FN FNS-9

[NorthernHeat]

Anybody have any experience with the FN FNS-9 full size?

Sage Dynamics just posted a review about it and made it look like a pretty good option.

I had not heard much about it.

[TheNewbie]

I like the feel and the balance. The trigger was not smooth to me but was shootable. If they made one with a decent sized safety it very well could be my carry gun.

[Luke]

The grip is odd. Rougher than anything else but still slippery? Limited sight options (back when I had one, now no idea) lots of little pieces inside. Trigger was "meh" and at the time nothing you could do to make it better.

[Trooper224]

I owned one for a short time. There wasn't anything obviously wrong with it, but neither was there anything particularly outstanding about it. I wouldn't pick one over most of the other plastic fantastics.

[Clay]

I owned one for a short time. There wasn't anything obviously wrong with it, but neither was there anything particularly outstanding about it. I wouldn't pick one over most of the other plastic fantastics.

Ditto. If you don't want a Glock just 'cause, then it's a great option.

[NorthernHeat]

Is there anything that this gun does that a Glock or SIG 320 do not?

If someone is looking for a "non-Glock" option, would there be any reason to go with an FNS over a 320?

[Clay]

The FNS-9 has a great grip, IMO, much better than the SIG. I love the texture of the FN. The reloads are crazy easy, too. The SIG runs about $100 more than the FN where I'm at. I'm equally unimpressed with both guns compared to a Glock 19, but that's just me. I just didn't find the juice worth the squeeze. I'm married to Glock. I can get cheap mags and a bazillion different sights and holsters and parts and.....

The only thing I truly disliked about the FNS-9 is that the takedown lever got really hot, really fast, and it bugged me during extended shooting sessions.

[jnc36rcpd]

My department started issuing the FNS-9 several months ago. To my knowledge, we're the only agency in the nation to do so though Baltimore County PD issues the FNS-40 long slide.

Qualification scores have gone up significantly. The weapon is certainly lighter and more compact than our previous SIG 226 .40's.

Some weapons had significant reliability issues with the Streamlight TLR-1 HL attached. Mine had no issues for several hundred rounds before double feeding twice attempting qualification.I have since put about six hundred rounds through it with a Surefire and had no reliability issues (until the pistol started launching the light downrange, but that is likely an issue with the light). After some testing, FN decided the issue was the combination of the TLR-1 and our training ammunition).

One of the night sights on my pistol had a half life of about five weeks. I carried a loaner from the armory. I experienced several malfunctions while firing about two hundred rounds, primarily early in the session. I suspect some of these weapons may need a break-in period.

Holsters are becoming more available, but they are still somewhat few and far between. Off duty, I've been using a Galco IWB that Chuck Haggard was kind enough to send me. Some M&P holsters will handle the FNS-9 quite handily.

There are no Simunition barrels available though we are reassured that they are on the way (just like we were reassured American Eagle caused the malfunctions with the Streamlights). So far, I have been unable to locate any FNS-9 airsofts for force-on-force.

I don't personally shoot the weapon as well as I would like, but as I said, qualifications scores have improved.

[kcevans]

Look for past post on the FNS, Mr. Langdon did up an article a few years ago that should give some fairly good insight on what the platform is capable of.

[PPGMD]

I have a FNS-9L that I got off the prize tables. I don't have enough rounds through it to give any long term opinion about reliability. So I can only speak to what I have shot with it.

Recoil is comparable to other guns in its class.

Trigger is much better than a Glock, but due to being DAO it doesn't compare to pre-cocked striker guns particularly the new ones like the 320, and the VP9.

Take down is a little complicated, and unless I am missing something requires you to pull the trigger (which is not a huge issue for me, but a problem for some agency buyers).

The mag well is HUGE, and due to the design of the magazines it is probably the easiest gun to stick the reload on. I am seriously surprised this gun is production approved by the NROI.

Holster, sights, and any after market support is very limited. But OTOH magazines are actually in stock at many retailers, something that can't be said for some of the newer guns on the market which are selling out the moment a batch hits the internet.