Why do people refer to the FN509/C/Tac as a.....

[1dude1dog1gun]

Why do people refer to the FN509/C/Tac as a “sub-compact” sized handgun? I mean, it’s perty dang compact as far as being a tight little package...(btw, I’m pretty new to the firearms world but I’ve grown quite tired of that word “tactical”, to the point of not caring to mention the word even if it belongs to a specific product, given the fact I don’t have to.). I digress. I mean, I took side by side measurements with another manufacturers “compact” pistol (well, my only other firearm to be exact) and the two damn near line up. Well, the only exception being grip length. I’ll be totally honest, I’m not sure if the grip length alone puts a pistol into a different category/class of pistol. I myself wouldn’t think the grip length alone could make a pistol classed differently but then again there being a lack of uniformity with respect to industry standard definitions and classifications thus leaving it up to the manufacturer to classify there own sizes, which is cool I guess

[Sig_Fiend]

Most manufacturers compete and might try to match or exceed each other on certain specs. Despite that, it's easier to think of the size naming conventions in relation to the given platform itself. Like compact or sub-compact relative to the standard, full-size 509 as opposed to some other platform.

[757_Magnum]

Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the size categories were mostly established as Glocks first gained popularity with the G17 being a full size, G19 as a compact, and G26 as a subcompact. Sure, there were bigger and smaller guns before then, but I believe that was when the naming conventions stuck. Of course, not everything fits neatly into these categories.

I haven't held that FN in a while, but I vaguely remember it being slightly larger than the G26, but not quite up to the G19. This is the same for subcompacts by other manufacturers like HK, Beretta, CZ, and Sig's P series.

[1dude1dog1gun]

Good points by both. Duly noted for sure. I just found the subject odd is all. The only time you hear someone refer to the topic at hands pistol as SC, it’s almost like someone coughing and saying “subcompact”. It’s never marketed or advertised as a SC, I’ve watched a vid or two and read an article or two. Ya know the odd thing about buying certain parts from midwestgunworks.com is this. You can buy any back strap size you want per unit for like idk$10-ish for the full size and “midsize” but let’s say you want just the large back strap for the “compact” version, they only offer a set of 3(s,m,l) for over $50!!! Well, I wanted the large because the pistol ships with the s and m sizes. Well, what?, I’m supposed to pay over $50 for essentially 1large and end up with duplicates of s and m? No way broseph..uh uh not happenin’. So I contacted FN and eventually got them to sell me a large and it dialed in the grip for me. I just wish it had more of a higher ride beavertail...because that’s what I’m used to I guess. I have def had to practice my grip on the pistols......grip? That just sounded odd