Stepping out to 50 yards was no problem for the USG, and hits on a man-sized target were a snap even at 100 yards.

Then I fired three rounds into a block of solid oak; I also fired three rounds of commercial Winchester 7.62x25mm 85-grain FMJ from a Chinese Type 54 pistol. I then carefully split the block open and measured the depth of penetration. The 5.7x28mm averaged 3.00 inches while the 7.62x25mm (at 1435 fps) averaged 5.00 inches. Repeating this on an iron plate, the 5.7x28mm simply left silver smears, but the 7.62x25mm slightly dimpled the plate.

What do I think of FN's Five-seveN USG? I like it! It's accurate, reliable, and easy to shoot well. Plus, it's an awful lot of fun to shoot, especially with that deep 20-round magazine capacity. My wife Emily put her Nikon up for a bit and took a turn behind it. She liked it, too. For me, a firearm simply being fun to shoot, whether it's an M1886 Lebel or FN's USG, is reason enough to own it.

Regarding terminal performance for personal protection, many vocal detractors in the U.S. doubt that this small cartridge and its ultralightweight 28- or 40-grain bullets provide adequate terminal performance. Highly respected experts, such as Dr. Gary K. Roberts, have stated current 5.7x28mm loads do not offer sufficient penetration or inflict a large enough permanent wound cavity based upon testing in ordnance gelatin. A 28-grain nonexpanding .224-inch-diameter bullet at 1950 fps is certainly no magnum. Despite this, FN stands firmly behind the 5.7x28mm and states it has worked well when employed by military/law enforcement personnel in actual shootings.

What about the antigun crowd's claims of it being useful only for cop killers? "Nuts," says I. The SS190 load has always been restricted and is shipped from a U.S. Customs controlled warehouse only to military and law enforcement agencies. None has ever been available commercially. The only ammunition available for commercial sale are the sporting-grade 28-grain JHP and the 40-grain V-Max loadings. Neither of these loads is classified as armor piercing by BATFE. In reality a run-of-the-mill .44 Magnum revolver with hunting loads will penetrate deeper in body armor than either of these 5.7x28mm loads. And no FN USG has ever been used in the commission of a crime.

Accuracy at 25 yards was very good, with the average group coming in at 2.00 inches

Some European and domestic companies refuse to offer civilian versions of military firearms, high-capacity magazines, or folding stocks, but FN is not among them. If you're interested in a Five-seveN USG pistol, they are available for $1074. Ammunition is growing in availability, and FN plans on introducing an SS197 load (40-grain V-Max at 2000 fps from the USG) in the near future. Hornady even has loading dies and appropriate projectiles sitting on the shelf if you'd prefer to handload. Plus, there will be a companion in the form of a semiautomatic version of the P90 PDW available by the time you read this.

The antigun crowd not wanting me to own one is enough reason to add a USG to my collection.