← FN Five-seveN reference page · This work order as JSON ·
Work order — FN Five-seveN
Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: high.
| Work order # | |
|---|---|
| Customer | |
| Model on the bench | |
| Serial number | |
| Finish / colour | |
| Received | |
| Technician |
- FN Herstal limits owner disassembly: Field strip only: slide assembly off the frame, barrel (with recoil spring) out of the slide.
- This work order is written for the FN Five-seveN. It is reported to cover Five-seveN MK2; Five-seveN MRD — if the firearm on the bench is one of those, check the torque notes: values do not always carry over.
Shop difficulty: Tier 2 of 3
No parts count found. A hammer-fired delayed-blowback pistol with a polymer-clad steel slide; FN limits all work past the field strip to an armorer or the FN Service Center, and even the owner-level magazine catch swap needs the trigger held back while the spring is pulled and re-seated in a set orientation. Rated Tier 2 on design and FN's restrictions, not on counted parts. Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.
Bench time: strip ~30 min, rebuild ~40 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______
Special tools:
- 3/32 in. drift punch — Magazine catch spring
Watch for:
- FN limits disassembly beyond the field strip to a qualified armorer or the FN Service Center. (both; FN America, LLC)
- The magazine catch spring can only be pulled with the trigger held to the rear and a 3/32 in. punch. (disassembly; FN America, LLC)
- The magazine catch spring goes back in one orientation only, again with the trigger held back. (reassembly; FN America, LLC)
1. Clear and make safe
- Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
- Press the magazine release and remove the magazine.
- Retract the slide fully to eject any chambered round and lock it open.
- Visually inspect the chamber and magazine well, then physically feel the chamber to confirm it is empty.
Warning: Look and feel. Both, every time. - Remove all live ammunition from the work area.
2. Disassemble
Field Strip
- Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure. After the safety checks, do NOT insert a magazine.
- Hold the pistol in your right hand. With the palm of your left hand, push the slide about 0.5 cm (0.25 in) rearwards and hold it there.
Tip: A quarter of an inch. Not locked back. - At the same time, with your left thumb, push the take down lever completely rearwards and hold it there.
Tip: Rearwards, not rotated down. This is a sliding lever, not a rotating one. - Release the slide so that it returns forward.
- With your right thumb, push forwards on the rear end of the slide to disengage the complete slide assembly from the frame, then lift the slide assembly up and off the frame.
Tip: Up and off, not forward off the front. - With the slide assembly held upside down, disengage the rear end of the barrel and take the barrel out of the slide.
- Stop here. FN states this level of disassembly is sufficient for thorough cleaning, and that anything further should be done only by an authorised armorer or by FN Herstal or FN America.
3. Refinish
The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.
| Component separated | Out | Coated | Back in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slide assembly | |||
| Barrel |
| Component | Material | Factory finish | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slide FN Five-seveN (standard, 4.8in) | steel | — | [3] |
| Barrel FN Five-seveN (standard, 4.8in) | stainless steel | — | [3] |
| Frame FN Five-seveN (standard, 4.8in) | Polymer | — | [3] |
| Magazine FN Five-seveN (standard, 4.8in) | Polymer | — | [3] |
4. Reassemble
Reassembly
- Check every component is perfectly clean before you start.
- Insert the muzzle of the barrel into the barrel opening at the front of the slide.
- Push the barrel slightly forwards against the force of the return spring, then fit the rear end of the barrel into position in the slide.
- Before going further, check three things: the take down lever is at the rear position, the frame holds no magazine, and the hammer is cocked.
Tip: All three. Any one of them wrong and the slide will not go back on. - Holding the slide assembly parallel above the frame, align the rear end of the slide assembly with the front end of the frame's rear guide rails, then seat it.
- Return the take down lever forward, cycle the slide, and perform the function check.
5. Torque
| Fastener | Specification | Sequence | Source | Applied | Init. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optic securing screws (T10 Torx), with interface plate if applicable FN Five-seveN MRD (optics-ready slide) |
22 in-lb 2.5 N·m · 1.8 ft-lb |
Remove cover plate; clean mounting surface; select securing screws and interface per chart; remove lubrication from screws and holes; position optic (with interface if required); add threadlocker to both screws and tighten clockwise with the T10 wrench. Threadlocker: "Add a medium-strength threadlocker, such as Loctite Blue 242® to both securing screws" and follow its cure time |
[2] PDF p. 21 (5.1 Installing an optic) (PDF p. 21) | ||
| Cover plate securing screws (T10 Torx) FN Five-seveN MRD (optics-ready slide) |
22 in-lb 2.5 N·m · 1.8 ft-lb |
[2] PDF p. 22 (5.2 Removing an optic, cover (PDF p. 22) |
Fit or check on rebuild
- Magazine catch spring orientation — The spring goes back in one orientation with the trigger held to the rear
- Sight position / re-zero — Drift or pressed sights moved for coating shift point of impact unless witness-marked and returned to the same spot
- Full function check (trigger reset, safeties, slide lock-back, drop of striker/hammer only on trigger) — Standard after any fire-control strip; confirms springs and sears went back correctly
6. Function check
- Verify the pistol is unloaded with no magazine inserted before each check.
- Rack the slide and press the trigger. The striker should release cleanly.
- Hold the trigger to the rear, rack the slide, then release slowly and confirm the reset.
- Press the trigger again to confirm the striker releases.
- Confirm the slide locks open on an empty magazine and the magazine drops free.
If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.
If it won't go back together
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The slide will not go back onto the frame. | One of FN's three preconditions is unmet: the takedown lever must be rearward, the frame must hold no magazine, and the hammer must be cocked. | Check all three, then hold the slide parallel above the frame and align its rear with the front of the frame's rear guide rails. |
Sources
- FN Five-seveN MK2 Owner's Manual — FN America, LLC primary
https://fnamerica.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2005_Five-seveN_OM_05.20201_V2.pdf - FN Five-seveN Series Owner's Manual (MRD edition, FN010 2204) — FN America, LLC primary
https://fnamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FN010_2204_Five-seveN-MRD_Manual_web.pdf - FN Five-seveN® — product page (Specs / Primary Features) — FN America, LLC primary
https://fnamerica.com/products/pistols/fn-five-seven/
| Reassembled and function-checked by | Date |
|---|
Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown
Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.