FN Pistols ~ why not more popular?

[melensdad]

So I was looking at some FNP pistols, great grip shape (with interchangeable backstraps), nice feel, good trigger for a polymer pistol, sleek lines for a full size gun that would actually make is suitable for carry.

They come with 3 magazines and are reasonably priced too.

All that said, I have to ask, what is wrong with these guns? They look good, seem good, can't find any issues with them being anything but reliable, but I don't see anyone who is a fan of these guns. Why not?

 

[redneckmedic]

IMO, not so much mainstream with handguns as with rifles. Still pretty penny and very good quality.

 

[JByer323]

I have no idea. They certainly make quality firearms.

 

[melensdad]

IMO, not so much mainstream with handguns as with rifles. Still pretty penny and very good quality.

The 9mm and 40s&w versions seem to be priced within $20 of the Glock 19 and 22 respectively. And $50 to $70 less than the XDm guns, but a few dollars more than the older style XD models. So I guess I'd consider them very modestly priced guns.

That said, and given the good apparent quality, I really have to wonder why these gun seem to be overlooked? People here seem to gravitate to Glocks, XDs or M&P but why not to the FNP?

 

[redneckmedic]

I know that FNs have a nice price tag on their LR, even though not so much for the handguns. I still go with my first answer, they just never became mainstream.

 

[exile]

Some negative observations from owning/researching FNPs....

1) A LOT of the FNPs have slide finish/frame flaws or inconsistencies

2) They used to be pretty cheap, but lately it seems they cost a lot more, esp. for the 9/40 models....

3) IMO - The rear slide serrations on the .45 esp, really tear your hand up if you fire a good amount of rds down range/do certain drills

4) For the USG models, it seemed that the safety moved with VERY little resistance, so for someone that enjoys carrying cocked/locked that could be an issue.

6) The triggers aren't anything special and there aren't a ton of holsters for them

7) It's well documented, that the .45 doesn't perform well with Winchester White Box due to the follower not having long enough anti tilt 'feet'

On the positive side, they're still a couple hundred cheaper than HKs and I would take one over a new Sig Sauer and many other brands all day long. The .45 model recoiled lightly and takes a whopping 14 rds!

Decent guns, just nothing amazing IMO. There's a lot of competition.

 

[Bigum1969]

I've looked at the FNP 45 and really liked how it felt.

They really haven't seemed to attract a loyal following yet. I've heard they make really quality stuff, and they seem to spend some $$$ on marketing.

 

[redneckmedic]

I think I remember hearing somewhere that the military has a contract of somesort with FN. Not sure of any details though.

 

[Bigum1969]

I think I remember hearing somewhere that the military has a contract of somesort with FN. Not sure of any details though.

FN makes a lot of the rifles used by our troops. They have a contract to produce the M-4/M-16. I also think they produce the m-249 as well.

 

[dwh79]

I had one but I didn'y like how it felt to carry. I like the feel of my glock over them. So I sold mine but it was hard to find a place to buy it.

 

[IN_Varmntr]

FN makes a lot of the rifles used by our troops. They have a contract to produce the M-4/M-16. I also think they produce the m-249 as well.

FN USA does the machine work of the M4/M16 rifles for Colt's government contract. They are made, along with the FNP pistols, in Friedricksburg, Virginia.

Anywho, there are 2 FNP45s in my household. One has roughly 900 rounds and the other roughly 1300 rounds and they have been flawless.

These guns started out shooting Federal American Eagle factory loads and ran flawlessly. They were then were turned onto our 230 grain lead round nose reloads. Initially those rounds were powered by 5.0 grains of Bullseye powder, resulting in flawless performance, but a decent amount of leading in the barrels.

We have lowered the the charge to 4.5 grains of Bullseye in our reloads which has solved the heavy leading. However, being designed for full-power loads, we experience occasional FTF and FTE's in the form of stovepipes, which I attribute to the low-power of our target loads. Both FNP45s are shot recreationally, not carried or relied upon in a defensive situation, so the failures are nothing for us to deal with.

As far as accuracy goes, they are both more accurate than either myself or my father much like most modern pistol designs are.

Cosmetically, the polymer is flawless on both pistols, as well as the machining and finish on the slide. My only complaint is the rollmarks on the slide vary in depth. I like to color them in and it made it quite a bit harded, but it's a personal thing more than anything.

The triggers greatly improved during the first few hundred rounds, now they are both equally smooth.


Overall, I would definately purchase one again for a recreational shooter, but for a carry gun, I'll stick with my 1911.

 

[shooter521]

It would be awfully hard for any polymer-framed pistol to take serious market share away from the Glock-S&W-Springfield triumverate. It's not that the FNs are no good; it's just that they're not generally any better than the current market leaders. Same could be said for Steyr, SIG, Taurus, Ruger and HK.

My

 

[oldfb]

So I was looking at some FNP pistols, great grip shape (with interchangeable backstraps), nice feel, good trigger for a polymer pistol, sleek lines for a full size gun that would actually make is suitable for carry.

They come with 3 magazines and are reasonably priced too.

All that said, I have to ask, what is wrong with these guns? They look good, seem good, can't find any issues with them being anything but reliable, but I don't see anyone who is a fan of these guns. Why not?

I would expect them not to be as famous because they don't get the press coverage of the other makers. They just aren't the little darlings of the gun writers. In turn more people have glocks, xd and 1911 clones so any newb questions about "best gun" turn into the usual mantra of brand loyalties. This drowns out the 2 people on the forum that say FN in the responses.
This said I read the FN pistols have a unique round which for LEO/military will minimize the body armor threat that is cropping up with the criminal mindset. The civillian ammo is very pricey imho but may actually be available since not popular.

The FN pistol has a small but loyal following, google for the forum.lol

Slides look funny and very short like the jericho or baby desert eagles and if the post about slide serrations being rough I guess that would be easy for me to understand.

I eventually want one to go with the P90 or 2000 for the pure sake of being tacti cool and having something different. maybe when I win the lotto.lol

They also used the pistol(modified) as the prop for BSG series if my memory is still intact today. Which really pushes my geek button.

I have a link to one forum on my pc if you want it send me a pm and next time I fire up the dino I will send it to you.

 

[redneckmedic]

It would be awfully hard for any polymer-framed pistol to take serious market share away from the Glock-S&W-Springfield triumverate.

Curious how the new polymer relvolvers will fair, kinda re-inventing the wheel.

 

[oldfb]

btw
get one in 9mm or .45 and if u don't like it. I wwill trade my xd9sc for either one plus I will throw in 100 rounds of 9 or .45. If you get their "new caliber" I want to shoot it first...lol

 

[shooter521]

Curious how the new polymer relvolvers will fair, kinda re-inventing the wheel.

I've handled and dry-fired one, and didn't care for it much. Shooting it would also be no fun, due to its extremely light weight. If I was forced to carry a snubby, I'd take an all-steel J-Frame S&W, or better yet a Ruger SP101.

End of

 

[oldfb]

Curious how the new polymer relvolvers will fair, kinda re-inventing the wheel.

that was almost a thread jack...lol
The Ruger looks like the ultimate toolbox OR boat gun IMHO. Dump it in your pack for when Kevin "BACON" tries to hijack your whitewater raft. It had a recall already didn't it?

 

[JosephR]

The FN pistols came out with a very low price tag and that probably had something to do with it. They are sort of "funny" in the feel department IMNHO.

They just don't seem to offer anything more than a Glock or other pistol.

 

[jason conley]

I like the five-seven pistol ugly as sin and 20 round capacity but not cheap.

 

[mettle]

The price catches me. Why pay more for a pistol when Xds and Glocks run just fine?