Review: Tisas PX-5.7 Pistol

The 5.7x28mm cartridge is having a resurgence as of late. Originally created by FN to be used in a “personal defense weapon,” or PDW, that would equip second-line NATO troops, 5.7x28mm has been around for over three decades now, but up until recently, only FN made firearms for this round. Today, though, there are at least a half-dozen companies making pistols for this round, the most recent of which is Tisas, with the new PX-5.7 pistol. 

Tisas is a Turkey-based firearms manufacturer that makes a wide range of pistols, from 1911-pattern pistols to smaller pistols in .380 ACP to modern polymer-framed, striker-fired pistols like the PX-9 series. The Tisas PX-5.7 builds on the PX-9 platform, but then adds in the curveball of the 5.7x28mm round. 

The PX-5.7 ticks all the modern handgun boxes. It has a polymer frame for durability and is striker-fired for a consistent trigger pull. The trigger, by the way, is quite nice, and breaks somewhere in between 4 and 5 pounds. 

Inside of the slide is a 4.8-inch long barrel. This, along with the 20-round magazine, means that the PX-5.7 might be a bit big for concealed carry. The version I shot had suppressor height sights and was not cut for a red-dot sight, but there is a version with a slide with a cut for an RMR-compatible dot. Speaking of the sights, they’re set up in my favorite configuration, with a serrated, blacked out rear sight and a fiber-optic front sight, making sight acquisition and sight alignment a breeze. 

The grip of the pistol is stippled for better control, and there’s also a section of stippling along each side of the frame right near the trigger. This is a nice safety feature, as it gives you a place to rest your trigger finger when you’re not shooting your gun, thereby increasing your compliance with gun safety rule #3. Underneath the slide is a short section of Picatinny rail for lights, lasers or whatnot, and that’s about all there is to this pistol. It’s like every other modern polymer gun out there, except that it’s the least-expensive pistol available today chambered in 5.7x28mm, which helps it stand out from the crowd. 

Taking the PX-5.7 To The Range 

On the range, the PX-5.7 reminded me once again just how much fun 5.7x28mm is to shoot. The recoil from the pistol was very controllable, and when combined with the lighter trigger pull, it was easy to put round after round on-target. Full-sized pistols in 5.7x28mm reminds me of small, happy dogs: They’re full of energy, make a lot of noise and are a lot of fun to have around, and the PX-5.7 was no exception to this rule. 

The question many of you are asking right now is, why bother with 5.7x28mm when 9mm is so common, so inexpensive and so effective? While there is little to no chance that 5.7x28mm is going to replace 9mm in common use, the smaller round does have some clear advantages over 9mm. 

The first is obviously magazine capacity. A 5.7x28mm round is approximately 2/3rds the diameter of a 9mm round. As a result, the PX-5.7 has a standard 20-round magazine capacity with a flush-fit magazine. Not bad. The 5.7x28mm round is longer than 9mm, though, so the grip on this pistol is deeper than a similar-size pistol in 9mm. 5.7x28mm is not produced in the overwhelming quantities that 9mm is produced in, and as a result, it does cost more per round than 9mm, and there is just no getting around that. 

But, is 9mm more effective than 5.7x28mm? Well, that depends on how you define “effective.” Our test PX-5.7 developed 272 ft.-/lbs. of muzzle energy using 40-grain Speer Gold Dot Defensive ammo. The 9mm PX-9 Gen 3 we tested cranked out 326 ft.-/lbs. when using 147-grain Hornady ammo, so the 9mm is clearly the more powerful round. Newer ammunition from FN America, Speer and others are proven performers in multiple gel tests. As a result, I have no problems recommending the 5.7×28 as a defensive round. 

However, that means little if you can’t hit your target, and that is 5.7x28mm’s ace in the hole. 5.7x28mm is amazingly easy to shoot, with recoil that’s slightly more than a vigorous .22LR round. Combine this with the larger-capacity magazine, Picatinny rail and optional optics-mount version, and all of a sudden the Tisas PX-5.7 is an excellent defensive pistol for people who have difficulty handling the recoil of a 9mm round. 

With an MSRP of just $499.99, the Tisas PX-5.7 adds a new level of affordability to the 5.7x28mm ecosystem. If you’ve been avoiding purchasing a defensive pistol due to recoil issues or want to dip your toes in the 5.7 pool without emptying your wallet, the Tisas PX-5.7 might just be the pistol you’ve been waiting for. 

Tisas PX-5.7 Specifications

• Manufacturer: Tisas, Turkey
• Importer: SDS Imports; (865) 604-6894
• Action Type: Striker-fired, semi-automatic
• Caliber: 5.7x28mm
• Capacity: 20+1 rounds
• Frame: Polymer
• Slide: Forged Carbon Steel
• Barrel Length: 4.8 inches
• Sights: Fiber optic front / black serrated rear
• Trigger Pull Weight: 4 to 5 pounds
• Length: 8.6 inches
• Width 1.4 inches
• Height 5.6 inches
• Weight (without magazine): 25.75 ounces
• Accessories: One 20-round magazine, lock, manual
• MSRP: $499.99

Shooting Results

Velocity measured in fps using a Caldwell chronograph positioned 10 feet away from the muzzle. Average group size measured in inches from five consecutive, five-shot groups at 25 yards from a benchrest.