OWNER’S MANUAL FN HERSTAL FNP-9 DA/SA
NEW GUN OWNER’S RECORD Model: ............................................................................................................................................ Serial number*: ..................................................................................................................... Date of purchase: Purchased from: Purchase price: ................................................................................................................ .......................................
FOREWORD We are pleased that you have chosen a FN HERSTAL FNP-9 single- and double-action autoloading pistol which stands for the highest level of reliability, consistent performance and functional design and which provides the operating precision and safety expected from a personal defense firearm.
Safety and warranty notes Like all firearms, the pistol FNP-9, if handled in a careless or reckless manner, can be very dangerous.
CONTENTS 1. Safety information 2. Technical information 2.1. 2.2. 2.3. Nomenclature Functioning Magazines and ammunition 6 14 14 15 18 3. Contents of the storage box 21 4. Using the pistol 22 4.1. 4.2. 4.3. 4.4. 4.5. 4.6. 4.7. 4.8. Safety checks Initial cleaning Loading the magazine Loading the pistol Decocking the hammer Firing Reloading during firing Unloading the pistol 5. Fieldstripping 5.1. 5.2. Disassembling the pistol Disassembling the magazine 6. Cleaning and lubrication 6.1. 6.2. 6.3.
1. SAFETY INFORMATION As a gun owner, you accept a set of demanding responsibilities. How seriously you take these responsibilities can mean the difference between life and death. There is no excuse for careless or abusive handling of any firearm. At all times, handle your FNP-9 and any other firearm with intense respect for its power and potential danger. READ AND UNDERSTAND THE CAUTIONS AND PROPER HANDLING PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN THIS OWNER’S MANUAL BEFORE USING YOUR NEW FIREARM.
4 Never rely totally on your firearm’s mechanical “safety” devices. Always assume that your pistol can be fired at any time, even with all safety mechanisms engaged. The FNP-9 pistol has no external safety. With a cartridge in the chamber, this pistol is always ready to fire. The FNP-9 has several passive safety mechanisms that enhance safety. As with other pistols and revolvers, you must always treat your FNP-9 as ready-to-fire, and only load a cartridge when shooting is imminent.
4 The recommended carrying position of your FNP-9 is with the hammer in the decocked position. In order to decock the hammer, proceed as described in Section 4.5. For law enforcement and military personnel, refer to the procedures of your department on carrying your pistol. 4 Whenever you handle your FNP-9, or hand it to someone, make sure it is completely unloaded. To fully unload your FNP-9, proceed as described in Section 4.8.
4 Be alert to the signs of ammunition malfunction. If you detect an off sound or light recoil when a cartridge is fired, do not load another cartridge into the chamber. Fully unload the pistol as described in Section 4.8. With the slide open, glance down the barrel to make sure that an obstruction does not remain in the barrel. If there is an obstruction, completely clear the barrel before loading and firing again.
4 Use the proper ammunition. The barrel and the slide of this pistol have been made with substantial safety margins over the pressures developed by established American commercial loads.
4 Do not snap the firing pin on an empty chamber: the chamber may not be empty! Treat every pistol with the respect due to a loaded pistol, even though you are certain the pistol is unloaded. 4 Be sure of your target and backstop. Take additional care during low light periods. Know the range of your ammunition. Never shoot at water or hard objects. 4 Dropping your FNP-9 when loaded can cause an accidental discharge even with the hammer in the decocked position.
4 Wear eye and ear protection when shooting. Unprotected, repeated exposure to gunfire can cause hearing damage. Wear ear protectors (shooting earplugs or muffs) to guard against such damage. Wear shooting glasses to protect your eyes from flying particles. Always keep a safe distance between the muzzle of your firearm and any persons nearby, as muzzle blast, debris and ejecting shells could inflict serious injury.
4 Periodic maintenance: avoid unauthorized servicing. Your FNP-9 is a mechanical device which will not last forever, and as such, is subject to wear and requires periodic inspection, adjustment, and service. Like all FN HERSTAL firearms, your pistol should be serviced by a FN HERSTAL Recommended Service Center. FN HERSTAL cannot assume any responsibility for injuries suffered or caused by unauthorized servicing, alterations or modifications of FN HERSTAL firearms.
2. TECHNICAL INFORMATION Loaded Chamber Indicator Ejection Port Hammer Right Decocking Lever Frame Backstrap Trigger Magazine Front Sight Takedown Lever Accessory Rail Right view of the pistol Slide Stop Rear Sight Muzzle Left Decocking Lever Slide Left view of the pistol 2.1.
2.2. Functioning General The pistol FNP-9 is a modern 9mm Luger caliber autoloading, single- and double-action pistol functioning on the principle of the short recoil of the barrel. With the chamber and the magazine loaded, the pistol will fire a single shot each time the trigger is pulled until the magazine and the chamber are empty. The slide of this pistol is designed to stay open after the last cartridge has been fired.
Firing When the trigger is pulled, the hammer hits the firing pin which, in turn, hits the primer of the cartridge, resulting in firing. The recoil force causes the slide to be moved rearward. During the rearward movement of the slide, the empty case of the cartridge is ejected out of the ejection port and the hammer is cocked. If there is still a cartridge in the magazine, the slide then moves forward by the force of the recoil spring. During this movement, the slide causes a new cartridge to be chambered.
Safety features Besides a visible hammer which allows you to determine if the pistol is cocked or not, the pistol has no external safeties. With a cartridge in the chamber, this pistol is always ready to fire. Please note that the two decocking levers do not act as a “safety” that blocks the firing mechanism of the pistol. The decocking levers have only been provided to set the pistol, if necessary, into the safer doubleaction condition.
2.3. Magazines and ammunition Magazines Standard FNP-9 pistols have a magazine capacity of 16 rounds in the magazine plus one in the chamber, for a total capacity of 17 rounds. However, some states limit the magazine capacity to 10 rounds plus one in the chamber. All FNP-9 pistols sold in those states will be shipped with limited capacity magazines in compliance with state law.
It is recommended to use the thumb of the shooting hand to activate the magazine release. Be careful to catch the magazine with the non-shooting hand when it pops out). The magazine release is reversible and can be installed on the right side. Contact your dealer or departmental armorer for this modification. The rear of 16-round magazines have three openings which allow you to estimate the number of remaining cartridges.
Ammunition The FNP-9 pistol should only be used with 9mm Luger caliber ammunition. This is indicated by an inscription engraved in the front left side of the slide and the upper rear side of the barrel, visible through the ejection port. THE BARREL AND THE SLIDE HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY MARGINS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO COPE WITH THE PRESSURES DEVELOPED BY ESTABLISHED AMERICAN COMMERCIAL LOADS.
3. CONTENTS OF THE STORAGE BOX The pistol and its accessories are supplied in a practical storage box. Contents of the storage box include: • Pistol • Safety lock and 2 keys • Three 16-round magazines (Three 10-round magazines when required by law) • Accessory backstrap • Owner’s manual Use the safety lock to safely store and transport the pistol. Always keep the keys at a safe place.
4. USING THE PISTOL 4.1. Safety checks CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE PISTOL CAN BE MANIPULATED, STORED AND/OR TRANSPORTED WITHOUT ANY RISK: u Press the magazine release in order to eject the magazine. If the magazine does not pop out, pull on its bottom plate. v Pull the slide fully rearward and hold it in that position. Press the slide stop upward and then let the slide move forward under control until it is held open by the slide stop.
4.2. Initial cleaning Never fire the pistol upon purchase or after it has been stored for more than 10 days without cleaning it first. For law enforcement and military personnel, refer to the procedures of your department. 4 Carry out the cleaning and lubrication procedure (Section 6). If the pistol contains hardened grease or other substances that you cannot remove, have the pistol checked by your dealer or departmental armorer.
4.3. Loading the magazine As explained in Section 2.3, both 10-round and 16-round magazines are available. u If the magazine to be loaded is still in the pistol, press on the magazine release in order to eject it. v Load the cartridges, one by one, into the magazine. Place the cartridge on the wider part of the upper lips of the magazine and, with the thumb, push it downward against the force of the follower spring inside the magazine, and then backwards until it locks into position.
4.4. Loading the pistol It is assumed that the chamber of the pistol is empty, that the pistol does not contain a magazine and that the slide is closed. u Insert a loaded magazine into the handgrip and push it fully home until it locks into position. v Being extremely careful not to touch the trigger, hold the pistol in your firing hand, point in a safe direction, pull the slide fully rearward with the other hand and then release the slide, which returns under spring force.
4.5. Decocking the hammer If you do not intend to fire immediately, and in order to obtain the most safe condition, the pistol should be set for double-action shooting which means that the hammer should be decocked. If it is necessary to decock the hammer, proceed as follows: u Point the pistol in a safe direction. v Without touching the trigger, push down on the left or right decocking lever with your thumb.
4.6. Firing Ensure that Section 6.1. “Cleaning and lubrication before firing” has been carried out. u If not already done, load the pistol as described in Section 4.4. v Point the pistol at a safe target. When firing, the slide will move approximately ¾” past the rear end of the frame. Never hold your hand in a position where it could be hit by the slide and never hold the pistol close to the face or eyes when aiming! w With your index finger, pull the trigger to fire the first cartridge.
4.7. Reloading during firing After firing the last cartridge, the slide remains in the open position. The empty magazine can then quickly be replaced by a loaded one as follows: u Press on the magazine release to eject the empty magazine. v Insert a loaded magazine into the handgrip until it locks onto position. w Release the slide by pushing downward on the slide stop and then let the slide return under spring force, causing the first cartridge to be chambered.
4.8. Unloading the pistol u If the hammer is cocked, decock it as described in Section 4.5. v Press the magazine release in order to eject the magazine. If the magazine does not pop out, pull on its bottom plate. w Pull the slide fully rearward in order to eject the remaining cartridge from the chamber and then release the slide. If the slide is already automatically locked into the rearward position after having fired the last cartridge, this step should be skipped.
5. FIELDSTRIPPING 5.1. Disassembling the pistol It is very important to become familiar with the disassembly procedure of the pistol as disassembly is required during the cleaning and lubrication procedure which ensures reliable operation of the pistol. Wear eye protection when disassembling and cleaning to prevent the possibility of springs, spring-tensioned parts, solvent or other agents from contacting your eyes. u Completely unload the pistol as described in Section 4.8.
y Still holding the slide, let it slowly return forward and continue this movement in order to separate the slide from the frame. Barrel Return Spring Slide Slide z Hold the slide upside down. { While compressing the return spring, release its rear end from the barrel lug and then lift the spring up and out of the slide. | Grip the barrel by its lug and then lift it up and out of the slide This level of disassembly is sufficient to perform thorough cleaning.
To reassemble the pistol, follow the steps listed in Section 5.1. in reverse order, taking into account the following points: 4 Ensure that all the components of the pistol are perfectly clean. 4 When inserting the barrel back into the slide, ensure that barrel muzzle is oriented correctly and that the barrel itself fits correctly into the slide.
5.2. Disassembling the magazine Disassembling the magazine takes only a few seconds and should be a part of the pistol’s normal maintenance. u If not already done, press the magazine release in order to eject the magazine from the pistol and unload it completely (refer to Section 4.8.). v Using a tool such as a screwdriver, press on the protruding part of the magazine bottom catch through the hole in the magazine bottom plate.
x Remove the Magazine Bottom Plate follower spring together with the magazine follower and the magazine bottom catch. Magazine Bottom Catch Magazine Body Follower Spring Magazine Follower This level of disassembly is sufficient to perform thorough cleaning. Further disassembly should only be carried out by an authorized armorer or by an FN HERSTAL Recommended Service Center. To reassemble the magazine, follow the steps listed in Section 5.2.
6. CLEANING AND LUBRICATION The frequency at which the pistol should be cleaned and lubricated depends on the ammunition used, the weather, shooting conditions and other external factors. A good rule is to clean and lubricate the pistol after every use or, in case of intensive shooting, after every 300 rounds. Correct maintenance will enhance the longevity of your pistol. Excessively dirty ammunition may require more frequent cleaning, as dirt can affect the functioning of even the finest firearm.
6.1. Cleaning and lubrication before firing The following procedure assumes that the pistol has correctly been cleaned and lubricated the last time it has been used (also refer to Section 6.2). u Disassemble the pistol as shown in Section 5.1. v Using a cleaning rod and patches, working them back and forth, remove the storage lubricant from the inside of the barrel, until the patches come out clean. Be careful not to scratch or damage the muzzle as this can affect accuracy.
6.2. Cleaning and lubrication after firing u Disassemble the pistol as shown in Section 5.1. v Using the cleaning brush or a spray, apply solvent inside the barrel and let the product work for a few minutes. w Using a cleaning rod and patches, working them back and forth, remove the functional lubricant from the inside of the barrel, until the patches come out clean. Be careful not to scratch or damage the muzzle as this can affect accuracy. It is recommended to clean the barrel from the chamber end.
| Check the disassembled parts of the pistol for signs of wear and/or damage. In case of doubt about the condition of a part, consult your dealer or departmental armorer. } Using a soft cloth moistened with storage lubricant, lightly apply lubricant to all the external surfaces of the metal parts. Please note that the polymer grip does not require lubrication. ~ Reassemble the slide, the barrel and the return spring. Apply one drop of storage lubricant to the slide rails, to the barrel lug and the muzzle.
7. TAKING CARE OF THE PISTOL 4 Always keep the pistol in immaculate condition and good working order. 4 Always clean and lubricate the pistol after use. 4 Regularly inspect the pistol, its parts and accessories. If something seems abnormal, don’t hesitate to report it to your dealer or departmental armorer. 4 Never modify or repair parts of your pistol (or any other firearm) by yourself. YOUR PISTOL IS A MECHANICAL DEVICE SUBJECT TO WEAR AND WHICH WILL NOT LAST FOREVER.
8. TROUBLESHOOTING If a problem cannot be solved by the few directives given below, the pistol should not be used and should be examined by your dealer or departmental armorer. u The cartridge is not chambered. The magazine has not been inserted correctly, is dirty or damaged. Improper ammunition is used. The magazine has not been loaded correctly. u The slide does not close properly. See above. Pistol is dirty or too heavily lubricated. u The empty case jams in the chamber or at the ejection port.
9. ACCESSORIES 9.1. Interchangeable backstraps In order to ensure an optimum grip on the pistol as a function of the height and the ergonomics of the shooter, two types of backstraps, (one curved and one straight) have been supplied with the pistol. If desired, the backstrap can be replaced by proceeding as follows: u Using a 3 mm screwdriver, unscrew and remove the backstrap retaining screw. v Some force may be required to remove the installed backstrap. Push it downwards.
10. OTHER Sight adjustment Never try to adjust the sights yourself but ask your dealer or departmental armorer for this adjustment. Lubricants Some solvents can be harmful to the surface finish of the pistol. Consult your dealer or departmental armorer for the appropriate lubricants and solvents to use.
11. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Caliber : 9mm Luger Type of fire : Autoloader Trigger pull : Single-action : 3.5 lbs. Double-action : 10 lbs. Weight : Without magazine : 23.9 oz. With empty 16-round magazine : 26.8 oz. With full 16-round magazine : 34.7 oz. Length : 7.4” Height : 5.4” Width : 1.55” Barrel length : 4.0” (bore and chamber) Rifled length : 3.
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