View Full Version : FN FNS
mike benedict
01-28-12, 17:09
I hit the range with my 9mm FNS today.
I like the ergonomics and the design, it seems well made just like you would expect.
I intended to shoot 300 rounds but I had to cut the testing off at 100 rounds.
No malfunctions at all and accuracy seemed fine, certainly on par with my Glocks and M&Ps
The pistol seems way over sprung as 124gr. ball at 1200fps only ejected 4-6 inches.
The 17 round mags are a bear to load. I could only get 12 rounds in the mag without a mag loader
The grip frame is very coarsely embossed, to the point that I had to stop shooting as it was blistering my hand. I have never had that happen before.
Before the next range trip the grip is getting sanded.
I am going to attempt to replace the recoil and mag springs. There is no sense in them being that heavy.
Alaskapopo
01-28-12, 18:14
I hit the range with my 9mm FNS today.
I like the ergonomics and the design, it seems well made just like you would expect.
I intended to shoot 300 rounds but I had to cut the testing off at 100 rounds.
No malfunctions at all and accuracy seemed fine, certainly on par with my Glocks and M&Ps
The pistol seems way over sprung as 124gr. ball at 1200fps only ejected 4-6 inches.
The 17 round mags are a bear to load. I could only get 12 rounds in the mag without a mag loader
The grip frame is very coarsely embossed, to the point that I had to stop shooting as it was blistering my hand. I have never had that happen before.
Before the next range trip the grip is getting sanded.
I am going to attempt to replace the recoil and mag springs. There is no sense in them being that heavy.
Can you compare the trigger to a Glock's in particular rest distance. Also does it sit as low in the hand as a Glock or is it higher up like a PPQ? This seems like an interesting pistol.
Pat
mikebenedict
01-28-12, 18:43
The trigger is 7.5 pounds more like a M&P than a Glock
Bore axis is very low
Recoil is straight back with little muzzle rise
FChen17213
01-28-12, 21:00
Here's my take on this pistol. You all may not agree, but here goes. The trigger is not Glock-like. It is much heavier unless you are using a Glock NY trigger. The trigger's reset is also much weaker going back forward than a Glock's. It sort of feels like it's weakly flowing forward if that makes sense. Once it does reset however, it is crisp and positive much like a Glock. I do like this.
This pistol has more felt recoil than a Glock 17 in my opinion. The texture is relatively aggressive. My hands weren't rubbed raw, but I definitely could feel it after 200 rounds. This isn't a big deal in my opinion. The gun definitely feels thicker than a Glock, and the webbing of my hand didn't feel all that comfortable at the end of shooting.....kind of felt like holding a block.
The gun points very well and naturally....like a 1911. I used the straight backstrap. The axis of the boreline is low which is good. The stock sights are ok....night sights with a larger dot on the front sight. Can't complain for a stock gun.
The barrel seems a bit thin, as with the FNP and FNX 9mm pistols, but I don't really see it as a problem. I never shot it from a rest, but did shoot it off hand at 25 yards at 5.5" bulls. The gun shot pretty well...grouping about the same as a Glock 17....at least for me. I do sense that more accuracy can be extracted from the FNS though since it was the first time I shot it, and I really did not like the heavy trigger. Nonetheless 10 round groups at 25 yds came in about 3-4" or so with a flier. I am pretty sure the gun can probably do better and that it's mainly shooter error.
The gun feels very high quality overall....at least that's my subjective feeling. I think I like it slightly better than the M&P and less than the Glock. Although it's a good gun, I don't see this pistol converting masses away from the Glock or M&P. It's just another option out there. Oh yeah....reliability. Only 200 rounds so there's not much data, but I didn't have any problems whatsoever. Everything fire, extracted, and ejected fine.
In short,
Pros: low axis of boreline, decent sights, accurate, positive reset, aggressive texturing, good pointability
Cons: heavy trigger, weird weak resetting when trigger going forward, thicker feeling grip
This is just my take on the new pistol. YMMV
BTW: I completely ignored the thumb safety. It's just not needed on a striker fired gun.
mike benedict
01-31-12, 09:54
I polished the sear last night on the FNS and now it has a more manageable 5 3/4lb. trigger pull
Here's my take on this pistol. You all may not agree, but here goes.
<snip (read up) snip>
Pros: low axis of boreline, decent sights, accurate, positive reset, aggressive texturing, good pointability
Cons: heavy trigger, weird weak resetting when trigger going forward, thicker feeling grip
This is just my take on the new pistol. YMMV
Well! This contradicts what the bloggers have to say. They seem to be united in the impression that the trigger is better than a Glock, and that it is slimmer to boot!
The frame feel is subjective I guess, but maybe you should try dryfiring other FNS'es at the shop to make sure you didn't have bad luck with yours?
FChen17213
02-02-12, 02:25
I got mine as one of the newest ones to hit the market so I ordered it online, but I can pretty much guarantee you that everyone I've talked to feels that the trigger is heavier than a Glock's. Overall, most everyone who has fired the pistol that I've spoken with agrees with me with regard to both the trigger and grip. It just feels very very squarish. It's not a big deal, but you certainly certainly notice it after a longer range session. I can definitely see how it could become uncomfortable after a pistol class requiring 1000s of rounds.
With regard to the trigger, the reset is a very positive click just like a Glock's but the force of the trigger moving back forward feels very weak...just something that I'm sure one will have to get used to. If this gun had a lighter trigger (which I'm sure it can be tuned), I could see it offering something more than a Glock or M&P does.
With the 9mm M&P having accuracy issues and the Gen4 Glock problems (and later Gen3), the market could certainly welcome a new competitor. Like I said earlier, subjectively I could feel that the accuracy potential of this pistol is pretty darn good....definitely better than the M&P's that have accuracy issues. Nonetheless, IMHO I do not see FN taking a huge share of the LEO market away from Glock and S&W. I'm guessing it'll wind up as a Walther PPQ....one of the newer guns with good things about it, but probably won't get as ubiquitous as the Glock or S&W. It's sort of like getting a SCAR in terms of carbines....a few neat things and interesting features, but has drawbacks and doesn't really offer much over a good M4. Only time will tell.
Hm, alright. People gush so much about this gun I'm kinda won over already. :p I really want to give one a try before I sell my soul to Glock.
I'm concerned about magazine prices, people say they're high.
DoctorTran
02-02-12, 02:57
He the guys at my local gunstore has an FNP-45 Tactical. I like how it fits in my hand, but I can see how it could cause some blistering after prolonged shooting. I'm interested in knowing how it goes once you've sanded it down a bit.
He the guys at my local gunstore has an FNS-45 Tactical. I like how it fits in my hand, but I can see how it could cause some blistering after prolonged shooting. I'm interested in knowing how it goes once you've sanded it down a bit.
There is no such beast (for now) as an FNS-45. You probably saw an FNP-45 which is DA/SA.
Voodoo_Man
02-02-12, 07:47
Thank you for the mini-review.
I am very patently waiting mine to come in. A few guys I shoot with went to shot and test drove the FNS9, saying it is VERY nice and well worth a shot to see if it will replace the glock 19/17 everyone carries/trains with. The only complaint they all had was the long-distance travel of the trigger.
DoctorTran
02-02-12, 12:27
There is no such beast (for now) as an FNS-45. You probably saw an FNP-45 which is DA/SA.
That's what it was. My bad. I couldn't tell on the product page, just went by look, and ran with it.
I hear that Dave Sevigny will be shooting the new striker fired FNH variant. You should get that version and then compare it to the glock or M&P. It looks very similar to the M&P.
I hear that Dave Sevigny will be shooting the new striker fired FNH variant. You should get that version and then compare it to the glock or M&P. It looks very similar to the M&P.
That's what the FNS is.;)
He the guys at my local gunstore has an FNS-45 Tactical.
http://www.primeaffiliate.com/track/images/22.gif
He the guys at my local gunstore has an FNS-45 Tactical.
http://www.primeaffiliate.com/track/images/22.gif
No, they don't. If they do then FN would very much like to know about it as they haven't made one.
Voodoo_Man
02-16-12, 17:26
Just got mine in, took it apart, cleaned it real nice and going to run 500rnds through it tomorrow morning.
The gun is VERY similar to the M&P and Glock. The ambi-features are awesome and the gun feels great in my hand.
I have read complaints online about the trigger, dry-firing the gun the trigger felt like the butter that is my 3.5lb Glock trigger, even though I know its more lb than that.
Will post report tomorrow.
Just got mine in, took it apart, cleaned it real nice and going to run 500rnds through it tomorrow morning.
The gun is VERY similar to the M&P and Glock. The ambi-features are awesome and the gun feels great in my hand.
I have read complaints online about the trigger, dry-firing the gun the trigger felt like the butter that is my 3.5lb Glock trigger, even though I know its more lb than that.
Will post report tomorrow.
Looking forward to your range report, this is definitely on my short list of guns that I want.
Yes, please keep us updated. I am also taking a hard look at this pistol.
Strange
Voodoo_Man
02-17-12, 11:59
Not going to start another thread, even though I probably should, one is enough.
Reason for purchase:
I bought the FNS-9 specifically because I had an FNP-45 Tactical and it is a great gun, the only complaint was the external hammer (my opinion). This gun "bridges" the gap between the external hammer FN pistols and what I carry off duty currently, G4 G19.
Out of the box observations:
When I first took it out of the box and did some dry fire I could quickly see why the gun is going to be very popular. Very comfortable grip, follows my natural line of sight to the target. The trigger was crisp, but the reset length (compared to my G19) was instantly noticeable.
At the range, first 50 rounds:
I wanted to figure out how this gun shoots before I started with any type of serious drills with it, I shot my G19 right next to it to be able to see the difference between the two. My instant observation was that you needed to be on the bottom half of the trigger. The gun has a trigger "safety" like the Glock does, but it cannot be defeated by only pulling the top of the trigger (like I do with my G19 - finger is usually at the top of the trigger, makes for a cleaner pull). You can see by these pictures what I am talking about. The top of the trigger will not move until the bottom is engaged.
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_11_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_18_fhdr.jpg
Once I got to shooting a few rounds I quickly understood the trigger reset was going to be annoying. (Since my G19 has a much shorter reset) Once you fire off the round you almost have to let the trigger go 3/4 of the way back for it to re-engage. Unlike on the Glock where the distance is probably half that, if not more. The trigger itself is nice, but getting to know the "sweet spot" will take a lot more shooting.
Sights:
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/sight3_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/sight4_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/sight2_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/sight1_fhdr.jpg
As you can see this FNS-9 came with Trijicon night sights. Pretty much same sights I have on my duty gun (G21) so it was easy to use. The biggest and most obvious difference between the G19 is the way you use the sights. With the G19 the sights align, equal height, equal light and you hit right on the top of the sight (like slicing a target in half). With the FNS-9 you have to aim dead center of the circle. I was hotting all low at first, and I wondered why, because I was aiming it like a Glock. I raised my sights and magic! Tight groups all the way out to 25y (once I got the trigger pull down).
Physical comparison to the G19:
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_08_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_07_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_06_fhdr.jpg
I put the thinner back-plate on the FNS-9 and it was still slightly less comfortable than the G19. (Maybe I am just too used to shooting the Glocks?) They are about the same size with the FNS9 being slightly thinner profile and more capacity (17+1). Obvious differences include the ambidextrous controls on the FNS-9 and "ease of use" of those controls. The FNS-9 has big robust controls and it can be manipulated one handed, either hand without issue. I did a string of fire, loading and reloading, other strong hand and it was very easy - even engaging the safety.
Safety:
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_16_fhdr.jpg
It is very easy to engage and disengage. Part of your natural draw stroke (getting a master grip) is you placing your thumb right by the safety so a few reps of it and no issue at all disengaging or re-engaging the safety, with either hand. The "red" of the safety off position is pretty easy to see. This gun has a two part "safety" system concerning the "red" color.
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_02_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_03_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_04_fhdr.jpg
Look at the extractor, you will see a hint of "red" which means the gun is loaded. (With a snap cap for picture purposes) A little added feature you do not normally see (on Glocks anyway).
Capacity:
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_14_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/fns9_13_fhdr.jpg
The FNS-9 came with 3 17rnd metallic magazines with a flat end plate. They load easy, drop free without issue and clean easy. The gun felt about the same as my G19 (with trl1-s + 15+1rnds). I do not know if I was just unaccustomed to it or what, I did not have a digital scale to actually see the difference (maybe a different day).
Internals:
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/int5_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/int4_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/int3_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/int2_fhdr.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/shevon_vspec/2012/021712_fns9/int_fhdr.jpg
As you can see by the pictures the internals greatly mimic the Glock and M&P pistols. The gun comes apart the same as a Glock for the most part (I am a Glock armorer, so I did not just butcher the gun trying to take it apart). Easy to clean on the inside, one part that stood out to me right away was the rear slide attachment points on the lower half. In the first picture you can see the ejector pin and it looks like it is connected to the entire rear slide attachment point.
Ammo?
Absolutely ZERO issues, malfunctions or otherwise. I fired 147gr federal's, WPA/Wolf 9mm, even shot some RUAG Ammotec zinc 9mm's through it. No issues. The 147gr federal's performed the best out of the group (better than the critical defense) since I had the tightest groups at 15y, the RUAG junk was all over the place, especially at 25y.
Overall impressions:
Pros:
Capacity
Size
Natural aim
Cons:
Trigger
Sights (sorta)
Parts?
At the end of my quick trip to the range I decided to do some double/triple taps with it, since my G19 is fairly easy to use in this regard. This FNS-9 needs getting used to. The trigger is just so damn long on the reset I found myself engaging the trigger before it fully reset. While this is not a "bad" thing per say, it is definitely a training issue which will correct itself through more shooting. I will not modify the gun as of yet, unless someone releases some sort of "shorter trigger pull/reset" for it (which is doubtful).
My recommendation is if you want a very nice range gun this should be high on your list. Very fun to shoot and something that offers a different type of shooting than your standard Glock or 1911. I will probably take this gun to a training class or two for pistol work and see how it holds up (later in the summer). I will however not be carrying this gun off-duty, the trigger does not give me the confidence I have in my G19 and the sights need to be changed or I need to train myself to get used to them.
If I missed anything just post and I will answer.
Voodoo_Man
02-18-12, 22:49
...no comments?
My recommendation is if you want a very nice range gun this should be high on your list. Very fun to shoot and something that offers a different type of shooting than your standard Glock or 1911. I will probably take this gun to a training class or two for pistol work and see how it holds up (later in the summer). I will however not be carrying this gun off-duty, the trigger does not give me the confidence I have in my G19 and the sights need to be changed or I need to train myself to get used to them.
Makes me rethink my need for one, might try a FNX instead just for something different.
Voodoo_Man, thanks for taking the time to write up a detailed review of this. How was the ejection on your rounds - was it sort of odd as another posted mentioned or might that have been something unique to his gun? Also, how was magazine retention? Something I noticed while deciding between the FNP and the FNX was that the FNX magazines seemed a bit "looser" in the magwell compared to the FNP's, which didn't sit well with me. I know the FNS magazines aren't compatible with either of it's precursors so I'm curious to know what, if anything, they changed in regards to the mag catch.
Oh, and I have to wonder whether or not adding a Hogue slip-on grip would alleviate the texture issues people are complaining about. One of the biggest things that made me ultimately choose the FNP over the FNX when I bought it was that the FNX's grip texture felt like it was just going to chew through my hands over time. Seems like the easiest solution to the problem would be just to cover it up rather than modify the grip itself.
Thank you for the detailed review. One question though. If you dont already have a working Glock, and were afraid to purchase a new one due to the recent problems, would this be a viable alternative?
I lied, two more questions. It's hard to tell from pictures, but based on your experience and striping the pistol, do you feel the design and internal components are robust and simple enough to allow end-user servicing? And how do you feel the gun will hold up if used on duty?
Sights can be changed or learned, and if I am understanding you correctly the trigger isn't bad, it's just not a Glock.
Strange
Voodoo_Man
02-19-12, 09:39
Makes me rethink my need for one, might try a FNX instead just for something different.
I had an FN 45 Tactical. The trigger was your standard DA/SA setup. The SA is pretty crisp and clean, the DA is probably worse than the FNS-9 in terms of length of pull. So it depends on what you really want. Again I am comparing it to my G19 w/ 3.5lb trigger, but even my duty G21 w/NY1 trigger has a better reset, I would not say it has a better trigger break than the FNS-9, however.
Voodoo_Man, thanks for taking the time to write up a detailed review of this. How was the ejection on your rounds - was it sort of odd as another posted mentioned or might that have been something unique to his gun? Also, how was magazine retention? Something I noticed while deciding between the FNP and the FNX was that the FNX magazines seemed a bit "looser" in the magwell compared to the FNP's, which didn't sit well with me. I know the FNS magazines aren't compatible with either of it's precursors so I'm curious to know what, if anything, they changed in regards to the mag catch.
Oh, and I have to wonder whether or not adding a Hogue slip-on grip would alleviate the texture issues people are complaining about. One of the biggest things that made me ultimately choose the FNP over the FNX when I bought it was that the FNX's grip texture felt like it was just going to chew through my hands over time. Seems like the easiest solution to the problem would be just to cover it up rather than modify the grip itself.
Ejection of the rounds was constant at all times to my right and towards the rear, it was no where near my face/body. I am going back to the range today so I will grab some video of the ejection.
The magazine wobbles around more than on a Glock (which does not have any wobble, at least mine do not). Once fully loaded they barely wobble. Now none of this really matters if you do not take your hand on the end plate of the mag and wobble it around - it is not noticeable at all. The mags are completely metal, except for the end-plate. I will snap some detailed shots of the mags later on and post them up for inspection.
I had a Sig P290 when it came out. I could not fire more than 50rnds through it without wearing gloves because it would eat my hand apart, ripping skin. This gun is absolutely no where near this. It is very similar to the Glock pattern and as such it does not hurt and is very comfortable to shoot. Then again I never understood the reason people complained about the RTF2 or any of that.
Thank you for the detailed review. One question though. If you dont already have a working Glock, and were afraid to purchase a new one due to the recent problems, would this be a viable alternative?
I lied, two more questions. It's hard to tell from pictures, but based on your experience and striping the pistol, do you feel the design and internal components are robust and simple enough to allow end-user servicing? And how do you feel the gun will hold up if used on duty?
Sights can be changed or learned, and if I am understanding you correctly the trigger isn't bad, it's just not a Glock.
Strange
Why would you be afraid to purchase a Glock? Everyone said the G4 G19's where having issues - mine has none, 2500+ rounds later. My G4 G21 also runs flawlessly. You could probably pick up a G3 G19 if you were so inclined, but again, do not be afraid to purchase a Glock. I would not purchase this FNS-9 if I wanted anything besides a fun/range gun, my opinion of course. For self-defense this gun is just not up to par with a standard Glock 19 or 17 of the last two generations. Now I may change my mind as I have not put 1500+ rounds into the gun. In my opinion this is a great training gun since it offers ambi-controls and ease of use.
All guns fail, this is a sad part of our hobby. The trick is to have a gun which will fail less often and to catch the problems before any of them arise to the level of issues - especially for "duty" use. I put 1500rnds through my G19 and G21 before I carried them. Those are 1500rnds of no issues, no cleaning, no maintenance. The internals are pretty simple but I would wait to do any sort of internal work on it until it has an actual problem. I did not read the manual but I assume it says if you mess with it the warranty may be void. I have a been a Glock Armorer for a while now and this gun comes apart very similarly as the Glocks. The few things that stood out to me right away was the rear slide internal rail on the lower. The one I showed to have a "built in" ejector. The more I look at it the more it looks like plastic. Now I know may be wrong and it may be metal but it sure feels like plastic. The striker spring is retained by a plastic piece and its also red. I do not know the reason for making it red, not that it matters, just another piece that is changed from the simplicity of the Glock. The real test will be when it has 2500+ rnds through it of no issues then we will see how it shoots, feels and holds up to real "drills."
I understand the sights can be changed, and I will learn them, it is all training, as all things. The trigger is not "bad" but a few guys I know went to SHOT and fired off the FNS-9 there and they all said that trigger is butter. This trigger is not butter.
Does it have a magazine disconnect?(Will it fire without a mag inserted)
Does it have a magazine disconnect?(Will it fire without a mag inserted)
No(yes);)
I would not purchase this FNS-9 if I wanted anything besides a fun/range gun, my opinion of course. For self-defense this gun is just not up to par with a standard Glock 19 or 17 of the last two generations. Now I may change my mind as I have not put 1500+ rounds into the gun. In my opinion this is a great training gun since it offers ambi-controls and ease of use.
After a fairly glowing report this statement took me a little by surprise. What makes you think it is not up to Glock standards. After the Gen4 fiasco I would say that Glock has lost a little luster on their excellent reliabiltiy rating. If you have problems with the reset on the FN for God's sake don't latch onto a HK:smile:.
Haven't been able to get mine out yet but after being an early adopter of the M&P and never being plagued with any of the assorted issues of the platform (other than broken strikers) I am feeling lucky. Don't know if the FNS will pan out or not but I can always go back to a P30.
Voodoo_Man
02-20-12, 07:52
After a fairly glowing report this statement took me a little by surprise. What makes you think it is not up to Glock standards. After the Gen4 fiasco I would say that Glock has lost a little luster on their excellent reliabiltiy rating. If you have problems with the reset on the FN for God's sake don't latch onto a HK:smile:.
Haven't been able to get mine out yet but after being an early adopter of the M&P and never being plagued with any of the assorted issues of the platform (other than broken strikers) I am feeling lucky. Don't know if the FNS will pan out or not but I can always go back to a P30.
While I have read many people complain about Gen4 problems, I have never experienced them (I have two Gen4's), I also have many friends and coworkers that have Gen4 and none of them have had any issues at all. Each Gen4 I have come across does what a Glock is supposed to do, eat any ammo and burn holes. It is my opinion people tend to bitch a little too much - eg; the RTF/2 is too "aggressive" or some such. I do not like HK pistols, a topic for a different thread.
I was never a fan of M&P series. The grip just felt weird and never "fit" me as well as other pistols.
I honestly expected this FNS-9 to be like the FN 45 Tactical I had. That gun was VERY easy to shoot and dead accurate, no issues. This gun is all over the place. I ran a 200-drill yesterday with it and scored under a 100, which is absolutely pathetic since I score in the 175+ range with my G19, and was hitting the 180's with the FN 45 Tactical. Maybe I just need to get out to the range with it and burn a thousand rounds in one sitting to really get the feel for the gun. Hell maybe it will work itself out and the trigger will be smooth like butter afterwards. The reset is an issue. Rapid fire is not something easy to obtain with any sort of consistency. The pistol requires heavy modification in order to have a crispy trigger, which I am not willing to do at this point.
Voodoo_Man
02-20-12, 07:59
Just to answer the question about the ejecting of rounds. It was a constantly ejection to the 3-4 o'clock area. I shot 20 rounds standing in one spot and there was a nice clump of them about 4-5 feet away from me slightly to the rear.
I was very impressed and almost won one in the FN speed shoot at the 3gun Nation Finals in Vegas..... I was top 10 shooter but they gave them away to every 10th place... Bastard lol.
I shoot M&P's way better than I ever did Glocks, they just fit me better, and the FNS shot as good if not better than my M&P9 and 40.
But that's just my opinion.
Cant wait for more people to pick these up
It continues to amaze me that in this day/age companies care little about the most important part of a gun.. the trigger. A good looking gun with a crap trigger will never sell with the internet, maybe in the old days when it took word of mouth to get the word out, but not now. You should not need to do any modification to get a good trigger out of the box. Maybe Glock just got it too right too soon. It's not a Les Baer 1911 trigger, but the best striker fire, short reset trigger around. I have other complaints with Glocks (mostly cosmetic) but not with the triggers.
I just ran my FNS through a two classes (a single day pistol course and a retention course) I'm guessing I have 500 rounds through the gun to date (110 at the range two days after I took possession of it and the rest at those classes.) I normally shoot M&Ps for reference. I ran it ungloved for the most part so I noticed the grip texture a good bit. I am turned off by the size of the controls more than anything else. Trigger compared to my stock M&Ps was different, but I found the grip angle fit me more than M&P did and it pointed naturally. I also found myself more accurate with the FNS. Of course I could and probably do have an 'average' to slightly below average 9mm FS, hard to tell have never shot it from a rest.
Overall I like the gun but am more worried about parts support overall (looking at FNH as a whole.) Mine is for range duty but am going to concentrate on M&Ps for more serious social work.
http://gunnuts.net/2012/02/29/dave-sevigny-practicing-with-the-fns-9/
Per FN there will be no model without the safety.:confused:
Good morning Stephen,
We will not be releasing an FNS to the commercial market without the safety. We have designed this gun with a small safety lever for this purpose.
Thank you for your interest in FN. We wish you the best of luck on the firing line.
Sincerely,
Tes Salb
Marketing & Communications Manager
FNH USA, LLC
McLean VA 22102
Office: 703.288.3500 x125 | Mobile: 703.307.6451 | Fax: 703.288.4507
www.fnhusa.com
brushy bill
03-21-12, 21:30
Great review.
Couple of questions:
You said, "one I showed to have a "built in" ejector. The more I look at it the more it looks like plastic. Now I know may be wrong and it may be metal but it sure feels like plastic. The striker spring is retained by a plastic piece and its also red".
Have you determined if the ejector is plastic? From the pictures, it looks like the locking block serves as the front slide rail and is removable as is the rear combination slide rail/ejector...is this correct? Might make life easier if one broke a frame rail if so.
Which is the red plastic piece that retains the striker...couldn't tell from the photos.
Thanks and great review.
brushy bill
03-21-12, 21:32
Per FN there will be no model without the safety.:confused:
Incorrect. The latest OMB Guns catalog (received today) shows them available with and without the safety.
Incorrect. The latest OMB Guns catalog (received today) shows them available with and without the safety.
FN has told multiple people that the non-safety model WILL NOT be available to anybody but law enforcement. They might show it, but FN isn't planning on selling it.;)
FN has told multiple people that the non-safety model WILL NOT be available to anybody but law enforcement. They might show it, but FN isn't planning on selling it.;)
Give it a year, they'll change their mind after they see sales expectations fall drastically short.
IMO...
the sights are not that great, so not having no cheaper non-night sight option is a mistake.
The reset is weak in force, but distinct. They need to upgrade the spring to make it stronger.
The magazine release being a push-button and ambi is a failure point. Lots of people experienced this with XD's as shit eventually hits it from the outside and you loose your mag. The size on the FNS is asking for the same problem, rumor is they know that though and may already be addressing it.
The take down lever is EXACTLY where I want my thumb to be, so that was a buzz kill when I handled it. That DQ's it for my own use.
The safety is needless and the market largely doesn't want it. Ask S&W if they sell more M&P's with ambi safeties or without... the answer is obvious. FN is out of their mind to try and force the customer to buy it.
Overall, I was excited for this gun, but it falls short in too many respects for me to consider it. I'd still look at HK's as the only viable alternative to Glocks right now, in polymer framed 9mm hi caps.
If FN chooses to ignore these points, I don't think it will be a legitimate threat to the M&P's or Glock's.
Give it a year, they'll change their mind after they see sales expectations fall drastically short.
IMO...
the sights are not that great, so not having no cheaper non-night sight option is a mistake.
The reset is weak in force, but distinct. They need to upgrade the spring to make it stronger.
The magazine release being a push-button and ambi is a failure point. Lots of people experienced this with XD's as shit eventually hits it from the outside and you loose your mag. The size on the FNS is asking for the same problem, rumor is they know that though and may already be addressing it.
The take down lever is EXACTLY where I want my thumb to be, so that was a buzz kill when I handled it. That DQ's it for my own use.
The safety is needless and the market largely doesn't want it. Ask S&W if they sell more M&P's with ambi safeties or without... the answer is obvious. FN is out of their mind to try and force the customer to buy it.
Overall, I was excited for this gun, but it falls short in too many respects for me to consider it. I'd still look at HK's as the only viable alternative to Glocks right now, in polymer framed 9mm hi caps.
If FN chooses to ignore these points, I don't think it will be a legitimate threat to the M&P's or Glock's.
Spot on with your observations. I'm sure it will come out without the safety just not in the time frame that most(I) want.
I'd love to see a non-night sight model with 2 mags for $500. Seems like they could since LEO's get can an FNS for $400 on OMB Guns.;)
SpookyPistolero
03-22-12, 11:17
I'd still look at HK's as the only viable alternative to Glocks right now, in polymer framed 9mm hi caps.
You don't think the Walther PPQ is proving itself to be a contender?
You don't think the Walther PPQ is proving itself to be a contender?
I'd still look at HK's as the only viable alternative to Glocks right now, in polymer framed 9mm hi caps.
I'd look at the PPQ, M&P, Caracal(once importation gets sorted out) as viable alternatives to Glock way before HK. Don't get me wrong HK's are good guns, but if Walther can sell the PPQ for $500-ish, there is no reason for HK to be $300+ more.
You don't think the Walther PPQ is proving itself to be a contender?
I have zero experience with it. So, I dunno. Would be great if it turned out to be good.
Sorry, should have said that, just didn't think of it.
I'm skeptical, but hopefully walther/s&w doesn't screw this one up.
FChen17213
03-22-12, 12:17
The trigger reset spring is especially troublesome in my opinion. It's just way way too soft. I don't think I've talked to anyone who likes the safety. I just leave it off and ignore it. Why would FN only sell the non-safety version to LEO? That doesn't make any sense. Although I haven't had any problems with it, does anyone else feel that the way the magazine is held in place doesn't seem all that robust? Anyone else feel that the old traditional notch cut in the side of the magazine like on an FNP was a better design?
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