PROJECT: Break my FNX-9.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Hey guys,

It is my birthday! And in honor of this insanely awesome event, I purchased myself one of the nifty FNX-9s I have been looking at recently. I was considering getting another G17, but damn that is boring. I figured since you don't see much about the FNX I might as well torture test one. So, in the spirit of my HK P2000, HK45 and the aborted G26 test (aborted by my losing interest in the gun, not a problem with it) I am going to torture test my FNX-9. In fact, I am actually going to shoot it until it breaks. I will not oil it or clean it (except the exterior) until it actually malfunctions. At that point I will oil it or clean it if necessary (why? Why the hell not!?). I also plan to find some humorous tests to perform with it. I am hoping to hit 15k in one year.



Out of the gate, here are my thoughts.

1. I like the format. A Truly ambi DA/SA with cocked and locked mode. It can be run as a true DA/DA if you just ignore the safety. You can also run it DA with safety on if you are a true masochist (or are storing it bedside).

2. The sights are excellent. Best factory sights I have seen. I love the serrated rear rounded notch. I also like the larger front dot. Some clear thinking went into these sights. I was interested to see they skipped on the whole "ledge" thing. Not a big deal since the chances of me using my sights to rack the slide are pretty low.

3. Trigger. In SA it is very light. The reset is short. The DA is garbage. HK and FN should really buy a few 80s and 90s SIGs and see how they managed to make a decent DA. However, this gun is really best carried C&L, so it hardly matters. It does have a weird pre travel click that occurs when the trigger is pulled after the safety is taken off.

4. The grip is better than a Glock, but no HK P30. The grip feels like a thinned up sig. It is actually very good, but it doesn't have the loving feel of the HK P30 and HK45 grip. It actually feels like an HK45c with a Gen4 Glock grip.

5. I really like the slide release(s). It is kind of like a Glock or Classic SIG with a little shelf that should prevents you from riding the slide release. It certainly should be less of an issue with this gun than the P30.

6. The X200 and X300 fit with no drama. Just clicks on with the P adaptor plate.

7. It comes with three mags. Thank you FN. Everybody else, get with it you cheap bastards. Now, if only FN would have given me three mags with my SCAR-17.

8. The mag release is OK. I prefer the HK style but hey, everybody has their own thing.

9. Take down is like a Classic Sig. In other words, perfect and sillyness free.

10. I am a little concerned about the 17 round mags. They feel no where near as sturdy as the HK P30 mags. I know this is unfair since HK is pretty famous for over-building their mags. But it also bothers me that the HK mag is wider, and basically the same height but carries two less rounds. I hope FN didn't cut corners to get those last two rounds in there. My test will tell.

11. Fit n' finish. The FN is not great in this department. Now, this department means the least to me, but I know some folks will care. The red "safety off" dot is only half painted on mine. And there is actually some of the paint on the safety. That tells me they actually have some dude or dudette with a model paintbrush dabbing that on. The black finish is nice, but totally frill free. The plastic "feels" cheap, but it is hard to say if this means anything. It feels very light, which probably contributes to the "cheap" feel. The FN is no HK in this department, but you get to save $300. I can buy a bit of red paint for that.




12. I like the hammer. First, it looks like a Commander/BHP hammer which is always nice.

13. The now industry standard grip panels are a nice touch. Fn tosses in several flavors. I always just keep the standard panels so this doesn't do much for me either way.

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_0061/web.jpg?ver=13083622710001

[AMMOTECH]

Please post some pictures and offer plenty of honest feedback as you go.
Thanks.

.

[Dave L.]

I think these are great guns that get little attention.
...I only wish they made a striker fired version.

[brushy bill]

...I only wish they made a striker fired version.

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=70748 they do

[Pappabear]

I really forward to this test as well. I own the forty five and it too impresses me. I also have noted before the mags pale in comparison to the HK mags. But whose don't?

I expect this gun to do well, I sure hope it does. If so, maybe it will get some well deserved attention.

[JR TACTICAL]

Sounds like its going to be fun, and good luck with the test. I have 2 FNP 9's one with over 2K down range and all I have done is wipe off the dust from the exterior. Its by far the best 9mm I have owned and I have owned glocks,m&p's and XDM's. I think you wi be plesently surprised if you can get over the garbage DA pull and mags. Again good luck and I look foward to following this thread.

[Vegas]

I'll watch this with interest. I really like my FNP9 and thought about the FNX when I was buying. My only gripe with the gun is lack of holster options.

Are you going to clean and lube first before shooting, or go straight with the factory gunk?

[Mark71]

Looking forward to seeing how this gun holds up Greg. It has been to long since your last test.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I think I discovered FN's secret to 17 rounds: they just cut 17 witness holes in a 15 round mag. :D That really doesn't bother me. I managed to get 16 my mags and I will let them sit until tomorrow. Hopefully I can get in 250 tomorrow and 250 Sunday for a 500 round first weekend.

I need night sights. It looks like Ameriglo makes something. I wonder if I could just change the front sight? I think I am just going to black out the rear with a marker.

[Magic_Salad0892]

I'm actually a bit interested in the striker fired version.

I concur on the mags seeming underbuilt.

However, I'm used to Glock, and H&K magazines. I've heard M&P mags seem a bit underbuilt, but I don't have enough experience with them to say.

I like that it's a SIG for a Glock guy, and vice versa.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREG.

[loupav]

Hey Greg! My own P2000 just hit 15k rounds on Thursday.

Good luck with this test!

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

200 rounds Geco 115 today. Actually 197 since I found three lose rounds in my pocket when I got home.

Gun ran perfectly. Hits behind the dot at 30 feet. First three mags were literally dumped as fast as I could pull the trigger.

I don't have a holster for it yet. I do have a nylon Uncle Mike's that I will use for draw practice. So today I practiced low ready drills from 21 and 30 feet.

The safety is excellent. Swiping it off from ready is a zero-drama affair.

If you load 17 rounds in the mag (which is almost impossible) it will not seat in the mag well. 16+1 is as good as it gets right now.

Absolutely no lubrication or cleaning.

The sights, as I noted before, are excellent. I marked out the rear dots. The large white dot is excellent.

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2767/web.jpg?ver=13084457550001

Doomsday kit!

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2770/web.jpg?ver=13084458050001

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Also, I filled the front dot with Glow Inc Ultra Green V10, which is the glow in the dark paint that Beretta and HK put on their standard sights. I ran a similar setup by blacking out my old HK45s rear sights. It sounds crazy, but this setup was king when I ran it through a low/no light class.

[kmrtnsn]

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=70748 they do

They don't import it here yet.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Hey guys,

Shot 300 rounds today.

203 rounds GECO 115 grain 9mm.
50 rounds Gold Dot 124grain +p
50 Rounds Federal HST 147 grain.


All ran perfectly.

My buddy Dan actually shot an unknown number of his own reloads through the gun today, but I forgot to ask him. He reported that the pistol kicked harder than his Steyr M9. I don't doubt this but I have never really noticed much difference in recoil between guns of the same caliber.

I ran the gun in a crappy Uncle Mike's holster.

50 Rounds draw practice. 1, 2, 3 rounds per draw at three targets at 21 ft, 30 ft and 25 yards.

100 rounds box drills at 21 and 30 feet. These were done while loading only 5 rounds in the mags. I practiced reloads from a comp-tac clip on mag holder made for the P30.

50 rounds strong and weak hand, plus some 100 yard shooting for funzies.

50 Round of HST various but primarily 30ft and 25 yards.

50 rounds of Gold Dots doing transition drills while shooting my SCAR. Yes, I was doing transitions with a SCAR H because I am an idiot.

I don't expect to shoot any more premium ammo through the gun unless I just run up on some. I only did this to see if the gun would act up. It did not.

So far so good. I have to say I am not sure why this gun isn't more popular. It brings pretty much everything to the table with no detectable downsides. I guess people hate safety switches, but this gun gives you a lot of good options. C&L gives you a very good SA trigger and short reset. And the DA is basically a restrike mode. You can also run it DA with the safety for beside the bed duty.

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2834/web.jpg?ver=13085167920001





http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2842/web.jpg?ver=13085169000001
Mother and daughter!


http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2826.jpg?derivative=medium&source=web.jpg&type=medium&ver=13085167890001

I did not shoot the Ranger +P pictured. I got bored shooting so I didn't feel like wasting the ammo if I was no longer concentrating or having fun.

[willowofwisp]

Greg,

do you plan on turning this into an EDC?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Very unlikely. I have been carrying a Kahr PM9 off and on(of two I have had) for years. It is handy enough to carry in my pocket and has 7 rounds of 9mm so it is what I always carry. I have just gotten too lazy to carry full size guns.

This picture doesn't really do the sights justice. The front sight is seriously "hogged out" as is the rear u notch. Very nice.

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2836/web.jpg?ver=13085189690001

[spamsammich]

I haven't had a chance to mess with a FN-X yet, when I had an FNP-9 I was not enthused by the complex sear mechanism and the sheer number of parts in that area. I was very grateful for the Glock system when it came down to detail stripping the gun. I never attempted anything past a field strip of the FN. Is the FN-X pretty much the same in this regard as the FNP?

[Magsz]

Greg,

Can you get an in focus shot of the rear sight?

Very interesting see a U-Notch on a factory gun. (if that is indeed a u-notch)

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

http://www.shootingillustrated.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/W7114-9857.jpg

[aaron_c]

Hey guys, just to add to the bit of into that the X200 and X300 will fit the FNX-9 well- the Insight WX150 also fits very, very well.

ETA: Maybe there's something different about my mags, but they load to 17 relatively easily (though not quite as easily as my 24/7 Pro, much easier than any AR15 30-round mag I've used). The 17+1 mag seating does take a pretty firm palm slap though.

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l13/aaron_c_2006/WX150pics001.jpg

[tdoom15]

Initially the fnx9 seems to have a little bit of an issue seating a mag with 17rds, however (in my case anyhow) that problem went away through break in. Also the trigger smooths out significantly after about the first 500 rounds, I really like both the SA and the DA, the DA just takes a bit of getting used to.

So far the FNX has been great, over 1500 rds through this one so far with no failures and no issues. Looking forward to the results of this thread!

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I am sure my mags will break-in over time.

Fortunately, the trigger on mine is very good. My only caveat to that is I seem to be unusually insensitive to trigger variations. Short of a VP70z, I seem to be able to work with just about any trigger. That being said, the SA on this gun is excellent, easily matching or exceeding any other DA/DA I have shot. The DA is bad in the same way HKs or other plastic guns are. For some reason, the art of designing a decent DA pull seems to be falling by the wayside. Certainly not a big deal since this gun is only used C&L. But with something like the P30 the crappy DA is not a great idea.

[tdoom15]

I agree, I think the FNX is one of the best SA triggers out there that I've tried..and that was before mine was broken in. I think you'll be suprised at how nicely it smooths out even more over time, atleast that's how mine was.

I hope this gun becomes more popular in the next couple years, but at the same time I like that you don't see it everyday.

[ReaperAZ]

I'm happy to see someone put this thing through its paces. I have been intrigued by the FNX-9 and was thinking of picking one up. Will be keeping an eye on this thread. Give it hell!

[Pistol Shooter]

Great thread Greg. Thanks for putting such time and effort into it. :smile:

I look forward to updates.

[jh9]

It brings pretty much everything to the table with no detectable downsides. I guess people hate safety switches

The FNP45 that I handled was incredibly uncomfortable with a thumbs-forward grip and trying to ride the safety like a 1911. Square edges in all the wrong places.

[aaron_c]

The FNP45 that I handled was incredibly uncomfortable with a thumbs-forward grip and trying to ride the safety like a 1911. Square edges in all the wrong places.

I definitely know what you mean there. My FNX had nowhere comfortable for me to put my offhand thumb with a thumbs-forward grip, until I got the weapon light on it. The WX150 light is the perfect distance to let me rest my offhand thumb on top of the light body and easily operate the switch. Unless you have fingers of E.T. length like I do, that may or may not work out though. The guy I shot with Thursday had to actuate the light with his trigger finger.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

400 rounds today. It was freaking hot.

100 rounds of Monarch steel cased. Worked perfectly if a bit light.
300 rounds Geco.

First 100 rounds was draw and double tap using my Surefire Iphone timer.

Second 100 rounds was Hackathorn stuff (1,2, 3 walking forward, backward, side ways, strong hand, etc).

Last 200 rounds was a grab bag of box drills, transitions with my M16 and .22 conversion. I also practiced shooting at a 12 inch plate at 100 yards against the timer. Much silly fun. Too damn hot to be serious.

Zero malfunctions. The gun didn't even hesitate using the crappy steel cased Monarch which is obviously light loaded.

I was also able to start loading 17 rounds in each mag today.

I did manage to decock the gun during one timed draw. This is something I have never been able to manage with my HK45s. I was proud that I didn't really pay any attention. I just blasted right through it.

I also practiced a good bit from DA. Which, while heavy, really doesn't make that much difference.

I switched out to the thin backstrap after I noticed I was drifiting left during my 100 yard drills (silly, but again, it was HOT!). I am going to keep the thin grip on there for a while, but I think I prefer the standard grip.

It is very easy to change the FNX grip. Just push a little pin or allen wrench in the hole in the back and it is easy. Very nicely done. Some folks don't like the fact that it doesn't hold it tight like the HK roll pin, but I didn't notice while shooting.

Again, these sights are very fast.
http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2847/web.jpg?ver=13091308790001

Here is the little tab that keeps the rear grip on.

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2849/web.jpg?ver=13091309720001

Still looking new. The only clue that it is nearing the 1k mark w/o lube is the exterior barrel wear.
http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2856/web.jpg?ver=13091309750001

[R3V3LATIONS]

Thanks for doing the review greg, looks like this one was a sleeper on my list. Ill admit, I never paid much attention to the FNX's but they seem to be putting up good numbers on the chrono's and in terms of reliability as well.

As many before me have said, going to have to pay attention to this.

Thanks again man for doing this. I hope it does well.

[LHS]

Have you found a decent holster for it yet? That, and some reported issues concerning the durability of the safety/decocker have been all that's kept me from getting one of these. On paper, it's everything I've ever wanted in a handgun, but then so was the CZ-75...

[Pappabear]

Gregg, great follow up report. I too put the large grip on my FN45, it felt best in my hand. However, while shooting I did not like it and went back to one of the smaller ones. Thats pretty cool you blew through the decocker issue. I have thought the same, and always said that was a non issue for me, (as some people don't want to be able to decock when coming off safety) but haven't yet run into while shooting. I feel their DA trigger is heavy but very smooth.

I talked my friend into buying the 9mm, so I could shoot it :D.

LHS, Your trusty Bladetech and Safariland have worked well in terms of holsters. Not sure about the 9mm though.

[MTechnik]

Are you able to go beyond a field strip on it without sending it in to FN?

My FNP-9 ate anything I fed it never balked once - but I'd keep knocking that decocking lever with my high thumbs-forward grip.

[tdoom15]

The decocker doesn't allow my strong hand thumb to grip as highly as I typically would without it there, that being said, it doesn't bother or hinder me whatsoever.

I find my thumbs forward grip is perfect on this gun, my weak hand thumb rests perfectly on the takedown lever giving me an excellent reference point to grip the pistol the same everytime.

As far as decocking by accident, I've never had it happen to me. I use the the knuckle of my trigger finger as a "stop" for the decocker, this allows me to forcibly push down the safety without deocking. If you're considering the FNX, try handling it and I think you'll see what I mean.

Edit: You can't detail strip the FNX

[Redmanfms]

Edit: You can't detail strip the FNX

That's ghey. I prefer a weapon that doesn't require factory support beyond parts.

[ra2bach]

400 rounds today. It was freaking hot...



where were you shooting? I had my son at a Handgun Fundamentals class with Erik Lund at the Fulton Co Police range and it was an oven. Kestrel temps said 97 with index of 107. much gatorade and water were sucked down...

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Macon, GA. Hotter than nine Hells!

[mashed68]

It was 110* in the shade today here in AZ.
I am very happy to see someone put alot of rounds through a FN pistol for all to see. I recently bought a FNP45 and love it but only have about 200rds fired so far.

[NOVARC51]

Hey guys,

It is my birthday! And in honor of this insanely awesome event, I purchased myself one of the nifty FNX-9s I have been looking at recently. I was considering getting another G17, but damn that is boring. I figured since you don't see much about the FNX I might as well torture test one. So, in the spirit of my HK P2000, HK45 and the aborted G26 test (aborted by my losing interest in the gun, not a problem with it) I am going to torture test my FNX-9. In fact, I am actually going to shoot it until it breaks. I will not oil it or clean it (except the exterior) until it actually malfunctions. At that point I will oil it or clean it if necessary (why? Why the hell not!?). I also plan to find some humorous tests to perform with it. I am hoping to hit 15k in one year.



Out of the gate, here are my thoughts.

1. I like the format. A Truly ambi DA/SA with cocked and locked mode. It can be run as a true DA/DA if you just ignore the safety. You can also run it DA with safety on if you are a true masochist (or are storing it bedside).

2. The sights are excellent. Best factory sights I have seen. I love the serrated rear rounded notch. I also like the larger front dot. Some clear thinking went into these sights. I was interested to see they skipped on the whole "ledge" thing. Not a big deal since the chances of me using my sights to rack the slide are pretty low.

3. Trigger. In SA it is very light. The reset is short. The DA is garbage. HK and FN should really buy a few 80s and 90s SIGs and see how they managed to make a decent DA. However, this gun is really best carried C&L, so it hardly matters. It does have a weird pre travel click that occurs when the trigger is pulled after the safety is taken off.

4. The grip is better than a Glock, but no HK P30. The grip feels like a thinned up sig. It is actually very good, but it doesn't have the loving feel of the HK P30 and HK45 grip. It actually feels like an HK45c with a Gen4 Glock grip.

5. I really like the slide release(s). It is kind of like a Glock or Classic SIG with a little shelf that should prevents you from riding the slide release. It certainly should be less of an issue with this gun than the P30.

6. The X200 and X300 fit with no drama. Just clicks on with the P adaptor plate.

7. It comes with three mags. Thank you FN. Everybody else, get with it you cheap bastards. Now, if only FN would have given me three mags with my SCAR-17.

8. The mag release is OK. I prefer the HK style but hey, everybody has their own thing.

9. Take down is like a Classic Sig. In other words, perfect and sillyness free.

10. I am a little concerned about the 17 round mags. They feel no where near as sturdy as the HK P30 mags. I know this is unfair since HK is pretty famous for over-building their mags. But it also bothers me that the HK mag is wider, and basically the same height but carries two less rounds. I hope FN didn't cut corners to get those last two rounds in there. My test will tell.

11. Fit n' finish. The FN is not great in this department. Now, this department means the least to me, but I know some folks will care. The red "safety off" dot is only half painted on mine. And there is actually some of the paint on the safety. That tells me they actually have some dude or dudette with a model paintbrush dabbing that on. The black finish is nice, but totally frill free. The plastic "feels" cheap, but it is hard to say if this means anything. It feels very light, which probably contributes to the "cheap" feel. The FN is no HK in this department, but you get to save $300. I can buy a bit of red paint for that.




12. I like the hammer. First, it looks like a Commander/BHP hammer which is always nice.

13. The now industry standard grip panels are a nice touch. Fn tosses in several flavors. I always just keep the standard panels so this doesn't do much for me either way.

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_0061/web.jpg?ver=13083622710001

Good Info!...Can't wait to get one.

[30 cal slut]

Greg,

1) Give it hell

and

2) Happy belated birthday. ;)

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Thank you sir! You need to come down to GA and lets go shooting!

[spamsammich]

I got a chance to shoot my old FNP-9 and a FNX-9 back to back yesterday and I have to say, the mag release on the FNX is MUCH improved over the older gun. The front strap texturing and grip texturing overall is more aggressive and secure feeling. The reset and trigger break are closer together on the FNX too. I couldn't see what the difference was in the sear area but I definitely preferred the new gun.

I found I had to float the dot between 3 and 10 yards, but didn't get to shoot at 25 as we ran out of time. I was having a little trouble trying to decide what to do with my right thumb so I just moved it outboard of my support hand. Also, I'm fairly certain the recoil spring on the FNX is stiffer than the previous gun's. Despite all that, I'm not ready to run out and buy one but I did like the gun overall.

[Omega Man]

I am interested to see what the trigger characteristics of the FNS are, when it comes out.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Hey guys,

Sorry for the delay. I went to the range last week and forgot the gun. LOL. I ended up shooting my Kahr PM9 (because I actually had it).

This week I shot 250 rounds. 200 rounds WWB and 50 (my last) rounds of Geco.

It kept raining so I kept most of my practice under the sheltered part of the range. I did a fair amount of draw and practice while walking from side to side.

More interesting was practicing shooting a torso target at 75 yards. Basically, you just cover the trunk with the front sight and fire away. Shooting 5 and 10 round strings I was able to make solid A and C zone hits without much hassle. I also practiced draw and fire 5 shots as fast as I could and was able to consistently get 3/5 hits on target. Beware getting in a 75 yard quick draw match with my FNX!:shout:

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2973/web.jpg?ver=13103402140001

I still haven't had even a hint of a malfunction. I haven't cleaned it ever and can't recall taking the gun apart after the first range session. I have shot it single action and double action. I have also shot it DA after allowing it to get hot in the sun (which one user has reported as problematic with his FNX). So far, I recommend the FNX without reservation.

[aaron_c]

Congrats on getting hits out to 75...I start having trouble around 25 yards getting nice center mass hits (I can almost always hit the silhouette, just not always clean hits near the center). Then again, I've only had a few hundred rounds through mine. I ordered some night sights for mine, so I'm not shooting it again until they come in so I can focus on training with the sights I'll actually be using from then on.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Of course, when I say I got A-zone hits, picture one bullet hole at the top and one at the bottom. A few in the C zone and one cliping the shoulder. But there is no doubt, you can use a handgun to make some fairly serious hits at long range even under time pressure.

[Muzzy]

I was thinking of an FNX. I ran across one used at a shop--looked to be fairly unused. However, there was an issue which caused me to take pause. On the double action pull I staged it very slowly to the end of the pull just BEFORE the break--stopped--and then very slowly let OFF pressure--the hammer dropped. I was non-plussed. I've fired and dry fired many many guns and this has never happen. Thought maybe I was hallucinating. Tried it again and it did again (and again) upon the letting off--not pulling through. My oh my; that was the end of considering that used gun. However, it made me suspicious on the whole FNP/FNX line. The trigger seemed normal/stock--weight, reset, etc; but I could not confirm it had not been messed with. I pointed this issue out to the employee but you know what that response was. I guess it does not matter to some degree if it had been altered from factory or not because it shows that an alteration can cause a serious condition and it should be figured out what causes this issue in the FNX. I could not get this to happen in the SA mode but perhaps I did not try it enough as the clerk was getting difficult about breaking their precious used guns.

This "hammer dropping when releasing trigger in DA mode" would normally not be an issue, but it could be a very serious issue under unusual conditions if you use your imagination.

[aaron_c]

Now that's a new one for me. Never heard of such or experienced it. What makes it even more strange is that there is a safety mechanism where once the DA hammer is pulled back just a little, it wont go all the way forward again until a complete trigger pull to prevent just that.

I'd suspect that you could alter any trigger on the planet and have it function improperly...wouldn't you?

[mashed68]

I've never seen the trigger pull/hammer drop problem before and my fnp45 doesn't have the issue. Sounds like a one off problem the factory would fix if sent in.

[Pappabear]

Greg, what's the round count now? Watching this thread close. Oh, I saw it 1150.

[maximus83]

Gregg, I've been interested in these FNX 9's ever since I picked one up and dry fired a few months ago when down in Oregon. Agree with your review: the SA trigger is impressive. The SA pull feels so 1911-like--and is better out of the box than even my M&P with a DCAEK kit--that it got me interested.

My main question on these is, what do you think the replacement parts story is like? If your trigger return spring or thumb safety breaks tomorrow, do you have to send the whole thing, or will they mail you out a replacement part under warranty?

I realize you haven't had it long enough to test this scenario much, just wonder if you looked into it and have any info.

[Sam]

Greg:
This thread is the reason why I wouldn't sell you my Harrison Commander, because you'd try to break it too.

BTW, are you going to try to "break" that new mountain bike? :lol:

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

You are everywhere SAM! I guarantee I will break the damn thing. I am replacing my old one because I am breaking at least part per weekend (Derailleur this week).

[Sam]

I have my spies.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Two more 100 round boxes of WWB. No malfunctions.

The range was swarming with people. The head range nazi was there so I was hesitant to do anything interesting.

I mainly did box drills from various starting positions shooting at 21 and 30 feet. Now that the mags are settled in I usually only load 5 rounds to maximize my mag swaping practice. I also practiced shooting from behind a barrier and a little left handed barrier practice for fun.

The FN is absolutely dry as a bone. That being said, there is no way to tell. Because I haven't invested in a decent holster for it you can't even tell from the exterior that I do so much draw practice with it (nylon Uncle Mike's crap holster).

The only nagging annoyance is the weird pre-travel click when you pull the trigger after taking off the safety. I have no idea what it is, and it doesn't change anything, but there is a definite mechanical click in the trigger stroke. One day I will get a schematic and figure it out.

Anyway, the gun is past the "break-in" period without lube or anything else without the slightest hint of trouble. The gun functions with crappy steel-cased rooskie wimp loads and +P Gold Dot. It also digests 147 grain without comment. Thus far I don't see why this gun can't be lumped in with other class leading handguns.

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2985/web.jpg?ver=13109450420001

http://gallery.me.com/ghblaw/100010/IMG_2984/web.jpg?ver=13109450290001

[aaron_c]

The only nagging annoyance is the weird pre-travel click when you pull the trigger after taking off the safety. I have no idea what it is, and it doesn't change anything, but there is a definite mechanical click in the trigger stroke. One day I will get a schematic and figure it out.

Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but if memory serves, that is a safety device that prevents accidental firing of the weapon from the hammer getting snagged on something, or say a 3/4 trigger pull from double action where you decide not to fire and let go of the trigger too quickly. Basically a little "bar" moves into place once the hammer is back to that point, and doesn't move out of place until the trigger is pulled (all the way) and releases it.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Not much to update these last three weeks. I have been on vacation and getting yet another root canal. 100 rounds WWB, 50 rounds Federal. Nothing exciting. Went shooting my P30 today for some comparison. The P30's DA is a bit better, and the Grip is a lot better. But practically there is little difference.

[tdoom15]

The only nagging annoyance is the weird pre-travel click when you pull the trigger after taking off the safety. I have no idea what it is, and it doesn't change anything, but there is a definite mechanical click in the trigger stroke. One day I will get a schematic and figure it out.


Mine does this too but has never caused an issue.

[aaron_c]

I had one but traded it back to the place I got it from the mags would fall out during shooting some times.
Not sure if it was my big hands hitting something or the pistol.
I only wish they made it in 45 acp. the FNX 9 feels good in the hand..
I was getting good groups at 25 meters with it but could not get past the mag problem...

FNP-45 is what you want.

[RetiredCO]

I had one but traded it back to the place I got it from the mags would fall out during shooting some times.
Not sure if it was my big hands hitting something or the pistol.
I only wish they made it in 45 acp. the FNX 9 feels good in the hand..
I was getting good groups at 25 meters with it but could not get past the mag problem...

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

No problems with that. I think the problem might have been the crazy strong springs. When I first got mine you would bust a thumb getting 15 in, much less 17. After the first week or two they fit fine. People need to be a little more patient.

[B52U]

I had one but traded it back to the place I got it from the mags would fall out during shooting some times.
Not sure if it was my big hands hitting something or the pistol.
I only wish they made it in 45 acp. the FNX 9 feels good in the hand..
I was getting good groups at 25 meters with it but could not get past the mag problem...

There were some early reported issues in the FNX line with the ambidextrous mag release design. On some guns you had to push back slightly or slam in on the mag base plate to get it to click in due to some slop/play in the mag well.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

250 more rounds today. 100 rounds of WWB and 150 rounds of mystery reloads. The reloads appeared to be 124 grain with an odd flat point. Either way they worked nicely even though they were loaded very light.

The gun is still dirty and dry as a bone. I practiced various barrier drills and shooting on the move. Nary a hint of trouble. Hopefully I can get to the 2000 round mark next saturday.

[montanadave]

Just curious if there were any updates on this thread.

[pcardinal42]

Bump, looking to buy one and am very interested in all testing.

[aaron_c]

Bump, looking to buy one and am very interested in all testing.

I can't speak to the OP's FNX, but my FNX-9 (I think there's even a pic of her somewhere in this thread) is still running strong. I've had one jam with a Fiocci round, but I'm pretty sure it was a dud round of some sort, because it made a strange noise and stovepiped. I can't think of another handgun on the market I would 100% rather have than my FNX-9 (but I don't like striker fired pistols that lack safeties very much, so that does eliminate a notable portion of the market for me, to be fair).

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I need to update this. I have shot about 600 rounds (not an exact count, it is in my shooting log which is at the office for no good reason). I have been tinkering with my J-frame lately. But suffice it to say the Fnx has been running perfectly.

[williejc]

I too had magazine issues with the FNP series in 9mm, .40, and .45 acp. When loaded to full capacity, mags were most difficult to seat unless the slide was locked back. All would frequently fail to lock slide back on last shot despite the fact that FN replaced several mags. I suspect that their solution was increasing mag spring strength. The .45 version had problems with ambidextrous mag release hanging up.

The .40 required warranty repair--one trip for two problems which were corrected. The 9 was my favorite. Mag issues prompted me to sell the pistols. As has been pointed out, the FNX series must be returned to manufacturer for any repair requiring detail disassembly of safety/decocker or hammer/sear mechanism. I'm not sure if slide components fall unde this policy.

[trinydex]

Is the reliability the reason the fn series of pistols never took off

[B52U]

The reliability issues are not that common. I think one reason is lack of accessories and holster selection. That and FN just isn't that good at civilian marketing. Customer service was excellent until they fired Bob Ailes and his crew.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I have had no reliablity issues whatsoever. My "issues" basically consist of the fact that the magazines were hard to load the first few weeks. No problems at all.

[MTechnik]

The reliability issues are not that common. I think one reason is lack of accessories and holster selection. That and FN just isn't that good at civilian marketing. Customer service was excellent until they fired Bob Ailes and his crew.

They fired Bob?! He was awesome!

And yes, the lack holsters or sights doesn't help at all. It'd be great if hackathorn sights were available for the FNs...

[TriviaMonster]

I was really dead-set on getting an FNX-9 at the end of last/beginning of this year, but alas there literally no accessories out. I really liked the way it felt in hand, the reasonable price, and I thought it was an oddly good looking gun. I still may pick one up. I really like FN as well, but their ability to generate buzz in the military world as opposed to the civilian market is pretty lopsided. :shout:

I can't say that I blame them, but please FN, with all the neat-o rifles and subs you make, expand that handgun lineup! And I don't mean another variation of the FiveseveN, it's neat:rolleyes: but people want a proven service caliber pistol.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I am telling you, the factory sights are excellent (IMHO). What you need to do is buy one and send the slide to tool tech and have tritium installed up front. You will have a medium/big white dot with a tritium front and a black serrated rear. Ken would definitly approve.

[maximus83]

[snip]
but please FN, with all the neat-o rifles and subs you make, expand that handgun lineup! And I don't mean another variation of the FiveseveN, it's neat:rolleyes: but people want a proven service caliber pistol.

Doesn't the FN45 qualify? Whether you like it or not, it's a pretty impressive design.

http://www.fnhusa.com/le/products/firearms/model.asp?fid=FNF062&gid=FNG001&mid=FNM0173

[montanadave]

I am telling you, the factory sights are excellent (IMHO). What you need to do is buy one and send the slide to tool tech and have tritium installed up front. You will have a medium/big white dot with a tritium front and a black serrated rear. Ken would definitly approve.

Are you talking about a plain serrated rear sight w/ a tritium white dot front sight or a complete tritium three dot set?

[longball]

Mr. Bell,
Any updates in the last month? I have been looking hard at one of these but unfortunately the holster/accessory market doesn't seem to be improving. Does anybody know of a quality holster, especially an appendix rig, made for the FNX?

[crazymoose]

Mr. Bell,
Any updates in the last month? I have been looking hard at one of these but unfortunately the holster/accessory market doesn't seem to be improving. Does anybody know of a quality holster, especially an appendix rig, made for the FNX?

Not terribly hard to have a custom holster made, and not very expensive if you go kydex. There are tons of small makers out there who will literally mold a holster to whatever gun you can dream up.

[fun_gary]

Hey Greg. Sorry to revive an old thread, but im wondering what the fnx-9 round count is up to now and have you had any problems?

thansk!

DS

[azeriosu85]

any new updates? really interested in one of the few quality DA/SA pistols left on the market....

[Gary1911A1]

I've gotten interested in this thread too since I purchased a FNS9 and would now be interested in having a DA/SA version.

[azeriosu85]

no one?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Hey guys,

The FNX yet lives. I loaned/gave it to my brother in law when he had some uglyness at his house a while back. It has been remarkably difficulte to pry from his grubby paws.

[scooter079]

any new updates i love my fnx9 personally but would love to hear your round count

[Sam]

I didn't even know you were trying to break one of these too. I've lost track of all the guns you've been trying to break.

[aaron_c]

Glad to hear your FNX's are still going strong. It's a great shooting gun, even though I parted ways with mine long ago.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Retrieved the FNX from bro in law. 200 more rounds down the pipe. 4 years without any more lube ran great. Slight rust on slide rubbed off with thumb.

[Rohardi]

Greg, This is awesome. I remember the days of the break my P2000 from the HKPRO days. I just picked up a FNX tactical in 45. I hope I have the same luck with my FNX as you have had with yours. I however, will be cleaning mine...

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

The reason I went and got it back is that my only autoloader was a FNX tactical. I have a few k through it and I thought it would be smart to snag this gun back and shoot some much cheaper 9mm. I did clean and lube it though. It was dry as a bone.

[Sam]

The reason I went and got it back is that my only autoloader was a FNX tactical. I have a few k through it and I thought it would be smart to snag this gun back and shoot some much cheaper 9mm. I did clean and lube it though. It was dry as a bone.

What happened to the German sensation HK VP9?

You need to do a thread about "Project - Break my Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra" !

[azeriosu85]

are you gonna start back up on the torture?

[Kowalski]

If the torture resumes, I'll be interested to read future updates on it.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Sam. I sold the Vp9 out of boredom and a general lack of interest in 9mm. I have been shooting my J-frame and my FNX Tac .45 since Nov or so. But I remembered my FNX 9 was sitting over at my brother in laws so I figured I could at least get some cheap practice in on a gun that is practically identical (except for being 20 percent smaller).

I will continue to log my shooting, which should run 200-400 per week. The gun runs great, and the trigger is very nice.

[Sam]

Holy crap batman ! Say it ain't so. You sold off all your 1911s and other guns because you said the VP9 is IT, it was the VP and the J frame til Armageddon. That was back in September at the Langdon class. Maybe you need to dabble with a Beretta and see if you can break one.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Haha. I sold off ALL my guns to boil it down to one system. I had an hk45 which was my "doomsday" gun and the vp9 for plinking. At the time no one was making (in stock) suppressor sights so I switched to a 45 FNX tactical which was ready out of the box. The jframe always stays because it is my real carry gun. The vp9 is still the best of the 9mm striker guns. It just doesn't serve any purpose for me these days.

I do really like the berettas. Maybe one day

[CCK]

What happened to the German sensation HK VP9?

You need to do a thread about "Project - Break my Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra" !

thats not a hard thing to do.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

200 more rounds (50 friday, 150 today)

Lots of el presidente drills on my steel plates today. It is definitely a little speed demon. It is very easy to get up on the frame without any risk of riding the slide levers (which are protected by small shelves).

I aslo dropped in some HD sights. I was a little concerned that the drop safety spring was retained by the original rear sight (like the M&P). Trijicon, for some reason, decided to hollow out the bottom of the HD rear sight so it was hard to see if the sight would sufficiently tension the spring. It ran fine 200 rounds but it really seemed like a totally foreseeable issue. Maybe I missed something.

That aside, I really think the HD sights are the best thing going right now.

[samuse]

I think you did about the same thing I did.

If it ain't a carry pistol, it got sold. If it ain't a fully equipped AR with a light, sling, and optic, it got sold.

I don't need a pistol for anything but concealed carry. Any other purpose gets filled with an AR.

I used be a huge J frame guy. I carried one at 1:00 or in my boot until I tried a Glock 26 in the same places. The 26 carries more comfortably and more concealed in the same places the J frame did. A 19 carries just as well for me at 1:00, so the 26 almost never goes there.

Each Glock 19 also has an X300 or X300U for attaching if it does bed side duty anytime I'm someplace without an AR.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Everybody is different. I can see how a G26 could be made to work, but I can't see how, for me, it would actually be as and certainly not more comfortable than the J. I will say this, I never ankle carry. Frankly, I barely ever carry it on my belt either. Typically I just drop my J and holster in my pocket...and sometimes with no holster at all.

Beside the bed I actually have my .45 FNX with suppressor and light/laser combo. It is probably overkill but hey!

[Fordtough25]

I've really enjoyed catching up on this thread! I don't own an FNX but my best friend does and it's nice to see your thoughts and tests. I wouldn't mind a Beretta test down the road either, love me some 92 action! Well done Sir!

[Ed L.]

Haha. I sold off ALL my guns to boil it down to one system. I had an hk45 which was my "doomsday" gun and the vp9 for plinking. At the time no one was making (in stock) suppressor sights so I switched to a 45 FNX tactical which was ready out of the box. The jframe always stays because it is my real carry gun. The vp9 is still the best of the 9mm striker guns. It just doesn't serve any purpose for me these days.


Greg, you need to start a new thread titled "Keep This Gun."

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

LOL. I love trying out guns, what can I say? The j-frame is the only "perfect" gun so far.

[Rohardi]

Greg, do you have an RMR/red dot on the FNX 45?

[Ed L.]

Greg,

It's when we see all these "break my XYZ gun threads." Like the Wilson that you were in love with, put over 7k rounds through it (I don't remember the precise number), and then decide to sell it.

Unless there is some pressing financial need or legal limit on the number of guns you can own, a gun doesn't have to perfectly fill a need to keep. I can't see just having an FNX45/FNX9 and a Jframe, even if the Jframe was the gun I carried mainly due to size/dress constraints.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Different strokes Ed!

Rohardi,

I tried the RMR on the FNX, it was not for me on a pistol. For me, it is much faster to acquire the irons (can't teach an old dog). I also didn't like that it slightly obscured the front sight, making that harder too. I was also a little concerned about reports that the dot is a mess if the screen gets wet. However, once the dot was acquired it was fast as hell though. I ended up putting it on my Scar-17 as a backup to the main optic.

[Rohardi]

Thanks for the input on the RMR. Seems some people love them and some people just don't end up loving it on a pistol. I bought the pistol back in January and I ordered a RMR RM04 Dual Illuminated model from Trijicon in late February with their Instructor discount program. I'm still waiting for the RMR to ship. I want to see if I love the red dot or if it's not for me... I do think the OEM sights are the best and the fastest I have had on any pistol though, so I can see where one may be faster initially picking up the irons.

[jstalford]

Different strokes Ed!

Personally, I love your approach. I don't like things hanging around I don't need / use. Sometimes I get attached though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Another 150 down the pipe (100 "Perfecta" walmart specials and 50 Monarch). It was raining cats and dogs today so I shot all steel. This gun is a speed demon on steel. Combine the light trigger, very low recoil of 9mm and the big ass HD front sight and you can basically shoot as fast as you can pull the trigger and expect a solid ding.

This gun, and I presume the FNS, should be on people's radar. It runs as well as the HK with slightly inferior ergos (while still way better than Glock) but with much better slide lever setup. And it eats everything. Fantastic gun. Also, the finish on the gun is extremely tough. Usually by the time I get this far the gun looks far worse.

Here are some pics from tonight along with it's big sister, my beside the bed companion.


https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5347/17018197850_9879320c0c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rVQHjj) (https://flic.kr/p/rVQHjj) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/people/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7694/17179802346_4d48e49f01_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sb7YGJ)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/sb7YGJ) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/people/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

[Sam]

Without having to dig back through all your posts on the FNX, did you do anything to the hammer spring to lighten the DA trigger? All the FNX that I've handled at the NRA convention and SHOT show had very heavy DA pull. SA is ok.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Nah, It is all factory. I am usually a chicken about tinkering with that stuff unless it is a 1911.

The DA is heavyish. Better than HK, worse than SIG.

[Sam]

The DA is heavyish. Better than HK, worse than SIG.

That sounds about right. Don't be scared Greg, I'm sure it's just replacing a spring, if you can figure out how to remove the old spring. LOL

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I have always bet that the engineers involved in designing the gun probably knew better than "Ronnie's discount Springs and Bodybuilding supplements." or whoever usually rushes some springs out to "fix" these guns. Hell, even Magpul, who I presume tests stuff some (maybe) can ship out a zillion crappy mags by accident. I can't believe these little shops can really test them enough to really iron out all the potential bugs.

[Sam]

Where is the experiment spirit? How about a PROJECT: Break my reduced power hammer spring, thread

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I won't even put a Geissile in my scar.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

100 rounds Monarch, 100 Rounds Perfecta

Gun runs great. Added a new mag to the rotation. It is as stiff as the old ones but it broke in fast. I did a lot of shooting today with my X200 since I think it is important to test for reliability and "feel" when it comes to weapons mounted lights. My ol' X200 is still puttering along although at some point I lost a pin to the latch so I just put a part of a paperclip in it. I would send it back to surefire but I am sure they would just send me an X300 Ultra and I really don't want a super bright handgun light.

Ran it through a bunch of shooting on the move drills. I did manage to put the safety on by accident while reloading the gun, which is the first problem I have ever induced in the weapon. I was shooting on the move, dropped my mag, and when I slammed the mag in I actually put the safety on with my strong hand thumb when I braced for mag insertion. First time I have ever done that on a safety gun but it can happen!

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7706/17094922710_d764e37a9c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s3BWWJ)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/s3BWWJ) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/people/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

[Sam]

A friend bought a brand new FNS-9 (striker fired) for $450. I got to play with it a little yesterday, dry firing only. It feels good, although the trigger was on the heavy side, the gun have good balance in the hand.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I played with one of the FNS Compacts recently and it seemed pretty nice too. If I was in the market for a low-drama subcompact doublestack I would definitely take a look.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Another 400 rounds this week.

Trying to formalize my training a bit more now that it is warm again. Here was today's stuff...

1. Dot torture drills.
2. El Pres drills. (this is a great drill, pretty much everything gets some practice). Eats ammo though.
3. Hackathorn drills (for me this is bunch of shooting on the move stuff, forward, backwards, side to side.
4. Barricade drills. Here is a bunch of Vtac stuff. Shooting from a low position from low on one knee coming out from right and left. "Broke back mountain drills" Shooting from Supine position, etc.

The FNX is a beast. I may have an opportunity to go to a super dave Harrington class in a month or so I may be able to push about 2000 rounds through it in one weekend. That should be fun.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

600 more rounds down range. I have switched to steel case only. It doesn't care. Man that stuff sinks.

[C-grunt]

Ive always had my eye on those guns. How many rounds do you have through it now?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

~5-6k. I have about 4500 accounted here and a fair number I would need to look into my log to get. Not that many really. It sat in my brother in law's closet for years. It still looks fantastic with only the barrel hood showing any wear.

This gun has a lot going for it. It can be carried cocked and locked which is a BIG plus for an old 1911 guy like me. But it had a double action mode (which, being a J-frame guy is also no problem) so when I put it beside the bed at night I leave it hammer down, safety on (actually, I use my FNX .45 for beside the bed duty, but it works the same). Just a fantastic gun that has an extra margin of safety for every day handling.

But on top of that, it is more accurate than the M&P 9s I have owned (I would put it with Glocks, but not up to HK levels) while still having an extremely well-thought out layout (especially the slide release). If FN would have been able to co-ordinate with crimson trace for an integral laser I would say this guy was perfect.

If I was designing a gun, I would probably take this gun and put HK mag release on it and call it a day. That being said, the gun's slide release lever is so-well placed that I think it surpasses everything except for the 1911 and the old P7.

The FNX has a LOT to recommend it. The drawbacks (holsters (not a real problem) parts (more of a fantasy problem for most folks) are so minimal that the gun should be much more popular than it is.

[C-grunt]

Nice. Ive been wanting a DA/SA handgun lately and have mostly been looking at CZs, Sig 2022, and the Beretta 92FS. I had totally spaced the FN series. I remember really liking the ones Ive handled.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

500 more rounds down range yesterday and today.

My buddy and I went steel crazy setting up plates at 10 yards, 15 yards, 25 yards along with gongs at 50, 75 and 100 yards. We kept em' ringing. It is tempting to start close and work your way out because you tend to have your grip/sights squared away by the end of the circuit, but it is fun to start from the farthest and work your way closer---Sgt York style!!

Monarch is some real crap ammo. The double strike capability of a hammer gun really comes into its own on this one. My buddy was shooting his steyr striker gun and it was basically dead in the water until he cleared the chamber. Years of J-framing make pushing through a double action restrike no big deal.

This gun has never jammed. No feed way stoppages, no erratic ejection, no nothing. Just hammers away. Looking forward to running it through a Dave Harrington Course the first weekend of june. 2000 rounds of steel crap in two days should warm the heart.

https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7710/17475930104_34fb1914fc_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sChHaJ)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/sChHaJ) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

[Fordtough25]

Thanks for the updates, it's very informing and entertaining! I ran three magazines worth through my friends FNX-9 Sunday and it was flawless as usual, even managed to score a hit on steel at 100 yards myself. I'm not in the market for another full size 9mm but if I was I would look hard for one of these.

[Jondallas311]

I'm loving this thread. My bedside partner is also an FNX 45 Tac but I've got an RMR on it. I baby mine. Clean it religiously. Nice to know it can stand up to this kind of heavy use though. Keep it up!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I am going to give the gun a good scrubbing this week. Next weekend is a 2000 round Dave Harrington shooting class. After all this NASTY steel cased junk it deserves it.

The gun continues to purr along. My buddy was out shooting his CZ-75 SP01 and he told me to sell it to him when I flake out and sell it. LOL

Does anyone happen to know when you are supposed to swap out the recoil spring?

[Sam]

Next weekend is a 2000 round Dave Harrington shooting class.

Have fun. You're going to be worn out after 2000 rounds.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

You ain't kidding. Nothing like 2k rounds in the Americus sun.

[Gingerkid]

Super Dave!!! 2k rounds will be intense for sure.

Greg, have you gotten back into a 1911? Or was the CQB your last one? When do we get to see you break one?

Ross

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I don't have one...but I am eyeballing a cqb custom.

[Alpha-17]

I love this thread. I've seen some people poo-poo the FNX line without seeming to actually have any experience with it, so it's nice to see your real world experience with the FNX 9 has been overwhelmingly positive.

Disclaimer: I love my FNX 45.

[Sam]

I don't have one...but I am eyeballing a cqb custom.

Ross is selling his Dan Wesson Valor, maybe you can break it.

[Gingerkid]

I don't have one...but I am eyeballing a cqb custom.

Back to the CQB huh? Try a 9mm this time :-)

[Jacob1]

How did it like the 2,000 rounds?

[Sam]

Back to the CQB huh? Try a 9mm this time :-)

If he gets one, he'll sell it before Christmas .... to you . :jester:

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I didn't get to the class. I couldn't get there early enough so I just skipped. I have plugged an additional 500 rounds down range though.

Of note, yesterday my front sight shot loose. Which mean it probably would have flown off during the class. I peened it and put it back in.

Sam is the owner of my last 9mm 1911. He should know.

[Sam]

I didn't get to the class. I couldn't get there early enough so I just skipped. I have plugged an additional 500 rounds down range though.

Of note, yesterday my front sight shot loose. Which mean it probably would have flown off during the class. I peened it and put it back in.

Sam is the owner of my last 9mm 1911. He should know.

Yep, I got your last 9mm. I lovingly name it the "ugly pig", as the finish is coming off due to holster wear, mixed and match parts, etc. but the gun just keep shooting and running and running. I had John replace the factory thumb safety which was too wide and too sharp, with one of his own thumb safety:

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/RO1.jpg

Replaced the long ass factory trigger with his smooth short trigger:

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/RO3.jpg

and I installed an EGW angle bore barrel bushing, it does help tightened the groups a bit, I also painted the front sight orange because I couldn't see the black post. I love the gun.

[xm15]

Have you had any cold weather issues?

My FNX 45 Tactical gets tighter in the grip when cold. doesn't drop the mags so easy. I have to pull them out empty.
in the summer it drops them like it should.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Sam,

I actually bought that gun to compliment my CQB. The theory being I could shoot crappy steel, etc and practice malfunction drills. ONLY IT WOULD NEVER CHOKE. LOL. I guarantee if I had not bought it specifically for that reason it would have been an unreliable PITA.


XM,

Nah, my gun doesn't give me any trouble like that. I had a VTAC 9 that did that and it drove me (*&#*(# crazy.

[JaegerOne]

Greg,

How many rounds on the FNX-9 now and have you cleaned it yet?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

~7300. I cleaned it a few weeks ago before the class I was supposed to go to. I think that is why the sights came loose. LOL. The dirt was holding them on.

[Jacob1]

I'm buying one of these guns because of this thread.
p.s. I will clean mine... haha

[Sam]

Happy Birthday Greg. Hope you get to shoot a few rounds in this horrible heat wave :)

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Jacob,

You really can't go wrong. These guns are way under-appreciated. FN had a gem here and they need to figure out how to market it.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

300 more rounds down range in the last two weeks. 250 rounds Monarch Steel, 50 Rounds UMC 115
I did some comparison shooting today.

I shot my G19, FNX-9 and CZ-Sp-01. The Glock and the Fnx are basically the same gun. The CZ is a bit faster (tiny bit).

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/536/19219753886_b997b0e681_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vhoge1)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/vhoge1) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/356/19253754511_11b15602a3_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vkowqF)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/vkowqF) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/282/19189261355_25cac13382_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/veFYRH)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/veFYRH) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3829/18798630694_5d24194e13_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uDaTYj) (https://flic.kr/p/uDaTYj) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr





Here are some links.

FNX

https://youtu.be/u9kwXMNpWUc

FNX with Tac Light
https://youtu.be/yYwjSXw3sx4

Here is a G19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kRMd1lZBG0

And the CZ!
https://youtu.be/lqHvnLCaB_M


On a timer I was able to post .22 splits with the FNX and G19. But I got all the way to .21 with the CZ. Not my best shooting but it really looks like it is a wash (And I shot the CZ after I shot the other two).

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

FNX Keeps Chugging along. I took it out on Thursday, Friday and today (thank you Holiday weekend) I actually was supposed to shoot the stew out of it today but I forgot to bring...ammo. My buddy Dan brought 100 rounds of nasty Monarch which pushed me over the 8000 round mark. On Thursday and Friday I shot it alongside the Glock a little more. Both feel basically identical when shooting (and time out the same as well). Just for humor, I did a little "Limp-wrist" test for fun.

Here you go....

Glock Perfection...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAuHst-j6eI


FN engineering....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9zGztxS9No

Just messing around, not meant to represent anything world-shaking about either gun. I was able to get the Glock to limp wrist jam pretty easily. With the FNX even though I held it basically with only my trigger finger I still couldn't get it to choke. I am sure if I kept running the FNX I could do it eventually. I will say, despite practicing weak, strong, prone, broke-back prone, etc I can't get either gun to jam no matter how hard I try (other than artificial stuff like above).

I fixed the FN's front sight (which was not factory, but HD's installed by a local gun plumber) by peening it with a nail. I just flipped over the front sight and chucked it up in some rubber jaws on my vise. I took a nail and walked the crap out of it until the bottom surface of the sight looked like the moon. It was difficult to install afterward but I am confident it won't move again.

[artoter]

That's a lot of ammo. :eek:

[replacement]

thank you for your effort on the thread. I picked up a very slightly used (appears test fired only) FNX 9 for $450.00 out the door, complete with the extra magazines and all the packing material in the case. It is my first 9mm, promised myself I would stick to 45 cal. I have been very busy and only have a few rounds on paper and it seems to be a nice firearm. I may have paid too much but it was a spur of the moment thing and it looked like new. I am now looking at holster options.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Nah, that price is fine. People obsess too much over $30 here or there (at least I know I do). I know a guy would would drive 50 minutes across town to save $15 and then have to drive 50 minutes back. In a SUV.:jester:

Really a great gun. The FNX/FNS deserves to be the top selling combat autoloader at the prices I see them. They are, IMHO, better than all the plastic autoloaders within $100 of their price (and no worse than ones costing $3-400 more).

[replacement]

thanks, I agree with you on your position on trying to save a few dollars. I like it so far, I plan to use it in my "get home bag".

[Pappabear]

I've been tempted beyond reason and this thread is impressive data. My FNP 45 has been perfect.

[Eurodriver]

I like this thread. I like this gun.

But I don't like learning a new manual of arms. Safeties? Double Action? Scary stuff...

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

There is always the FNS!!

[jpmuscle]

I like this thread. I like this gun.

But I don't like learning a new manual of arms. Safeties? Double Action? Scary stuff...
If you decide to buy one I'll buy one of your gen2 19s lol, to help offset the cost.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Shot Friday and Today. 300 UMC today. Today my buddy Dan and I put up a crapload of steel up from 25 ft to 25 yards. We went nuts laying down the lead. Lots of:
draw drills (concealed and not),
El Pres,
Weak handed,
transition from rifle,
shooting on the move, etc. The FNX chugs on.

I also practiced laying down and shooting between my legs (always a bit scary no matter how careful). It is nice to practice this dry-fire while falling on your butt. This is a nice little drill for dealing with unarmed or knife wielding opponents w/in 21 feet.

Finally I practiced shooting weak and strong handed from a bench to simulate vehicle or shooting while finishing a sandwich. OPERATOR!

Dan brought out his FS2000 to meet up with its 9mm cousin. We spent some time shooting it at steel and I really wish FN would have kept developing that little gem. With a little slim-lining and a better trigger that would have been a winner.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3748/19646439991_fc61c5f170_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vW698Z)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/vW698Z) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

[Gary1911A1]

Glad you had a good day at the range. Yes, it's to bad FN didn't put more energy and time into this pistol, but everyone wants striker fired now.

[Fordtough25]

Thanks for the continued updates, I enjoy it greatly as does my friend with the FNX-9. I still enjoy a good DA/SA pistol, my flavor is in the Beretta 92A1 flavor but I enjoy shooting my friends FNX as well. The pistol is easy to hang onto with that aggressive pattern! Darn accurate too!

[GregP220]

Finally I practiced shooting weak and strong handed from a bench to simulate vehicle or shooting while finishing a sandwich. OPERATOR!


Kickass :cool:

[Toecheese]

Why the military didn't adopt the FNX 45T is beyond me.....15 round capacity, TB, RMR cutout. Mine just runs and runs, not one FFE, eats more crap than Rosie O'donnell. Oh well our loss is our gain!

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Taken the old bird out three more times since the last update. Shot my J-frame and Glock a little bit the last few weeks.

Today I ran my gun with a light the whole time for giggles. I did the usual stuff and I also practiced shooting one handed under a low barrier (a bench in this case, but I was imagining it as a car). I set up some barriers and worked out some bugs in my new redneck moving target system (cart with steel plate and pulley). I am going to see if I can automate it with a drill!


If my redneck automated moving target works I'll post it on youtube. I need a cheap and portable way to get moving, not swinging, targets. Basically, this is a cart with lawnmower wheels. It rolls pretty good but I need to be able to run it automatically. Ultimately I could motorize it but that kills the point---I am ghetto McGyvering this thing!

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/500/19412454954_6b7259e297_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vzpUxd)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/vzpUxd) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Hey guys,

Took the FNX out a few more times. I managed to get my first feed way jam . A buddy of mine owed me a box of ammo and he offered me either a box of monarch steel or a box of his shady reloads. I actually picked the reloads because he locks up his steyr and CZ with it quite a bit. Mine manage to get near the end of the box and one managed to get about halfway up the ramp but not quite. I tapped it in and it fired. I fired another 50 rounds of Monarch without anything else interesting.


Other than that I got my little moving target running today. I need to brace up the target stand on it a little more, but it rolls smoothly and quickly even on lumpy ground. After next week I will be incorporating laterally moving targets into all my range sessions. Much fun!

I noticed another thing. Monarch Steel ammo has extremely crappy/heavy primers. If you run it through a Glock you are going to be kicking out about every fifth round if you have standard springing. My buddies CZ with lightweight hammer had about the same ratio of light strikes but he was able to restrike them out. The Fnx gets them 1 in 50-100. Sure it is crappy ammo, but it is very nice to have a strong hammer to restrike the primer--this can be done quickly and the Monarch trains you to deal with it by being so crappy. I can see why the military has been so hesitant to change to strikers. That being said, I almost never get them with western ammo.

[Toecheese]

Awesome update Greg! I can only imagine those weak reloads in my FNX 45T and the stiff ass recoil spring. So far with PMC, PPU no issues!

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Well, I really assumed I had passed the 10,000 round mark but when I checked my book it turns out I have been shooting my Beretta and CZ too much. LOL

The gun continues to run great. It is my favorite all around combat pistol and I have a lot of cool guns right now.

The rear sight moved so I had to remove it and peen the sight. The construction of the HD sights for the FN are, in my opinion, deeply flawed. There is a hollowed out section under the rear sight which creates two problems (1) the drop safety spring has a little more depth than it was designed for, (2) there is less surface (big problem). I ended up using a nail to created more "biting area" for an interference fit (on top of peening the edges). This made the rear sight a serious bear to drive in, but hopefully it will stick. This is frustrating because I have to believe the folks at Trijicon know a bit more about designing sights than I do. None of this is FN's problem. This gun does get some very rough treatment, but I still think trijicon should address the issue.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5738/21388248869_fe9ae36128_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yA1nex)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/yA1nex) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr


Thus far the malfunction count remains at 1 from those dodgy reloads which were jamming every gun in sight.

[williejc]

Has the trigger pull improved as a result of extensive firing? How many magazines have been used during the tests?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

The trigger has smoothed up considerably. 4 mags have been used. None have been taken out of rotation.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

10200! 200 rounds Monarch Steel, 50 rounds UMC crap.

Passed the 10k mark (by the way, this surely happened a while back, because I have actually shot it a few times and forgotten to note it in my book).

Nothing of interest to note. I have changed no springs, or done any cleaning other than the occasional blast out with rem oil and brushing.

Best combat handgun I have owned.

[Sam]

Try lubing it with vegetable oil, I heard it's good. :)

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I might start. I am sure I have leukemia from using them oil all these years

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

A fun day of shooting in the rain. 250 rounds of monarch steel crapola ring a dingin' my steel plates.
50 rounds draw and fire at two targets in both directions.
30 Rounds Back and forth
120 Rounds Shooting on the move.
50 rounds goofing off shooting at plates, shooting from behind barricades, etc.

Usual, smooth operation.

However, the stupid HD rear sight is drifting...AGAIN. I guess I am going to remove it and fill the void under the sight with JB weld and try and create an interference fit. Just a stupid design. Why would they hollow it out so there was only a thin edge to bite into the slide? Ugh.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5673/21329611563_adeac7401d_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yuPQpv)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/yuPQpv) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

[Pappabear]

Thanks again for this thread. FN desperately needs more props to get the respect they deserve for this line of handguns. Great to see this 9 keep on chugging.

PB

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

700 rounds 600 Monarch Steel, 100 Monarch brass.

Gun keeps chugging along perfectly. Due for another cleaning, but I think I will put it off some more.


https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5776/22066755263_2db7f3b00e_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/zBXTxD)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/zBXTxD) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/605/22500181180_58063edcf5_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/AhgiYh)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/AhgiYh) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

[Auto-X Fil]

I put a box of ammo through an FN-X a couple days ago.

Controls are good - at first I was afraid I'd be sweeping the safety off and de-cocking accidentally, but it worked fine. I don't have any interest in a DA/SA gun - regular SA is fine by me. But, if it's got a safety like this (or H&K USP like the Tactical I was also shooting), then no harm, no foul.

The DA pull on the FNX is AWFUL. Totally un-shootable. The USP Tactical and a J-Frame Airweight had hugely better DA triggers. SA it's downright excellent.

Ergos were good and I hit stuff with it, which is always a plus.

I had no issues loading the mag to capacity.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

11650 (300 Monarch200 Wolf)

500 more rounds. 300 Monarch Steel, 200 rounds of CRAPPY wolf steel which chokes my Glock 19 and my M&P Compact. FNX just gobbled it up.

I peened the rear sight and reset it. We will see how long it lasts.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrbru6--O3M11825 150 Wolf/25 WWB

Decided to abuse the FNX for no particular reason.

I decided to throw it into a puddle 5-6 times because we are having Old Testament floods around here.

Here are picks after the first or second toss....

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1621/23465449874_f202e0efeb_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/BKyyHY)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/BKyyHY) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1672/24011100671_82793feec9_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/CzMaGk)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/CzMaGk) by stoiclawyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/52942291@N00/), on Flickr





After about 6 times, and right as I was running out of ammo it did have a failure to lock back on the last round.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3_vZEXqqPY

By the way, the 25 yard target is paper, the Dings are a steel plate at 75 yards...LIKE A BOSS!

I make no grand claims about this gun from this 100 round test. It was just fun to play in the water.

[Sam]

You are a wild man!

I hope you didn't throw that Beretta in the mud like that.

Happy New Year.

[GregP220]

I looked hard at these and the CZ P-07 and ended up getting the CZ (really like it) but I wouldn't be too shocked to find one of these following me home in 2016.

Nice to see aftermarket sight support for the FN pistols. That is one clear advantage they have over the CZs.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I understand. My CZ SP-01 is my favorite pistol right now. I have the safety model so my FNX is a decent practice gun for the CZ.

If I was equipping a military I would probably get FNX pistols. But that all-steel SP-01 is ridiculously easy to shoot fast. It is basically like a super high cap 9mm 1911.

[Kevin K]

New FNX followed me home today. Thanks for all the good information and hours logged testing yours. Not to mention the small fortune on ammo.

[jstalford]

This thread has my tempted as well, although I wish there were a factory threaded option.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dirknar]

First of all thank you for all the great pics, info and effort for this project.

I don't have a pistol at the moment. Desperately need a pistol! Been trying to decide on one for a few months. I've had a few brands in the past, glock/Sig/Springfield/Smith.

I think I want a fnx or fns. Really leaning towards the fns or a g19/23 of course...

I can't believe these aren't more popular pistols. And why didn't they just make one that was identical in size and width to the g19.. Haha

[Kevin K]

I don't know why, but when I was looking for my FNX9 I had a hard time finding one locally. The FNS was a lot more plentiful/popular. Any ideas why?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Everybody is all striker crazy these days. I am sure the FNS sells better. I personally like C&L carry and the reliability of a hammer gun. But The FNS seems nice also.

[Sam]

Like him or not, this is cool.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/jeb-fn.jpg

[RIDE]

Like him or not, this is cool.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/jeb-fn.jpg

Agreed. That is cool.


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