FN USA got a name change recently, but even under the new name FN America the later models in the FNS series are well worth a look. The newest members of the FN handgun family are the FNS-9 and the FNS-40 Compacts, chambered, obviously in 9 mm Luger and .40 S&W, respectively. The guns sport the new striker-fired system of the full-size FNS, but they do it with a 3.6" barrel and shorter frame. The guns are fully ambidextrous, true mirror-image controls, including the magazine release, slide lock and safety (if present). Our test sample had both a frame-mounted manual safety and a pivoting trigger blade that is a safety in of itself. The guns also come with interchangeable backstraps to tailor frame size to the users' hand.
The magazines for the 9 mm are 12 rounders with a useful finger tab on the baseplate, giving a better hold on the gun. Adding a plastic collar to the 17-round, standard-capacity allows it to fit the Compact's frame seamlessly. American Rifleman's Editor In Chief Mark Keefe had a chance to shoot the new FNS Compact 9 mm and you can see the video here.
