In what is a logical next step from the company that brought the world the FNX-45 and FN 509, the FN 545 Tactical is loaded with extras – and is chambered in "God's caliber."
Debuted just prior to this year's SHOT Show alongside the new FN 510 in 10mm Auto, the 545 is essentially an enlarged FN 509 Tactical chambered in .45 ACP. While John Browning's venerable 118-year-old chunky monkey of a caliber is best known in single-stack 1911s, the popular round keeps on ticking with a new generation of double-stack 2011s and guns like the Gen 5 Glock 21.
At first look, the FN 545 Tactical gets its name honestly, being optics ready, with an extended threaded barrel, and shipping complete with two magazines including a flush 15+1 rounder and an extended 18+1 round mag.
The overall length of the FN 545 Tactical is 8.3 inches, which is about as long as a Government profile 1911, while the weight is a lighter 31 ounces. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The sight radius is 6.1 inches, which again is within striking distance of the typical 6.875-inch radius of a 1911.
The FN 545 Tactical compared to a Government-length 1911, in this case a Kimber Rapide.
The FN 545 follows in the wake of the popular DA/SA hammer-fired FNX-45 Tactical, which debuted in 2012, and the magazines appear to be remarkably similar, albeit not interchangeable (we checked). Notably, however, the FN 545 is a striker-fired gun based on the 9mm FN 509. Folks will surely still love the FNX, though.
The 4.71-inch cold hammer-forged, target-crowned barrel on the FN 545 is threaded .578x28 TPI to mount compensators and suppressors. It's seen here with a SilencerCo Omega installed. A great thing about the .45 ACP round is that it is inherently subsonic in velocity, which makes it natural for use with suppressors.
The slide is cut to mount micro red dots, no gunsmith needed, and ships with four different adapter plates included to accommodate most MRDs. Even if you don't go with a dot, the FN 545 has excellent Tritium lamp steel dovetail sights that are suppressor-height and therefore co-witness with most optics and over most cans.
Meanwhile, a full MIL-STD-1913 rail allows it to carry just about any sized WML, including some big boys like the SureFire X300. Note the deep forward slide serrations, which are a bonus to the guys that like to press check (and recheck...).
The magazines are serious, including a 15+1 round standard mag that fits with a pinky extension and an extended 18+1 round mag that runs about 6 inches overall and adds right at an inch to the bottom of the grip. For those keeping track at home, we found the FN 545 Tactical to hit the scales with the "big" mag carrying 18+1 rounds of 230-grain American Eagle FMJs at 42.7 ounces, sans optics or can. Notably, that is still lighter than the empty weight of some all-steel 1911s.
The FN 545 fills the hands, with a 6-inch height from the bottom of the flush-fit 15+1 mag to the top of the sights. While large, it feels great, and we found the pistol distributes recoil well.
FN did a great job when it came to the ergonomics of the 545, enhanced by an undercut to the trigger guard, while a high beavertail on the rear gives the pistol a good balance, especially when loaded. Note the varying patterns to the grip texture, which runs 360 degrees. When compared to the FNX-45, which has a straighter grip angle, we found the FN 545 felt more natural.
There are interchangeable backstraps, making the grip modular to an extent. Note the lanyard hole for those who want it.
The surface controls are excellent and easy to use. They include a fully ambidextrous slide stop lever and magazine release mirrored on the left and right side of the frame.
On takedown, the FN 545 does so easily via a simple disassembly lever – no tools required.
On the inside, the FN 545 is simple. As with most pistols of this sort, the thread protector has to be removed to field strip the gun. Of note, the barrel has a polished feed ramp and chamber for feed reliability.
Speaking of reliability, check out the forward and rear flares to the full-cut ejection port. Spent brass has no excuse to hang around on the 545.
While similar to the trigger of the striker-fired FN 509 – a two-piece job with a relatively long takeup and some grittiness, we found the FN 545 to have a shorter reset. FN bills it as a "target-grade" trigger with a 6-pound break. We found it to average just over 5 pounds out of the box. When compared to the FNX-45, which is SA/DA hammer-fired, the older gun feels better all day. Apples to oranges.
We've dropped a bit over 100 rounds through the FN 545 to get it started and have found it to run without issue on the range thus far, with good accuracy. The above from 10 yards at a rapid cadence. Stay tuned as we move well past that and check back at the 500-round mark.
The FN 545 Tactical has an MSRP of $1,139, which is notably about $250 less than the more dated hammer-fired FNX-45 Tactical.
