FNH FNS9 Two Weeks and 2,265 rounds

[GJM]

GJM, do you have a 4 inch or 5 inch barrel?

Four inch .40, but I am fix'in to get a five inch 9.

[Kyle Reese]

Four inch .40, but I am fix'in to get a five inch 9.

Given your druthers, which handgun would you pick up right now and trudge off into the Alaskan hinterland with?

FNS

VP 9

[GJM]

Given your druthers, which handgun would you pick up right now and trudge off into the Alaskan hinterland with?

FNS

VP 9

Really not a fair question, since the FNS is .40, and I don't carry a 9 in the field in AK. Leaving caliber aside, I much prefer the FNS to the VP9 in the following areas:

1) I like the FNS trigger better. It breaks quite forward which agrees with my finger, has a trigger face that is very easy to finish flat with, and gives me feedback as to when it is going to break.

2) hands down, the FNS is easier to reload.

3) I prefer the FNS grip shape and texture during live fire (as opposed to dry firing).

4) my FNS is more accurate in my hands than the VP9.

5) I can get higher on the FNS and like the small beavertail on the FNS.

6) I prefer the FNS slide feel to either the wings or serrations on the VP9.

Here is my overall short list now.

Best pure game gun -- CZ SP 01 Shadow, tuned by Mink or equivalent.

Best combo field, carry, game TDA -- Beretta 92A1 as tuned by Wilson or equivalent 92.

Best metal TDA carry gun -- Beretta Centurion/CZ P01.

Best polymer TDA carry gun -- P07.

Best striker -- FNS.

Best clunkers -- P229R DAK .357 Sig or HK USP C LEM .45.

Best gun for blondes -- Glock.

[BJJ]

Any idea what a five inch barrel would do for ballistics as compared to the 4 inch, in .40? I remember Givens posting some pretty stout numbers for velocity out of his Glock 35.

[GJM]

Any idea what a five inch barrel would do for ballistics as compared to the 4 inch, in .40? I remember Givens posting some pretty stout numbers for velocity out of his Glock 35.

Don't know, but even with the 35 being a smidge longer, the five inch FNS .40 should be faster than the four inch. I am thinking that the five inch FNS .40, shooting 200 grain hard cast, should be darn close to 10mm here in Alaska. I just shot another box of DT 200 hard cast thru the four inch tonight, without any problems. Part of that, was holding the pistol lightly, with just a few fingers in one hand, trying to make it choke. I need to get some more to test before I am comfortable, but this could do what I was trying to accomplish with the G22 and KKM barrel last summer, until that didn't pan out in reliability. To date, not a single stoppage in the FNS, north of 500 rounds.

[Chuck Haggard]

When we had issues with the G22s here it was due to excessive slide velocity. Many of the guns would work when "limp wristed" on purpose, but would choke when held in a strong modern iso. Just an observation.

[GJM]

When we had issues with the G22s here it was due to excessive slide velocity. Many of the guns would work when "limp wristed" on purpose, but would choke when held in a strong modern iso. Just an observation.

Interesting. With the Glock 29, I have seen issues with the heavy loads, when gripping the pistol lightly. The FNS has so far run 100 percent with every load I have tried, held in my normal grip, so I decided to try it held lightly.

[Chuck Haggard]

I had a number of G22s that would run fine with hot ammo when limp wristed, install a light or really get on the grip/stance and I could choke them on demand.

The 165gr Gold Dot we had back then was running 1185fps, NOT a light load at all.

[JHC]

Don't know, but even with the 35 being a smidge longer, the five inch FNS .40 should be faster than the four inch. I am thinking that the five inch FNS .40, shooting 200 grain hard cast, should be darn close to 10mm here in Alaska. I just shot another box of DT 200 hard cast thru the four inch tonight, without any problems. Part of that, was holding the pistol lightly, with just a few fingers in one hand, trying to make it choke. I need to get some more to test before I am comfortable, but this could do what I was trying to accomplish with the G22 and KKM barrel last summer, until that didn't pan out in reliability. To date, not a single stoppage in the FNS, north of 500 rounds.

The Gen 4 G22 got some credit for taming a lot of the recoil of the .40. Head to head Gen 4 G22 and FNS .40 - how do their management in recoil compare?

[BJJ]

The Gen 4 G22 got some credit for taming a lot of the recoil of the .40. Head to head Gen 4 G22 and FNS .40 - how do their management in recoil compare?

This is a question I am very interested in. I have a Gen 4 G22 that is, in my opinion, a significantly more robust weapon than it's Gen 3 counterpart that I am issued for work. Recoil is slightly mitigated. Unfortunately, I have not been able to shoot an FNS yet so I can't compare the two. Hopefully, GJM can enlighten us.

On paper, I like the idea of .40: more bullet weight than a 9, more capacity than a .45. It can just be kind an annoying caliber in practice. I am wondering if the FNS might be something I have been interested in finding which is a relatively soft shooting .40.