FN 5-7 - Tokyo Marui
I have to admit to a little more excitement than I usually feel in such circumstances as I lifted the lid off the Tokyo Marui FN Five-seveN box.
I've been very interested in this particular GBB, partly because the real gun is so interesting and partly because the TM 5-7 has built a reputation for being a 'big kicker' by GBB standards.
That I have got to review this gun is thanks to the generosity of the ever helpful Mike Cripps at Elite Shooting Centre who kindly provided this gun for me to review.
But would that excitement just lead to disappointment?
In the Box
The 5-7 Mike sent me was a Foliage Green framed version with the Tac Light.
There is also a tan version with the light and the original black version, with no Tac Light.
The box is a little ordinary next to TM's own 1911A1, but the smart cardboard lid looks suitably 'tacti-cool' and the white polystyrene bed protects and supports the 5-7 and the mag, which is shipped separately. You can fit a mag in the gun in the box, which means it'll hold the gun and two mags, which is always a nice touch with TM boxes I think.
As well as the gun, magazine and the Tac Light (attached to the gun in the box), there was the usual collection of BBs,cleaning rod, a TM catalogue and various parts and instruction manuals.
First Impressions
The real FN 5-7 is an unusual handgun, firing a tiny 5.7mm diameter bullet at a very high velocity.
The ammunition was developed for the P90 SMG and is more like a rifle cartridge in design than a traditional handgun round.
The result of that is that the 5-7 has a rather long, but quite slim grip, slightly similar to a very ergonomic 1911, but it's a design that feels a little odd at first and doesn't ever suit some people.
The real gun also has a polymer frame and a polymer encased slide, so the all plastic shell of the TM gun is actually pretty close to the real thing (and hardly any lighter) and the seams on the frame are always easier to forgive on replicas of plastic framed guns than of metal framed ones.
The gun, with the magazine in at least, feels solid and pointable from the outset and it looks well made and tight of fit.
The rear sights, take down catch, trigger, safeties and trigger are all metal and look surprisingly small and jewel like.
Closer Look
Tokyo Marui (like Marushin) have chosen to replicate the USG (US Government) variant of the FN 5-7, which features a standard sized rail and fixed sights (the earlier Individual Officer Model - IOM - had adjustable sights and a different sized rail).
'Foliage Green' is a Tokyo Marui invention, FN selling 5-7s in Olive Drab, Flat Earth and black only and this green is somewhat different to Olive Drab. That said it's quite an attractive finish and only purists will worry about it.
What will worry them too, though is the fake markings. The grips feature logos that look like FN ones at first sight, but closer examination reveals that the letters intertwined are actually T and M, rather than F and N.
The good news is that, if it really bothers you, there are aftermarket frame and slide kits that feature genuine trades at a reasonable cost (being all plastic).
The controls on a 5-7 are somewhat unusual.
They are all on the frame and very small compared with something like a SIG, Beretta or even a 1911 variant.
An ambidextrous safety is just above the trigger with a slide lock on the left side above the centre line of the grip, this falls perfectly to my right thumb, but there's nothing for the left hander and it's not in a comfortable place to find with your spare hand if you prefer to shoot with your left. That said, the 5-7 is far from unusual in this respect, but the slightly unusual placement and small size of the controls make it seem more awkward with only limited experience.
There's also a metal takedown 'switch' ahead of the safety, above the start of the rail.
The trigger is metal and features a set of vertical ridges for a secure purchase.
The sights are good within the limitation of fixed, tactical sights. They are completely fixed with no adjustment for windage even and feature clear white dots. The rear unit is metal, whilst the front is plastic.
Above the standard sized rail, there's a metal plate on the right side (looking forward), which features a serial number, 386108489.
On the left side of the gun markings are limited to "D.296 S.N. 08489 F-HB" on the slide and the logo on grip.
Right side markings include "5.7 x 28" on the chamber, "cal. 5.7 x 28" just below it on the slide and "ASGK" at the rear of the frame, with “Made in Japan/Tokyo Marui Co, Ltd” above the trigger.
The finish of the TM 5-7 is pretty good, but there is a quite noticeable mould-seam visible as a line down the centire of the top of the .slide, which certainly doesn't look visible on images I've seen of genuine 5-7s. This is somewhere TM have improved in recent years, so this is, for me, a bit of a disappointment.
The TM gun feels very heavy with the big magazine in and is only slightly lighter than the real thing unloaded, but it is much lighter without a magazine which accounts for a hefty 42% of total weight.
The outer barrel is chromed metal and there's a brass inner barrel, which is quite short and there's an o-ring on the outer barrel. Oddly this is one of the few airsoft pistols where the 6mm BBs are BIGGER than the actual round size (although they are much smaller than the 8mm in one of Marushin's versions!) - The only other airsoft pistol I can think of with a bigger bore than the real thing is the Marushin/KJW Ruger Mk1.
The magazine itself is much longer, front to back, than 9mm or .45ACP magazines so you'll need to find some suitable mag pouches if you're planning to skirmish or practical shoot with a 5-7.
There's a plastic magazine release for the right hand thumb only, but it looks like it may be swappable, like a Berettas, but I didn’t have time to try it out.
There is extensive chequering on most of the grip making the gun extremely comfortable for either hand, except that pesky slide lock.
Torch
The torch provided with the FN 5-7 is an all plastic M3-lookalike.
It's marked "CQ-FLASH"/"Tactical LED", which I guess is just generic TM marking rather than replicating anything.
It's bright enough to dazzle at close range and illuminate to the end of my 70ft garden, but certainly not tactical strength.
Switches on left and right of rear of the unitm easily reached with the trigger finger, can be pushed up to flash, but they don't lock on.
Tabs ensure a secure fit to any standard sized rail (and you can buy the torch separately if it appeals to you on its own).
Shooting Impressions
There's an internet reputation for the TM FN 5-7 that it kicks almost as hard as their Desert Eagle.
It certainly feels powerful, snappy and noisy when you shoot it, much more than say a TM 1911 or SIG, but the kick is nowhere near as strong as its reputation suggests.
In this respect it's certainly no match for a WA SVI or KSC Mk23 let alone TM’s own Desert Eagle. In fact it didn't feel to kick much more than the TM Glock 18C I tested at same time.
On a positive note, it is good to shoot and proved to be very accurate.
Click on image for bigger version in separate window.
Carrying out my standard 5m/6 round, off hand test, I was able to produce a best 5 from 6 group of 30mm (1,2 inches), with an impressive consistent of hits, all falling comfortably in the target centre area.
At longer range, down my 70ft garden, the 5-7 repeatedly put shots onto a small pig-shaped plaque about the size of a postcard, passing the 'pig test' with ease.
Over 10 shots, the Tokyo Marui FN 5-7 averaged 285 fps (using Green gas) indoors (at 15C), which would equate to a bit over 300 FPS at 20C, good performance for a GBB.
| Shot | FPS |
| 1 | 290.5 |
| 2 | 297.1 |
| 3 | 292.5 |
| 4 | 289.7 |
| 5 | 284.1 |
| 6 | 284.6 |
| 7 | 281.5 |
| 8 | 280.0 |
| 9 | 277.8 |
| 10 | 277.3 |
Trigger pull was 1080g (38 Oz), which is a medium weight pull for a GBB. Certainly it was a smooth and comfortable trigger with no noticeable binding and a rapid let off.
Take Down
Take down is reasonably straight forward, but not instantly familiar to people used to something like H&Ks or 1911s.
With the Magazine out, push the slide back and push back the metal take down catch on the frame left.
Push the slide forward and lift up and off to remove it from the frame.
The barrel and chamber can be pressed forward and down and back to clear the chamber opening in the slide.
The spring is captive around the outer barrel, a bit like a Luger.
Conclusions
Overall, Tokyo Marui's FN 5-7 is a top notch GBB that would be a pleasure to own and shoot.
If the styling doesn’t put you off, this should be a candidate for anyone’s sidearm in my view.
If I owned one I'd get the aftermarket kit for more accurate markings (and maybe lose that slide top seam?), but straight from the box this is one of the very best airsoft GBBs I've ever tested or handled.
Weight : 765g (325g magazine)
Realism : 85%
Quality : 85%
Power : 90%
Accuracy : 95%
Buy this gun from Elite Shooting Centre
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