FN509: Personal Defense World's 'Gun of the Month' For May 2017

FN 509 pistol vest — The FN 509 features a reversed target crown, larger three-dot luminescent sights and high-traction grip texturing.

FN 509 pistol Gun Buyer's Guide 2017 — For those interested, the FN 509 is featured in Gun Buyer’s Guide 2017 from Athlon Outdoors.

Welcome to the newest feature on PersonalDefenseWorld.com—our “Gun of the Month.” Each month our editorial staff gets together and discusses the world of firearms and what gets us genuinely excited. More times than not, you’ll see a new firearm as our selection, but being new is not a prerequisite for being our “Gun of the Month.”

Why We Picked the FN509

This handgun might not have won the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS) contest, but it certainly deserves a closer look as a runner-up. This striker-fired pistol is based on the FNS Compact series, but it has several upgrades, including a reversed target crown, larger three-dot luminescent sights and high-traction grip texturing.

The magazine and slide releases are also ambidextrous—a boon for lefties out there. The gun won’t fire unless the trigger is intentionally depressed, and the external extractor doubles as a loaded-chamber indicator.

To top it all off, FN America states that the platform has seen more than a million rounds in testing. What’s not to like?