Reliability
We shot the FNS-9C lefty and righty, one hand and two, male and female, size large and size small. We experienced no malfunctions of any kind. No feed failures, no extraction failures, no ejection failures, not even a thumb over-riding the slide stop lever and keeping the slide from locking open when the little pistol ran dry. For us, functioning was 100%.
I am not aware of any long-term torture tests such as have been done on the Glock over the years. The FNS is “a new kid on the block,” and needs time to prove itself in long term, high-shooting-volume service. Still, from what I hear some top shots like world champ Dave Sevigny are kicking butt with the larger FNS pistols, and top tier shooters don’t risk their reputations on guns that fail.
Carrying the FNS-9C
I spent a day carrying the FNS-9C, with thirteen rounds of the Federal +P+ on board and the 17-round magazine for spare. The holster was a Ted Blocker 5B thumb-break for a Glock 30. The mag pouch was a Comp-Tac built originally for a Springfield XD(m), which fit perfectly. It is worth noting that both types of magazine that came with the FNS-9C are steel-body. Both—particularly the shorter 12-round—were easy to fill and, with the slide forward, both lengths of FNS magazine inserted and locked into place easily.
These last two points are more important than they might seem. A lot of high-cap magazines (both steel and polymer) get awfully hard to refill as they get fuller. This is a particular concern for users whose hand strength is not maximal. Many people keep their guns unloaded, with the slide forward at rest, and any shooter may have to perform a “tactical reload” with the slide forward on a chambered round. Many magazines (again, both steel and polymer) won’t insert easily under those circumstances and may not lock in place, which can lead to disastrous consequences in a life-threatening emergency. The FNS-9C left me confident that neither of these problems will occur with this pistol.
Summation
With an MSRP of $599, and the optional caliber choice of .40 S&W (ten and fourteen round mags respectively), the FNS-9C is a new and viable contender in the hot market for subcompact, high-capacity, concealed carry pistols chambered for potent service-level rounds. It comes with an attractive list of both options and standard features. I expect to see more of them on the firing lines at shooting classes.
The FNS-9C at your firearms retailer, or for more information contact FNH USA, Dept. OT; Tel.: (703) 288-3500; Web: www.fnhusa.com
