The FNH 9mm FNS9 handgun was originally marketed to law enforcement officers but has become quite popular in the everyday shooting industry as well. It’s well-known for its reliability and ambidextrous controls. This gun could be a great asset to any collection, or even function well as a beginning gun for any first-time shooters looking for a tame and easy to control firearm.

Let’s get into a full review of the FNS9 including all the aspects a gun owner wants to know.

Accuracy & Reliability

As long as the pistol is clean it is one of the most reliable pistols you have ever experienced. It runs amazingly with zero failures of any kind on the range and in the field. Accuracy is a little more on the iffy side. Before the shooter gets used to the gun itself it throws wider groupings. Once the handler gets used to the trigger mechanism and has a more practice with the gun, the accuracy improves to the expected FNH reputation. Best of all, the accuracy of the gun does not waver over time, it remains as accurate as day one on day 365.

Controls & Trigger

All of the controls on the FNS9 are ambidextrous. Lefties have no fear! Other than the slightly small slide release the controls are easy to use with zero malfunctions.

In terms of the trigger, there is quite the generous guide making it great for those with larger hands or shooters who prefer to use gloves. It has a crisp break at 5.25lbs and a relatively common amount of up-take when compared to other striker fired pistols. There is very little overtravel because of the spring recoil mechanism. There is an audible reset and the spring tension “pushes” the finger forward after firing  so that riding the reset is easy and it’s almost impossible to short stroke.

Grip & Sights

Many shooter reviews dislike the grip this pistol comes with. The frame has some sharp serrations around it and aggressive stippling as well. However, this more aggressive approach to grip ensures the shooter has a firm grip and more control over the pistol while firing.

This pistol also comes with standard factory three-dot-sights. While they are fine, many shooters choose to switch out to the more popular and versatile Trijicon night sights. These are very crisp and easy to use staying bright without being blinding. No matter the sights you choose to use, the impact of the bullet from the FNS9 is about 2” lower than where the sights aim. So, for competitive shooting or when needing extreme accuracy, shooters will need to remember to adjust their aim appropriately.

Magazine & Safety

This pistol is meant to be a concealed and carry weapon which means the safety and magazines are designed for such. The magazine is compact yet still holds 17+1 rounds. In terms of safety there is a small manual safety on the pistol that can be hard to hit when under pressure or getting it from a holster. However, the trigger also has a secondary safety that can be engaged and leave the manual safety disengaged.