Bought one about a month ago and mine is dead on sights and the trigger is one of the best in my collection of firearms. I have no complaints and switched to the Reflex as my EDC. Any hammer fired pistol that doesn't go all the way back will not reset the hammer......try that on all the hammer fired pistols and you'll have the same result. If someone is using weak subsonic ammo in their weapon for self defense they are a unexperienced in ammo or have no knowledge of weapons.
I may need to do a video to demonstrate this, but many (if not most) hammer-fired pistols reset the hammer in (about) the initial 1/3 of the slide’s rearward movement.
@@hrfunk Shoot some low powered ammo in it and see if it has that problem, racking the slide not all the way back isn't what happens when it's fired with ammo. Just my opinion here.
I wouldn’t worry at all about the potential reset issue. I’ve had my five seven for awhile and it uses the same internal hammer fire design and I’ve never had an issue when shooting and the trigger pull is great. It’s only a problem if you short stroke but that’s a problem for any gun.
Except for dry firing, we never have to recharge the hammer, only overcome the recoil spring tension during chambering the Reflex - e.g. assuming we finish at the range and close the slide but don’t dry fire, the hammer is already out of the way of the slide (already cocked). For the poor pistol itself, when cycling the next round it inevitably has to push the hammer back down (recook it), since pulling the trigger for our last shot uncocked the hammer. That having been said, my personal preference with 9mm ammo is the lighter charged rounds, in the 230 ft lbs to 280 ft lbs range, so your comment on cycling light loads is music to my ear! So far the 147 grain Federal works well for me in a G26, coming in a little under 300 ft lbs. I’m going to try 150 grain Federal Syntec next (red tip) which is much lighter at under 240 ft lbs. Hopefully it will reliably cycle the Glock. Since I want a slimmer micro nine, I’m researching this Reflex, the IWI Masada Slim, and the EZ racks (most likely the poorly named Equalizer). Grain weight doesn’t seem to correlate to ft-lbs (but my instructor says it can once the bullet gets massive enough to reduce available space in the cartridge for powder. On the other end is the spectrum, the 70 grain bullet in another Syntec offering is in excess of 400 ft lbs (maybe that requires a 4” barrel or longer). Go figure. Can you recommend any ammo that’s under 300 ft lbs?
Excellent Presentation. One of the best I have seen. Photography A+. Thorough. I see from your desk and shirt that you are previous active member of our beloved Marine Corps. I am a former active member of 1 st and 3 rd Air Wing. 1965-69. Two tours in the Nam. SEMPER FI. ESPECIALLY ON THIS VETERANS DAY. We served with Pride. Sgt Green.
Issues. Most every manufacturer is having “issues” with quality control and for so many reasons the past couple of years that I don’t know where to begin…. Sooooo glad I bought the ones I want/need a number of years ago!
I watched Part 2 first, but was still interested enough to watch Part 1. All and all, I like everything about the Reflex, except that bottom line about your shooting experience, which I take to heart. Competing with the Hellcat and the SIG 365, this looks like an very nice pistol and it has some very desirable features. i can see why you were excited to get it into your hands and test it.
A very informative video. Breaking down the gun, showing components and explaining those components was essential for proper use and maintenance. Definitely should NOT be demonized by the RUclips police. I can already see issues with this one... on to part two.
Hello Mr. Funk, I appreciate your thoughtful and thorough review of firearms. Your reviews always help when considering a new firearm purchase. By the way, for the record, you are a great shot!
Excellent breakdown. Very interesting how similar it is to the hellcat, I believe you may be right regard FN following the hellcat design over the Sig 365. In fact the magazines for the FN and Hellcat look similar in tube length and style. Have you tried to see if the magazines interchange?
When I said that it was a surmise based upon the product designation listed on the FN website. The suffix NMS is listed in the description. I suspected that stood for “No Manual Safety.” As I understand, FN has now announced that a manual safer version will be forthcoming.
@@hrfunk thanks for the response. I just watched your shooting video, and I also think this isn’t the pistol for me. Thanks for the honest opinion on the pistol and more so the trigger.
Have had mine all of 3 days and had to send it back. Sent 90 Winchester 115 grain rounds through and the fire control pin on the back strap started walking out to the left. They’ve had my shipment since Thursday, site still shows my case as “awaiting delivery”
@@hrfunk well, got an email first thing today with a tracking number. No update on the case on support website so I called in. They said the fire control pin was installed backwards. Should get her back Wednesday. Honestly considering selling it and buying an HK VP9SK as that’s the gun I originally wanted. The thickness of it compared to the reflex and the hammer trigger on the reflex honestly had me change course but with this crappy qc I’m a bit worried.
After seeing this and reading the various comments it should be apparent that this piece should ALWAYS be carried in a properly designed holster that covers the trigger guard, and that if it is an IWB or pocket holster the pistol should be carefully inserted into the holster before one puts it on. Some fool will eventually try carrying it without a holster and will shoot themselves unintentionally. After all, it is like carrying a 1911 or P-35 cocked but not locked! The gentleman who stated that FN needs to put a trigger safety on the Reflex was absolutely correct. Let's sit back and wait for the lawsuits to begin.... Great review as always, Chief...
Thumbs up on the review, Thanks! Thumbs down on the FN Reflex long slide reset and having to use snap caps for dry firing. YOu cant even dry fire the pistol with a magazine in it unless you hit the slide release every time, THAT is a pain! Have a great weekend!
Picked up a new Reflex MRD in FDE finish that came as you describe, except it had a trigger lock as well as the bicycle lock, and the smaller magazine already had the pinkie extension installed with a flush-mount base included. So far, my biggest disappointment is that the accessory rail is too narrow to accommodate the Mantis X-10 Elite for home practice!
@@JJ_SDWR Took it to the indoor range and shot it at 15 yds. It failed to feed the first round every time I inserted a newly charged magazine. The sights are great, but I couldn't keep a group tighter than 2 FEET!! For comparison, I shot a Swiss Army surplus SIG P.210 with standard sights at the same distance just to make sure it wasn't my shooting. The SIG grouped at about 2 inches using the same ammo (Federal). I've put less than 50 rounds through, so I see if it improves after about 200 rounds. But for now, I'm really disappointed with what I would have expected from an FN product.
Great review. My concern is when walking around with a loaded chamber you basically have a cocked and UNLOCKED situation. The reason I don’t like 1911 style pistols is that when you have a loaded chamber there is always spring tension on the hammer and this has no safety. I would like it more if there were an exposed hammer. I like revolvers, no spring tension and my SA/DA Sig 239 and 228 because, ready to fire the only springs are in the magazine. With the Reflex you almost have to dry fire or leave the hammer under tension.
This. If FN give the fnx style control to reflex, it will be a perfect slim compact da/SA that has no competition on the market, given that the hammer housing design are kinda similar.
1911’s are totally safe to carry cocked and locked and also designed to do so. The Reflex lacks a grip and thumb safety so your concern is valid there.
@@hrfunk Nothing that a sight adjuster can't resolve on the windage. Glocks have those cheap plastic sites that will eventually losen and move, hopefully not when you're in a self defense situation...lol
My FN Reflex will Not feed a round into the chamber in more than 9 times out of 10. I have tried numerous different types of 9 mm rounds, all with the same Failure to Feed result. My FN Reflex’s serial number is CCW00282xx, which is one of the first batch manufactured under 30 K. It is a brand new gun that I bought about 6 months ago at Sportsman’s Warehouse. It has never been fired as I am afraid to fire the damn thing. I opened a ticket / case with FN and they want to know what the round count was (Zero), what oil I was using and a picture of the jam. In my experience so far, FN seems to be dragging their feet on the issue. I had a similar issue previously with another firearm manufacturer (Chiappa) and they took care of the issue immediately and without question. But this has not been the case with FN so far. I usually wait until after a gun has been out for awhile before I purchase it, but I saw the FN Reflex and I had to have it. You would think a firearm manufacture would have fixed such a major issue before they took it to market. Thank God I did not have to use this POS in an emergency. I will film a video of the issue and post it to You Tube. This is unacceptable and FN needs to make it right for the 30000 potential owners who are having Failure To Feed issues with the FN Reflex. W.G.
Can one consider the extractor here (sticks out a bit?) as another -low light- loaded chamber indicator as some say/do with glocks ? What is your opinion on trusting the external extractor method ?
I shot mine for the first time today and overall it was great. I did experience the trigger reset issue, but I will take the blame for that. I just have to get used to how this trigger operates.
I'm still very interested once price drops guess ill have to watch part 2. Though job is making me a Block guy so am considering a block48 if the Palmetto mags become available and get reported to be reliable
I bought one.... saw a couple "bad" reviews, and a bit more "good" reviews. So, take to the range the first time, and getting 10 or so FTF out of about 125 rounds. Okay, not good. Usually have a lot better experience out of the box. Found where FN says they recommend 200-250 rounds through it for break in using 124 grain rounds. Okay, I'll try that. I basically have to tap the slide back into battery - about 1/4" out of battery picking up the new round, but I was using 115 grain. Armscor, no issues, Norma is where I had issues. Yes, I cleaned and lubed before taking to the range... after the range, cleaned and lubed and with snap caps, they are loading okay. Sucks sometimes with break in periods in this point in time. I had a Taurus TX-22 that took 500 rounds to finally get broken in... Didn't expect that... Beyond the above, the gun shoots POA/POI. Only have shot out to 15 yards, but this is supposed to be a CCW gun, not a match gun...
So. Range trip today. 200 124gr through it - 100 PMC and 100 CCI blazer. Had 4 FTB however if discovered it was not pulling slide back far enough. I’ll still need to do another couple hundred to make sure I have no issues but I think it is breaking in.
I’ve watched your review of the FN reflex and also the Canik MC nine. I like and respect your in-depth analysis. I would like to know what gun do you recommend for Conealed Carry?
@@hrfunk Thanks for the quick reply. I looked at the hell cat in the gun store and didn’t care for the trigger. Ironically, what you didn’t like about the reflex is exactly what I’m looking for, light trigger. Just curious if you know the answer to this question. I’m also looking for a 1911 9 mm that shoots single action. Some of these hammer fired guns like the bull armory Cherokee compact and the Beretta PX storm are DA/SA. I am wondering if you carry them cocked and locked would they then fire single action from the first round?
I have no idea how many semi-auto handguns I’ve handled and fired during my lifetime. Hundreds certainly, maybe thousands. I cycled the slide on this one the same as all the others. They all worked just fine and this one did not. If you’re comfortable with that, then I wish you luck.
I have. a problem, I took mine out to shoot today, and the slide seems to be catching. When you pull the slide to the rear, almost like it is hitting or catching on something. has anyone had this happen
LOL You sure did dry-fire that thing a lot, right after saying they don't recommend doing it "excessively" (whatever that means). In your opinion, does this truly damage the firing pin, or cause more wear than using live rounds or snapcaps?
I would not call the dry-firing I performed in this video "excessive". If there is damage caused by this amount, then I want nothing to do with this pistol. As to what/how much damage dry-fire might cause, I really have no idea.
The only problem I had was chambering a round with the magazine in. Shooting I had one ftf after That I ran perfectly.i took it apart now it feeds with the magazine in
The "issue" that you were mentioning is typical of a 1911 short stroking. Although the 1911 may reset the hammer when it short strokes, the FN may not. Good info on this one! Keep 'em coming!
I highly doubt a round will chamber under the circumstances that the hammer doesn’t fully cock. If that’s true you’ll need to do failure drill regardless.
I think, based upon my handling of this pistol, that it might be possible to chamber a round while loading, and not sufficiently retract the slide to cock the action.
@@hrfunk I have. Their response is as follows: Good morning, We are unaware of a dedicated laser specifically manufactured for the Reflex. If you find a laser that will mount to a Glock 43x MOS, it should mount to the Reflex. Hope this helps…..Barry
@@hrfunk I agree. Overall, I’m happy with the pistol, but I just like lasers because you don’t have to “find” the red or green dot. They first told me that a Streamlight TLR8 Sub would work, to which I replied about a laser only. Their second response was the one I just sent you. on another note, I bought a Beretta APX-A1 on September 26 and sent in the form that day for the $100.00 rebate. They said to wait up to 10 weeks. Today it’s February 28 and I still haven’t received my rebate check.. I’ve contacted Beretta and the rebate company and they received the form but tell me it’s still processing. What a joke
Umm, the slide on my Beretta M9 only has to retract a little over half an inch to fully reset the hammer. Obviously, it needs to move father than that to complete its cycle of operation, but not to re-cock the action. The Reflex seems to have to retract completely to accomplish the same thing.
I would thing all semis requir the slide to ne full run nack for proper jammer reset. Seems obvious to me dont run no weak ammunderpoweres ammo.budget or handloads. I run non of the above on all my guns. Good ammo of course.
Good morning HR. An honest review with both the good and bad features. I think this is the first gun I've seen with the take down lever rotating up. Looks odd sticking up above the frame.
I had a very negative experience with FN customer service when I returned a my FiveSeven pistol for repair. No communication from FN during the shipping and return process. No explanantion about what they did to fix the the problem. I had to call FN to find out what they did. Ended up selling the pistol because I had concerns about it's safety and reliability. I will NEVER buy another FN firearm.
Something I was thinking about this morning is the prospect of not cycling the slide far enough when chambering the first round. You might never know you had an issue until you squeeze the trigger the first time.
@@chrisquintana3877 Metal sights… mine came with them from the factory. Metal trigger… why? It’s not necessary. The gun goes (((BANG))). Metal mag release… Negative. Metal mag release on polymer mag catch indentation will wear it out. 3.5lb trigger… Why? The 43 is NOT a competition gun. It’s an ultra compact defense weapon. But Glock makes a 3.5lb so install it. Light rail… On a compact pocket gun? Not needed. Normal grip angle… It is “normal.” We’re you born with defective hands or something? 15 rnd mags… the 43 is 6+1, 43X is 10+1… carry a spare magazine. How many rounds do you need? What number does it stop at? Ambi controls… Go buy a Gen 5 Glock 26 or 19 if you really “need” that. Are you always so needy in general?
@@colt10mmsecurity68 cool, keep your overpriced ghetto blaster. FN might be a little to refined for your taste. It's a better pistol, sorry that triggers you. Pun intended
Is it safe to say the hammer fired construction is the reason why there is no ambi slide release on this weapon or they just wanted width bragging rights like the other companies that make ambi pistols do with micros? 11% of the marketplace will love that decision.
That’s a good policy, but even the best ammunition can have an occasional under-powered cartridge. You also have to be attentive when you hand-cycle a cartridge into the chamber.
@@hrfunk once again, seems like a non issue considering it's something that can happen with any weapon. Due diligence goes a long way to preventing problems.
@@hrfunk Think it was luck when I searched online but the odd thing is they had the black for $599.99🤔. I triple checked to make sure it wasn't the MRD.
Best handgun reviewer! I have watched several videos of this pistol and read review in American Rifleman, but no one is as all-encompassing as you. I would never buy a new pistol until you reviewed it, as I'm always looking to add to my large handgun collection.
So no issues here. Just someone not very smart with guns no matter what he thinks. (Don’t bossy rack) and as for a trigger nothing is wrong with it, but give it time. For those of you who can’t shoot straight with oem trigger apex will have one eventually to fix the travel I’m sure.
FN makes some quality rifles and parts, but their pistols have never impressed me much. Having a non optics ready version in 2023 just seems crazy to me. New Canik and walther pistols are all optics ready, period
@@chriskelly509I agree. Not a fan on red dots. If it rains your dot will dissappear. Also presentation must be perfect or you will not find dot. Micropistols also are much harder to shoot
@@hrfunk first time ever seeing this type of internal hammer. And I kind of like it. Normal it's got the slit on the back of the slide and you can watch it work like on the lcps and that style of hammer fired pistol 🤗
I suspect the version with a safety will be added in the future. I could be wrong, but the nomenclature assigned to this handgun on the FN website tends to give that indication.
They might be getting a California version ready, now that micro stamping has been enjoined. Loaded chamber and mag safety are current remaining requirements but I don’t know about a manual safety lever. People will compare the FN’s hidden fully cocked internal hammer to a Glock striker, but Glocks are only half cocked.
I believe there will be one introduced in the near future. I’m a little surprised it hasn’t been announced yet. Maybe they’re going to unveil it at the SHOT Show.
@@hrfunk I cannot possibly go into sales data in a RUclips video , you’d have to work at a store . But believe me when I tell you that there’s a mayor consumer interest in safeties now .
@@hrfunk as far as im concerned they're neither however I view the vast majority of striker guns as SA just to keep simple tools simple. There are a few that operate as DAO, do you know of any?
I OWN A BLACK FN REFLEX MRD USEING A HOLSUN 507K WITH A BLACK POINT IWB .Ive fired over 2000 rounds with NO PROBLEMS. There are NO MANUAL SAFETY ON THE FN REFLEX.
This one of the last pistols I would buy. Over priced, hammer fired and dry firing with snap caps is a pain in the a$$. I have owned a few FN's and have traded in or sold all of them.
My Reflex would not cycle after each round. I get one shot off and then failure to feed; tried different ammos and clean the damn thing, and still experience the same. Fuck FN
I knew from the preview that the Reflex was going to be a bad gun. Any ccw semi automatic needs a trigger safety. I was looking for one in the trade show videos and could not find one. Apparently it doesn't have one. If it's not going to have a trigger safety, surely it will have a manual safety for holstering and upholstering? Nope. So basically it's a hot potato that apparently has a great trigger when it's not ND'ing
@@xConstipatedPandax yeah. it's in place to help protect against a piece of material from a garment pulling the trigger when holstering. crazy idea I know
@@ergofoxxxy Incorrect, they are inertial safeties in case you drop the gun, like sig didn’t put on the 320 and we know how that went. This does the same with a hinged trigger like the m&p or fn’s own 509, the hinge is at the top of the trigger here.
Not going to poo poo anyone or anything, but as a long time FN fan, I’d look closely at their track record of product support. Disappointed FNP-9 owner.
Your issue is Not an issue. That’s a hammer fired gun and if you baby rack it like an old lady sure it won’t lock. And it was hard to replicate that issue cause you really have to barley rack it
Mine has a serious failure to feed problem out the box. Apparently MANY people are having this problem. And i mean many. Just type it in to Google and read the horror stories. A new gun should work. Period. Shame on FN!
@hrfunk same here. Gonna call FN Monday morning. I put 300 rounds through it today and about 80% failure to feed. Is incredibly frustrating. Ive been shooting a long time and this is a first. Oddly the more I'm using it the better it seems to be getting so maybe it's just a break in period. But I've never had any of the many other pistols I've had do this.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
So nice and thoughtful of the ATF to force manufacturers to include the very useful bike lock along with every firearm purchase
Bought one about a month ago and mine is dead on sights and the trigger is one of the best in my collection of firearms. I have no complaints and switched to the Reflex as my EDC. Any hammer fired pistol that doesn't go all the way back will not reset the hammer......try that on all the hammer fired pistols and you'll have the same result. If someone is using weak subsonic ammo in their weapon for self defense they are a unexperienced in ammo or have no knowledge of weapons.
I may need to do a video to demonstrate this, but many (if not most) hammer-fired pistols reset the hammer in (about) the initial 1/3 of the slide’s rearward movement.
@@hrfunk I've fired over 800 rounds through mine with no problems. I think that it's nothing to worry about..
@@hrfunk Please name another pistol that has an non-exposed type hammer fired mechanism as this pistol? I can't think of another!
I hope you’re right.
@@hrfunk Shoot some low powered ammo in it and see if it has that problem, racking the slide not all the way back isn't what happens when it's fired with ammo. Just my opinion here.
I wouldn’t worry at all about the potential reset issue. I’ve had my five seven for awhile and it uses the same internal hammer fire design and I’ve never had an issue when shooting and the trigger pull is great. It’s only a problem if you short stroke but that’s a problem for any gun.
Ive been shooting weak loads with my reflex , but since its so easy to rack the slide, it eats the lightest loads like nothing
Except for dry firing, we never have to recharge the hammer, only overcome the recoil spring tension during chambering the Reflex - e.g. assuming we finish at the range and close the slide but don’t dry fire, the hammer is already out of the way of the slide (already cocked). For the poor pistol itself, when cycling the next round it inevitably has to push the hammer back down (recook it), since pulling the trigger for our last shot uncocked the hammer.
That having been said, my personal preference with 9mm ammo is the lighter charged rounds, in the 230 ft lbs to 280 ft lbs range, so your comment on cycling light loads is music to my ear! So far the 147 grain Federal works well for me in a G26, coming in a little under 300 ft lbs. I’m going to try 150 grain Federal Syntec next (red tip) which is much lighter at under 240 ft lbs. Hopefully it will reliably cycle the Glock. Since I want a slimmer micro nine, I’m researching this Reflex, the IWI Masada Slim, and the EZ racks (most likely the poorly named Equalizer).
Grain weight doesn’t seem to correlate to ft-lbs (but my instructor says it can once the bullet gets massive enough to reduce available space in the cartridge for powder.
On the other end is the spectrum, the 70 grain bullet in another Syntec offering is in excess of 400 ft lbs (maybe that requires a 4” barrel or longer). Go figure.
Can you recommend any ammo that’s under 300 ft lbs?
Excellent Presentation. One of the best I have seen. Photography A+. Thorough. I see from your desk and shirt that you are previous active member of our beloved Marine Corps. I am a former active member of 1 st and 3 rd Air Wing. 1965-69. Two tours in the Nam. SEMPER FI. ESPECIALLY ON THIS VETERANS DAY. We served with Pride. Sgt Green.
Semper Fi Sergeant Green!
Issues. Most every manufacturer is having “issues” with quality control and for so many reasons the past couple of years that I don’t know where to begin…. Sooooo glad I bought the ones I want/need a number of years ago!
Why do you suppose they are having so many issues?
I watched Part 2 first, but was still interested enough to watch Part 1. All and all, I like everything about the Reflex, except that bottom line about your shooting experience, which I take to heart. Competing with the Hellcat and the SIG 365, this looks like an very nice pistol and it has some very desirable features. i can see why you were excited to get it into your hands and test it.
Dead trigger? If I was going to a dance I want to be able to look down and see if I do or do not have my dancing shoes on.
👍👍Thanks HR, that was a really good review.
A very informative video. Breaking down the gun, showing components and explaining those components was essential for proper use and maintenance. Definitely should NOT be demonized by the RUclips police. I can already see issues with this one... on to part two.
Hello Mr. Funk, I appreciate your thoughtful and thorough review of firearms. Your reviews always help when considering a new firearm purchase. By the way, for the record, you are a great shot!
Thank you!
Excellent breakdown. Very interesting how similar it is to the hellcat, I believe you may be right regard FN following the hellcat design over the Sig 365. In fact the magazines for the FN and Hellcat look similar in tube length and style. Have you tried to see if the magazines interchange?
No, but maybe I will.
@@hrfunkHow snappy is the reflex?
That’s hard to characterize in text. I’d say it’s in the same ballpark as most small 9mms.
you are the only guy i seen figure out that problem,thats paying att to detail,thank you.also thank for your service
The honor was all mine. Thanks for watching.
Thank You, Sir.
The bicycle lock is a nice nod to their heritage.
You mentioned a Manuel safety version, I have not heard that anywhere
When I said that it was a surmise based upon the product designation listed on the FN website. The suffix NMS is listed in the description. I suspected that stood for “No Manual Safety.” As I understand, FN has now announced that a manual safer version will be forthcoming.
@@hrfunk thanks for the response. I just watched your shooting video, and I also think this isn’t the pistol for me. Thanks for the honest opinion on the pistol and more so the trigger.
Have had mine all of 3 days and had to send it back. Sent 90 Winchester 115 grain rounds through and the fire control pin on the back strap started walking out to the left. They’ve had my shipment since Thursday, site still shows my case as “awaiting delivery”
I hope they get it corrected for you.
@@hrfunk well, got an email first thing today with a tracking number. No update on the case on support website so I called in. They said the fire control pin was installed backwards. Should get her back Wednesday. Honestly considering selling it and buying an HK VP9SK as that’s the gun I originally wanted. The thickness of it compared to the reflex and the hammer trigger on the reflex honestly had me change course but with this crappy qc I’m a bit worried.
@@virenpatel9973 Too bad. You might want to give it a try when it gets back just to see how you like it now.
@@hrfunk yeah I’m gonna give it 300 or so rounds to earn my trust back but if it has any abnormal issues at all in that time, it’s getting sold lol.
@@virenpatel9973any update? Just curious how it ended up
After seeing this and reading the various comments it should be apparent that this piece should ALWAYS be carried in a properly designed holster that covers the trigger guard, and that if it is an IWB or pocket holster the pistol should be carefully inserted into the holster before one puts it on.
Some fool will eventually try carrying it without a holster and will shoot themselves unintentionally.
After all, it is like carrying a 1911 or P-35 cocked but not locked!
The gentleman who stated that FN needs to put a trigger safety on the Reflex was absolutely correct.
Let's sit back and wait for the lawsuits to begin....
Great review as always, Chief...
Thank you!
It is issue, see how many people did not buy P365 because it is the same SAO action without external safety. /end of sarcasm/
Thumbs up on the review, Thanks! Thumbs down on the FN Reflex long slide reset and having to use snap caps for dry firing. YOu cant even dry fire the pistol with a magazine in it unless you hit the slide release every time, THAT is a pain! Have a great weekend!
Very informative review and based on your findings I'll pass. Thanks!
Picked up a new Reflex MRD in FDE finish that came as you describe, except it had a trigger lock as well as the bicycle lock, and the smaller magazine already had the pinkie extension installed with a flush-mount base included. So far, my biggest disappointment is that the accessory rail is too narrow to accommodate the Mantis X-10 Elite for home practice!
I hope it works well for you. Be sure to let me know what you think of it after you have a chance to do some shooting. Thanks for watching!
Any update? Considering this or a P365 to replace my G26 for CCW.
@@JJ_SDWR Took it to the indoor range and shot it at 15 yds. It failed to feed the first round every time I inserted a newly charged magazine. The sights are great, but I couldn't keep a group tighter than 2 FEET!! For comparison, I shot a Swiss Army surplus SIG P.210 with standard sights at the same distance just to make sure it wasn't my shooting. The SIG grouped at about 2 inches using the same ammo (Federal). I've put less than 50 rounds through, so I see if it improves after about 200 rounds. But for now, I'm really disappointed with what I would have expected from an FN product.
@@colemanweidenbusch4086 yikes, that's no good...
barrel likely qpq nitride. Black oxide is oldschool finish that last used by Marines on m40a1
Sorry, if I said black oxide, I meant black nitride.
Great review. My concern is when walking around with a loaded chamber you basically have a cocked and UNLOCKED situation. The reason I don’t like 1911 style pistols is that when you have a loaded chamber there is always spring tension on the hammer and this has no safety. I would like it more if there were an exposed hammer. I like revolvers, no spring tension and my SA/DA Sig 239 and 228 because, ready to fire the only springs are in the magazine. With the Reflex you almost have to dry fire or leave the hammer under tension.
This. If FN give the fnx style control to reflex, it will be a perfect slim compact da/SA that has no competition on the market, given that the hammer housing design are kinda similar.
1911’s are totally safe to carry cocked and locked and also designed to do so. The Reflex lacks a grip and thumb safety so your concern is valid there.
This is why I don’t already own one. It’s supposed to be a edc gun…A micro 9 SAO with no safety…?? WTH??? LOL
Looks like the slide is not an "easy rack" type. Spring appears to be strong.
Not really. It’s pretty easy to hand cycle.
@@hrfunk okay, thanks.
why no thump safety? the FN 502 is alsao a hammer fired, and it hasa a thump safety, whats the reason no thumb safety on this 9mm reflecks?
You’ll have to ask FN.
Looking forward to this; I’ve heard, but I certainly cannot validate, a few negatives regarding the Reflex.
What negatives about the Reflex?
@@robertjohn527accuracy issues, shooting low to the left consistently (not everyone) but a good chunk I’ve been reading
Typically, for a right handed shooter, that’s an indication that he/she was jerking the trigger. In this instance, I don’t think that’s the case.
@@hrfunk Nothing that a sight adjuster can't resolve on the windage. Glocks have those cheap plastic sites that will eventually losen and move, hopefully not when you're in a self defense situation...lol
My FN Reflex will Not feed a round into the chamber in more than 9 times out of 10. I have tried numerous different types of 9 mm rounds, all with the same Failure to Feed result.
My FN Reflex’s serial number is CCW00282xx, which is one of the first batch manufactured under 30 K. It is a brand new gun that I bought about 6 months ago at Sportsman’s Warehouse. It has never been fired as I am afraid to fire the damn thing.
I opened a ticket / case with FN and they want to know what the round count was (Zero), what oil I was using and a picture of the jam. In my experience so far, FN seems to be dragging their feet on the issue. I had a similar issue previously with another firearm manufacturer (Chiappa) and they took care of the issue immediately and without question. But this has not been the case with FN so far.
I usually wait until after a gun has been out for awhile before I purchase it, but I saw the FN Reflex and I had to have it. You would think a firearm manufacture would have fixed such a major issue before they took it to market. Thank God I did not have to use this POS in an emergency.
I will film a video of the issue and post it to You Tube. This is unacceptable and FN needs to make it right for the 30000 potential owners who are having Failure To Feed issues with the FN Reflex.
W.G.
I hope they get it straightened out for you.
Can one consider the extractor here (sticks out a bit?) as another -low light- loaded chamber indicator as some say/do with glocks ?
What is your opinion on trusting the external extractor method ?
Maybe. But I don’t think I would rely on that.
I shot mine for the first time today and overall it was great. I did experience the trigger reset issue, but I will take the blame for that. I just have to get used to how this trigger operates.
I'm still very interested once price drops guess ill have to watch part 2. Though job is making me a Block guy so am considering a block48 if the Palmetto mags become available and get reported to be reliable
Why is trigger pull/creep important in a pocket defense gun? These are not target guns.
I think a good trigger is always desirable. As to whether it’s important, I suspect that depends upon the shot that’s being taken.
Not sure if I should get this pistol, there is a local shop with a number of them
My best advice would be to handle it and see what you think of it. I’m not a huge fan of the Reflex, but that doesn’t mean you won’t like it.
I bought one.... saw a couple "bad" reviews, and a bit more "good" reviews. So, take to the range the first time, and getting 10 or so FTF out of about 125 rounds. Okay, not good. Usually have a lot better experience out of the box. Found where FN says they recommend 200-250 rounds through it for break in using 124 grain rounds. Okay, I'll try that. I basically have to tap the slide back into battery - about 1/4" out of battery picking up the new round, but I was using 115 grain. Armscor, no issues, Norma is where I had issues. Yes, I cleaned and lubed before taking to the range... after the range, cleaned and lubed and with snap caps, they are loading okay. Sucks sometimes with break in periods in this point in time. I had a Taurus TX-22 that took 500 rounds to finally get broken in... Didn't expect that... Beyond the above, the gun shoots POA/POI. Only have shot out to 15 yards, but this is supposed to be a CCW gun, not a match gun...
I hope the functioning issues are cured. Best of luck with it in the future.
So. Range trip today. 200 124gr through it - 100 PMC and 100 CCI blazer. Had 4 FTB however if discovered it was not pulling slide back far enough. I’ll still need to do another couple hundred to make sure I have no issues but I think it is breaking in.
I’ve watched your review of the FN reflex and also the Canik MC nine. I like and respect your in-depth analysis. I would like to know what gun do you recommend for Conealed Carry?
The one I carry is the Springfield Hellcat. I also really liked the way the IWI Masada Slim shot.
@@hrfunk Thanks for the quick reply. I looked at the hell cat in the gun store and didn’t care for the trigger. Ironically, what you didn’t like about the reflex is exactly what I’m looking for, light trigger. Just curious if you know the answer to this question. I’m also looking for a 1911 9 mm that shoots single action. Some of these hammer fired guns like the bull armory Cherokee compact and the Beretta PX storm are DA/SA. I am wondering if you carry them cocked and locked would they then fire single action from the first round?
You have to be careful with “cocked&locked” carry with DA/SA handguns. Most won’t really allow the “locked” part.
A bicycle lock in case you need to lock up your bicycle... 😂😂😂
HR is killing me.
You did not fully rack the slide when trigger was locked
I have no idea how many semi-auto handguns I’ve handled and fired during my lifetime. Hundreds certainly, maybe thousands. I cycled the slide on this one the same as all the others. They all worked just fine and this one did not. If you’re comfortable with that, then I wish you luck.
If the slide doesn't reset the hammer upon firing, you'd have a failure to extract or a stove pipe, I'm guessing.
I don’t think that’s necessarily true based upon my handling of this model.
I have. a problem, I took mine out to shoot today, and the slide seems to be catching. When you pull the slide to the rear, almost like it is hitting or catching on something. has anyone had this happen
No. You might want to give FN customer service a call.
LOL You sure did dry-fire that thing a lot, right after saying they don't recommend doing it "excessively" (whatever that means). In your opinion, does this truly damage the firing pin, or cause more wear than using live rounds or snapcaps?
I would not call the dry-firing I performed in this video "excessive". If there is damage caused by this amount, then I want nothing to do with this pistol. As to what/how much damage dry-fire might cause, I really have no idea.
The only problem I had was chambering a round with the magazine in. Shooting I had one ftf after That I ran perfectly.i took it apart now it feeds with the magazine in
very informative and concise, this is what reviews should be :)
Thank you!
The "issue" that you were mentioning is typical of a 1911 short stroking. Although the 1911 may reset the hammer when it short strokes, the FN may not. Good info on this one! Keep 'em coming!
Will do Rex. Thanks for watching!
I hope you’re right.
I highly doubt a round will chamber under the circumstances that the hammer doesn’t fully cock. If that’s true you’ll need to do failure drill regardless.
I think, based upon my handling of this pistol, that it might be possible to chamber a round while loading, and not sufficiently retract the slide to cock the action.
@@hrfunk That’s very interesting, can’t check that at the gun counter. Thanks for the information! I really enjoy your channel!
@@Zzero5728you’d think they might let you try it with a dummy round
The Pic rail on the Reflex is narrower than normal Pic rail dimensions. I CAN’T find a laser only that will clamp on the Reflex rail….
I didn’t know that. Have you tried contacting FN to see if they have any recommendations?
@@hrfunk I have. Their response is as follows: Good morning,
We are unaware of a dedicated laser specifically manufactured for the Reflex.
If you find a laser that will mount to a Glock 43x MOS, it should mount to the Reflex.
Hope this helps…..Barry
@barryh8857 There was a time when firearm companies really set the standard for customer service. Sadly, it seems that time has passed.
@@hrfunk I agree. Overall, I’m happy with the pistol, but I just like lasers because you don’t have to “find” the red or green dot. They first told me that a Streamlight TLR8 Sub would work, to which I replied about a laser only. Their second response was the one I just sent you. on another note, I bought a Beretta APX-A1 on September 26 and sent in the form that day for the $100.00 rebate. They said to wait up to 10 weeks. Today it’s February 28 and I still haven’t received my rebate check.. I’ve contacted Beretta and the rebate company and they received the form but tell me it’s still processing. What a joke
And btw, ooooh rah. Thanks for your service. My son is a marine, and he’s made me an extremely proud dad…
Great video! More subscribers bound to come
With All HAMMER FIRED PISTOLS THE SLIDE NEEDS TO GO FULLY TO THE REAR. ie my Beretta 92FS.. If you were ARMY you would have known. 😂😂😂😂
Umm, the slide on my Beretta M9 only has to retract a little over half an inch to fully reset the hammer. Obviously, it needs to move father than that to complete its cycle of operation, but not to re-cock the action. The Reflex seems to have to retract completely to accomplish the same thing.
I would thing all semis requir the slide to ne full run nack for proper jammer reset. Seems obvious to me dont run no weak ammunderpoweres ammo.budget or handloads. I run non of the above on all my guns. Good ammo of course.
The full slide retraction requirement concerns me. If I pull the slide back and engage the slide stop, will the hammer be cocked?
I “think” so.
My Reflex won’t fire after the second round. Help me out. Is it the ammo?
Since I cant examine your pistol I have no idea what might be wrong. I suggest you return it ti FN for repair.
Cardboard box is fine. Don't need a bunch of other stuff thank you.
I agree.
Awww, its cute!
Good morning HR. An honest review with both the good and bad features. I think this is the first gun I've seen with the take down lever rotating up. Looks odd sticking up above the frame.
The Hellcat does that too. You’re right. It looks odd.
Barely pulls the slide back…. There it didn’t again 😂😂…. It’s hammer fired man
Believe what you want. Best of luck to you.
@@hrfunk I have one, All hammer fired slide styles have to be pulled back all the way. You do know that right?
@@silverandblackentertainment Thanks for the tip. Now I know what I’ve been doing wrong all these years.
@@hrfunk yeah that’s what I figured, glad to help you 👌🏽
@@silverandblackentertainment How’s your accuracy/ point of impact with the reflex?
17:20. Or if you're running suppressed
I had a very negative experience with FN customer service when I returned a my FiveSeven pistol for repair. No communication from FN during the shipping and return process. No explanantion about what they did to fix the the problem. I had to call FN to find out what they did. Ended up selling the pistol because I had concerns about it's safety and reliability. I will NEVER buy another FN firearm.
That's too bad. They were once a very prestigious company.
@@hrfunkmy fn57 slide rusted junk. Definitely will never buy another
In a way the hammer configuration reminds me of the browning buck mark.
Off to watch part deux.^^
Trigger looks comfortable and even with your big hands the break isn't too far back.
That's an interesting possible issue. Maybe light loads won't be reliable in resetting the trigger
Something I was thinking about this morning is the prospect of not cycling the slide far enough when chambering the first round. You might never know you had an issue until you squeeze the trigger the first time.
So I’m supposed to be skeptical because it might not cycle with ammunition I don’t use? What about the 1,000 round review videos with no malfunctions?
Skeptical? No. The only one who has to be confident is you. If you’re comfortable with it, I wish you nothing but the best.
No click on 24:09. Rushed it
I have a f n 510 its a hi quality handgun. This seems to also be a top shelve firearm. My next purchase.
Even the FN 502 comes with a carrying case.
Outstanding Howard 😊
Once again, the winner is….
Glock 43x. 😊
If only the 43 had metal sights, metal trigger, metal mag release, 3.5lb trigger, light rail, Normal grip angle, 15rnd mags , ambi controls.
@@chrisquintana3877
Metal sights… mine came with them from the factory.
Metal trigger… why? It’s not necessary. The gun goes (((BANG))).
Metal mag release… Negative. Metal mag release on polymer mag catch indentation will wear it out.
3.5lb trigger… Why? The 43 is NOT a competition gun. It’s an ultra compact defense weapon. But Glock makes a 3.5lb so install it.
Light rail… On a compact pocket gun? Not needed.
Normal grip angle… It is “normal.” We’re you born with defective hands or something?
15 rnd mags… the 43 is 6+1, 43X is 10+1… carry a spare magazine. How many rounds do you need? What number does it stop at?
Ambi controls… Go buy a Gen 5 Glock 26 or 19 if you really “need” that.
Are you always so needy in general?
@@colt10mmsecurity68 cool, keep your overpriced ghetto blaster. FN might be a little to refined for your taste. It's a better pistol, sorry that triggers you. Pun intended
Notifications on! (As are on all HR Funk videos)
Is it safe to say the hammer fired construction is the reason why there is no ambi slide release on this weapon or they just wanted width bragging rights like the other companies that make ambi pistols do with micros? 11% of the marketplace will love that decision.
It beats me. I have no idea why manufacturers do the things they do .
Good review. I'll stick w my 365, g19 and 509 instead.
My thought is never use low quality and price ammo for carry.
That’s a good policy, but even the best ammunition can have an occasional under-powered cartridge. You also have to be attentive when you hand-cycle a cartridge into the chamber.
@@hrfunk once again, seems like a non issue considering it's something that can happen with any weapon. Due diligence goes a long way to preventing problems.
@Longbarrel24 I wish you the best.
Picked this up for $433.00 at Battlehawk Armory
You got it for a good price.
@@hrfunk Think it was luck when I searched online but the odd thing is they had the black for $599.99🤔. I triple checked to make sure it wasn't the MRD.
@@danielk0106 Sounds like you might have benefitted from someone's mistake. Not your fault.
@@hrfunk True but the price went up to $443.00 still a great price
Wow I paid $570 for the MRD version and same color as in this review. I do love this thing tho. I’m a Glock guy but FN is pretty solid!
Best handgun reviewer! I have watched several videos of this pistol and read review in American Rifleman, but no one is as all-encompassing as you. I would never buy a new pistol until you reviewed it, as I'm always looking to add to my large handgun collection.
Thank you!
So no issues here. Just someone not very smart with guns no matter what he thinks. (Don’t bossy rack) and as for a trigger nothing is wrong with it, but give it time. For those of you who can’t shoot straight with oem trigger apex will have one eventually to fix the travel I’m sure.
It’s always nice when another expert weighs in.
I had a FN45 and the grip frame was squishy, I sold it without even firing it. Good review.
Hank you!
They have not come out in my area as of yet but I had thought I wanted one very badly so thank you for the perspective before I spend my money.
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching!
You sound like the guy that did auto week for like 40 years. Must be from same part of the country?
Maybe, but I’m not familiar with Auto Week, so I can’t really say.
Yes, the Reflex does look very odd with the 15 round magazine. I wish FN included another 10 round mag with the pinky extension.
That's a lot of dry fire there Funk. Very nice review, but I don't see the Refex as an upgrade to the Hellcat.
Neither did I. Thanks for watching!
Man, this guy made the marine corp his identity, didn’t he?
Semper Fi!
@@hrfunk hahaha Semper fi brother. I love the channel and the response. Mad respect
In black though. Black guns need love too
As I recall, it comes in Black.
Great review, thanks! I’m waiting for someone to do a tear down video of receiver internals so I can start tinkering.
FN makes some quality rifles and parts, but their pistols have never impressed me much.
Having a non optics ready version in 2023 just seems crazy to me. New Canik and walther pistols are all optics ready, period
They had some good stuff around ten years ago handgunwise, but underwhelming in aesthetics.
I don't personally know anybody who carries a micro concealed handgun with Optics on it just my two cents...
@@chriskelly509I agree. Not a fan on red dots. If it rains your dot will dissappear. Also presentation must be perfect or you will not find dot. Micropistols also are much harder to shoot
Whoa I was going to make fun of the non serviceable slide, but damn. Ok fn I see you.
Non-serviceable slide? Are you referring to the hammer not resetting?
@@hrfunk no I was like how's a guy supposed to clean the striker channel 🤦🤷🏼♂️😂
@@mybuickskill6979 Oh, OK. Now I understand.
@@hrfunk first time ever seeing this type of internal hammer. And I kind of like it. Normal it's got the slit on the back of the slide and you can watch it work like on the lcps and that style of hammer fired pistol 🤗
Wow! Great breakdown and helping points sir. Thank you!! I have yet to see one with a manual safety from stores or FN's website however.
I suspect the version with a safety will be added in the future. I could be wrong, but the nomenclature assigned to this handgun on the FN website tends to give that indication.
They might be getting a California version ready, now that micro stamping has been enjoined. Loaded chamber and mag safety are current remaining requirements but I don’t know about a manual safety lever. People will compare the FN’s hidden fully cocked internal hammer to a Glock striker, but Glocks are only half cocked.
I would rather see a grip safety than a lever safety.
Really weird to complain about a dead trigger on what is basically a single action only pistol.
What next? SAO revolvers?
If I cock the hammer and said hammer doesn’t fall when I squeeze the trigger: yes.
I want one. With a safety. I prefer Israeli safety, but want a chambered option. Of course safety begins with a trigger guard holster & up.
You’re wrong about the availability of a manual safety model . There isn’t now , nor has there ever been a model with a manual safety.
I believe there will be one introduced in the near future. I’m a little surprised it hasn’t been announced yet. Maybe they’re going to unveil it at the SHOT Show.
@@hrfunk this gun has lost a lot of sales due the extremely light trigger plus no safety .
@Strikerfm1 Lost sales? How is that determined? How many should have been sold?
@@hrfunk I cannot possibly go into sales data in a RUclips video , you’d have to work at a store . But believe me when I tell you that there’s a mayor consumer interest in safeties now .
based FN keeping hammers alive with their "sorta pocket hammerless" 99% of striker guns are SA anyway
Not according to the manufacturers. Many insist their handguns are DAO.
@@hrfunk as far as im concerned they're neither however I view the vast majority of striker guns as SA just to keep simple tools simple.
There are a few that operate as DAO, do you know of any?
I OWN A BLACK FN REFLEX MRD USEING A HOLSUN 507K WITH A BLACK POINT IWB .Ive fired over 2000 rounds with NO PROBLEMS. There are NO MANUAL SAFETY ON THE FN REFLEX.
Good. I hope you never have any problems with it.
My is flawless
Really well done review. Thanks.
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching!
This one of the last pistols I would buy. Over priced, hammer fired and dry firing with snap caps is a pain in the a$$. I have owned a few FN's and have traded in or sold all of them.
My Reflex would not cycle after each round. I get one shot off and then failure to feed; tried different ammos and clean the damn thing, and still experience the same. Fuck FN
I’m sorry to hear that. Have you considered returning it for repair?
@@hrfunk Thx for the reply. Yes I will contact FN for repair; hopefully it will be fix because I do like the gun, take care
@tdo7125 You too. Best of luck.
Take Mag OUT, While Doing
Trigger Check's & Reset's...
Why?
I knew from the preview that the Reflex was going to be a bad gun. Any ccw semi automatic needs a trigger safety. I was looking for one in the trade show videos and could not find one. Apparently it doesn't have one. If it's not going to have a trigger safety, surely it will have a manual safety for holstering and upholstering? Nope. So basically it's a hot potato that apparently has a great trigger when it's not ND'ing
If I remember correctly, FN is also producing a version with a manual safety.
@@hrfunk If it does have a manual safety, it might just be a pretty sweet gun
@ergofoxxxy BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN TRIGGER FINGER? mind-blowing concept I know.
@@xConstipatedPandax yeah. it's in place to help protect against a piece of material from a garment pulling the trigger when holstering. crazy idea I know
@@ergofoxxxy Incorrect, they are inertial safeties in case you drop the gun, like sig didn’t put on the 320 and we know how that went. This does the same with a hinged trigger like the m&p or fn’s own 509, the hinge is at the top of the trigger here.
Not going to poo poo anyone or anything, but as a long time FN fan, I’d look closely at their track record of product support. Disappointed FNP-9 owner.
Your issue is Not an issue. That’s a hammer fired gun and if you baby rack it like an old lady sure it won’t lock. And it was hard to replicate that issue cause you really have to barley rack it
Did you even watch the video?
semper fi
Semper Fi Kevin!
I love you 💕
Wow! Thank you.
Mine has a serious failure to feed problem out the box. Apparently MANY people are having this problem. And i mean many. Just type it in to Google and read the horror stories. A new gun should work. Period. Shame on FN!
I’m sorry to hear that. I hope FN gets it straightened out.
@hrfunk same here. Gonna call FN Monday morning. I put 300 rounds through it today and about 80% failure to feed. Is incredibly frustrating. Ive been shooting a long time and this is a first. Oddly the more I'm using it the better it seems to be getting so maybe it's just a break in period. But I've never had any of the many other pistols I've had do this.
The cheap box says it all.
I really don’t mind the box. The contents of the box are my concern.
@@hrfunk Yeah but I love collecting those boxes, still enjoy your videos from long ago.