Current production FN semi-autos...
The hammer-fired
FNX line is well thought of by those who use them, and the FNX-45 Tactical, which is set up for sight systems and suppressors has earned raves from many shooters. The FNX 9mm and .40 models share magazines and barrels with the FNS line, addressed below.
The hammer-fired
FNP, now discontinued, had a number of fans -- the FNX line has replaced it.
The striker-fired
FNS line and the relatively new FN509 are great handguns. I have had a number of different .40s over the years, including CZs, SIGs (both metal and polymer), Glocks ( 2, 23,), and S&Ws Third Gen and M&Ps, etc.
I now have three FNS semi-autos and like the two .40s better than any of the numerous .40s I've owned -- except a CZ-40B which I foolishly let go some years ago before I really became comfortable with .40s. I have a FNS-40 (which is roughly the size of a Glock 19, a FNS-40L, which is about the size of a Glock 17, and the FNS9c. I'm not as enthused about the compact model which is only slightly smaller than the full-size models (smaller grip length), but it's the same basic design. Unlike some polymer-framed guns, the FNS guns seem to feel like a metal-framed gun in my hand. I was surprised to find out that the FNX and FNS lines can share the same barrel and magazines. (My FNS-40 9mm conversion barrel will work in a .40 FNX model, for example, and the mags work either way.)
The striker-fired
FN509 seems to be a slightly modified version of the FNS design, with tweaks put in place for the recent U.S. handgun competition. It looks as though the FN509, currently available only in 9mm may replace the FNS line, so we might see a sub-compact version of that mode in the near future, and it may eventually be available in 9mm, .40 and .45. The FN509 is a nice gun, but not nice enough for me to get rid of my FNS guns.
FN is having some striker-related problems right now with their FNS line and the FN509 lines. FN-American issued a non-mandatory recall due to of the rare chance of an accidental discharge if either of two very rare types of slide movement occurred. FN modified the striker -- paid shipping both ways and did a very quick upgrade. (My three FNS semi-autos were gone about two weeks.) Unhappily, a few of the updated strikers have failed, but that may have been just a bad lot of parts.) Apex has also developed a new heavy duty striker and trigger system for the guns, and EFK Firedragon has an array of replacement, conversion or threaded barrels for the FNS line.
Note: I reviewed this a while after posting, and noticed that I had neglected to mention another unique FN handgun:
The
FN Five-Seven which fires the 5.7x28mm round. It was designed to shoot the same round as one of FN's many long guns, and it fires a light, very fast round. (I couldn't find performance specs for the various rounds available for the Five-SeveN, but the light bullet travels at speeds over 2,000 fps.
Recoil is said to be comparable to a .22 magnum round. The round is, of course, more impressive when fired from the FN PS90 and AR57 (an upper for the standard AR15.) This weapon is apparently used by 40 different military and higher-level (state, federal) police forces around the world.
I've only shot one once, and enjoyed it -- but the gun is a bit pricier than I was comfortable buying.
FN's problem, I think, is that they make so much of their income from military weapons, they've never HAD TO learn how to sell to the civilian market, at least not here in the U.S.. They're starting to do that better in the U.S., but still have a lot to learn.