Ruger-57

The Ruger-57 is the pistol that made 5.7x28mm affordable. When it launched it undercut the FN Five-seveN by roughly half, and it remains the value benchmark for the chambering: a full-size, 20-round, optic-ready 5.7 that sells around $400 against MSRPs north of $1,400 for the FN. For shooters who want flat-shooting, low-recoil 5.7 ballistics without the FN's price, this is the default answer.

The 4.94-inch barrel ships non-threaded; Ruger's drop-in threaded barrel kit (1/2x28, about $200) swaps in without gunsmithing when you want to mount a 5.7-rated or 9mm-rated can. Capacity is 20+1, and the gun ships with two 20-round magazines; ten-round versions cover restricted states. The slide is drilled and tapped for the Ruger optic adapter plate, which mounts a Docter-footprint red dot directly, and aftermarket plates open the cut to RMR and Holosun 407C/507C-footprint optics. Iron sights are a fiber-optic front with an adjustable rear, a more useful factory setup than the fixed sights on most competitors.

The internal-hammer, single-action design with a manual thumb safety produces a clean, light trigger that flatters the cartridge's mild recoil. The polymer frame and alloy slide keep weight to 24.5 ounces despite the full-size footprint. The tradeoffs are the ones inherent to 5.7: ammunition costs more than 9mm and is less available, and the cartridge's terminal performance is debated for defensive use. As a range gun, a soft-shooting trainer, and a suppressor host once you add the threaded barrel kit, the Ruger-57 is the most cost-effective entry into the platform.