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Page Handguns » FN
Posted: 2/28/2022 12:13:06 PM EDT
Has anyone on here that had a problem with a FN America Model 503 handgun, had any issues with the FNS Model handguns or know anyone that has or had one of the FNS model pistols? FN America put out a brief statement on their website saying while the malfunction is not a defect in the "engineering" of their pistol. that they are going to go ahead and give everyone a free change of the Striker and shipping is on them both ways. It is saying it should take about 3 weeks for them to change the striker and will send it back. I am just curious if anyone has had any accidental discharges with any of the FNS family line of handguns. If any of you have had the problem or someone close to you may have had a problem with these handguns, please send me a private message. Once I can get an idea of how many guys have had problems with them, I promise to show why this FNS handgun has had these problems and just how long this problem has been occurring.

Thank you all for helping if you can.
Link Posted: 2/28/2022 11:34:47 PM EDT
[#1]
Have two FNS-9's. Never had any issues with them but sent both in to get the work done. Shipped one at a time so I had one to shoot while the other was getting worked on. No change in trigger feel or weight with either one.
Link Posted: 3/1/2022 10:25:50 AM EDT
[#2]
There may be some old threads here (and other places on the internet) about the unintended firing issues experienced with some early FNS pistols.  It only occurred under strange/unusual conditions and a change to the striker design was made to eliminate it.  

Apex Tactical used to make/sell FNS strikers, too.  I bought two of those for my FNS pistols and installed them in two of the slides (have more than one slide for the big frame).

I developed a real liking for the FNS pistols while I was testing/carrying the full sized one but just never got the groups with it I get from my CZs.  So many nice features not found on most guns but nice tight groups wasn't one of them.

Good luck with your pistol.
Link Posted: 3/2/2022 12:58:26 PM EDT
[#3]
I bought a FNS-9c back at the beginning of 2016 and have had no problems with it to date. Its funny that you talk about accuracy, as when I purchased the firearm, well to put in bluntly everything felt great. Except for one thing, that being the factory sights, as I hated them and while my accuracy wasn't all over the paper, it just felt like it might as well of been. So after talking to a number of people who owned the FNS-9c, everyone of them talked about how great the firearm was, but complained about the sights and how much better their grouping got when they put a nice pair of competition sights on. I was already wanting to go to night sights, so I went with the fiber optic sights and it made a world of difference. I have a lot of knowledge in the events that occurred with FNS Series Pistols and was surprised how many places had some documented cases of the pistol having accidental discharges, enough that two of the law enforcement agencies who had just purchased the longslide versions and were given help to replace all the problem Strikers and even with that the departments still changed and purchased Glock 9mm pistols. I have heard from people who had the replacement Strikers' and the Apex Strikers put on, with a number saying the "replacement striker" still had problems, I also heard that the Apex Striker was the way to go, but then there are the people who claimed the Apex Striker having light strikes.  I have gotten to the point of not knowing if I can trust the 9c for concealed carry. I personally have never had any issues to date, but I don't want to be one of the people who have had a problem when I count on my firearm to work. That's why I was hoping I could find enough people who have been down this road and say if one fix is better than another. I just need some reassurance that a few people who have had the Striker changed, either factory or Apex and feel strongly enough that they feel comfortable enough now to count on it as their carry gun.
Link Posted: 3/3/2022 10:36:39 PM EDT
[#4]
I've had my FNS for quite a while. I did send the slide in for the striker replacement, and when it came back it had a much rougher trigger pull.

It has yet to cause me any concern in any way. It got promoted from range toy to house gun after a couple years. Lighter use, and better food (ammo) were its pay increase.
Link Posted: 3/4/2022 8:55:49 AM EDT
[#5]
I installed the Apex strikers in two my slides.

One of them had a noticeably rougher/longer trigger pull right there at the end before the sear released the striker.

I removed it (Apex) and laid it on the table side by side with the factory striker and you could see (what I call the dog leg sticking down from the rear of the striker that is caught/released by the sear) the Apex was longer, slightly.  Okay, that's part of the difference in the trigger pull.  I stoned/polished the dogleg where it contacts the sear and after a bit it was back to the feel I had prior to replacing the factory unit.

No light strike issues with either slide (FNS-C .40 and FNS long slide .40.)

The trigger pull is different than any other striker fired gun I have.  You get used to it.

Accuracy?

My P07 .40  with 135 grain hollow points sitting on top a compressed charge of Blue Dot.  Thirteen shots at 12 yds. off hand.  Bottom round was a surprise.  Bottom left round was me shooting at a hovering bumble bee between me and the target.  I missed the bumble bee but he did leave and stop flying around between me and the target.

Attachment Attached File


I tried Federal, Remington, Winchester FMJ and hollow points in the FNS .40's.  The 135 grain hollow points, too.  Best was the Winchester 180 grain hollow points in the 5" FNS.  Really not too bad.  Not as good as the smaller P07.  I wouldn't object to open carry with a big gun like the FNS long slide, but I'm not going to try to conceal carry the long slide.

Attachment Attached File


I'll repeat, the FNS series of pistols has a lot of things going for it I like.  It's a decently long list.  Some are subtle and you don't realize it unless you tear into it and realize what the purpose is, or the function.

Oh, picture of the factory striker and Apex striker side by side.  You can see the Apex striker is 'beefier" than the factory striker.

Attachment Attached File

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