One of the new products launched at SHOT was the FNH FNS-9, a new 9mm striker fired pistol from FN. We talked a little bit about the FNS a while ago, but at SHOT Show both Shelley and I had the chance to get our hands on one and pull a few triggers as well as get a better feel for the ergonomics.
Shelley, who is 5’4 and had hands sized appropriately for that height had no problems manipulating the controls on the FNS-9, neither did I, and neither did our Amazon friend Anette, aka 30 Cal Gal. A note, if you’re not reading her blog you really should be. Back to the FNS-9; it does have some features I really like that I think FN did very well. The arched backstrap/palmswell fill in my hands very well, and actually has a similar grip profile to that on my LW Timber Wolf, which is one of my favorite guns. The magazine well is flared and looks to be extremely easy to hit at speed when doing reloads.
I’m not in love with the idea of a thumb safety on a striker fired gun, but it seems to work for the M&P just fine, so I won’t complain too much. I really do like the factory sights, which is rare for me to pick up a gun from the originator and say “hey, these are pretty good.”
Photo by JP Visual Design
Honestly, when I look at the FNS and when I shoot it, I just think “hey, that’s pretty good.” If they run well over a long period time and prove to be reliable, they’ll be right up with Glock/M&P on the shortlist of guns to recommend. I think the biggest compliment I can pay the gun is that when I shot it at media day, I picked it up, stuck a mag in and whacked some steel targets with it without really having to think about what I was doing. FNH could have a winner on their hands, and hopefully we’ll get to see some of these make it into high round count environments.
I got my FNS 9 over the weekend and just put 200 rounds through it a few minutes ago. So far I like it more and more as I get to handle it. Ergonomics are good even with my fat hands. I get slide bite from Glocks pretty often, but have no issue with the FNS.
Great. Now if they could ever figure out how to sell handguns to Americans.
Maybe they should sell it under the Browning name, and use some of their American brands marketing people for a change.
Picked up mine today, so far so good, ran 150 rounds though it with no hick ups, it even ran with my fn-x mags. We’ll see if it holds up. Fingers crossed
I handled one a few days ago at a local gun store. I am a big GLOCK guy but I really liked the feel of this pistol. I too liked the factory sights and the trigger felt pretty good although I didn’t get to shoot it obviously. I have heard that they will be releasing a version without the thumb safety. If they do, I’ll probably pick one up.
Hey… I’m new to the whole gun thing, but trying to catch on… could someone explain all the abbreviations??? Too many initals for a newbie! What’s an FNS? Is there an encyclopedia for dummies I should have??? hee hee
FNH is Fabrique Nationale/ FN Herstal, a gun manufacturing company from Belgium. They also have plants here in the US (my pistol was made in Virginia). The FNS is FN’s new striker fired pistol and FNS is simply the model. Glocks and Smith & Wesson M&P’s are also striker fired pistols as opposed to a double or single action pistol with a hammer.
ohh… thank you. ok, who is M&P and what is a “striker” fire? and Who are you and why are you up this late answering my questions? But thank you!
M&P is a semi-automatic pistol manufactured by the company Smith & Wesson. M&P stands for Military & Police, which was originally a line of revolvers Smith & Wesson made in the last century. During a name change (I think in the 1950′s), the M&P revolvers were renamed the Model 10, which they still manufacture.
The semi-automatic M&P has a polymer (plastic) frame and uses a striker that impacts the cartridge’s primer using spring tension as the motive force.
Hammer fired pistols use a firing pin that is struck by a physical “hammer” to provide the motive force. Hammer fired pistols can be single action (pulling the trigger does one thing, releases the hammer) or double action (pulling the trigger does two things, cocks the hammer, and then releases the hammer).
Hey, thanks for the info. This is good stuff. What else can you tell me? I would really like to learn more. It would make reading this stuff a WHOLE lot more fun! :) I’ve only recently discovered the world of guns.. and I like shooting stuff a whole bunch!
Thanks again!
Well, I could tell you a lot of stuff, but without knowing what questions you have, I would just be taking up space in the comment section.
My advice would be to keep a pad of paper (or an open text editor) handy when you’re reading about firearms online and jot down questions as you read.
Then research your questions using your favorite search engine (Google, Bing, etc), and take notes.
If you get confused by the answers you search out, find a gun person to ask that seems to give straight forward answers, and that differentiates opinion from fact. For instance the 1911 is God’s Own Gun (opinion) and the .45 ACP is God’s Own Caliber (opinion) and Glocks have a brick-like grip that some folks do not have issue with but other folks do have issue with (fact).
Understand that the knowledge you seek is sometimes more opinion than fact, and you should soon be able to determine whose information you can trust, and whose you cannot trust.
I can be reached at my nickname at gmail if you have further questions.