The Complete Package: 

The FN P90

The P90 is one of my all time favorite weapons. It is lightweight, compact, and 100% ambidextrous. Production of this funny looking gun started in 1990 (hence the "90" in P90), and was actually designed around the ammunition it uses. As body armor became more effective, the standard sub machine gun round (9x19 Parabellum) was becoming less effective, the demand for a compact, armor-piecing round. As a result the 5.7x28 round was developed.

(L to R) 9mm, 5.7x28, .45 ACP

This small, pointed round is capable of piercing body armor and with the P90's magazine holding 50 rounds, it is a weapon that keeps on "giving". The magazine on a P90 loads in at the top and the rounds are actually stored sideways. As the round feeds through the magazine it is turned 90 degrees by a ramp inside of the magazine. This is what makes the P90 able to hold such a large amount of ammunition, without sacrificing mobility. The fire selector switch is located right beneath the trigger. The charging handle is located on both sides of the gun, and the spent casings eject directly out the bottom.

A field stripped P90. The P90 can be taken apart in seconds without the use of tools.

I could go on for pages about the P90. The unique design, function, and creativity behind this weapon are second to none. Some weapons have tried to compete like the H&K MP7. They have all fallen short in overall effectiveness. The P90 is definitely on my wishlist for the future.

Thanks for reading!