NRA Gun Of The Week: FN 502 Tactical

FN America has extended its line of FN 509 centerfire handguns to provide owners of these centerfire guns with an easy-shooting rimfire that’s sized and styled similarly for training use. The 502 includes a few features that aren’t typically found on rimfire training pistols. Watch the NRA Gun Of The Week video above to see the FN 502 Tactical in use on the range.

Upping the ante of the 502 over other rimfire trainers on the market is the heightened magazine capacity, with standard magazines holding 10 rounds and extended units holding 15. Each gun ships with one 10-round magazine and one 15-round magazine. The milled slide is equipped with a 4.6" barrel and the gun measures 7.6" long and 5.8" high, putting it in the same size category as FN’s 509 Midsize model. Unloaded, the rimfire repeater weighs slightly less than its centerfire counterpart at 23.7 ozs.

At the top of the FN 502 is a milled slide, which is a common feature on many of today’s centerfire pistols, but this particular milled slide is a first of its kind. The 502 is tuned for the added mass of a mounted red-dot sight. Should users choose to forgo optics, the 502 is equipped with suppressor-height sights. FN includes optic mounting plates designed for many of the popular red-dots available. In addition to optics and raised sights, the 502 Tactical supplies a threaded barrel to accommodate rimfire suppressors or muzzle devices. A knurled thread protector is included.

From our experience on the range, the 502 Tactical is a great stand-in for the company's centerfire variants, and it also makes a great trainer for handgun fundamentals in its own right. The slide shares the same profile and serrations as the 509 series, with the exception of an external hammer at the rear of the 502. Similarities between the two platforms are shared on the frame, too, where users will find the unique grip frame with three different texture patterns. While the centerfire guns have interchangeable backstraps, the 502 comes with a one-size-fits-all grip frame.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: FN America
Action Type: hammer-fired, semi-automatic, rimfire pistol
Chambering: .22 LR
Barrel: 4.6"
Frame: FDE polymer
Magazine: 10- and 15-round detachable box
Sights: milled for optics; raised, drift-adjustable square notch rear, post front
Overall Length: 7.6"
Overall Height: 5.8"
Weight: 23.7 ozs.
MSRP: $499