Why isn’t the 509 platform more popular. I’ve heard Sage loves the mounting system. I held one of the OR mid size and it seemed really solid. Full size OR seems quality.
I picked up a 509C MRD last week but haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. I think FN hasn't really put in the effort to market it. I bought this gun after an impressive sales pitch by an FN rep at my LGS/range. So far my observations:
Pros:
I think the optics mounting system is the best OEM mounting system out there. It mounts the RDS directly on to the slide and no loctite needed (supposedly).
The build quality is nice
The OEM suppressor sights on the MRD models are great.
Truely ambidextrous
Grips texture is great and grippy
Cons
Price. It is more expensive. My gun was $699 but I got $150 worth of free mags out of the deal.
Mag price: $40 each at the cheapest (but they are quality!)
Trigger is...okay. 5 lbs and gritty. The grit decreased with a bunch of dry fire.
Not easy to fully disassemble. Apex makes a jig for it. Similar to taking apart an M&P
Not a whole lot of aftermarket stuff compared to Glock or Sig but Apex does offer stuff to modify your gun.
So far I'm really optimistic that it will be great at the range.
C is the 12rd version - M is the 15rd version. With that said, I own the C, M, and the full-size. They are a natural shooter for me - even with the factory trigger. My issue is that FN over complicated the pistol in design. The striker for instance is a completely different design than other striker guns - and for seemingly no good reason. The pistol is difficult to detail strip as the locking block pin is an interference fit pin and very difficult to remove. Once removed, you’ll find that the sear cage and assembly includes more moving parts than a typical M&P for instance. In the end, I still like the pistols a lot but those oddities kill it for me when it comes to the 509 being my platform of choice. As of late, I’ve gravitated to my PDPs and will likely keep them as my sole striker guns.
Right in between, in terms of both height and slide/barrel length. I have two of the midsize, which is just an ear hair taller than a G19.
@Paul D pretty much nailed the pros and cons. The stock trigger does get a bit smoother over time, and it suited me very nicely. Despite what I said here - https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....=1#post1181485 - I subsequently took the plunge and installed the Apex trigger on both of mine. I must say, they are now about as good as it gets for a striker-fired pistol. Not better than the best ones, but right up there.
Speaking of Apex, you probably want to consider getting the Apex striker, as some of the stock strikers apparently have a tendency to emulate Amber Heard and shit the bed. And as @Paul D mentioned, it’s not easy to take apart, but if you get the jig that Apex sells for $35, even a mechanically slow adult like me can get that pin out without much trouble.
Whatever it is about the design and ergonomics, it is extremely comfortable to carry, and effortless to draw, grip and point.
Very interesting! Sounds really nice. The PDP does as well. Thank you guys for the break down.
1) Prior FN Polymer handguns were among the worst on the market; turning that repute around is a challenge.
2) By the time FN finally I FI led themselves they were late late to the market. Glock, SIG and S&W have most of the market share. The Beretta APX and Walter da e the same “late to the party” challenges.
I’m about halfway through a 2000 rnd challenge with mine. I got it as my first pistol with a reddot. I like it. No problems as of yet. I’m planning to finish off the 2k challenge at a Scot Jedilinski class next month.
I was finally able to try out my new FN 509C MRD with a Holosun 407CO. Some observations:
1) TRIGGER: The trigger is not the greatest. The pull is gritty. It reminds me when Glock came out with the Gen4 guns with the dimple trigger bar that would drag along the slide as you pull back the trigger. Another way to describe it is like dragging the tip of a chopstick across some fine-medium sandpaper. The break is crisp though and reset is quick and tactile. The best splits I can get with it is about 0.22 sec. My Glock can do 0.18.
2) GRIP: The grip texture is very nice. The grip extension is on the 15 rd mag is very nice. The extended mag does not wobble around when you grip it.
3) SLIDE STOP: It is a little more posteriorly positioned compared to the Glock. I had occasional non-lock backs on an empty mag due to my thumb easily activating it.
4) SLIDE WEIGHT: The 509C is equivalent to the Glock 26 in slide length/barrel. However, it is heavier and you can feel it in the recoil. The 509C with the RDS was 480 grams. My Glock 19 with the same RDS and BUIS was 500 grams. That's about 0.7 oz.
5) ACCURACY: I thought is was pretty accurate. The group on the right was at 10 yds with Gold Dot 124 grain +P. The headshot group on the left was at 25 yds with the same ammo. 5 shots each offhand. I suppose the 25 yd group could be better if I was a better shot.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I though it was a pretty good purchase. It was accurate; the build quality was nice; and the OEM RDS mounts are the best in class. However: the trigger is not great; it is overly complex and more of a pain the butt to upgrade/tinker with compared to the Glock/Sig. I would not recommend this gun to a new gun person. It costs too much for them to grow up with compared to a Glock MOS or Sig P320 equivalent. Hopefully it will be adopted by other agencies besides the LAPD and will a chance to mature. Would I buy another one? New? No. Used? Yes.