FNH-USA has been introducing some very interesting weapons lately, and two of their best pistols to date are the two featured in this review. FNH seems to be one of those rare companies who listens to what shooters want, and then puts those ideas into production. Even today, many gun makers still produce handguns that are not user-friendly to left-handed shooters. It seems that in developing a new design, they would go ahead and engineer in ambidextrous controls, but some gun makers do not. With every new weapon that FNH develops, they integrate ambidextrous controls into the design. Thank you. Being a left-hander, that is important to me, and it is also of importance to anyone who carries a fighting weapon, as it is sometimes necessary to utilize the weapon with the weak hand.

The FNP-45 Tactical was developed for the US Military pistol program, and has many useful features integrated into the design. Most noticeable is the threaded barrel for the attachment of a sound suppressor or muzzle brake. Both the FNP-45 Tactical and the FNX-40 shown here are totally ambidextrous, having a slide release, thumb safety, and magazine release on each side of the pistol. Another thing that FNH seems to understand is that on a pistol that is built for fast magazine changes, the owner will want to have extra magazines. FNH supplies both of these pistols with three magazines. They also supply extra backstraps to allow the easy fitting of the weapon to the user’s hand. Also on both of these new pistols, there is a section of 1913 Picatinny rail ahead of the trigger guard to accommodate a laser sight or flashlight, if the user desires to attach one.

Neither of these pistols are pocket guns. They are full-sized, serious fighting pistols. Both have features that separate them from the competition. These FNH pistols are capable of being carried cocked and locked, if desired. Both are capable of being carried with the hammer down for a double-action first shot, if desired. Both also have multiple strike capability in the trigger mechanism. That means that the slide does not have to pre-cock the hammer, as these are true hammer-fired pistols. That feature was utilized in testing for this review, as I had a cartridge that failed to fire when the trigger was pulled. I pulled the trigger twice more, but evidently, it was a bad cartridge, as the primer was properly indented, but it would not fire. That happens, even with premium ammunition sometimes, as it was in this case.

The FNP-45 Tactical and the FNX-40 have well-textured polymer frames, and both come with interchangeable backstrap inserts, as noted above. The backstraps are also textured. The trigger guards have ample room for even a gloved finger. The magazines are made of steel, with polymer baseplates. The mag wells are slightly funneled for easy insertion of the magazines. Both pistols have Rowell-type hammers, and are serrated for easy cocking. De-cocking is accomplished with the safety levers. Up is “on safe”. Pushing down places the trigger in the “fire” mode, and pushing down further de-cocks the hammer.

Sights are very good on both pistols, but are better on the 45 Tactical. The FNX-40 has good three-dot sights, but the FNP-45 Tactical has a set of excellent Trijicon tritium night sights. The sights are of a high profile, to be of use when a sound suppressor is installed on the pistol. The front and rear sights are drift adjustable on both pistols.

Disassembly is identical for both the FNX and FNP pistols, and is quick and easy to accomplish. Lock the slide to the rear, drop the magazine, rotate the disassembly latch, and release the slide to go forward, guided by the hand. Reassembly is just as easy. There are no pins to push out, and no small parts to get lost. Very good design.

Both pistols, while hand-filling, are not overly large for most shooter’s hands. The extractors are spring-loaded and robust. The ejectors are built for positive ejection of empty cartridge cases. The cases do not slam into the slide, and are in perfect condition for reloading. That is important to many of us. The feed ramps on these pistols are well-polished and shaped, and every type of ammunition tested fed smoothly into the chamber. The springs are of a flattened coil design, and the guide rods are made of genuine steel. Critical dimensions are listed in the chart below. Weights are listed in ounces. Linear dimensions are listed in inches. Trigger pulls are listed in pounds of pressure. DA is double-action and SA is single-action. FDE is Flat Dark Earth color, as shown on the FNP-45 Tactical here. Trigger pulls on both weapons were very good, with smooth double-action pulls and crisp single-action pulls. Neither pistol has a magazine safety, but both pistols have firing-pin block safeties to prevent the weapon from firing unless the trigger is pulled.

Both pistols were fired for accuracy and reliability with several brands and types of ammunition. Reliability was one hundred percent with both pistols. There were no failures or stoppages of any kind, with the exception of the one faulty cartridge listed above. No handloads were tried in the FNX-40, but the FNP-45T performed very well with my standard target handload. This load consists of a Rim Rock 200 grain lead SWC atop 5.5 grains of Hodgdon Titegroup powder in a new primed S&W 45 ACP case. Accuracy was pretty good with both pistols, keeping high performance hollowpoint ammunition between two and three inches at twenty-five yards, shooting from a hand-held rested position. Accuracy from the handload with the 45 was excellent, grouping into one and one-half inches at twenty-five yards, handheld from a rest. Velocities were recorded at a distance of twelve feet, at an altitude of 541 feet above sea level, and an air temperature hovering around sixty-five degrees with low humidity. I love October! Velocities are recorded in the charts below, and are listed in feet-per-second. JHP is a jacketed hollowpoint bullet. EPR and AF are specialty premium bullets as loaded by Extreme Shock Ammunition. DPX is a homogenous copper hollowpoint. FMJ is a full metal jacket bullet. WCC is Winchester military ammo. PB is Cor-Bon Pow’RBall.

FNX-40 (40 S&W)

FNP-45T (45 ACP)

Both pistols turned in respectable velocities. The Buffalo Bore 45 caliber loads listed are the standard pressure ammo. I had none of their Plus P stuff available, but it usually is also a top performer in 45 ACP.

FNH-USA pistols are getting better all the time. These are the best and most modern auto pistols ever produced by FNH. They are strong, reliable, durable, and built for today’s modern soldier and law enforcement officer. They will serve very well for the rest of us also. As fighting pistols, these two FNH pistols are as good as it gets, each holding a fistful of cartridges; fourteen plus one on the 40 and fifteen plus one in the 45. With the two spare mags thoughtfully provided, that is plenty of firepower. The FNX-40 comes in a nice hard plastic case, and the 45 comes in an excellent padded soft case.

The FNP-45 and FNX-40 are built from top quality materials, built right, and built in the USA.

Check out the extensive line of FNH products online at www.fnhusa.com.

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To order the FNH pistols online, go to www.galleryofguns.com.

Jeff Quinn

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