FN's FNX/FNS series

FN handguns seem to be under the radar with the likes of Glock, S&W, H&K, etc. dominating the market, but they seem to get generally good reviews. They have a bit more visibility these days with the FN 509.

I was recently looking at an FNS-9 Long Slide and it seemed like a nice gun (in the fit and finish department anyway). Anyone have any positive/negative experiences with the FNS?

 

A friend owns a FNS 9 and a FNS 9c and I think the 9c is fantastic. The FNS was nice too. I have heard the 509 is a nicer version of the FNS but have on handled one yet.

I do believe the FNs do deserve more consideration.

 

I have shot approx. 1300 rounds thru my FNS-9 5" barrel without any failures. Excellent ergonomics, good trigger reset and very much like the aggressive texture of the grip. Also the sights are easy to see.

 

I got to shoot a FNS-9c once. It was a nice gun. Definitely worth considering if one wants a polymer, striker fired 9mm in that size range. With that said the polymer pistol market is very competitive & crowded. There are a lot of good choices out there.

 

The magazines are H&K expensive. That's kind of weird.

 

I can't recall what iteration of the FN line it was, but this tidbit from the FNS owner's manual became an issue for a member on another forum when he was seeking warrantee work from FN. I don't believe FN accepted his claim (I can't remember what the actual problem was) since he hadn't complied with the following.

https://fnamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/1608-FNS_OM_R5_final.pdf

 

The problem with the FNS 9 is that when they first hit the market they were priced right up there with H&K. I liked the look and feel of the FNS 9 but the price kept me from buying one. Then one day I saw a used one sitting in the case at the local pawn shop for $475. At the time they were selling for close to $600. The gun was like brand new, in the box with three mags. I ended up leaving the shop with $425 less in my pocket and the FNS 9 in my hand.
I have the small back strap in mine and it's a dream to shoot. I even have an IWB holster for it and carry it off duty sometimes.
I had a friend that was a big H&K fan. He said that the FNS 9 felt odd in his hand, but after he put some rounds through it, he liked it.

 

I think that is just a CYA recommendation. Legally I do not believe that a manufacturer can require you to perform maintenance from a specified location for the warranty to remain valid. For example car companies cannot require you to have repairs or oil changes done at the dealership.

 

Tried an FNS 40 at my local range and did like it; apparently they come standard with an ambi mag release (as a lefty I greatly appreciated that). One note of caution: you do need to put pressure on the trigger during dis-assembly. Sure, that's quite common, but its something I try to avoid.

 

I can't understand why people have a problem with this. If your doing it right, nothing will go wrong. #1 remove the magazine, clear and check the chamber.
But then again, I know some people that have trouble with Scissors and sharp sticks.

 

I've never had an AD in my life. However, many people have. Since it is quite possible to design a pistol such that you do not need to pull the trigger for dis-assembly (such as the S&W M&P 40 I carry), why design a new pistol that does require it?

I'm an engineer by profession. Choosing to design something with a feature that real-world experience has shown to be unsafe isn't good engineering, even if it is because of operator error.

 

Certainly a CYA thing. However, they did deny the warrantee claim. It doesn't say you specifically have to send it to FN, but you could use a "qualified gunsmith".

While looking up the on-line FNS owners manual for the quote, I noticed the 509 owners manual does not have that requirement (at least I didn't find it).

 

It would be a big issue if the 509 did with their "million round test". Now, I know those 1,000,000 rounds don't factor in wear items and that it's marketing.

However, I believe I reading a spokesperson or manager saying something along the lines that most shooters wouldn't wear a part out on the gun over the lifetime of the firearm. Also sly marketing. Most of us posting on these boards don't shoot our guns enough to wear much of anything out. Factor in casual buyers, and that's a fair statement.

Still, a 2000 round check seems like a really low number. Even the Beretta 92 is supposed to go 3000-5000 rounds on a recoil spring before it potentially starts to beat itself to death.

That said, I really enjoy the FN guns. I've had a full size .40, a compact .40, and an fnx-9. I should have not traded them off. Great shooters. I still wish i had the fnx. The SIG320 fills the role of the fns line for me these days.

 

I can't comment on the FNS, but I personally have a FNX45T. IMHO, it is one awesome firearm.

 

Come on now. Having to have to pull the trigger to disassemble is not the reason for ADs when cleaning guns. It happens often with guns that don’t require the trigger to be pulled like the 1911. I would say it’s a lack of good gun safety or a lack of training. Or just a brain fart.
I own two M&Ps and without pushing down that little yellow bar, sear bar I think it’s called, your not going to get it apart. Some would call that a bad design, I just call it different.

 

We T&E'ed the 509. My opinion of it is that it's one of the more worthy polymer-framed striker-fired pistols out there. It compares favorably with our M&Ps (entirely subjective, I know, but IMO the M&P 2.0 slays everything else out there) and I actually liked the ergonomics, trigger and accuracy of the 509. You do not have to touch the trigger to field-strip.

I do own an FNX-45 and I love it. It's extremely accurate and has been 100% reliable. No, the trigger's not great, but in SA (and you can carry C&L) it's entirely adequate for the job (especially that 15+1 rounds of .45 ACP thing ...).

 

One reason is, always, poor gun safety as you say. However good designers take into account human fallibility - none of us are perfect. One reason I've never had an AD is that I'm a safety fanatic. Another reason is that I've chosen the bulk of my firearms to help me be safe when I inevitably slip up.

The engineer designing the gun can't control whether the user will be stupid or just untrained. They CAN reduce the odds that a mistake will cause an AD. It is known that people leave a round in the chamber and don't realize it. If dis-assembly doesn't require a trigger pull surely you'll agree that the odds of an AD are reduced?

For that matter, have you ever found yourself about to do some task on a firearm that is actually part of the manual of arms of a different firearm? If you get used to pulling the trigger for a strip & clean you may pull the trigger when stripping a firearm that doesn't require it. If no firearms require that step you can always follow rule #3. If your finger never touches the trigger how do you get an AD?

Again, pulling the trigger is a design *choice*. There are other ways to design an autoloader.

 

I get to shoot all kind of guns in my line of work. I get them in varying conditions, from like new to severely neglected. Some I have to work on to get them to function. So I tent to pay attention to what type of firearm I am dealing with.
I own several handguns the FNS 9 being one of them. It breaks down easier then the M&P.
You’re right in that A gun can be designed for the simplest person to use, like an AK47. But there are still people that shouldn’t run with scissors or play with sharp sticks. Let’s just say that the FNS 9 would be a sharp stick for some people.

 

Been on my radar lately also. Both the FNS 40 and FNS 9c.

I was thinking about picking up a FNS 40 pretty soon. Checked Bud's and the two tone version, which I favor, is $180 more or so. Is there a major difference between the regular and two tone?

 

No difference. The FNS-40/40L and 9/9L models share the same frames and the slides are interchangeable regardless of caliber or color.

I have both an FNS-40 and an FNS-40L. Note: The 9/40 model is similar in overall length to the glock 19, while the 9L/40L is similar to the Glock 17.) They both (all) use the same frame.

I'm supposed to be picking up an FNS-9c in the next couple of days in a local transfer.
The FNS-9c/40c barrel designs are slightly different than the larger-framed guns, and that means a longer 9 or 40 barrel can't be cut down and used in the 9c or 40c.

I have an EFK-Firedragon 40>9 conversion barrel for the 40. (If they had offered 40L conversion barrels when I ordered the FNS-40 barrel -- they didn't then, but do now -- I would have ordered that instead. I like the 9L and 40L best.) EFK-Firedragon just recently added a 9c/40c threaded barrel to the line. I've found that you can use 40 mags when shooting hardball (round nose) ammo in the 9mm conversion barrel, but you need to use a 9mm mag if you're using hollow point ammo, at least with some ammo designs. (The sharp open mouth of the 9mm hollow point ammo catches on the feed ramp when being chambered from a .40 magazine.)

They're fine guns. The triggers are better than many striker-fired guns, and not as good as others. (I have an H&K VP9sk and a SIG 320Compact, and they both have somewhat better triggers than the FNS line, but the triggers in the FNS guns are NOT bad, and I prefer them to the Glock triggers.)

Apex is supposed to be bring out a trigger system for both the FNS and FN509 lines, and I'll check into that option, eventually. (I have an Apex trigger system in one of my Glocks, and it takes a so-so trigger and makes it quite good.) There are good do-it-yourself guides to improving the FNS triggers on YouTube, and a gunsmith on the FN Forum has been working with APEX to improve the triggers.

 

I have and occasionally carry a FNs9c. It is as good as a Glock, HK,S&W or and other striker fired pistol. Mine has been 100% reliable and as accurate as I can be. Size wise it it a Glock 19. They do not sell well because the company does not advertise or promote to police departments. Another equal quality handgun is the Styer S9A1 I believe it is called. Have no reservations about purchasing one. I believe FN in SC makes AR for the military.

 

Doesn't the FNS 9mm have the plastic trigger (can't remember from months ago), and if so, is this a common material in recent handgun triggers?

 

Recent? Glock's since the 1980's along with just about every polymer pistol since then.

 

JTQ: Thanks for the reminder. Don't mean to bug you guys with my dumb questions and faulty memory. Maybe the FNS trigger felt different back in April. Not like a friend's Glock 9mm.

My first serious interest in handguns began last December, age 62.
Only handguns were Makarovs, and sold all of them plus ammo plus an extra SKS to buy classic Sigs (German-proofed P series) and metal CZ compacts.