FN FNS

Lore & Background

The FNS pistol was introduced as a striker-fired evolution of the hammer-fired FN FNX, sharing similar ergonomics but operating with a pre-set striker system of the hammerless short double-action-only type. All variants include ambidextrous magazine releases and slide stop release levers, a Picatinny rail, a loaded chamber indicator on the right side, and a hammer-forged stainless steel barrel. The pistol is chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum and .40 S&W, with compact versions (FNS-9C and FNS-40C) introduced in 2015 offering 12-round magazines for the 9mm and 10-round for the .40 S&W. A long slide version, the FNS-9LS and FNS-40LS, was introduced in 2012 in partnership with the Baltimore County Police Department.

In 2015, an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer was accidentally shot when his holstered FNS-40 discharged after bumping into a bag; the bag's part had tangled in the trigger. Later testing in 2018 revealed that the pistols could fire with the slide not fully in battery, discharge if tapped, or fire upon re-holstering due to improper trigger reset and safety failure. The Baltimore County Police Department reported similar bump-fire incidents and three cases of a broken roll pin causing the trigger to fall out. FN addressed the issues by replacing the striker with an improved design at no cost for both agencies and issued a public Service Bulletin offering a free striker upgrade, stating the malfunctions were only replicable in pistols manufactured before February 12, 2017. FN maintained the design was thoroughly tested and did not initiate a recall.

Both the Arizona DPS and Baltimore County Police Department ultimately replaced their FNS-40 pistols with the Glock 17. According to Arizona DPS officials, the decision was not due to dissatisfaction but because FN informed them the FNS would be discontinued that year. FN discontinued the FNS in 2019 in favor of the improved FN 509, but continues to honor the striker replacement program regardless of original ownership.

Reader's Guide

The FN FNS series represents a transitional design in FN's pistol lineup, bridging the hammer-fired FNX with the later striker-fired FN 509. Its adoption by law enforcement agencies such as the Baltimore County Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety gave it a notable, if brief, service history. The FNS was designed with a comprehensive set of safety features—trigger safety, firing pin safety, drop safety, out-of-battery safety, and an optional manual safety—yet encountered significant reliability concerns in the field. Reports of unintentional discharges from bumping, out-of-battery firing, and trigger pin failures led to a free striker replacement program and eventual discontinuation. The controversy surrounding these issues, combined with the agencies' subsequent switch to the Glock 17, has made the FNS a subject of discussion in firearms reliability debates. FN's response—offering upgrades without a recall—and the company's assertion that the problems were limited to pre-2017 pistols left some ambiguity about the root cause. The FNS's legacy is thus tied to both its innovative striker-fired design and the operational challenges that hastened its replacement by the FN 509.

Did You Know?

• The FNS is based on the FN FNX but uses a double-action, striker-fired mechanism instead of a hammer.
• A 2018 investigation found that FNS pistols could fire when tapped or upon re-holstering due to improper trigger reset.
• The Baltimore County Police Department reported three incidents where the roll pin in the frame broke, causing the trigger to fall out.
• FN discontinued the FNS in 2019 in favor of the FN 509, but still offers a free striker upgrade for FNS pistols.