Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (more commonly known as FN Herstal) announced the arrival of new products just before the New Year. In a rather enigmatic statement, the company hinted at at least two as-yet-undefined projects. What was behind these announcements?
So far, only one project has been officially revealed in the form of the new FN 309 MRD pistol, intended to be a more economically accessible option for those interested in products from Fabrique Nationale de Herstal. The design itself may resemble other modern platforms (i.e. FN 509FN 509 Tactical pistol premiere), however significant changes have been made. The new FN 309 MRD is a design developed from the ground up, based on a concealed hammer mechanism (instead of a striker-fired design as in the FN 509), which results in a lighter trigger pull characteristic as well as details such as completely new magazines that are incompatible with previous designs. The operating mechanism remains the classic tilting barrel system.
Despite the new design, compatibility with some accessories for the FN 509 has been retained to increase customization options for individual shooters. This includes components such as the front sight and rear sight, as well as the grip spur. The pistol also features a slide adapted for optics mounting in the Leupold DeltaPoint Pro or Shield RMS standard. A certain compromise is the use of a slide stop exclusively on the left side, along with a magazine release button on the left side (with the option to reverse it). The presented model did not feature any additional manual safety mechanisms, however the manufacturer’s website announced the future availability of a variant equipped with these elements. The main argument in favor of the new FN 309 MRD is its price, expected to be below 500 US dollars. The pistol will be supplied with double-stack magazines with capacities of 16 and 20 rounds.
Photos: Fabrique Nationale de Herstal
