Infantry Small Arms / The Warfighter

Fabrique Nationale FNS

Semi-Automatic Service / Security Pistol [ 2011 ]

The FN America FNS is a no-frills semi-automatic pistol series with very strong qualities and a very good pedigree to boot.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 09/05/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from official FN America marketing materials.

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The FNS is a conventional semi-automatic pistol by FN America intended for military, law enforcement and commercial use. The series was introduced in 2011 and continues production today (2018). It counts several American law enforcement services and Belgian Liege police as some of its global operators. The FNS is based in the earlier FNX Double-Action / Single-Action model of 2009.

The FNS has a typical external design with ribbed, full-length slide, under-barrel accessories rail (MIL-STD-1913), and patterned grip. Internally, it relies on a Double-Action Only (DAO), striker-fired system through a short-recoil, locked breech / tilting barrel operation. Feeding is by way of a 10-, 12-, 14- or 17-round spring-loaded magazine inserted into the base of the weapon - though ammunition counts are model / chambering dependent (10- and 17-shot magazines being the typical fit for 9mm forms). Base models have an overall length of 7.25" with barrel's measuring 4" long. A manual safety is optional while the slide stop lever and magazine release are both ambidextrous to suit right- or left-handed shooters equally. The slide and barrel (the latter being cold hammer-forged) assemblies are completed in stainless steel while lightweight-yet-robust polymer is used elsewhere in this pistol's construction. Backstraps are interchangeable to suit the shooter's needs. A loaded chamber indicator is included for quick notification of the chamber's status and front and rear iron sights are provided - either as fixed 3-dot sights as standard or the optional fixed 3-dot night sights.

The FNS is currently (2018) marketed in the following forms: FNS-9, FNS-9 Compact, FNS-9 Compact FDE, FNS-9 Longslide, FNS-40, FNS-40 Compact, and FNS-40 Longslide - the designations denoting the various qualities of the individual model (.40 caliber chambering, compact dimensions, lengthened slide, etc...). The series is available in 9x19mm Parabellum and .40 S&W flavors. Compact forms ease concealed-carry for those shooters requiring such a quality and longslide forms offer the longer 5" barrels with lengthened slides for competition shooting.

Specifications

Service Year

2011

Origin

United States

Classification

Semi-Automatic Service / Security Pistol

FN America (Fabrique Nationale) - USA

(View other Arms-Related Manufacturers)

Belgium; United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Pistol / Sidearm
Compact design for close-quarters work or general self-defense.

Overall Length

184 mm
7.24 in

Barrel Length

101 mm
3.98 in

Empty Wgt

1.58 lb
0.72 kg

Sights

Iron Front and Rear; 3-Dot Type.

Action

Striker-Fired; Double-Action-Only (DAO); Semi-Automatic.

Semi-Automatic
One shot per trigger pull; self-loading or auto-loading action aided by internal mechanism; trigger management (and initial cocking) typically required by the operator; subsequent shots are aided by the unlocked / moved bolt.

(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)

Caliber(s)*

9x19mm Parabellum; .40 S&W (model dependent).

Sample Visuals**

Graphical image of a 9mm pistol cartridge

Graphical image of a .40 S&W (Smith & Wesson) pistol cartridge

Rounds / Feed

10-, 12-, 14- or 17-round detachable box magazine (model dependent).

*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources.
**Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.

Max Eff.Range

165 ft
(50 m | 55 yd)

Rate-of-Fire

24
rds/min

Muzzle Velocity

1,100 ft/sec
(335 m/sec)

FNS - Base Series Name.

FNS-9 - Base 9mm form with 4" barrel assembly.

FNS-9 Compact - Chambered in 9mm; compact model.

FNS-9 Compact FDE - Chambered in 9mm; specialized compact model.

FNS-9 Longslide - Chambered in 9mm; 5" barrel with lengthened slide component.

FNS-40 - .40 S&W chambering; 4" barrel assembly.

FNS-40 Compact - .40 S&W chambering; compact model.

FNS-40 Longslide - .40 S&W chambering; 5" barrel with lengthened slide component.

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Image from official FN America marketing materials.

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