Just in time for SHOT Show, FN has debuted its newest double-stack 9mm pistol: the feature-packed and more affordable FN 309 MRD.
The 309 takes cues from the company's well-received Reflex series of micro 9s, using a DAO internal hammer operation and direct-mount Shield RMSc/Holosun K/Leupold DPP footprint with adapter plates available for other dots.
It has styling similar to the company's other pistols, but make no mistake, the 309 is its own ecosystem, using proprietary (but inexpensive) 16 and 20-round polymer-bodied magazines. Plus – and this is a win for first-time gun owners and those with reduced hand strength – it requires lower racking force without a gimmick.
The pistol is carry-sized and leans more compact than sub-compact, with a 3.8-inch alloy steel, machine-gun grade, barrel with a recessed target crown. This gives it an overall length of 7.4 inches and a weight, due to its polymer frame, of 22 ounces. The guns ship standard with FN 509 pattern drift-adjustable sights, using an over-molded green fiber-optic front and rounded U-notch rear. Other features include an accessory rail, a reversible magazine release, and multiple safeties, including a firing pin block and trigger safety. Manual safety models will also be available.
The MSRP on the FN 309 is $549, which is likely to be closer to $450 at retailers once supply starts flowing.
The gun shot well in initial testing, with the Guns.com crew putting about 500 rounds through a couple of pistols over the course of a couple of hours. A relay team ran 1,160 rounds on a very hot torture test gun without a serious issue, so there is definitely a potential for the 309 to be something FN is proud to have in its catalog.
The gun is pitched as a more entry-level pistol than the company's duty-grade 509s, which start at $750 for basic vanilla models and run to $1,600 in the more bespoke Edge package guns. Even the 15+1 round FN Reflex XL MRD has a suggested ask of $719.
“Many gun buyers don’t see FN as an option, and we wanted to change that perception by making the brand accessible to people looking to spend $500 on a 9mm pistol,” said Chris Johnson, Senior Product Manager for Pistols for FN America, LLC. “With the FN 309 MRD, we now have a trustworthy, easy-to-use pistol perfect for new gun buyers and those looking to purchase their first FN. For us, it’s not just a new product, it’s FN’s commitment to offering the everyday user peace of mind and FN performance.”
The FN 309 ships with a 16+1-round flush-fit and 20+1-round extended magazine, with options for 10-rounders in restricted states.
We have a review model inbound, so expect to see more on the 309 in the coming weeks.
Video by Ben Philippi.
