FN Introduces a New Era of Compensated Carry

The newest addition to the FN Edge series of performance-driven products is the FN 509 CC Edge. The new gun features a quick-detach self-indexing compensator that effectively mitigates recoil for faster shot recovery. The compensator also helps improve speed to target, accuracy, and overall control of the pistol. The FN Edge Series is comprised of high-performance firearms developed with four key pillars: speed, accuracy, versatility, and control.

“With the FN Edge Series of products, our team of engineers addressed the challenges facing today’s gun enthusiasts in a unique and no-holds-barred way. It’s a combination of aesthetics and performance that has been fine-tuned to perfection directly from the factory and delivered against the promise of FN innovation,” says Mark Cherpes, president and CEO of FN America. “The FN 509 CC Edge is a high-performance, premium 9mm carry gun that offers improved sight recovery, shootability, and more—all without sacrificing overall size for concealed carry.”

The key to the FN 509 CC Edge’s performance is the FN compensator. Designed to reduce muzzle rise by roughly 25 percent, the compensator significantly decreases felt recoil while preserving the ability to carry concealed. The compensator features v-style ports on either side that vector gases and flash out of the user’s field of view. The result is a shooting experience that is flatter and more controlled, allowing you to maintain a consistent sight picture from shot to shot. Machined from stainless steel and coated with a graphite-colored PVD finish, the compensator is not only durable but also designed to withstand hard use across standard and self-defense loads for the widest degree of compatibility while still utilizing the factory FN 509 recoil spring.

“The addition of a compensator to a concealed-carry pistol is a delicate balance. Too small, your compensator can be ineffective; too big, you aren’t able to conceal as easily,” says John Ryan, FN America’s director of commercial product management. “Our engineering team took a whole-system approach to the design. They knew that this pistol was intended to be a CCW option and so had to perform with as little recoil as possible. But it still needed to fit within the styling of the FN Edge Series. The sleek design of the FN compensator complements the aesthetics of the Edge Series perfectly while meeting performance requirements.”

Unlike most other threaded compensators on the market that require tools to remove and timing shims to align the compensator to the slide, the FN compensator’s quick-detach design allows for easy disassembly for cleaning and maintenance. To field strip, remove the slide, push in on the front of the compensator, and rotate 90 degrees to release it from the barrel’s locking lugs. To re-secure the compensator, the operation is simply reversed. No timing or adjustment is required before use and due to the self-locking lugs machined into the barrel, the compensator won’t loosen over time.

“Even if you have the best comp in the world, one that results in virtually zero felt recoil, it’s still a simple fact that most compensated guns are difficult to disassemble for routine maintenance. This was top of mind for us as we developed the FN compensator,” says Chris Johnson, senior product manager of pistols. “Our team evaluated the more traditional attachment methods, but opted to explore something new so that customers who purchased a CC Edge pistol would be able to disassemble both the pistol and compensator quickly for easy maintenance. Ultimately, we settled on a quick-detach design that uses a compressed spring and lock ring within the compensator that mates to locking lugs cut into the barrel. It’s a future-forward idea, and we’re excited about the potential impacts this has for our industry for other barrel attachments.”

In addition to the compensator, the FN 509 CC Edge includes one 12-round and two 15-round magazines with machined aluminum base pads. The extra weight of the base pads ensures an empty magazine drops free of the grip frame for a lightning-fast reload. The 4.2-inch cold-hammer-forged barrel with recessed target crown and a new gold-colored Titanium Nitride PVD barrel coating provide increased lubricity, hardness, and long-wearing performance.

The micro-red-dot-ready pistol includes FN’s patented Low-Profile Optics-Mounting System, allowing users to mount more than 10 different MRDs without the need for a gunsmith. A green fiber-optic front sight and low-glare blacked-out rear sight co-witness with the most popular optics.

Concealed carriers also benefit from the signature FN Edge Series fire-control group, which dramatically increases speed and accuracy over standard firearms. The flat-faced trigger has a smooth take up and clean, 90-degree break. When paired with the high-endurance striker, this advanced factory-installed fire-control group produces an approximated five-pound trigger pull.

Slide lightening cuts and in-mold stippled frame texture, first introduced on the FN 509 LS Edge, allow for superior grip and control for fast and accurate follow-up shots. The  low-profile magazine release is reversible for left-handed users, and a slide release is fixed on both sides of the frame. Rounding out the advanced ergonomics package, the interchangeable backstraps further help customize fit in hand. SRP: $1,569. (fnamerica.com)