Roughly one hundred years ago, the US Military
expressed an interest in adopting a new .45 caliber auto pistol,
and the resulting trials gave us one of the best fighting
pistols that the world has ever seen; the Colt 1911 .45 ACP,
which served honorably for decades, and can still be found in
improved versions within some units of the US Military. A few
years ago, the US again requested submissions for consideration
of a modern .45 caliber auto pistol, and the result is that,
while the military has failed to adopt one, we now have several
good service sized .45 ACP pistols on the market. A common
denominator with these is a magazine capacity of at least ten
rounds, plastic frame, accessory rail, good sights, and a manual
safety capability.
One of the best of these new pistols is the
FNP-45 from Fabrique Nationale Herstal, or FNH. Made in South
Carolina at the FNH-USA manufacturing facility, it is a robust,
full-sized fighting pistol. FNH claims that seventy percent of
the small arms used by the US Military are FNH products. I do
not doubt this, as FNH makes some of the best machines guns
currently in use world-wide. They are also the parent company of
Browning and Winchester. FNH makes rifles, shotguns, pistols,
machine guns, and many accessories for small arms. I have been
testing one of their Patrol Bolt Rifles (PBR) recently, and a
review of that rifle will be up on Gunblast soon.
The FNP-45 is a solid, well-built service pistol
ideally suited for law enforcement, military, and as a defensive
weapon for the rest of us. While large, it is not excessively
heavy, having a lightweight polymer frame. The frame comes with
interchangeable arched and flat backstraps to offer some
adjustability to the feel of the weapon. One insert is easily
swapped for another by using a small nail, paperclip, or wire to
push into the hole in the insert. Weighing in at just slightly
over two pounds, the FNP-45 balances very well, and feels good
in my hand. I prefer the flat grip insert, but some other
shooters that fired this pistol preferred the arched. The sights
are of a sturdy three-dot design, adjustable for windage by
drifting in their dovetails. Night sights are available, but
were not supplied on this sample gun. The FNP-45 comes with
three steel magazines, of either ten or fourteen round capacity,
depending upon the politics of your local and state governments.
The FNP-45 is of the traditional double action/single action
design, meaning that the first shot is fired with a long, smooth
trigger pull that measured nine pounds, five ounces on the test
pistol, and all subsequent shots are fired with a shorter,
lighter trigger pull, which measured slightly over four and
three-quarters pounds on the test gun. The slide locks open
after firing the last shot from the magazine. Unlike most
competing designs, the FNP-45 is not a striker-fired pistol, but
has a real hammer, which has a Commander type hammer spur. The
FNP-45 has ambidextrous controls, consisting of a manual hammer
drop thumb safety, magazine release, and slide release on each
side. On the left side is a disassembly latch, which is easy to
operate to take the FNP apart for cleaning and lubrication.
The FNP-45 has an overall length of 7.825
inches, and an overall height of 6.35 inches, including sights
and magazine base pad. The maximum width measures 1.57 inches
across the thumb safeties. The slide measure 1.125 inches in
width. There is an almost two inch length of Picatinny
compatible accessory rail at the front of the frame to mount
flashlights and such, if the user likes such things on his
pistol. The grip area of the frame has ample molded-in
checkering for a secure grip.
The FNP-45 has a wide, smooth trigger and a
generous trigger guard, which can accommodate a gloved finger
easily. The pistol also has second-strike capability to pull the
trigger again on a round that does not fire without having to
rack the slide to cock the action. The sample pistol has a black
frame and stainless steel slide, but the FNP-45 is also
available with a black Melonite-coated slide and olive green
frame.
Shooting the FNP-45 was a pleasure, and no
failures of any kind occurred. I fired the test gun for function
and accuracy using a wide variety of ammunition. The FNP-45 fed,
fired, and ejected everything without hesitation. The empty
cases were thrown to the right about six feet, and were piled
closely together, proving very consistent in ejection. I found
that a magazine loader, like the upLULA, was very helpful in
loading the fourteen-round magazines to full capacity. Accuracy
testing was done at the twenty-five yard target from a hand held
rested position. Velocities were recorded from the FNP-45’s
four and one-half inch barrel using a PACT Professional Model
chronograph set at ten feet from the muzzle. Chronograph
readings were taken on a cool, calm day with a temperature
hovering around thirty four degrees Fahrenheit, at an elevation
of approximately four hundred feet above sea level, with the
results listed in the chart below. Velocities are listed in
feet-per-second (fps). JHP is jacketed hollowpoint. AF (Air
Freedom) and EPR are very specialized bullets from Extreme Shock
Ammunition. FMJ is full-metal-jacketed bullets. PB is Cor-Bon
PowRBall. DPX is a Barnes all-copper hollow cavity expanding
bullet loaded by Cor-Bon. SWC is a lead semi-wadcutter bullet
used in my favorite .45 ACP target handload. Bullet weights are
listed in grains.
| Ammunition |
Bullet |
Velocity |
| Cor-Bon DPX |
185 |
1033.2 |
| Cor-Bon JHP |
200 |
998.7 |
| Cor-Bon JHP |
165 |
1235.1 |
| Cor-Bon JHP |
230 |
931.9 |
| Cor-Bon PB |
165 |
1268 |
| Cor-Bon FMJ |
230 |
745.5 |
| Extreme Shock AF |
125 |
1422 |
| Extreme Shock EPR |
185 |
1082.7 |
| Buffalo Bore JHP |
200 |
1078 |
| Buffalo Bore JHP |
185 |
1165.4 |
| Handload SWC |
200 |
874.9 |
I was delighted by the fine accuracy displayed
by the FNP-45. This gun thinks it is a target pistol. Most all
loads grouped under two inches at twenty-five yards, and my .45
ACP target handload would put them all in the same hole if I
could hold the gun still! The group pictured is five of those
bullets into three-quarters of an inch, and several other groups
were almost as good. This is an accurate fighting pistol.
There is a lot to like about this FNP-45. I like
the feel and balance of the weapon. I like the easy to see
sights. I like the grip angle and texture. I like the
hammer-fired design, and the double action/single action trigger
pull. I like the ambidextrous controls. I like that it comes
from the factory with three magazines. I like the target grade
accuracy, and I like that it is made in the USA. It ain’t a
pocket gun, nor was it meant to be. It is a full-sized fighting
pistol that is meant to be carried in a holster. With the
tritium night sight option, it would also be an excellent
bedside gun. The FNP-45 is perfectly suited to ride in a cop’s
holster, and could be carried concealed with a proper
concealment holster such as the Cross Breed
Supertuck. With a
capacity of fifteen big .45 slugs, it should handle most any
unsavory social conflict in which most of us are likely to be
involved. This was my first experience with a double action FN
pistol, and I am well pleased.
Check out the FNP-45 and other FNH-USA products
online at www.fnhusa.com.
For the location of an FNH dealer near you,
click on the DEALER FINDER at www.lipseys.com.
To order the FNP-45 online, go to www.galleryofguns.com.
To order any of the high performance ammunition
listed here, go to www.cor-bon.com,
www.buffalobore.com,
and www.extremeshockusa.net.
Jeff Quinn
| For a list of dealers where you can
buy this gun, go to: |
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To buy this gun online, go to: |
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Jeff tested the FNP with a good variety of
ammunition.
Twenty-five yard five-shot 3/4" group fired
hand-held from a rest shows the fine accuracy of the
FNP.
UpLULA magazine loader.
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