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Originally posted by az4783054:

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Originally posted by triaxle:
Why did they even go with the F/N guns , no one uses them . Who ever it was that would not sell the old guns and chose this F/N junk should be let go . Any thing about MD , NJ , NY is a joke anymore .

AZ DPS adopted SIG as their first semi auto pistol back in the mid 1980s. The choice followed months of different pistol manufacturers testing by the armory and multiple officers. It was unusual as most AZ agencies were using GLOCK and the SIG cost was greater than what GLOCK would have cost. The issued was a choice of P220/45 or P226/9. A couple of decades later they adopted the P229/40. Few issues with any SIG platform that were not operator caused. All worked well in multiple OIS.

In 2015 the Governor chose a new Director and Asst. Director from outside the agency. The latter apparently liked the FN and directed that manufacturer be the new service weapon. I'm not sure if the FN got anywhere near the testing as did SIG. It happens more often than not that a lounge lizard makes a poor choice. In this case, the lesser cost to replace aging SIG service weapons may have played a role during budget crunches.

I'm quite certain that the FN pistols will be fixed but the confidence 'damage' has been done. SIG pistols worked for years. A lot of officers probably have doubts about the FN choice in the first place.

Didn'the AZDPS have also carry the Sig Sauer P 226/40 when I was down in AZ i was right in Fountain Hills and my place was blocks away for the AZDPS Beeline District and i got to know a Sargent that was from my region and he carried a P226 40 as well as the other troopers did ?

I know a guy i fallow on Instagram he's an AZ Trooper in Florence area and I ask hime about his FNS 40 Longslide and he said he had a 40 now he carries a FNS 9 Lonslide and loves it so obvious you Troopers have a choice between the FNS Longslid in 40 or 9MM is their truth to that?

Gummi Bear pistols. Nice and bendy.

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Originally posted by soggy_spinout:
I know FN early on announced a contract for the 509 with Brink's Security. It's been 'crickets' after that.

Yeah, talk about an outfit where they get fired once a year (maybe) then collect dust bunnies, Doritos, hairballs while in holsters.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Gummi Bear pistols. Nice and bendy.

I recently sold a 509 Tac and an FNS Compact. Those pics make it look like they're made out of rubber!

I never noticed mine feeling any different than my Glocks or M&P's when it came to the polymer.

My only real complaint with the guns was that the trigger pull was too heavy and the reset was too long. The grip was very nicely done from ergos standpoint imo.

There’s a reason why a brand new FNS L in 9mm with night sights and 3 mags costs $379 online.

Gun shops in my area are selling FN pistols off for around $350. Close out prices and they state they are not restocking them.

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When P320's were discovered to have a problem with firing when dropped, a number of forum posters here noted that every AD/ND involving P320's was suddenly being blamed on the pistol. "It went off by itself" or "it went off in the holster without me touching it."

As in the case of the small number of ADs involving the FNS pistols in service with Baltimore PD, it may be that some of these claims are just someone who committed an operator error using the opportunity to blame the pistol.

Baltimore PD is a troubled department, working in a city with a spiraling crime rate, having a number of officers indicted for crimes, and working under a political administration that doesn't fully support them. In this case, the FNS pistol may be a sort of lightning rod for dissatisfaction by the officers, and a chance for a knee-jerk reaction by the administration that they think will make them popular. . Added: As noted in a later post by Sigmund, the issue is in Baltimore County, not Baltimore City, so this paragraph is not relevant.

FN America points out in their service bulletin that the case of the striker not firing, or delayed firing, after the pistol is jammed from the front of the slide, has only been shown in testing, and they have no reporting it ever occurred in the field.

I also note that FN, which really makes very few pistols, did not try to deny that they have a problem with the FNS - they simply say to their civilian customers, if you have this pistol, send it in. Other companies could emulate that model of taking responsibility.

Has Sig ever had any problems with striker design in its pistols? Complaints from users? It can happen.

So here's the personal part. I have three FN pistols -- FNX's. Never a problem, and exceptionally accurate - FN is famous for its excellent barrels. With their low scale of production, FN pistols might be a little too costly for a typical government deal -- I've read people claiming that Glock practically gives their pistols away, and Sig discounted the P320's/M17's down into the mid-200 dollar range to get the Army contract. But FN makes decent weapons, and have the reputation to back that up - they make the majority of small arms used by the U.S. military.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RoverSig,

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they make the majority of small arms used by the U.S. military.

If that was all that telling a point in terms of making handguns, their handguns would have earned a much better reputation and would be seen in a lot more people's hands. As for barrels, yes, their rifle barrels have a great reputation. The thing is, so do Walther's barrels and Walther pistols haven't taken the world by storm lately either - despite the fact that there haven't been a whole lot of complaints about the reliability of Walther pistols.

The fact is that FN's flagship service pistols just haven't impressed a whole lot of people compared to the alternatives, which is why you just don't see all that many of them in private hands in the U.S. The FNP was fine, but I don't miss it.

quote:

Originally posted by RoverSig:

...Baltimore PD is a troubled department, working in a city with a spiraling crime rate, having a number of officers indicted for crimes, and working under a political administration that doesn't fully support them....

Minor distinction: It was Baltimore COUNTY PD that replaced the FNS guns. They may have those same issues as Baltimore City PD, I do not know.

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Originally posted by RoverSig:
But FN makes decent weapons, and have the reputation to back that up - they make the majority of small arms used by the U.S. military.

And when you say 'small arms', they make exactly NONE of the handguns in US Military use.

Zero, zlich, nada.

No one here disputes that FN can make awesome M4/M16/M249/M240/M2/SCARs. They can and do.

But they make shit polymer pistols. Absolutely horrendous compared to the competition.

Yeah, SIG, Glock, and M&P have take their licks from time to time, but they are used reliably in overwhelming numbers in US LE and Military service.

I own two FN SCARS myself. Amazing rifles. But if gifted a modern FN polymer pistol, I would put it up for sale immediately.

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Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
But they make shit polymer pistols. Absolutely horrendous compared to the competition.

Ahhh, shitsky. Guess I'll just test to destruction, like everything else.

Baltimore County just needs to get rid of their pistols and start carrying rocks or bully clubs. When it comes to service pistols, if these guys didn't have bad luck they wouldn't have any luck at all.

This is one of the agencies that had problems with the frame rails their 9mm P226's (scallop or mud rails) cracking. As I recall Sig temporarily gave them Sig Pros to replace the broken P226's while they transitions to P229's.

These guys should really go back to carry 4" Smith & Wesson Model 64's.

I don't understand why anyone buying pistols for a police department would buy something other than a Glock that has a track record under those conditions, has the service record in the field and is priced right.
Sig would be a close second due to other government agencies doing a lot of testing that wouldn't need to be duplicated by a smaller agency with less resources.

^^ That's why other companies have salesmen.

I just learned that the department from which I retired will transition from the FNS-9 to the Glock. While I had thought issues with the pistol had been more or less resolved, the department had two complete failures to include a cracked frame in the months since I've been gone.

To FN America's credit, they did seem to take problems with the pistol seriously. They replaced our early issue barrels and magazines which seemed to resolve the weapon double-feeding with a light attached. Of course, we also had issues with at least one failed night night, magazines releasing in the holster due to the ambidextrous magazine release, and a complex working mechanism.

For better or worse, the FNS replaces .40 226's and 239's which experienced a significant number of cracked frames.

I wonder if FN has a "kickback" deal going on.

Looks like the Arizona State Troopers are now issued Glock 17 Gen5 as of late 2018, but it did say Troopers can still carry their FNS Longslide 40 and 9MM and Sig Sauer P226 in 40 if they don’t want to transition to the Glock 17 Gen5 9MM’s have to say one thing they are doing it right not trying to force Glock’s down their Troopers throats if they don’t love Glock’s or are Glock fan boys and girls.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nelson Kyle K,

An update to this story by the local Fox station with video of failure scenarios.

Fox Baltimore link

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
I didn't know anyone seriously used FN handguns.

I mean, their rifles are great. Machine guns, even better.

Pistols? Their last big hit was the BHP in 9MM, IMO.

Not all of thier machine guns are good. The 249 is an unreliable piece of shit. And I’m not basing that off of blanks. I had a gas piston break off on one, then on another the disassembly pin just fell out and my weapon ended up in pieces on the floor. And almost every time I went to the range with it, the damn thing jammed. I had literally no confidence in the 249.

Now the 240 bravo is a different story