FOCUS FNH FNS Compact
Excellent Ergonomics on the Range The FNS Compact is made in the USA and weighs 23.4 ounces unloaded. As a comparison, the Glock 19 (its com- petitor in both size and concept) weighs 23.6 ounces. The trigger on the FNS Compact is quite good and one of its greatest assets. It has the typical spongy take-up, com- mon with striker-fire weapons. But once the trigger hits the edge of its breaking point, it breaks crisply and exhib- its no over travel. The trigger’s consistency lent itself to inherent accuracy. At the range, 13 different factory 9mm cartridges were tested through the FNS Compact. Reloaded ammo was also fi red and all 14 types functioned faultlessly. Over 350 rounds were fi red during testing, and recoil with even the hottest +P loads was found to be easily manageable. The market is crowded with this type of handgun. Almost every major fi rearm manufacturer lists a polymer pistol with a striker-fi red mechanism on their website. The FNS stands out because it feels good in most offi cers’ hands. The FNS Compact is a chunky little gun, typical of double stack pis- tols with high-round count capacity. Despite its chunkiness, it feels good when grasped and aimed. The grip angle works well and causes the pistol to get on target fast. The slide stop is fenced with a protective section of the polymer frame and prevented unintended activation under recoil. Sometimes an offi cer’s grip will bump a slide stop upward and cause the gun’s slide to lock back inadvertently. Another problem can occur when an errant thumb prevents the slide from locking back after the last fi red shot in the magazine. These problems never occurred with the FNS Compact in any of several shooters’ hands. The trigger was easily manageable for fast shot strings and combat accuracy with the FNS Compact was intuitive. Drawing, aiming, and managing the trigger provided con- sistently tight groups. Measured on a digital gauge, the trig- ger broke at 7.5 pounds. This trigger pull may sound high, but it worked very well under actual fi re.
Looks and Performance
While totally functional weapons, some black polymer pistols may be considered blocky in appearance. The FNS Compact has some contoured lines in its slide and various gripping sur- faces that combine to offer a look that is rather pleasing to the eye. None of this matters if the gun doesn’t shoot well, and the FNS Compact is defi nitely a shooter. It was reliable with every kind of ammunition that was tried, it was accurate from a standing, offhand combat hold, and its recoil was negligible. With an MSRP of $599, FNH-USA has another excellent offer- ing in their extensive law enforcement lineup.
Steve Tracy is a 27-year police veteran with 25 years experience as a fi rearms instructor. He is also an instructor for tactical rifl es, use of force, less-than-lethal force and scenario-based training. He can be reached at
steventracy@hendonpub.com.
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www.lawandordermag.com 16 LAW and ORDER I January 2016
More than a dozen different kinds of 9mm ammunition was fired without fail through the FNS Compact. This kind of reliability suits police work well.
Dovetailed front and rear sights, Picatinny rail, fenced slide stop/release, and the articulating trigger safety can all be seen along with the 12-round, flat base magazine on the FNS Compact.
The FNS pistols are made in the USA and feature totally ambidextrous controls. The arched back strap exchanges with a flat style to fit all officers’ hands.
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