By: Friedrich Seiltgen
Copyright © 2023
ABOUT FABRIQUE NATIONALE
Founded in 1889, FN Herstal originated in the small city of Herstal, near Liège, Belgium. Fabrique Nationale was started by a group of Belgian investors to manufacture 150,000 Mauser Model 89 rifles for the Belgian army. The force behind the new company was Henri Pieper of the Belgian arms manufacturer Anciens Etablissements Pieper, the new company’s largest shareholder.
Another key player in the Fabrique Nationale story was John Browning. In 1898, Browning had a fallout with the Winchester company regarding his new autoloading shotgun design, the A5. Winchester wanted to give Browning the regular one-time single fee payment for the rights to the A5, while Browning wanted royalties based on unit sales.
Browning signed a deal with FN to produce the new A5 design, and Browning moved to Belgium to work with FN. Browning would go on to design several firearms for FN and passed away while working at his bench on the FN Hi-Power design.
FN went on to produce the FAL, French for Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle). Made by Fabrique Nationale in Herstal, Belgium, the FAL has been in service since 1953 in over 90 countries. The FAL was dubbed “the right arm of the free world” and became a symbol of the struggle against Communism. The original design of the FAL started in 1946 and was the brainchild of Belgian weapons designer Dieudonne Joseph Saive, another key player in the history of FN. Saive was immensely talented; he designed the FN Model 49 and modified many of John Browning’s designs after his passing.
Later, FN would design the legendary FN SCAR series that takes root in its battle-proven lineage, adapted from USSOCOM’s newest battle rifle since the M4 entered service in the 1990s. The benchmark of reliability and versatility, it has four variants, the FN SCAR 15P, SCAR 16S, SCAR 17S and SCAR 20S.
THE FRAME
The polymer frame features an in-molded stipple grip and FN’s smoothest trigger in a micro-compact, with a 5-pound pull. Other features include a reversible magazine release and a Slimline Picatinny rail mount for lights or lasers. With its one-inch width, this Micro-Compact is perfect for deep concealment.
THE SLIDE & BARREL
The Reflex has three-dot iron sights, and the front night sight has a tritium insert. A high-visibility orange circle aids in low-light sight acquisition. The slide is cut for Shield RMSc and Holosun K-series optics and included screws make it easy to mount several MRDs.
Easy grip front and rear slide cuts provide a positive purchase and a low slide-racking force. All finished in long-wearing PVD.
The cold hammer-forged barrel is target-crowned for accuracy, and the chamber and ramp are polished to ensure feed reliability.
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Internal Hammer Fired, SAO, Micro-Compact
Caliber: 9mm
Magazine Capacity: 11-round flush fit or 15-round extended magazine for full hand grip
Sights: Three-dot iron sights; front night sight with tritium insert
Sight Radius: 5.05″
Barrel Length: 3.3 Inches
Overall Length: 6.2 Inches
Height: 4.27 Inches
Width: 1 Inch
Weight: 18.4 Ounces
MSRP: $659
URL: www.fnamerica.com
THE VERDICT
A quality micro-compact, Optics-ready pistol ready for deep concealment EDC at a super price. Test one out at your dealer.
It ships with one 11-round and one 15-round magazine.
That’s all for now, folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism Counterstrategies, Firearms, and Active Shooter Response. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, Soldier of Fortune, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, Off Grid, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International.
Contact him at [email protected].