I finally found the FNH FNP-45 Tactical

[AZGlock13]

I have been causally looking for one for the last year or so. I could have bought one online months ago, but I wanted to find one locally to feel how the grip felt in person. I finally found one at a gun show I went to this Saturday and the price was very reasonable (matched close to what Bud's and other online gun shop websites are selling them for). Just wish they sold for around $200-300 less than they do, oh well). I also got lucky and that it was the right color I was looking for as well (I got the black one, the desert tan color that they also come in isn't my style exactly, but they are neat as well). I really like the tactical fabric zipper gun bag/case that the gun comes in, compared to the standard hard plastic gun case most semi-autos come in. I haven't gotten a chance to shoot it yet. This is my first pistol with a threaded barrel. Still debating if I am going to take the plunge and register with the BATFE in order to put a suppressor on it. I might just keep it unsuppressed for a year or so first and see how I feel then. I have heard these FNP-45s are very accurate. Here are some pics I took of it:

 

[Calhoun]

VERY nice. I'm looking at those myself. Let us know how it shoots.

As an aside, if it was me, I'd already have the paperwork in for a can. I mean the gun came set up for it. Look how tall those sights are, man. I bet if you listen closely at night you can hear it crying in the dark, pining away for a suppressor.

 

[AZGlock13]

Yep, I see your point.

 

[mgmorden]

I really like the tactical fabric zipper gun bag/case that the gun comes in

So now black zip-up bags can be tactical?

Anyways, it looks like a nice gun. I've been looking to get a .40S&W lately and as I like variety I'd like it to be from a manufacturer that I don't currently own a gun from, so I've basically been narrowed down to something from either FN or Beretta.

 

[Roan]

I recently picked up one of these myself. In the Dark Flat Earth color instead of black. All my other pistols were black and I wanted to try something new. I've been quite happy with it. I don't have a can for it yet either, but it's fun to shoot. I do look mournfully at the threaded barrel and I want to stick something on it, but the only real option is a can.

 

[WC145]

Got mine last month. Terrific guns.

 

[AZGlock13]

It seems everyone's FNP-45 tactical is in Flat Dark Earth (FDE), but mine.

 

[wally]

Drat! Another competitor in my quest for spare mags

I think you will enjoy it and you'll forget the pain of the price in short order.

Mine now wears a Trijicon RMR fiber/tritium dot optic and an Osprey 45 suppressor. Rocking good fun!

 

[AZGlock13]

Yep, it appears everyone is out of the 15rd mags right now. FNH's own online store states they will start shipping the mags again in May (MidwayUSA states August ). I won't mind picking up another two for mine.

 

[mes228]

FN

You did well Grasshopper (grin). You have purchased a pistol that is MILES ahead of every other pistol out there - IF YOU PUT THE TRIJICON RMR RED DOT ON IT. If you tell the truth about this combo people will not believe it. They must shoot it. Just casually letting people in adjacent lanes shoot mine has sold several. People cannot believe what they can do with it. I've actually had people (jokingly) tell me they were leaving the range. As they were embarrassed to shoot their pistols any more. It's that good. No joke. Also mine is black. I am looking for the Competition Model that also accepts the RMR system.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Just something you should be aware of.

I have a regular FNP-45 that I bought last year that is black with the stainless slide. It is a fantastic gun and is extremely accurate. I was shooting one of those shooting balls that are on the market now. You know, the self healing orange ones that role around as you shoot them? Anyway, I started out with it at about 10 yards away, and after a full magazine it had rolled to a distance of 50 yards and I was still making it spin in place. This was just shooting iron sights with no red dot. The only reason I wasn't still hitting it is because I had to reload my mags. The gun shoots far better than I am capable of. Hitting a grapefruit sized targed at 50 yards consistantly is not bad though, so I guess I'm ok.

One thing that threw me off. When I first got the gun it was tossing brass in my face. Part of the problem is that I'm right handed, but left eye dominant so I was holding the gun too far left. I have since been training myself to shoot right eye. This helps a great deal. Brass was hitting me on top of the head, going down my shirt collar and burning me, and one actually hit me in the bridge of my glasses. I was starting to get really pissed at the thing since about 10 casings out of a 14 round magazine were hitting me. I was getting ready to take it to a smith to have the ejector tweeked, and then I started reading on the internet that this was a common problem. Everyone was saying that around 500 rounds through the gun, things loosened up a bit, and the problem stops. Well Sunday I made it up to 500 rounds through the gun, and low and behold, the internet peeps were right. I'm down to about 3 casings out of a 14 round magazine hitting me now. I'm guessing the problem will continue to decrease after another 300 or 400 rounds.

So the point is this. If your gun does this to you, don't go straight to a smith with it. Make sure it is all broken in before you consider fixing the problem. Yours may not even do this, but like I said, it seems to be a common problem. Enjoy the new gun!

 

[AZGlock13]

mes228 and 460Kodiak, thanks for sharing your shooting experience with your FNP-45s.

 

[gearhead]

I've had my Blacktical for almost a year now, it's extremely accurate and manageable. I got a pretty good deal on mine too, but even at the regular street price it's not bad for a high quality .45ACP handgun with night sights, threaded barrel, three 15-round magazines, and the range bag with organizers for all the accessories. I think you'd have more than that in it if you added the night sights and threaded barrel to a FNP-45 USG.

 

[hercster]

Fnp 45

I bought and FNP45 Competition and changed the iron sights so that I could co witness a Trijicon RMR. One of the selling points of the FNP45 is that the slide is premilled for an RDS. IMO this is an excellent arrangement. The pistol is comfortable to shoot, has great capacity and is extremely accurate. Most of the dimensions are similar to my 1911 but the gun is thicker. The grip looks big but in reality it's only 1/4 inch greater in circumference than my 1911.

One of the things I like about the gun is the thumb safety. 98% of the time, I handle the pistol the way I do my 1911. The DA trigger is longer and heavier but I rarely use it. The SA trigger is a consistent 4 pounds and smooth. If you were to carry the FNP 45 you would have the choice of SA cocked and locked or DA/SA. I like the flexibility.

From what I understand, the FNP line is being discontinued in favour of FNX branded models. I've read what is posted on the FNH website regarding the 45 ACP version and can't see any obvious differences. They seem to be using the same photgraphs.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I believe the "improvements" to the FNP-45 are what inspired the FNX line. I would guess that no change will take place to the FNP-45 other than the P changing to an X.

 

[Pilot]

Very nice! Boy, that looks like a clone of my HK USP Tactical .45 right down to the black soft case.

 

[Samari Jack]

Just something you should be aware of.

I have a regular FNP-45 that I bought last year that is black with the stainless slide. It is a fantastic gun and is extremely accurate. I was shooting one of those shooting balls that are on the market now. You know, the self healing orange ones that role around as you shoot them? Anyway, I started out with it at about 10 yards away, and after a full magazine it had rolled to a distance of 50 yards and I was still making it spin in place. This was just shooting iron sights with no red dot. The only reason I wasn't still hitting it is because I had to reload my mags. The gun shoots far better than I am capable of. Hitting a grapefruit sized targed at 50 yards consistantly is not bad though, so I guess I'm ok.

One thing that threw me off. When I first got the gun it was tossing brass in my face. Part of the problem is that I'm right handed, but left eye dominant so I was holding the gun too far left. I have since been training myself to shoot right eye. This helps a great deal. Brass was hitting me on top of the head, going down my shirt collar and burning me, and one actually hit me in the bridge of my glasses. I was starting to get really pissed at the thing since about 10 casings out of a 14 round magazine were hitting me. I was getting ready to take it to a smith to have the ejector tweeked, and then I started reading on the internet that this was a common problem. Everyone was saying that around 500 rounds through the gun, things loosened up a bit, and the problem stops. Well Sunday I made it up to 500 rounds through the gun, and low and behold, the internet peeps were right. I'm down to about 3 casings out of a 14 round magazine hitting me now. I'm guessing the problem will continue to decrease after another 300 or 400 rounds.

So the point is this. If your gun does this to you, don't go straight to a smith with it. Make sure it is all broken in before you consider fixing the problem. Yours may not even do this, but like I said, it seems to be a common problem. Enjoy the new gun!

Interesting about the left eye thing. I put up a post about this earlier today. Glad I'm not the only one with this problem.

 

[Samari Jack]

Was slobbering on a FN-45 in a gunshop about 35 miles away picking up reloading supplies today. Can't resist. If it is still there, going tomorrow to get it. It isn't the tactical model, plain Jane version priced at $616.00 new in box.

If I get a wild future hair, can the tactical barrel be installed?

Guess I'll have to be sure and wear protective lenses first up. Checked a few online sites and seems a fair price plus it supports my local, but far away gun store.

 

[AZGlock13]

Samari Jack, That is a good price on the base model FNP-45. I can't find anywhere on the net that is selling just the stock threaded barrel that comes with the FNP-45 Tactical. Even FNH's on-line store on their USA website doesn't mention the threaded barrel. I suppose you could call them directly to find out if they sell them separately. If you do find one (factory stock threaded barrel for the tactical), I'm pretty sure it would fit the regular base FNP-45 model just fine (again I would call FNH USA's support number and make sure first though (you don't want to find out the hard way)). The only difference in slides of the two models (tactical and non-tactical) to my knowledge, is that only the Tactical model has the slide milled cut-out to install a Trijicon RMR type sight system (also the Tactical comes with the tall Trijicon night sights, but I'm pretty sure you can mount the tall night sights that come on Tactical model onto the regular base model with no problems). The issue would be having someone (who knows what they are doing) to machine mill the cut-out for a RMR type sight on your base model slide (and possibly have to refinished the slide afterwards, not sure) if you wanted to mount one (not sure if FNH USA performs this service or not). I did find doing some searching on the net that barrel maker EFK Fire Dragon makes an after-market threaded barrel for the FNP-45. The only issue I see is it appears that the barrel you would get would plain stainless (no black coating applied to the barrel, but maybe they do this for a little extra) and that it might not be perfectly "drop-in" ready (barrel might need minor fitting). Again, you would have to ask them these details before committing. Here is the link to where EFK is selling their barrel for the FNP-45 (last one on the bottom of the page and would choose ".578x28 RH" option, to keep the same type of threads that the factory stock barrel has.

http://www.efkfiredragon.com/fnp-and-five-seven-threaded.html

If you plan on both getting a threaded barrel and also getting a RMR type reddot sight for it later on, I think it will end up costing you a lot more in the long run (having the slide milled and refinished can't be cheap), than saving up a little bit more and getting the Tactical model. Hope this helps.

 

[hercster]

I bought and FNP45 Competition and changed the iron sights so that I could co witness a Trijicon RMR. One of the selling points of the FNP45 is that the slide is premilled for an RDS. IMO this is an excellent arrangement. The pistol is comfortable to shoot, has great capacity and is extremely accurate. Most of the dimensions are similar to my 1911 but the gun is thicker. The grip looks big but in reality it's only 1/4 inch greater in circumference than my 1911.

One of the things I like about the gun is the thumb safety. 98% of the time, I handle the pistol the way I do my 1911. The DA trigger is longer and heavier but I rarely use it. The SA trigger is a consistent 4 pounds and smooth. If you were to carry the FNP 45 you would have the choice of SA cocked and locked or DA/SA. I like the flexibility.

From what I understand, the FNP line is being discontinued in favour of FNX branded models. I've read what is posted on the FNH website regarding the 45 ACP version and can't see any obvious differences. They seem to be using the same photographs.

MGW lists the tactical barrel but they have been out of stock for a long time. You might want to check with them. I've been on a wait list for a while.
http://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/ctgy/fn-fnp45-pistol-parts