Glock Fn - Kicking off our FN 509 review series, we present our FN 509 mid-size review.
FN firearms have been widely used by the United States military, as well as other US government agencies, for some time. In fact, if you've served in the Army or Marine Corps in the past few decades, it's very likely that your issued firearm was an FN product.
Glock Fn
I'm sure most of you are familiar with the M249 SAW and the M240 series of machine guns, as well as the Mk19, Mk46/48, all made by FN. I have a soft spot in my heart for FN products (especially the M249 PARA), but I've never owned one myself, nor spent much time with FN gear outside of the military.
Kydex Holster Ares Wml Fn America Fn509c Tactical
In addition to their fire-breathing, bullet-spraying, lethal machine guns and rifles, FN also makes a number of pistols that you may be familiar with, such as the FNX, FN Five-seveN, and FNS series pistols. In April 2017, FN released the FN 509 series of 9mm pistols as an update to their FNS series. The 509 pistols are only available in 9mm (of course) and come in a variety of sizes and configurations: medium, standard, and tactical.
In this series of reviews, I will discuss each of the 509 series offerings, putting them through identical numbers of rounds, identical ammo, running identical drills. I'll start with the mid-size 509 and work my way up to the 509 Tactical.
In addition to the above specifications, the FN 509 Midsize also has all dual controls, which is not only nice for all those left-handed weirdos, but also for me as a left-handed shooter. Making fully double action firearms, especially pistols, is the direction most manufacturers are going and I see that as a very good thing. Now if only they could figure out how to make a double-action bolt gun…
Other features of the midsize 509 include: luminescent sight (standard on most pistols, but LE pistols come with tritium sights), front and rear support serrations, standard 1913 mil rail for accessories, and a “tech” action trigger double. FN lists an MSRP of $649 and I found them retailing for about $100 less.
Fn 509 Tactical With Tlr 7 Iwb Holster
I've been a Glock shooter for several years and have gotten used to a blockier, somewhat less intuitive, ergonomic platform. When I picked up the mid-size FN 509, my mind immediately went to a Glock 19 (similar grip length), but without the "harsh" Glock grip angle. The grip angle on the midsize 509 is similar to what you'd find on most modern pistols, and when presented, the sights match a neutral wrist position. The FN also includes the option of interchangeable rear straps, which is a near industry standard feature.
The magazine release was easily engaged without having to adjust my right hand, as was the slide release. After a few dry reps on my strong side, I decided to try the same with the weak side to see if the 509 Midsize favored one over the other. Somewhat surprisingly, I found the pistol just as easy to use left-handed as it was right-handed; both magazine release and slide release provided nearly identical actuation force. This is not a trivial examination for those shooters who are left-handed, as there are many "double-handed" firearms that clearly favor a right-handed shooter, despite left-handed friendly controls.
The lens is a fairly typical and unrepeatable 3-dot "luminescent" setup. The rear sight offers a nice rack for one-handed loading. There are also plenty of aftermarket sight options if the factory offerings aren't to your taste. I think the visuals are good. The only change I would make is to either get a dark rear sight or, most likely, since I'm cheap and lazy, just paint the rear sight black. I usually carry a flashlight on all my pistols (both to reduce recoil and to see what I'm shooting at) so I'm not too concerned about having tritium sights and I think the factory scope will It suits my needs well.
The trigger is one area that I think could use some work. It's a bit longer and heavier than I'd like, considering it's a factory trigger. I didn't feel like it affected my slow fire too much, but I definitely noticed it when I was trying to shoot quickly. Fortunately, there are a number of aftermarket trigger upgrades available for the 509 series of pistols.
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As mentioned above, I ran the same drills with the same number of rounds with all 509 series pistols. To be clear, this was not intended to be a torture test, nor to find the point of failure of these pistols (I think their reliability is quite good), but to test their "shooting". Can these pistols perform with an acceptable accuracy, rate of fire and general standard of use?
I did a recoil exercise with the 509 Midsize starting at 25 yards with the goal of getting to 50 yards without missing a Zone C steel target. I'm pleased to say the Midsize passed with flying colors. I didn't miss a single shot during the recoil and went 5 for 5 with the 50. I'd say that's more than enough for a pistol intended to be used for concealed carry. Solid work, FN.
After the step back workout, I did a series of higher volume, faster cadence workouts, culminating in the Bill Workout. It took a few repetitions to really get my grip and the difference in the direction of this gun under recoil compared to my Glock, but I think I got the hang of it. 509 Midsize felt a bit unruly when fired at a fast pace and requires more of the shooter to achieve acceptable accuracy in small divisions. While it took me a bit more effort to shoot this gun quickly, I would say it was a problem that could be completely solved with a little more time on the gun and some minor adjustments to the trigger and sights.
This is one area where I wanted to test the reliability of the system a bit, in addition to ease of use. I fully loaded two of the 15 magazines and dropped one round, took the magazine out and put another in, then fired one round. I repeated this until both magazines were empty. I experienced no malfunctions due to the somewhat rough handling of dropping fully loaded magazines onto hard rock-covered ground. I also had no problem with the ergonomics of quickly ejecting a magazine or inserting one.
Here's My Fn 509 Tactical I Picked Up Last Week Next Month I'm Gonna Pick Up A Glock 30 For My Edc
Overall, I'd say the FN 509 Midsize is a great option for those who want a good compromise between a single pistol, a sub-compact pistol, and a full-size pistol. Because of its more neutral grip angle, I think it will be easier for younger shooters to grip and feel comfortable with than a Glock 19 (which is my preferred concealed carry option). I would feel comfortable suggesting this to friends and family for protection, it might even be in my safe somewhere.
Cory Mince is currently a writer for whom he has chosen not to write a short biography at this time. And that means something. If you've read some of my other gun reviews, you know that I can be quite critical and reluctant to make recommendations. The 509 is not immune to criticism, but I had a hard time finding much fault with this gun. I can have some love with him. Yes, it's a bit more expensive than my beloved Glock, but it seems worth it. I'm not saying drop everything and buy it now. The
Saying this gun needs a spot on the "shopping list". If you want to know more about the FN 509, keep reading.
The 509 looks fantastic right out of the box. Because it was designed to compete with other polymer, striker-fired pistols, you'll find that its construction is similar to pistols like Glocks and the CZ P-10C. It has a polymer frame with an excellent structure. No graffiti work required here. Front and rear wheels are also included. Not everyone loves them, but I'm partial to cutouts in the front. It's a little heavy, but that means you get a little less recoil, even though it's only 9mm.
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Accuracy is also extremely strong. I'm talking 25 meters away from the driver. This is mostly done in a DIY sandbag. My accuracy was definitely improved by a nice set of iron sights. Plus, they glow in the dark (aka night sights) and while I love them, I feel like the FN 509 is begging to be thrown at an RMR.
I should also mention the trigger. I usually find that most striker fired pistols have a somewhat unsatisfactory trigger pull. This is not it
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