Each production pistol goes through a function test, feed test and a factory proof test in which one high-pressure round is fired. Barrels are final-proofed and marked. Additional tests include test firing with standard ammunition, accuracy testing (3-inch maximum group at 50 feet) and targeting testing (five shots centered within a 6-inch circle centered 1.5 inches above aim at 50 feet). Completed pistols are packaged in a hard case and shipped with a total of three magazines and two interchangeable backstraps.
There are no operational or testing differences between pistols that are destined for the commercial market and those intended for the military or law enforcement. Although the mechanics are identical, there are some cosmetic differences. Currently the commercial FNP-45 has a more rounded top to the slide while the military version is flat. This was done to improve the aesthetics of the commercial model. The military model also has front slide serrations, which are absent on the commercial model. Military pistols also currently feature more aggressive checkering than that of the commercial pistols.
Special features are available or can be developed for military and law enforcement customers. Pistols can be modified to accept suppressors, and FNH USA sells a variety of extended threaded barrels with different threads and pitches. These modified pistols for suppressed firing are equipped with raised sights to provide a line of sight that clears the suppressor body. Night sights are available as an option for both standard and raised sights.
Recently the engineering staff developed an FNP-45 model with an integrated Trijicon red-dot sight. This was a joint development between FNMI and Trijicon, and the unit mounts on top of the slide, which is milled to accommodate the base of the sight. The sight operates for 5,000 hours without the need to replace batteries. It was extensively tested at FNMI; 5,000 rounds were fired without any failures of either pistol or sight. The sight is mounted so as to permit use of the iron sights as a backup.
I was fortunate enough to fire one of the latest prototypes, a select-fire FNP-9 pistol. The model does not yet have a formal designation, and it is unknown if any production pistols will be made. In full-automatic firing the pistol was surprisingly manageable. Even with its high rate of fire, it proved to be reliable and very controllable with just minor practice. Although the select-fire pistol has some unique features, the basics of the pistol remain identical to production pistols—this attests to the strength and reliability of the FNP design.
Military and law-enforcement pistols are built to order, and the company gladly accepts special requests. Numerous U.S. law enforcement agencies use FNPs, and they have been adopted in Spain, the Dominican Republic, and Middle Eastern countries among others.
FNH USA has always been community-minded. When it learned that South Carolina had budget problems to acquire new handguns for its Dept. of Corrections, the company stepped up and donated the pistols. The FNP line proves that reliable, quality products can be built in the U.S. without compromising features or affordability.
