FN - no static at all

[Bongo Lewi]

Apologies to Steely Dan. But this gun makes me want to break into song.

This FN Reflex is a fairly recent model and I must say it has the best trigger I have ever squeezed on a subcompact pistol. I was so taken by the trigger I had to buy it. I'm being totally serious. No gun in this class has such a good trigger. I've shot them all. My Lyman says it's 3.5 lbs on average.

It's about the same size as a Ruger LCP Max. Except it is 9mm. No optic cut, but on a gun this small you probably aren't going to want a red dot anyway. FN do have a variation of the Reflex that will accommodate a red dot.

I read that this gun was designed entirely by the FN USA team. Evidently, the Belgian parent is not prone to wildcatting - departing from their established norms for design and quality and making change at a glacial pace. I guess that's not surprising considering the company has been making guns for around 150 years. Some of the best guns ever, actually.

I ran some fmj's and hollow points thru it this morning without bothering to clean it first. The grip is really small but I like it. No problems shooting five and six inch groups rapid fire at 15 yards. Four ten round mags yielded only two flyers that missed the paper plate. I'll take that any day of the week.

This gun is super easy to conceal. I have a new pocket gun. I still love the Ruger Max 9 and its 380 cousin. They take a lickin and keep on tickin as Ruger is known for. But the Ruger trigger cannot compare to this FN Reflex. The only other striker gun with a trigger this good is the Walther PDP. Second best is the HK VP9. Both, even the subcompacts are quite bit larger than the Reflex.

One thing though... for those who are ham handed or have trouble remembering to keep their booger hook off the bang switch, I would not tuck this gun into your pants. I believe it's safe, but a pocket gun with a trigger this elegant is not for the undisciplined. You may shoot your nuts off.

 

[Racer88]

I like me some FNH.

I've been looking to add a PS90 to that family for a long time.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

In comparing the Walther and HK triggers, I should have made it more clear that the Reflex is hammer fired.

 

[Racer88]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ebkj9x5Ko

 

[Bongo Lewi]

I like me some FNH.


I've been looking to add a PS90 to that family for a long time.

I have only one other FN. It's a very well made gun. Bigger in the EU than here though.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ebkj9x5Ko

I had hair like that. I'm grateful to still have it. The hair, not the cut.

 

[One Ping Only]

Oddly enough, or serendipitously so, I came across the very model you mention BL, when looking at other subcompacts online. Stoeger supposedly has a nice subcompact for a decent price with a pretty good trigger…but I bet it’s not as good as the FN’s, and the build quality may be lower. I dunno…but now we have a living example telling about the FN, with firsthand experience. This forum is so good.

And for me, I prefer a hammer model like the Reflex.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

Can’t go wrong with Stoeger. Its a no frills Beretta. The APX is also a decent carry gun that is usually deeply discounted. I don’t know why the APX line is not more popular.

Going back a few years, I carried a Nano for those times when you needed something small and discreet. It served that purpose very well. For those days when all you have to wear is a speedo, the Pico is a marvel of small and thin!

 

[Racer88]

For those days when all you have to wear is a speedo, the Pico is a marvel of small and thin!

Are we still talking about guns?

 

[Bongo Lewi]

Are we still talking about guns?

I've always said that big gun doesn't help if you dont know where the target is. Proficiency is everything.

 

[One Ping Only]

Snort

 

[Bongo Lewi]

New Blackpoint holster for the FN Reflex. Arrived yesterday.

Very comfortable. Those leather wings are flexible and the kydex is slightly curved to give you a good fit against the hip. I prefer to wear a gun at 4:30-5:00 vs 3:00. Instead of sticking out, it's right around the corner.

Blackpoint tends to be a little pricey for kydex but they do retain well and are comfortable. Sig private labeled Blackpoint for quite a while.

 

[One Ping Only]

Noice rig!!

 

[Bongo Lewi]

Get in my belly!

3 inch group at 15 yards rapid fire off the draw. I like this gun. Shoots like it's much bigger. No optic.

Nothing fancy with the ammo. American Eagle FMJ 9mm 124 gr.

The second holster arrived a couple of days ago. Crucial Concealment. A very good quality kydex holster. Very compact, comfortable, awesome retention. The Blackpoint holster in the previous post is better suited to light, summer clothes.

 

[One Ping Only]

I like it!!

FWIW I'm looking at the Crucial Concealment OWB for the Echelon... & prefer the 4:30-5:00 carry position when carrying the P938...it just disappears, and sitting in a vehicle is no problem with it. Seems to really work well for me. Even carried my SC in the same position and, though noticeably thicker than the P938, carried OK in that clock position.

Yesterday was reading an article with Mas Ayoob covering the cross draw/cavalry carry for CCW, which has been a consideration. Interesting article, and as always, he makes some great no-nonsense points.

Mas is getting up there in age and looking frail...my gut tells me he may be battling something (besides age itself) and I hope I'm wrong. When it's time for him to 'graduate', he will be the last of a certain generation of experience and information in the firearms world that has indeed adapted with modernity and the times we're in. Oh, and he bought an Echelon that he reviewed, and loves it. hehe.

That's quite a serviceable (!!) group at 15 yds that's much like our SC clones. Those suckers are accurate!

 

[Bongo Lewi]

That's quite a serviceable (!!) group at 15 yds that's much like our SC clones. Those suckers are accurate!

Most guns these days are more accurate than the person shooting them!

I'm happy as a clam with a 3 inch group at that distance with any subcompact. Hell... any size pistol. In this case, rapid fire, just keep shooting until empty.

The center mass being about eight inches... Anything inside that ring is good. Just to keep things simple, I use a 6 inch paper plate. If every round (or close to it) hits the plate, I'm happy. The one in the pic is 8 inches. I usually put up two stacked vertically. Two shots in the lower, one in the upper from the draw. Rinse and repeat. But in this case I was just getting familiar with the gun.

I honestly have very little interest in tight groups for a defensive pistol. That's a fine goal on the range but I'm not competing. I focus more of my drilling on speed and shooting while moving. Marksmanship to me and my world has always been about getting off my X, being fast, and not missing. I do practice with larger, duty-sized pistols at 50 yards.

At 100 yards would never take the shot with a pistol. I would run away. Or close the gap if there was cover and I had to. But as a rule, I don't chase anybody. Not my yob as they say.

I am really liking this little FN. 100 rounds so far using a random mix of ammo. No hiccups at all.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

Mas is getting up there in age and looking frail...my gut tells me he may be battling something (besides age itself) and I hope I'm wrong. When it's time for him to 'graduate', he will be the last of a certain generation of experience and information in the firearms world that has indeed adapted with modernity and the times we're in. Oh, and he bought an Echelon that he reviewed, and loves it. hehe.

Mas has a lot of critics. I have a lot of respect for him and always found his wisdom and advice useful and practical. He once won a state championship with a bone stock Glock. Funny how his critics seem to have no trophies or followers. The more I learn about people the more I like my dog.

The Echelon is calling to me every time I walk past it at a LGS. Like the sirens in Jason and the Argonauts. I wish there were a compact model. The reviews have been very good.

 

[One Ping Only]

Mas has a lot of critics. I have a lot of respect for him and always found his wisdom and advice useful and practical. He once won a state championship with a bone stock Glock. Funny how his critics seem to have no trophies or followers. The more I learn about people the more I like my dog.

The Echelon is calling to me every time I walk past it at a LGS. Like the sirens in Jason and the Argonauts. I wish there were a compact model. The reviews have been very good.

You know they must have a compact & subcompact model in the works. It’s inevitable- with their swappable fire control group- just another variant.

So far, SA has only introduced the three grip module sizes, and just recently released an olive drab colored variant of those the full frame modules. No FDE yet.

My guess is a FDE module is next, followed-by a compact, or maybe subcompact (due to market hotness in that segment) variant of the fully built Echelon. Then will come the components to swap between sizes with the same fire control group. I really need to get out and shoot mine some more, as it’s hardly broken-in. Maybe another 150 rounds.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

You know they must a compact & subcompact model in the works. It’s inevitable- with their swappable fire control group- just another variant.

So far, SA has only introduced the three grip module sizes, and just recently released an olive drab colored variant of those the full frame modules. No FDE yet.

My guess is a FDE module is next, followed-by a compact, or maybe subcompact (due to market hotness in that segment) variant of the fully built Echelon. Then will come the components to swap between sizes with the same fire control group. I really need to get out and shoot mine some more, as it’s hardly broken-in. Maybe another 150 rounds.

I noticed the small frame only changes the grip size. I’d like to have a frame and slide that’s overall shorter. A 4.5 inch barrel. I’m sure they will get there eventually. When the XD is phased out I presume.

 

[One Ping Only]

I noticed the small frame only changes the grip size. I’d like to have a frame and slide that’s overall shorter. A 4.5 inch barrel. I’m sure they will get there eventually. When the XD is phased out I presume.

That’s right. These currently available frames are all full-size with small, medium, or large grip sizes.

I think many are waiting for a shorter slide and frame option. I sure am!

I’m hoping they do not phase-out the XD series, FWIW.

Currently the Echelon ships with the medium grip, and medium backstrap installed in it. The small and large backstraps come with the gun.

Seems to be some that find the large grip with the small backstrap is the cats meow- Mas and a few others have stated that it seems to fill the hand just right with that combo. I’m thinking of snagging one of those next to done out for myself.

But I had no options I’d still be happy.

Others, with smaller hands like the smaller grip module option.