Well, after much consideration I chose the new FNX-40 over the Ruger SR 40 and the H&K USP40. I got it out to the range today for 100 rounds.
Initial impressions? Upon field stripping the weapon before the range, I was impressed. Takedown is uber simple....remove mag, slide to the rear, flip TD lever down, release the slide...that's it. There are no machining marks anywhere on the slide or rails. Interchangeable back straps are nice to have. There have been reports of "loose" backstraps, but mine lock up tight. It also has a beveled mag well in the polymer frame...VERY nice. It made for some quick mag changes at the range. Ambi mag release is fantastic in function...over sized and easy to manipulate....one of the very best I have ever used. Gun also comes with 3 mags, which is really nice these days when most manufacterers are cutting back on stuff. The mags are easy to load all 14 rounds with the Uplula loader.
Shooting impression? The sights on this pistol are some of the very best I've ever used. Although a standard 3-dot set up, the front sight is over sized and extremely easy to put on target. I have owned one other pistol in 40 s&w...it was a Steyr M40 A-1. The extremely low bore axis in the Steyr made recoil feel more like a .45 (more of a "push" than muzzle flip). The FNX gave a more pronounced flip than a "push". Quick double taps were a little slower than with the Steyr. I shot the FNX better than any other pistol I own accuracy wise. The DA trigger was VERY smooth and probably around 10lbs or so. SA was extremely crisp, probably around 4lbs from what I have read. Trigger reset was awesome...very quick and pronounced.
I had two FTF out of the 100 rounds. This was I believe due to a bad batch of Wolfe primers (overly hard). I shot the same reloads with the Steyr and had the exact same problem.....but here's the best part....with the Steyr I had to drop the mag and rack the slide to eject the round and reload it into the magazine. They went off the second time around. With the FNX, I just had to pull the trigger a second time and they all went bang! This was yet another reason that I wanted to stay away from a striker fired weapon (Ruger SR40).
The decocker/safety worked very well. I can carry cocked and locked or hammer down and safety off. Again, choices are nice! The decocker works exactly the same as the USP. Although the USP is a beautiful and well made gun, it just did not fit me as well as the FNX did. I also did not care for the USP mag release. I just found it awkward to use.
Overall, I think that the FNX a very nice handgun for the money. I found it BNIB for $549 at the Lebanon show from a shop named Haycock Hollow Arms out of Quakertown.