# Range Report FNP9



## JustRick (Sep 14, 2008)

The FNP9 is my only pistol and I shoot at least once a week. I'm also a newbie, having only started shooting pistols about six weeks ago, so my opinion is worth what it's worth. 

I bought three extra magazines, bringing my total to six, and I shot all six and reloaded one, too, so I fired around 100 rounds, mostly at 7 yards, but with 2 at 10 yards, and one at 7 yards doing rapid-fire doubled shots (double taps?) As usual, with three kinds of ammunition (Magtech, WWB, and S-B 115 grain) no FTanything. This pistol is so reliable it's boring. So far!

One magazine at 7 yards was my best ever -- 15 rounds within 2", 13 within 1", and one that snuck an extra inch out. The impact zone was on the upper side of the bulls-eye. I read a lot of range reports about hitting a "fuzzy circle the width of a bullet" at 50 yards, but I'm as happy as a kid with a bucket of puppies. The other slow-fire shots at 7 yards were all nearly that good.

I'm over 50 and wear glasses. In fact, I'm both myopic and have presbyopia, so I wear graduated lenses ("invisible bifocals"). When I shoot either the target is a blur, the front sight is a blur, or they are both a little fuzzy. I'm pretty happy hitting the paper! I didn't do all that well at 10 yards. With my vision, I'm not sure it's up to my skill -- it might just be the problem that all I can do is aim at the center of the target. I sure can't see the rings in any detail (unless I give up seeing the front sight). 

The "double tap" exercise was a lot of fun. I did much better than I thought I would on my first try -- I got all my shots in the circles (about 8" across). Anyone have other tips for shooting goals I can try at the range? How about tips for rapid shooting? Any trick to reacquiring the target really fast?

It was just a short stop on the way to a date with my wife, who was supposed to meet me at the range and couldn't make it, but it was a lot of fun. Maybe I'll try shooting over my shoulder using a mirror?


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

S-B Ammo Seller and Bellot?

I have the Browning Pro-40 which is a cousin to your gun. i love mine. It's 100% reliable no matter what I feed it and it is spot on as to accuracy. I'm sure you'll love shooting yours for a long time to come.

Only thing I can advice to aid in your shooting is practice and a lot of it. Get to know your gun, relax, and have fun. The more you shoot your gun the better you will know all about where the trigger breaks and now to keep your grip straight etc. A range might help you in that if there's a range master or instructor around you might pick up some tips on grip and stance.

Good luck and happy shooting!!


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

JustRick said:


> ...When I shoot either the target is a blur, the front sight is a blur, or they are both a little fuzzy. I'm pretty happy hitting the paper! I didn't do all that well at 10 yards. With my vision, I'm not sure it's up to my skill -- it might just be the problem that all I can do is aim at the center of the target. I sure can't see the rings in any detail (unless I give up seeing the front sight).


My once 'super-vision' has deteriorated to a similar level (at age 57), although I just keep getting more far-sighted. I tried the progressive lenses, with mostly unsatisfactory results. I can use them, but I have to cock my head back, and my friends tell me it makes me look like a very snooty, 18th century duelist.

The best solution I have found (so far) is weak reading glasses from Walmart, that are not quite strong enough for a lot of reading, but bring my front sight into perfect focus. It leaves the target a little bit blurry (or a lot blurry on a bad day?), which I compensate for by sticking those 1" orange dots on the bulls eye.

Now, I know some will say, "Great, now all you have to do is get your attackers to wear orange dots on their chests, and be kind enough to wait while you put your reading glasses on." To that I say 'horse-hockey,' because it's all about putting your practice time and expensive ammo to the best possible use. Besides, you already aren't going to ask the BG to wait while you put on your earmuffs and safety glasses, so what's the difference? If I ever have to, I can probably manage with the bifocals and no earmuffs.

Also, the amount of light makes a difference. When I first started to get serious about handguns, I went to an indoor range, and was very surprised to discover that I could not shoot bulls eyes at 25 yards, something I had formerly been able to do with ease, shooting a 7-1/2" Ruger Blackhawk, with my own handloads. With my new (at the time) XD45, I could barely hit an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, and I couldn't even see the bulls eye.

Since then, I have moved to an outdoor range, and natural light makes a huge difference. I still don't shoot a lot of bulls eyes at 25 yards, but I practice a lot on 8" steel plates and head-shots on the flop-down silhouettes, and I am fairly deadly and reasonably fast (for an old fart) from 20-25 yards, with a full size handgun. And it is huge fun.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Hey, glad to hear it. I really like my FNP9 as well. I was amazed at how accurate it was. I think behind the P99, it is my 2nd fav 9mm.

I actually got mine as a gift from FN, and I like it a lot more than I thought I would.

I just sent my slide off to be hard chromed - I can't want to get it back.

Oh, make sure to come check out www.fnforum.net


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