FN SS197SR 5.7x28mm 40gr V-Max

FN SS197SR is FN's standard factory 5.7x28mm range load. FN classifies it as a sporting cartridge for target shooting and competition, and because it comes from the company that invented the round, it is the de facto reference load shooters use to function-test and practice with any 5.7 pistol. The 40gr Hornady V-Max polymer-tip bullet feeds reliably and groups well, and the brass case is reloadable for shooters who roll their own.

FN lists the load at 1,738 fps and 268 ft-lbs from a Five-seveN pistol and 2,034 fps from a PS90 carbine. That velocity is the whole point of 5.7x28mm: a light 40gr bullet driven fast enough to flatten trajectory and cut recoil to almost nothing. The V-Max polymer tip is a varmint-bullet design, so while SS197SR is sold as a range load, the tip can initiate some upset; it is not marketed or tested as a defensive round, and shooters who want terminal performance should step up to a purpose-built defensive load.

The headwind is cost. At roughly $0.76 per round, 5.7 practice ammo runs two to three times the price of 9mm range FMJ. There is no cheap steel-case option in this caliber, so plan your training volume and budget around premium-tier pricing. Buy in bulk when you find it in stock.