Range Report: FNP45

[Ronin]

So a week ago I was up at Tanner's in Jamison perusing their selection of Sig556's because my wife has decided she wants one. Fine with me, I never turn down a trip to the gun store. While looking around I stumbled across a used FNP45 for $450. I've been itching for a hi-cap .45 for a while now and I thought the FNP45 would fit the bill, though I've been reticent to buy any new guns because I'm still on the "Great Kel Tec RFB Hunt." I figured the second I spent my RFB money on other toys, I'd get a phone call from my dealer that an RFB arrived. However, seeing as it was such a good deal, I couldn't pass it up -that and my wife said that I would be an idiot if I didn't buy it. So I bought it and thankfully (regretably?) no one is banging down my door with offers of reasonably priced RFBs.

But I digress...

I finally took it out to the range today and spent some time getting to know my new piece of combat tupperware. I gotta say I love this gun. It's a big ole' beast of steel and plastic, but it shoots like a dream.

You would think that a gun this big would be unwieldy, but it's not. It came with two interchangeable backstraps; one arched and one flat. I found that the flat one worked well for me. Even my wife, who has much smaller hands than me, had no problem operating the controls and getting a good, solid grip.

At first I had problems with getting the gun to cycle. I was shooting some 200gr SWC reloads and it wasn't having it at all. I then switched to factory 230gr FMJ and it ate up everything I fed it. I need to get some JHP's and see how it does, but I don't expect there to be any problems.

It's accurate. As in one ragged hole at 15yds accurate. The double action trigger is heavy, but easily managed. Once that first round goes off, it's single action city and I gotta say that's where the gun really surprised me. It's got one of the nicest factory SA triggers I've ever felt on a non-1911 semi-auto. If it was more than 4lbs, I'd be surprised and it just broke so nicely.

Overall I am very pleased with the FNP45. I'm looking forward to putting it through its paces some more in the coming months. Now I just need to find a holster for it.

[GeorgeF]

I am very interested in the Tactical version but the grips are aggresively checkered. Very pointy checkering that feels like it would hurt to shoot. Hope that changes.

[rwb1500]

Now I just need to find a holster for it.

There's the hard part.


I've been looking for a polymer DA/SA gun. I need to get my hands on one of these and give it a spin.

[JMIS]

Nice pick up.

I'm still looking for a Holster for my FNP.40

[Ronin]

Bladetech makes holsters that fit the FNP9/40 and the FNP45. They're a little pricey for Kydex, but there isn't a whole lot else out there - at least for the FNP45.

Ordinarily I'd find someone to make me a leather holster, but there's something about the FNP45 that screams "plastic holster."

[Fazer6PA]

For the FNP-9/40, go with a Fobus or Blackhawk for a Glock 30. Fits like a glove.

We haven't been able to find a decent holster for the FNP-45 either. There is Bladetech and a drop-leg rig from Safariland. We carry a leather one that the FNP-45 fits in. Ask to see the Mag-Jic holster when you're up on Thursday.

[Ronin]

Ressurecting my old thread because I recently had an issue with my FNP45.

A couple of months ago I noticed that the right side decocker lever was moving independently of the left side decocker and wasn't actually doing any decocking. Apparently the two clips that hold the lever in synch with the opposite lever had broken loose. The right side decocker lever is pressed on to a shaft which is permanently attached to the left side lever.

From what I've read this part is a point of failure for the entire FNP/FNX 9/40/45 line-up. A call to FN, if you can actually speak to a live person - I tried three times to call and got stuck on hold and never actually spoke to anyone - would result in them having you send the pistol in to be fixed.

Frustrated that I couldn't get my gun fixed, I looked around online and found a place that sells replacement decocking levers, both the right and left side. I bought a new left side lever and two right side levers. I figure, eventually the right side lever is going to fail again, so I may as well have a spare. I didn't actually need the left side lever, but again, for $5 it wouldn't hurt to have an extra.

While I was at it I bought the USG fire control group. My FNP45 was a decocker only model. The USG model gives you the option of a safety so you can carry cocked and locked like a 1911 or you can decock it like an H&K.

Interestingly enough, to change out the FCG, it's as simple as removing the deocking levers (the left one holds it in), lifting the FCG from the frame, and then tilting it forward to clear the trigger bar. Installing the new FCG is the opposite of removal.

After that I was able to press my right side lever onto the decocker pivot shaft and test out my new manual safety and decocker.

Can't wait to get it to the range this weekend.

[Asmodeus6]

Haven't had any trouble with mine. You can't use crappy ammo in it. That's the one problem I did have. Weak/underpowered ammo is a no go. But mine is a lot newer than yours. Even though it is a USG - it still uses the newer frame. Same as the tactical.

I need someone with a tactical to chime in. I need to know how deep the mounting plate screw holes go into the slide.

And some way to figure out what breed of "Stainless Steel" the slide is made from...

I'm going to take my USG, and cut the slide out just like the tactical using the cover plate as a guide. Well, I won't be doing it. I'll leave that to a highly skilled machinist.

But that's the plan. He just doesn't want to break through the slide when tapping the cover plate holes. And I need a safe depth to work from.

The sights are the next PITA I need to deal with. I'm probably going to have to cut my rear sight narrower (front to back) to accommodate the cut out. Or source tactical sights. It looks like the place that sells a lot of these things is out of the tactical rear sight however. (trijicon) And the cheapest I can find the Ameriglo suppressor height night sights is $109.

And I've never even seen them to compare to the Trijicon's.

Projects... aren't they fun?


My experience with the FNP 45 thus far has been aces. Everyone that shoots it loves it. I love it. It's stupid accurate. The trigger rocks. Just don't try to buy a holster for it. *sigh* Interesting discourse about the levers and how that all works. I haven't messed with mine outside of pulling the firing pin once. So that's all pretty black box still. And looks complicated back there...

[afdcomposer]

Have you ever found a holster for it? Did you ever consider something like this?

http://www.blackhawk.com/product/Pan...er,787,137.htm

I use an ancient Uncle Mike's pancake holster for OC and CC, and it's completely adjustable, which is nice. It fits my sig 239, firestar, and my 357 revolver. You can adjust or remove the thumbstrap, too. This one looks similar.

[Ronin]

My experience with the FNP 45 thus far has been aces. Everyone that shoots it loves it. I love it. It's stupid accurate. The trigger rocks. Just don't try to buy a holster for it. *sigh* Interesting discourse about the levers and how that all works. I haven't messed with mine outside of pulling the firing pin once. So that's all pretty black box still. And looks complicated back there...

De-cocker issues aside, I love my FNP 45. Even with the busted right side lever I could still shoot it. Being left handed I had to de-cock it from the left side which was awkward, but it still functioned. It's by far my favorite piece of combat Tupperware that I've owned.

I bought a Blade Tech holster for it last year. Used it in the zombie match at New Holland and it worked great.