Can I do this with my FNS-40?

Walt Sherrill said:
I have both an FNS-40 and an FNS-40L. I also have an EFK Firedragon conversion barrel for the FNS-40.

  • Conversion barrels are adjusted so that the headspace is correct, and the extractor works as it should. The difference in rim size is typically not an issue. (I've owned a bunch of conversion barrels that let me move from .40 to 9 or .357 to 9. I recently picked up a .40 conversion barrel that I can run in my Glock 37 (which is .45 GAP) -- it works perfectly, and that's a big difference!

  • The only obvious difference between the FNS-40 barrel and the FNS-40L barrel is the length of the barrels. While I've not fired the gun with the long-slide barrel installed in the FNS-40 slide, it chambers and ejects round just like the 40 barrel and it did not seem to bind. The COMPACT FNS-9c and FNS-40C barrels use a totally different design than the larger versions and that is probably where the misinformation about 40 and 40L barrels being quite different came from. You won't gain anything of significance from that longer barrel except a little extra velocity -- and it'll just look strange.

  • You can use the .40 mags when shooting 9mm if you don't want to shoot hollow-point. I found that the open mouth of most hollow-point rounds tend to catch on the feed ramp when using the .40 mags. I shot using the .40 mags for a while and just bought two 9mm mags.

  • I did not change recoil springs.

  • The barrel openings on the front of the slides are, of course, different. The 9mm conversion barrel is modified to fit like a .40 barrel in the FNS-40. The opening of the FNS-40L barrel opening is larger than the FNS-40, because the barrel must tilt at a sharper angle. I don't know if this will cause barrel or slide "wear" issues, over time.

  • Most barrels bought for service pistols from gun makers ARE drop-ins. (That seems to be the case with Glock, FNH, S&W, etc.) That is certainly the case with the EFK Firedragon barrel. My EFK barrel was drop-in and it's at least as accurate as the factory barrel. If you buy a barrel from Bar-Sto, one of the best after-market barrel makers, the barrel, dropped in, will typically shoot at least as well as a factory barrel without gunsmith fitting, but if fitted will likely shoot better. (People often let Bar-Sto do the fitting.)
I would have bought a conversion barrel for my Long Slide when I ordered the barrel for the FNS-40, but they weren't available, then. They are now. If you can't wait, go ahead and order the long-slide barrel and use it. You could also have a local gunsmith cut it back to the proper length and put a target crown on it. (You might ask EFK Firedragon about this -- they will talk with you...)

Another option is that I'll swap my FNS-40>9 conversion barrel with you for the Long-Slide version. (Mine has maybe 100 rounds through it -- its like new.) I'll even pay the small difference in price. That might speed things up a bit.

All that said, I think you're better off just being patient and getting on the EFK Firedragon waiting list. They're a good company to work with. (I got one of their barrels for my Browning Hi Power and it's a great barrel, too.)
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Thank you a million times for this response, I appreciate the time you took to give me the exact information I needed.
 
Another thing to consider: Apex Tactical is in the final stages of development for a trigger system for the FNS and FN-509 semi-autos, and I'll probably be getting one of those, when they're finally available.

One of owners of the company discussed the development process on the FN Forum and why it is such a lengthy process. (The new FN-509 is a later evolution of the FNS design, similar, but different. The FN-509 was developed for the US Modular Handgun System competition that SIG recently won. I have a SIG P320 and its pretty nice, but with modest improvements to the FNS [or FN-509] Trigger, I think I'd prefer the FN guns by a good margin.

My FNS-40L (traded for, used) had trigger work done by a gunsmith in Colorado before I got it (from a guy who travels a lot), and it's a pretty good trigger. Then, too, there are videos on YouTube showing how to improve the FNS trigger with a modest amount of effort.

You might want to visit the FN Forum, too. Here's a link: http://fnforum.net/forums/fn-handguns-forum/ Not a lot of FNS or FN-509 handgun experts there -- we're all learning -- but there are some pretty knowledgeable folks participating in the Hi-Power and FNX areas -- and others in the long guns.
 
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I'd stay with the .40 (and no, it's not in any danger of obsolescence). Instead, get into reloading your own ammunition for it. Loading your own, will save you a bunch after the initial investment, and is a fun part of shooting all on its own.

You can fine tune your loads for target, carry, hunting, whatever...accuracy, blasting, as you see fit. Lead vs. jacketed; hp's vs. FMJ's. It's all there for you...and it's easy to learn, with all the help of the internet crowd and a good manual...Lyman's, for instance, you've got good sources for everything you need to know.

HTH's Rod
 
Keep the 40. Does FN make a 22 caliber conversion kit or a 22lr version of the pistol?
then you could train for cheap on a similar platform.
 
Don't know of any .22 conversion kits, and wouldn't expect one for quite a while. FNH needs to build its customer base a bit before they can justify building one, or before after-market vendors will develop something.
 
rodfac said:
I'd stay with the .40 (and no, it's not in any danger of obsolescence). Instead, get into reloading your own ammunition for it. Loading your own, will save you a bunch after the initial investment, and is a fun part of shooting all on its own.

You can fine tune your loads for target, carry, hunting, whatever...accuracy, blasting, as you see fit. Lead vs. jacketed; hp's vs. FMJ's. It's all there for you...and it's easy to learn, with all the help of the internet crowd and a good manual...Lyman's, for instance, you've got good sources for everything you need to know.

HTH's Rod
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I live in an apartment and just dont have the room to reload and right now I dont have the money to get started.
 
In which case, consider buying in BULK. I use Natchez Shooter's Supply and Georgia Arms for my shooting (range) needs, and their prices are reasonable. Shipping may be the deal breaker for you -- so you've got to find a good vendor close to home.
 
Walt Sherrill said:
In which case, consider buying in BULK. I use Natchez Shooter's Supply and Georgia Arms for my shooting (range) needs, and their prices are reasonable. Shipping may be the deal breaker for you -- so you've got to find a good vendor close to home.
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So far Ive been using targetsportsusa.com and have been really happy with them, I took advantage of their ammo prime membership so I save more and get free shipping on all orders.
 
Get the conversion barrel and just keep doing what you're doing.

I don't reload, either, but probably because I don't want to spend my time doing that -- and don't know where I'd set up the equipment. If I were shooting more, I might make a bigger effort to get into my own reloading gear, but... it would probably be DILLON gear, and that can add up. :)
 
Walt Sherrill said:
Get the conversion barrel and just keep doing what you're doing.

I don't reload, either, but probably because I don't want to spend my time doing that -- and don't know where I'd set up the equipment. If I were shooting more, I might make a bigger effort to get into my own reloading gear, but... it would probably be DILLON gear, and that can add up. :)
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I just ordered it since it is now off backorder so I should have it by end of the week from what I see their shipping schedule is. I also didnt like the idea of them holding my money for months Ive been burned before in situations where I did that so Im pretty happy now.

I shoot weekly with my wife and we have been limiting ourselves to about 100-150 rounds between us. Id definitely love to reload but I dont have the space and to be honest I dont know if I have the patience/motivation for collecting my brass every time. Im going to look into what the cost of buying brass and everything would come out to that way just to know the cost vs just buying ammo online. Lately Ive been buying steel case ammo at around $140-150 a case of 9mm shipped and it hasnt given me a problem so far.
 
just buy FN's 9mm conversion kit.
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Its somewhere around $400 Ive been told so I can buy a new gun for less than that.
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They are right at $300 from Midwest Gun Works I know that's more than the barrels, but that response was more to the suggestion of buying an FNS9.

Interestingly the 9mm to 40 conversion is on sale for $199 at the moment.
 
Smerks said:
I just ordered it since it is now off backorder so I should have it by end of the week from what I see their shipping schedule is. I also didnt like the idea of them holding my money for months Ive been burned before in situations where I did that so Im pretty happy now.
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When I got my 40>9 barrel, they didn't require advance payment. They just notified me by email when the barrels were finally in stock, and I ordered one -- and got it very quickly.

As noted before, I also got their Browning Hi-Power barrel some years back and have been VERY satisfied with that product, as well. It's a beautiful barrel that performs at LEAST as well as the original factory barrel (which somehow got damaged, with rifling messed up mid-barrel... Don't think it was anything I did.)
 
Walt Sherrill said:
When I got my 40>9 barrel, they didn't require advance payment. They just notified me by email when the barrels were finally in stock, and I ordered one -- and got it very quickly.

As noted before, I also got their Browning Hi-Power barrel some years back and have been VERY satisfied with that product, as well. It's a beautiful barrel that performs at LEAST as well as the original factory barrel (which somehow got damaged, with rifling messed up mid-barrel... Don't think it was anything I did.)
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They came into stock withing the last week and I ordered one and it is already here. I look forward to shooting with it at the range. I still havent bought 9mm magazines so Ill be using the .40 mags with 9mm ammo which Ive read work with FMJ but not so well with JHP.
 
Smerks said:
...so Ill be using the .40 mags with 9mm ammo which Ive read work with FMJ but not so well with JHP.
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That was my experience -- but it may depend on the JHP design.

The JHP stuff I was using would bite into the feed ramp; other designs (different brand) might work better. I don't remember what I used...
 
Walt Sherrill said:
That was my experience -- but it may depend on the JHP design.

The JHP stuff I was using would bite into the feed ramp; other designs (different brand) might work better. I don't remember what I used...
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I got to the range today and even the FMJ had feed issues, it was good to get some malfunction drill practice, and they actually had the FNS-9 magazines at my range for $4 more than online so I just bought one and it was perfect.
 
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