FN 5.7×28 Ammo 27 Gr Lead Free HP 2000rds – 10700012

Last reviewed: 2026-04-17 by Jake Terry, FFL07/SOT3, NRA-certified firearms instructor.

When FN Herstal developed the 5.7x28mm cartridge in the late 1980s, the design brief demanded armor-piercing capability in a package small enough to fit a pistol magazine. The 27-grain lead-free hollow point variant — cataloged as SS195 LF — trades steel-core penetration for frangibility and zero lead exposure, making it the preferred training and home-defense load for civilians running Five-seven handguns, PS90 carbines, or select-fire P90 submachine guns. At 2150 feet per second from a Five-seven’s 4.8-inch barrel, the aluminum-core projectile generates 277 foot-pounds of energy while fragmenting on hardened barriers, reducing overpenetration risk in close-quarters environments. This 2000-round case — forty 50-round boxes — delivers the volume required for quarterly qualification drills, competitive league sessions, or armorer recertification courses where lead-free mandates apply.

Load Profile

FN sources its brass from European mills, headstamping each case with “FN 5.7×28” and a two-digit lot code. The brass jacket wraps a hollow-point aluminum core, crimped at the case mouth to prevent bullet setback during feeding cycles. Non-corrosive Boxer primers ignite a temperature-stable powder charge optimized for the 5.7×28’s high-pressure (50,000 psi) chamber. The result: consistent ignition across ambient temperatures from -40°F to +160°F, and a velocity spread under 30 fps across a 10-round string. The hollow-point cavity measures 0.12 inches deep — shallow by pistol standards — but sufficient to initiate fragmentation on contact with drywall, plywood, or ballistic gelatin. The aluminum core sheds mass rapidly upon impact, dumping energy in the first six inches of penetration while the brass jacket continues forward another two to four inches. This fragmentation behavior mirrors the SS196 tracer and SS197 sporting loads in wound channel profile, but eliminates the lead exposure that triggers range bans in California, Massachusetts, and indoor facilities nationwide.

Specs at a Glance

The 5.7x28mm round was purpose-built for FN’s Five-seven pistol and PS90 carbine, both sharing the same magazine system and chamber dimensions. For shooters seeking additional training loads or bulk purchases in this caliber, explore the full 5.7×28 ammo catalog at Tatted Tacticals.

Matching It to Your Build

The 27-grain lead-free load functions reliably in all FN platforms chambered for 5.7x28mm: the Five-seven MK2 and MK3 pistols (10-, 20-, and 30-round magazines), the PS90 carbine (50-round magazine), and the select-fire P90 submachine gun (same 50-round magazine, NFA-restricted). The aluminum-core bullet generates less barrel wear than steel-core SS190 or SS192 rounds, extending throat life beyond 10,000 rounds in typical duty cycles. Shooters running aftermarket barrels from CMMG, Palmetto State Armory, or Ruger (in the Ruger-57 pistol) report consistent feeding and ejection with this load, though FN does not formally endorse non-FN platforms. The hollow-point design feeds from polymer and steel magazines without hang-ups, and the crimp retains bullet seating under the G-forces of a P90’s high-capacity magazine spring. For competitive shooters in Steel Challenge or USPSA Carry Optics divisions, the flat trajectory and minimal recoil impulse (subjectively similar to .22 WMR) permit rapid transitions between targets at 7 to 25 yards. Home-defense users appreciate the frangibility — third-party testing shows the bullet loses 60% of its mass after penetrating two sheets of 5/8-inch drywall, reducing the likelihood of incapacitating a bystander in adjacent rooms.

Care & Maintenance

Store this ammunition in its original cardboard boxes inside the sealed case, kept in a climate-controlled space between 50°F and 70°F with relative humidity below 50%. The aluminum core does not corrode, but the brass case and primer seal will degrade if exposed to condensation cycles. After a range session, wipe down extracted brass with a microfiber cloth to remove powder residue before reloading (if you reload 5.7×28 — most shooters do not, given the small primer pocket and high-pressure loading). Inspect chamber and bore for aluminum fouling every 500 rounds; a nylon brush and Hoppe’s No. 9 will remove any buildup without scratching the chrome-lined bore found in FN barrels. Discard any rounds that show case-neck splits, green corrosion on the primer annulus, or a loose bullet (you can spin the bullet in the case mouth with light finger pressure). The lead-free formulation eliminates the need for lead-removing solvents, simplifying cleanup after high-volume sessions.