Resistivity measurements have been performed for electric characterization of the compounds Ba{sub 5}Sb{sub 3} and Ba{sub 5}Sb{sub 3}Cl, both with the Mn{sub 5}Si{sub 3} structure type, along with Ca{sub 5}Bi{sub 3} and Ca{sub 5}Bi{sub 3}F, both with the {beta}-Yb{sub 5}Sb{sub 3} structure type. These measurements were taken as a function of temperature using the four probe method on pressed polycrystalline pellets of the compounds. A sealed apparatus was developed for containing these air-sensitive compounds throughout the experiments. By a simple electron count, one extra electron in both Ba{sub 5}Sb{sub 3} and Ca{sub 5}Bi{sub 3} should occupy a conduction band, giving these compounds a metallic character. In the cases of Ba{sub 5}Sb{sub 3}Cl and Ca{sub 5}Bi{sub 3}F, the extra electron should bond to the halide, both filling the valence band and giving rise to semiconducting character. Ca{sub 5}Bi{sub 3}, Ca{sub 5}Bi{sub 3}F, and Ba{sub 5}Sb{sub 3}Cl were found to comply with the electron count prediction. Ba{sub 5}Sb{sub 3}, however, was found to be a semiconductor (E{sub g} = 0.30 eV) with a larger band gap than its corresponding chloride (E{sub g} = 0.09 eV).