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 gun review: FNS-40LS T


he Baltimore County, Md. Police Department ordered 1,920 FNS- 40LS pistols for duty carry by their officers. They’re a large department and that’s a whole lot of duty pistols. So what were the factors that guided their decision? It would seem the answer is that the FNS line of polymer frame, striker fired pistols comes equipped with every feature law enforcement deems necessary. Right out of the box.


All the Features the Police Need T ere is a trend toward fi rearms manu- facturers off ering 5-inch barrel semi-auto- matic pistols in addition to their standard length guns with 4- to 4.5-inch barrels. A longer sight radius equals a fi rearm that is inherently easier to shoot accurately. T at has to be a plus in police work where an of- fi cer’s life, or someone the offi cer is sworn to protect, is on the line.


The FNS long slide is available in ei- ther 9mm or .40 S&W chambering and the test pistol had the .40 caliber hole at the end of the barrel, since it’s the most popular police pistol cartridge today. The long slide version weighs 29.7 ounces un- loaded, which is 2.2 ounces more than the 4-inch barrel pistol. That small amount of extra weight at the muzzle helps with recoil management.


Sights are the Warren/Sevigny dove- tailed steel sights with either white dots or optional tritium night sights. T e rear sight is serrated and sits as far to the rear of the slide as possible. T e Warren/Sevigny rear sight features a v-shape at the bottom of the notch. T is makes it easier to see the front white dot or tritium insert quickly. It was found to work very well. T e slide is matte-black stainless steel and the barrel is hammer forged steel. Front cocking serrations are part of the slide and the extractor has a red painted section that protrudes out to the right when the cham- ber is loaded. T e red portion tells you that your FNS is loaded and the extractor can be felt with your fi ngers in the dark.


11 The Police Marksman Sep-Oct 2014


 Loaded chamber indicator is the extractor, which shows red when a round is in the pipe.


Totally Ambidextrous The steel-magazine release button and slide stop/release are mirror imaged on both sides of the pistol’s polymer frame. T e FNS caters to left-handed offi cers who no longer have to make due with features intended only for right-handed shooters. T e frame is sharply checkered for a secure purchase under any conditions, but it’s not to the point where chafi ng occurs to your hands when fi ring the pistol for long hours during training. Two interchangeable back- straps are included in the heavy-duty plastic carrying case with each FNS pistol. One is fl at and one is arched. T e fl at backstrap caused the FNS-40LS to point very natu- rally in my big hands. T ere is also a built-in lanyard hole at the rear of the grip. T e grip tang extends fully to the rear to prevent any slide bite on the shooter’s gripping hand. T ree 14-round steel magazines come with each pistol. T e thick plastic bottoms prevent damage when dropped free and can be quickly removed by pressing a small tab if the magazines need to be cleaned.


T e front of the magazine base extends for- ward to provide your strong hand with a secure grip. T ere is also an undercut where the large trigger guard (which easily accom- modates gloved hands) meets the frame to allow a high grip on the pistol. A Picatinny rail mounts lights and lasers, and there is some checkering on the front of the trigger guard for an off hand index fi nger if one chooses to utilize that style of two-handed grip.


Field stripping the FNS is simple. With an unloaded pistol, the slide is locked to the rear before the takedown lever on the left side is rotated downward. T en the slide is eased forward until it reaches its closed position, at which time the trigger is pulled. T en the slide will ease forward off the frame. T e captive steel guide and re- coil spring can be lifted out and the barrel removed. T e steel chassis can be cleaned without removal from the polymer frame. Reassembly is accomplished by reversing these steps, leaving out the need to do any- thing further with the trigger.


www.policemarksman.com


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