSA Malfunctions
  16. 10:14Continued Malfunctions Despite Adjustments
  17. 10:54Recoil and Accuracy Observations
  18. 11:00Comparing 5.7mm to 9mm Reliability
  19. 11:48Sample Bias and 5.7mm Reliability Reputation
  20. 12:12Potential Design Quirks
  21. 13:03Magazine Loading Experiment
  22. 14:14Long Range Shooting and Wind Effects
  23. 14:45Accuracy at 100 and 150 Yards
  24. 15:10Getting Used to the Platform
  25. 15:47Reliability with Right-Side Loading
  26. 16:05Continued Malfunction with Right-Side Load
  27. 17:11Wind Impact on 5.7mm Projectiles
  28. 17:30Intermittent Malfunction Resolution?
  29. 18:13FPC Upgrades and Durability
  30. 19:335.7mm Variant Reliability Issues
  31. 20:26Overall Reliability Concerns
  32. 20:39Conclusion: Not Recommended for Self-Defense
  33. 20:505.7mm as a Range Toy
  34. 21:04Trigger Quality
  35. 21:18Threaded Barrel Feature
  36. 21:21Final Thoughts on Reliability
  37. 21:48Call to Action and Outro

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key features of the Smith & Wesson FPC in 5.7x28mm?

The S&W FPC in 5.7x28mm features a 16-inch barrel, a folding design for compact storage, a full M-LOK polymer rail with QD points, a Picatinny top rail, integrated magazine storage, and a threaded barrel. It comes with three 22-round magazines.

How reliable is the Smith & Wesson FPC in 5.7x28mm?

The reviewer experienced significant reliability issues, with approximately 10-12 malfunctions, mostly first-round failures to chamber, across multiple magazines and ammunition types. This led to a recommendation against using it for self-defense.

Is the 5.7x28mm cartridge suitable for a survival carbine?

Yes, the 5.7x28mm cartridge is considered suitable for a survival carbine due to its lightweight nature, high magazine capacity, and sufficient ballistic capability for self-defense and taking down larger game, though it can be affected by wind at distance.

How does the S&W FPC 5.7mm compare to its 9mm counterpart in terms of reliability?

The 9mm version of the S&W FPC demonstrated excellent reliability with zero malfunctions in a 2,000-round test. In contrast, the 5.7mm variant experienced numerous malfunctions in a much shorter testing period, suggesting the 9mm is a more reliable option.

What was the main issue encountered during the S&W FPC 5.7mm review?

The primary issue was frequent malfunctions, predominantly first-round failures to chamber. This occurred even after trying different ammunition, downloading magazines, and loading magazines with the first round on the right side, which seemed to partially mitigate the problem.

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