Kel-Tec P50
The Kel-Tec P50 is the most audacious 5.7x28mm pistol ever produced — a bull-pup-configured semi-automatic that feeds from FN PS90 50-round magazines and runs the high-velocity 5.7 cartridge from a 9.6” barrel with a threaded muzzle. At roughly 3 lbs fully loaded with 50 rounds aboard, the P50 achieves a combination of capacity and caliber that no other production pistol comes close to. For 5.7x28mm enthusiasts, suppressor owners who want a hearing-safe 50-round host, or anyone who simply wants the most distinctive pistol in the safe, the P50 is in a category entirely of its own creation.
Read our full Kel-Tec P50 Buying Guide ↓
50 Rounds of 5.7x28mm: The Core Concept
The P50’s fundamental premise is maximum 5.7x28mm capacity in a pistol-legal configuration. The gun feeds from standard FN PS90 magazines — the 50-round translucent polymer magazines that sit horizontally across the top of the receiver in a bullpup layout. This PS90 magazine compatibility is immediately practical: PS90 mags are widely available and affordable, so the P50 owner has access to an established magazine supply without hunting for proprietary alternatives. Starting with 50 rounds of the 5.7’s flat-trajectory, high-velocity cartridge changes what’s possible from a pistol in ways that are difficult to fully appreciate until you’ve run one.
Bullpup Configuration: How the P50 Achieves Its Compact Length
The P50 uses a bullpup layout — the magazine and action sit behind the trigger group — which allows the 9.6” barrel to fit in an overall package shorter than many conventional pistols with half that barrel length. The horizontal magazine sits across the top of the receiver, giving the P50 its distinctive profile. The charging handle is located on the left side, and the pistol fires from a closed bolt for accuracy. The layout takes some adjustment for shooters accustomed to conventional pistols, but the ergonomics are designed around the horizontal magazine’s geometry and most shooters find the P50 handles naturally after a brief familiarization period.
9.6” Threaded Barrel: Velocity and Suppressor Benefits
The P50’s 9.6” barrel extracts substantial velocity from 5.7x28mm ammunition — significantly more than the FN Five-seveN’s 4.8” barrel or the Ruger-57’s 4.94”. The longer barrel also makes the P50 an exceptional suppressor host, with the 5.7’s naturally suppressor-friendly ballistics performing at their best from a longer barrel. The threaded muzzle ships standard, accepting common suppressor thread pitches. A subsonic-loaded, suppressed P50 produces one of the more unique and enjoyable range experiences available — 50 rounds of hearing-safe 5.7 from a compact bullpup pistol.
PS90 Magazine Compatibility: Practical Logistics
The P50’s use of FN PS90 magazines is one of its most practical design decisions. The PS90 has been in production for decades, and its 50-round magazines are sold by virtually every major firearms retailer. Owners of FN PS90 carbines gain complete magazine interoperability with the P50 — one magazine platform serves both guns. The translucent polymer construction allows instant round-count verification. Standard PS90 magazines are available in 10, 30, and 50-round configurations depending on state magazine capacity laws, giving P50 owners compliance options without requiring proprietary restricted-capacity magazines.
Who the P50 Is Built For
The P50’s audience is specific but enthusiastic: 5.7x28mm enthusiasts who want maximum capacity from the cartridge, PS90 owners who want a pistol companion to their carbine, suppressor owners who want a distinctive 50-round suppressed host, and shooters who want something genuinely unlike anything else on the market. It’s not a carry gun, a home defense gun in any conventional sense, or a competition pistol. It’s a statement piece and a range experience — one of the few production pistols that consistently generates a crowd at the range regardless of what else is on the table.
Related Pages at Impact Guns
See the full Kel-Tec brand page. For 5.7x28mm comparisons see the Ruger-57 and Kel-Tec PR57. The Ruger LC Carbine in 5.7 is a natural companion. For ammunition see our 5.7x28mm ammo page.