The Glock 19 Gen 5 has been my go-to handgun for the last year. I love this gun. I bought it used from the Certified Used Guns Vault at Guns.com, and it came like it was literally brand new. I don’t think it had even been fired.
LEGENDARY RELIABILITY
I’ve put over 1,200 rounds of all makes and quality through it, and it has gone bang every single time with zero jams or issues. This gun has lived up to Glock’s motto of "legendary reliability." When you find a gun that’s as reliable as this, it gives you a lot of confidence.
I had no plans to change my G19. I was very happy with it. However, when a good friend of mine recently asked me if I’d be willing to trade an item that I didn’t want or need for his FN 509 Compact, my ears perked up.
FN 509 COMPACT
I did a little research on the 509C, and it looked like a very nice little package. It’s slightly smaller than my G19, which is something I could be into. My friend also mentioned that he’d put over 1,000 rounds through it with no issues. So, I agreed to the trade.
Now, the worst-case scenario was that I would shoot the FN for a while and, if I hated it, sell it and make some cash. The best-case scenario was that I'd like the FN better, and then I'd have a new go-to gun. So, it was a win-win situation in my opinion.
Check out how the two guns compared below:
FN IS LEGIT
I have to admit, I’m a big fan of FN. We toured their factory in South Carolina in 2019, and their attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality products was impressive. We interviewed a number of the staff, many of them veterans, and they only had great things to say about FN not only as a gun maker but as an employer as well.
MILITARY GRADE
I’m sure many of you are already aware that FN produces a number of almost legendary firearms for the U.S. military, as well as other militaries around the world. The military firearms are produced on the same machines and to the same exacting standards as the guns for consumers.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
My first impression when I got my hands on my new FN 509C was that it felt really good. The grip texture on the FN is head and shoulders above the Glock. The FN also oozes quality. But let’s not forget that it’s also a little bit pricier than the Glock.
WEIGHT
Although I love the fact that the 509C is a little more compact than the G19, the FN is actually two ounces heavier. It weighs in at 25.5 ounces with an unloaded 12-round magazine. The G19 on the other hand weighs 23.63 ounces with an unloaded 15-round magazine.
FEATURES
Both guns come with all of the features one would expect from a modern polymer semi-automatic striker-fired handgun. They have ambidextrous controls and a rail under the barrel for lights and lasers. The only major difference I could find was that you had to physically switch the Glock mag release from one side to the other. But that's not a big deal.
TRIGGER
The triggers on both guns are very similar. I actually prefer the Glock trigger. It’s a little bit crisper than the FN that has a little bit of grit to it before it breaks. There are, however, plenty of aftermarket triggers if you want to change them out.
SIGHTS
The sights on both guns are good. On the G19, you have the traditional Glock white goalpost rear sight with a white dot front. The FN has a blacked-out rear with a high visibility front. I prefer the Glock. However, that may be simply because I’m used to it. One thing to note, the FN sights are metal while the Glock’s are plastic.
It's also worth noting that both guns are available with optic-ready plates up top to allow the attachment of red dots.
SIZE
Both guns are very similar in size except the barrel and grip are different. The 509C has a 3.7-inch barrel while the G19 has a 4.02-inch barrel. The grip is also noticeably shorter on the FN. This is the first of two features that I really like about FN over the Glock. Here's why.
“MODULAR”
The length of the grip of the G19 cannot be shorter than it is with or without a magazine inserted. But it does fill my average-sized hands very nicely.
The length of the grip of the 509C is modular in the sense that it can be lengthened or shortened depending on the magazine you insert. Without any mag, I can only get three of my fingers on the grip. With the 12-round mag inserted, the grip length is longer by approximately one inch. I can just barely get all four of my fingers on the grip. With the 15-round mag, I can get all of my fingers comfortably on the grip, and it is very similar to the length of the G19.
So you get the best of both worlds with the 509C. Where this really shines is if you want to conceal carry the 509C in the waistband. Since most of your printing comes from the grip, it is very concealable with the 12-round magazine. The 15-round mag can be carried as a backup. The G19 doesn’t have this modularity. I think the FN is brilliant or this.
GRIP ANGLE
The second feature that I really like about the FN is the grip angle. It’s more vertical than the Glock. While I never had an issue with the Glock, when I held the FN, I immediately liked the more vertical grip better.
ON THE RANGE
I believe this more vertical grip angle makes me shoot the 509C as well, if not better, than the G19. I can only attribute this to the grip angle, and perhaps the fact that FN makes some of the best barrels in the business.
And, the most important part of the review for me, is reliability. So far, I’ve put a little over 400 rounds of all makes through the 509C, and I have had exactly zero malfunctions. If this gun hits 1,000 rounds without any jam, I will seriously consider switching over to the FN as my go-to gun.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Even if the FN does become my go-to gun, I will likely never sell my G19. That’s because I have personally proven it to be 100 percent reliable so far. That means a lot to me. And perhaps another gun will come along, and I’ll slowly build a collection of incredibly reliable and fun-to-shoot guns.
