The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: The Semi-automatic Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old April 21, 2017, 09:07 PM   #26
keithdog
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 25, 2013
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 321
I'm very surprised at the responses I have read here to my post. For hearing so little about them, there appears to be plenty of folks who have owned an FN pistol. I had started thinking there must be reliability issues with them since I hardly ever heard anyone talk about them. I can see where getting parts or accessories would be an issue for concern. You guys have got me thinking now.
__________________
In MY house, I AM 911
keithdog is offline  
Old April 21, 2017, 10:49 PM   #27
Martowski
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 31, 2000
Location: Texas (By Way of Illinois)
Posts: 1,376
FNs are very much "sleeper" pistols due to their marketing (or lack thereof) to the civilian population. I guess when you make more small arms for the US Government than any other manufacturer you can afford to not buy glossy full page ads in every issue of Guns & Ammo.
__________________
Midwestern Ramblings (my amateur firearms blog): http://martowski.wordpress.com/
Martowski is offline  
Old April 22, 2017, 06:54 AM   #28
dontcatchmany
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 19, 2010
Posts: 460
I have been following this thread for several days.

I was flipping through channels last night and on SPIKE TV there was a FN commercial....on the new 509.

First commercial I have even seen for FN.
dontcatchmany is offline  
Old April 22, 2017, 07:56 AM   #29
Lexspeed
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 18, 2015
Location: Southern IL
Posts: 152
The shiney new pistol models are getting much more attention and are sucking the oxygen out of the room. FN as a brand is not very "vocal" in advertisements or the media and the classy Browning Hi Power is not visibly as popular or as attention getting. Times and styles change.

BTW, I love my Belgium made FN BHP 1969C; one of the best guns I own.
Lexspeed is offline  
Old April 22, 2017, 08:23 AM   #30
Nathan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 1, 2001
Posts: 6,285
If they are giving away the FNS-40 again this fall, I will likely own one!

Might have to sell off my Glock 23 to make this happen as i STRONGLY prefer the manual safety!

Last edited by Nathan; April 22, 2017 at 08:33 AM.
Nathan is offline  
Old April 22, 2017, 06:56 PM   #31
James K
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
I have no special insider knowledge, but when a quality product fails to sell, the reason is usually a combination of the retail price and the dealer cost (e.g., the profit to be made on a sale.) Some customers will believe (rightly or not) that their favorite gun is so superior that it is worth hundreds more than any other gun on the market. But no dealer is going to buy and tout a gun, no matter how good, on which he makes $100 when he can sell a dozen guns on which he makes $200 each for only a little more effort (and probably hear a lot less BS from the customer about the "super" gun).

Jim
James K is offline  
Old April 22, 2017, 09:00 PM   #32
Nathan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 1, 2001
Posts: 6,285
James, I think I disagree or misunderstood you.

Price is where demand equals supply. If average customers are willing to pay 400, but the dealer breaks even at 500, very few guns will be sold and it will not be popular, except with rare case buyers.

FN pistols will sell at the going price $450-$550, but the marketing is so weak that I honestly think nobody on the consumer side knows much about it.

The FNS also has some small flaws. First the grip frame is long compared to the slide. Good for fighting, but not for CCW. Second, the trigger is rough and nobody is covering that part of the market. Last, there are just a lot of players in this market that are all good.
Nathan is offline  
Old April 23, 2017, 12:06 AM   #33
hemiram
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 6, 2005
Location: Toledo, ohio
Posts: 762
I finally sold my FNS-40 a few days ago. I really only bought it because of it being on sale so cheap. I really hated the grip and a coworker said he would buy it at what I wanted for it, which basically got me even, so it was gone. I decided to get rid of my .40 S&W stuff, and that was one strike against it, but the real reason I sold it was I really really really hated the over aggressively textured grip. Yeah, I could have sanded the little points down, but doing that to a new, unfired gun was just crazy, IMHO. It looks like it's replacement has the same overdone grip texturing. Too bad.
hemiram is offline  
Old April 23, 2017, 02:04 PM   #34
Pinky Carruthers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 2, 2004
Location: Rocky Mountains
Posts: 649
I have an FNP-9 and FNP-45. Great guns.
Also have two Hi Powers.
__________________
"Love lost, fire at will
Dum Dum bullets and shoot to kill
I hear dive bombers, and Empire down."
SOM
Pinky Carruthers is offline  
Old April 23, 2017, 06:09 PM   #35
Bartholomew Roberts
member
 
Join Date: June 12, 2000
Location: Texas and Oklahoma area
Posts: 8,462
I liked the FNX when I shot it, and the FNX-45 is a wonder - a double stack .45 that feels like a 9mm in the grip. If I had confidence they'd last like a Glock, I'd have bought one.

However, the anecdotal reports aren't leaning that way and it is still a big pistol compared to the Hi-Power.
Bartholomew Roberts is offline  
Old April 23, 2017, 06:17 PM   #36
TunnelRat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 12,181
Quote:
However, the anecdotal reports aren't leaning that way and it is still a big pistol compared to the Hi-Power.
Well yea. It's a double stack 45 holding 15+1 rds of 45 ACP compared to 13+1 rds of 9mm. To me that's like saying the pickup truck is bigger than the compact car. It kind of goes without saying.
__________________
Know the status of your weapon
Keep your muzzle oriented so that no one will be hurt if the firearm discharges
Keep your finger off the trigger until you have an adequate sight picture
Maintain situational awareness
TunnelRat is offline  
Old April 24, 2017, 11:52 AM   #37
Bartholomew Roberts
member
 
Join Date: June 12, 2000
Location: Texas and Oklahoma area
Posts: 8,462
I was thinking of the FNX-9 when I made that comment. It is about a half inch taller than a Hi-Power and the squared slide makes it look thicker/bigger even though it is a wee bit shorter.
Bartholomew Roberts is offline  
Old April 24, 2017, 08:05 PM   #38
James K
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
Hi, Nathan,

You said, "FN pistols will sell at the going price $450-$550..."

Apparently not. In my limited experience, customers are more likely to be influenced by 1) price and 2) dealer recommendation than by national ad campaigns or sites such as this one. Ads my get a customer into the store, but the product and the salesperson do the selling. The points you mention may seem minor, but can be deal breakers unless balanced by hefty discounts.

Jim
James K is offline  
Old April 25, 2017, 08:22 AM   #39
shepsan
Member
 
Join Date: December 7, 2001
Posts: 81
As others have indicated, the focus of the company has mainly been on the Military and Police markets. That said, I chose the FN product because of my impression having tried a friend's FN pistol.

I have owned both the FNS-40 and FNX-40. Each in its own right was better than any other .40 pistol I have handled.

FN builds quality, well-built, reliable and accurate weapons. My .40 pistols are too large to carry concealed without a jacket. Nevertheless, I consider them to be the equal to any large size revolver or pistol I have owned for protection purposes.
__________________
“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government”.
shepsan is offline  
Old April 25, 2017, 09:30 PM   #40
Walt Sherrill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 15, 1999
Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA
Posts: 6,348
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nathan
The FNS also has some small flaws. First the grip frame is long compared to the slide. Good for fighting, but not for CCW. Second, the trigger is rough and nobody is covering that part of the market. Last, there are just a lot of players in this market that are all good.
The new FNS-9c and FNS-40c seem to have addressed your long grip concern and owners feel the .40 recoil isn't much different than the 9mm model. Just about any gun that offers mags holding 14+ 9mm or .40 rounds tend to have long grips, so there's almost always a tradeoff with grip length vs. capacity.

There are several "do-it-yourself" videos on You Tube showing you how to smooth out the FNS trigger, and a guy on the FN Forum is working on an update that includes shortening the reset, too. I'm looking forward to it.

Apex is releasing a trigger kit for the new FN-509 (which is based on the FNS system, updated for the U.S. handgun competition -- which SIG won) and we are told that the same kit will work in the FNS-9 and FNS-40.

I have both an FNS-40 and FNS-40L and they are maybe the best-shooting .40s I've owned -- and I've owned a bunch of them over the years: Glock, SIG, CZ, S&W (both 3rd Gen and the Pro model), Steyr, Witness, etc.

Last edited by Walt Sherrill; April 26, 2017 at 08:46 AM.
Walt Sherrill is offline  
Old April 26, 2017, 01:57 PM   #41
Road_Clam
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 21, 2013
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,691
I recently purchased the FNX45T. Wish I had not waited so long. FN's are kind of a niche market and not as popular (and more expensive )than a comparable Glock. I also have a G22 and really don't care for the Glock. The FNX45T is an amazingly smooth shooting platform for a polymer 45 platform. Shoots and spits ANY type of ammo period. Very reliable action function over a wide span of velocities. My FNX45T is like the AK-47 of handguns....
__________________
"To be old an wise you must have been young and stupid"

Last edited by Road_Clam; April 26, 2017 at 08:03 PM.
Road_Clam is offline  
Old April 26, 2017, 06:49 PM   #42
Walt Sherrill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 15, 1999
Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA
Posts: 6,348
Quote:
Originally Posted by Road_Clam
My FNX45T is like the AK-47 of handguns...
Except the FNX45Ts are supposed to be very accurate. That's never been claimed for an AK-47...
Walt Sherrill is offline  
Old April 27, 2017, 09:41 AM   #43
sserdlihc
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 10, 2008
Location: S.C.
Posts: 1,454
I know that when I go into my LGS, finding accessories, sights, and holsters for Glock and Springfield are more plentiful than FN.
__________________
Familiarity breeds contempt, while rarity wins admiration. Aupleius
If someone doesn't like you, that's their problem! Milton Childress
sserdlihc is offline  
Old April 28, 2017, 10:48 PM   #44
propforce
Member
 
Join Date: October 9, 2011
Posts: 58
I believe in the last military handgun proposals where the Sig P320 won the contract, FN came in a close 2nd. This means they were very strong in functionality and reliability of the gun, but loss out in the final selection to Sig perhaps due to price.
propforce is offline  
Old April 28, 2017, 11:00 PM   #45
TunnelRat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 12,181
Quote:
I believe in the last military handgun proposals where the Sig P320 won the contract, FN came in a close 2nd. This means they were very strong in functionality and reliability of the gun, but loss out in the final selection to Sig perhaps due to price.
I'm curious where you got that info, because I haven't seen anything so far from the test showing any comparison or even describing how they ended up in any kind of ranking.
__________________
Know the status of your weapon
Keep your muzzle oriented so that no one will be hurt if the firearm discharges
Keep your finger off the trigger until you have an adequate sight picture
Maintain situational awareness
TunnelRat is offline  
Old April 28, 2017, 11:44 PM   #46
kozak6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 16, 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 3,113
FN makes interesting pistols, and it seems like there's always some crazy sale somewhere.

$45 magazines are a real bummer, though.
kozak6 is offline  
Old April 28, 2017, 11:56 PM   #47
Cosmodragoon
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2013
Location: Northeastern US
Posts: 1,869
Quote:
$45 magazines are a real bummer...
At least they come with three. That's a nice touch.
Cosmodragoon is offline  
Old April 29, 2017, 12:55 AM   #48
propforce
Member
 
Join Date: October 9, 2011
Posts: 58
TunnelRat,

Apparently I was mistaken with the facts. Both Sig and Glocks were the finalists and Sig beated out Glocks to win the contract. FN and Berretta were eliminated just a month prior. Glock has filed a protest but this will not stop the Army from proceeding the contract with Sig.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2...ce-pistol.html

This should teach me on doing my own research before posting, though I've heard the previous erroneous statement from whom I considered a knowledgeable friend. I apologize for posting the erroneous fact prior. Sorry to have confused you.
propforce is offline  
Old April 29, 2017, 10:11 AM   #49
Danoobie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 27, 2017
Posts: 351
Some companies have to go about in the world, screaming
"LOOK AT US! We're P E R F E C T!"

Other companies, ones
which have survived a World War, or two, prefer to put
their quality where their mouth is.

FN is one of the latter. They don't have to brag. They
simply know they are the best. If you don't already know,
you'll figure it out.

My personal experience with them? A FNX45, Five seveN,
and an old GP35, and nary a hiccup, ever, from any of
them.

I was asking a lot, IMO, to expect a new acquisition,
fresh from the box, to fall into the role of new EDC
CCW for SD, when I purchased the FNX-45. But it
has filled that role, as expected, without even a
minor tweak.
Danoobie is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:09 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11815 seconds with 8 queries