FNP-45: 1,200 rounds in a week

[sturmgewehr]

I've been eyeballing the FNP-45 for some time. I'm a fan of the .45 ACP cartridge and I'm also a long time fan and shooter of 1911 pistols. I always like to try out other designs now and than to see how they compare (in my hands) to the 1911.

Most recently I picked up a FNP-45. I know they've earned a hit or miss reputation for reliability, at least on the FN Forums. Despite this concern, I bought one from a local dealer after spending plenty of time handling it, eyeballing it and talking myself into it.

What I like:

• - The grip angle is similar to the 1911 so it points in a familiar way.
• - It holds 14 rounds with a standard magazine and 15 with the extended baseplate, gotta love 15 rounds of .45!
• - Appears to be very well made. The fit and finish on my sample are on par with HK or Sig (Germany).
• - Ambi-controls. Everything is ambidextrous; slide stop, safety, decocker and mag release. This is the first truly ambi-45 I've ever owned.
• - I like the location of the controls, they are logically laid out and easy to reach.

Before I get to what I don't like, here's a video of my first real shooting session with the pistol. I did fire 200 rounds out of it the day I bought it at an indoor range just to see how it grouped and to get a feel for the controls. That weekend (a week ago) I took the pistol to my range with 400 rounds of ammo to give it a proper workout and to see exactly how it would handle as a defensive arm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGoKe7isbW8

Now, for what I don't like:

• - It's big. I mean it's freaking huge. It's a chore to conceal which is a nice segue to my next point...
• - Finding a holster is a chore too. There are a few out there, VERY few, to choose from. I bought the shooters pack which came with a Blade Tech holster. I've also ordered a Kirkpatrick custom holster which is 6 weeks out.
• - The double action trigger pull is very heavy. I've been spoiled by my Kahrs I suppose... but the pull is long and very heavy making a first shot hit from the holster more challenging. I really have to concentrate whereas with a 1911 or even Glock I don't have to concentrate as much on trigger control for a quick first round hit.
• - No night sights... I don't believe they're even an option right now. I have a hard time using a gun for carry that doesn't have them, but I can forgive this for the time being.
• - Not very positive ejection. It seems to gently toss the empties to the side, sometimes straight back at you. Watching other shooters on YouTube with various FNP's... it seems to be normal behavior. I like a more positive ejection that gets the spent casing well away from the gun and shooter.
• - Safety lever doesn't have a positive detent like that of a 1911 for cocked and locked carry. It could be a little more positive.

I know the negatives list seems long, but in the end I really like the pistol. While it jumps around more than a 1911, the recoil impulse is certainly more stout, it is still quite manageable. I wouldn't want to use it in competition, but for defensive work with practice it works just fine.

Here's the second half of my 1,200 round test. I continued to practice getting used to the heavy double action pull (each time the first shot is fired double action).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T35y3H6Sic

One more thing... something I didn't add to the negatives but perhaps I should have. The FNP-45 is very sensitive to how it's held. If you have a tendency to induce "limp wrist" malfunctions on other pistols such as the Glock, you will have a similar problem with the FNP-45. Here's a quick demo of what I'm talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1t4WMcs_7c

 

[Rexster]

Thanks! I handled one of the "Tactical" versions, and really liked the feel, but wanted to read up on what others have experienced. The tendency toward limp-wrist malfs is a concern; my formerly strong hand is not so strong anymore, due to issues in my wrist, elbow, shoulder, and upper back. Plus, I personally know two local police officers who took hits to their arms in gunfights. I may have to stay with SIGs and full-sized 1911s, which seem to not have problems with limp-wrist malfs.

 

[powermad]

# It's big. I mean it's freaking huge. It's a chore to conceal which is a nice segue to my next point...
# - Finding a holster is a chore too. There are a few out there, VERY few, to choose from. I bought the shooters pack which came with a Blade Tech holster. I've also ordered a Kirkpatrick custom holster which is 6 weeks out.

I pack mine in a Crossbreed Supertuck.
Little Bear, Cool Kustoms, Safariland make holsters to name a few.

The double action trigger pull is very heavy. I've been spoiled by my Kahrs I suppose... but the pull is long and very heavy making a first shot hit from the holster more challenging.

Snap cap and some trigger time overcome that.

No night sights... I don't believe they're even an option right now. I have a hard time using a gun for carry that doesn't have them, but I can forgive this for the time being.

Ameriglo has night sights. Standard and suppressor, they use Trijicon inserts.
EFK has threaded barrels.

Safety lever doesn't have a positive detent like that of a 1911 for cocked and locked carry. It could be a little more positive.

I don't believe the gun was meant to be carried cocked and locked.
More like round chambered, decocked and safety on.
That is an unnecessary feature IMO

What I see happening is you have to slap leather and go to swipe the safety and decock the gun instead.

Much easier to get used to the trigger and one less thing to do also.

 

[JohnBT]

I have an FNP-45 USG. Even if you decock it by accident it still fires when you pull the trigger. It's a combat weapon, of course the trigger pull is manly. The size is just right too, but I wear an XL glove.

My Sig X-5 Tac has a slicker trigger and night sights, but it cost 2x as much.

John

 

[sturmgewehr]

I pack mine in a Crossbreed Supertuck.
Little Bear, Cool Kustoms, Safariland make holsters to name a few.

That's about it. Three biggies (Safariland, Kirkpatric and Blade Tech) and a handful of unknown custom makers so far. I wouldn't exactly call that a "good" selection. Hopefully it grows.

Snap cap and some trigger time overcome that.

Did you watch my videos? I think I've mastered the trigger. But unless a snap cap will lighten the pull or shorten the pull, it's not going to fix anything. It will always be more challenging than a striker pistol or a 1911. But it is to be expected. Unfortunately the trigger is heavier than other DA autos like Sig, HK, etc. It nothing more than an annoyance really.

Ameriglo has night sights. Standard and suppressor, they use Trijicon inserts.
EFK has threaded barrels.

I didn't know they were shipping from Ameriglo. I've never used their products, have you tried them? I don't care about threaded barrels... if I wanted a Tactical, I would have picked one up.

I don't believe the gun was meant to be carried cocked and locked.

Apparently it was, hence the ability to do so. If they're going to include the capability, they should make the detent more positive, that's all I'm saying.

 

[gearhead]

The Tactical actually comes with night sights.

I have a set of the Ameriglos on mine. They're nice, but I think a group buy over on the FN forum sold them out of their first batch. Hopefully they'll be getting more in stock soon if they're still out.

I found the trigger pull long (typical for a hammer-fired DA) but smooth and with almost no stackup. But DA/SA hammer-fired pistols are almost all I shoot so I could just be used to it. I do like the trigger on my striker-fired Taurus 24/7 Compact .45, though. It's the only striker pistol I own.

 

[Kingofthehill]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh9JhCyFFxA&feature=related

 

[powermad]

That's about it. Three biggies (Safariland, Kirkpatric and Blade Tech) and a handful of unknown custom makers so far. I wouldn't exactly call that a "good" selection. Hopefully it grows.

There was no one making holsters for it when I bought mine a few years ago.
Now there is more than enough to fill just about any need.
Drop leg, IWB, OWB, leather, kydex.

Ameriglo shows sights in stock.
I installed some when they first came out. I went with green front, yellow rear.

Apparently it was, hence the ability to do so. If they're going to include the capability, they should make the detent more positive, that's all I'm saying.

Exactly my point.
I suppose you could carry it C&L, but I would think that if it was meant to be that way the selector would have a positive stop.
True if you over travel the selector and it decocks you still have the ability to fire in DA.
But it sorta defeats the purpose of C&L.
If it is chambered, decocked and safety on and you swipe the selector to far nothing is going to change the way you expect the trigger to be as you have already trained and gotten used to the DA first pull.
There are guns better suited for C&L IMO