Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
The FN Reflex combines a surprisingly good trigger, .85-inch best-group accuracy, and flawless reliability in a palm-sized carry gun. This little 9mm ran clean, dirty, and gritty without giving us the first problem.
FN Reflex Review: Can This Micro 9mm Still Deliver?
FN is no stranger to polymer pistols, but the US-made Reflex 9mm micro-compact models bring that experience to the micro-carry gun market. This FN Reflex review focuses on the iron-sighted version, but there is also an RDS-ready option, the MRD model.
Let’s revisit the FN Reflex Micro Compact, which we originally reviewed back in early 2023. Many of you have now put some time behind the gun. What do you think now? Still like it? Interested in a larger version, such as a compact or even full-size handgun? Read up, then let us know what you think in the comments.
Why the FN Reflex Trigger Stands Out in a Crowded Micro 9mm Field
One of the features that sets the Reflex apart from many of its competitors is that it is not a striker-fired pistol. It is a Single Action Only (SAO) internal hammer-fired pistol. I think this helps the Reflex deliver a fantastic trigger pull. It is not a match trigger, but it is just about right for practical distances and safety.
FN advertises a 4.5 – 5.5 lb. trigger pull weight, and the company did not exaggerate. The trigger on the pistol tested averaged right at 5 lbs. Testing on my trigger gauge resulted in less than a one-pound variance.
Controls on the FN Reflex are simple and easy to operate. The reversible magazine release’s elongated shape allows operation with smaller hands and is nicely checkered. All the controls are recessed below the surrounding frame area to help prevent inadvertent operation or snagging.
Two Magazines Give the FN Reflex Two Different Personalities
The Reflex comes with an 11-round magazine with a finger rest at the bottom and a 15-round extended magazine. Firing the Reflex with the 11-rounder requires focusing on your grip, as most micro-compacts with flush magazines do. Replacing the 11 with the 15-round magazine provides a full grip for the whole hand. It is a nice touch by FN to provide both with the gun rather than making the buyer purchase an extension as an accessory.
The FN Reflex Front Sight Glows Like a Beacon
Another great feature of the Reflex is the 3 dot iron sights. The rear sight is a 2-dot notch that is driftable for windage adjustment, while the front has a tritium dot center surrounded by a high-visibility orange circle. I think that style of front sight should be on every carry or duty gun. It allows excellent front-sight acquisition day or night.
Built to Disappear: How the FN Reflex Handles Concealed Carry
The Reflex slide is 1 inch wide, falling right in with the norm of modern micro-compacts and making it well suited for concealed carry. It has front and rear cocking serrations and is relatively easy to pull to the rear. That can sometimes be an issue for shooters with less hand strength when dealing with micro-compacts.
The stippled and textured grip of the Reflex is very effective in providing the traction needed to hang on to the micro 9mm. I shot hundreds of rounds and never had an issue with the grip of the gun shifting while firing. The grip is cut high in the rear, providing a low bore axis over the hand, and it has a nicely undercut trigger guard. A Picatinny rail finishes off the front of the frame for accessory mounting.
🛒 Check Current Price for FN Reflex on GunsAmerica
FN Reflex Micro Compact 9mm Specifications
| Caliber | 9mm |
|---|---|
| Action | Single Action Only Internal Hammer Fired |
| Capacity | Typically, 11- and 15-round magazines |
| Length | 6.3 inches |
| Height | 4.27 inches |
| Weight | 18.4 ounces |
| Slide | Front and Rear Cocking Serrations (PVD Finish) |
| Sights | Three dot w/ Tritium high visibility front |
| Barrel | 3.3 inches |
| Trigger | 4.5 – 5.5 lbs. |
| MSRP | $599/$659 (MRD) as of this writing |
FN Reflex Accuracy Test: A .85-Inch Group From a Tiny 9mm
I always ponder the question of what constitutes acceptable accuracy from the guns I am testing. Obviously, it varies with the size and type of firearm. So, for a “micro-compact” that is barely 6 inches long, has a short barrel, and carries a 5.05 sight radius, what distance do you test it at? Everyone has an opinion, and I see many of those opinions in the comments on articles.
For accuracy testing in this FN Reflex review, I shot 5-round groups at bullseye targets from a sandbag rest at 15 yards. Yes, that is definitely farther than most practical engagements would be expected, but it is far enough away to see how the ammunition differed.
The single best group of the day came from Hornady American Gunner 115 XTP ammunition at .85” center to center, and it was the only group under one inch. Federal Hydra-Shok took the silver medal for the second-best group. That is fantastic accuracy from the little Reflex.
Nine Loads Reveal What the FN Reflex Likes to Eat
I shot nine (9) different ammunitions ranging from Hornady Critical Defense Lite 100 grain loads to Speer Lawman 147 grain. The Hornady Lite was the most comfortable to shoot because of its lighter recoil, but it did not produce greater accuracy.
Groups ranged from the best at .85 to the worst, with military ball-type ammunition printing 2.7 inches. The average group size for the Reflex turned out to be around 2 inches at 15 yards, which is more than acceptable for practical applications from a micro-compact. At 5 yards, it shot a 10-round ragged hole while standing offhand.
The front sight stood out like a beacon during accuracy testing and while running the plate rack and silhouette targets. The gun did shoot slightly to the left and needed a tiny sight adjustment to get centered up. On a short-sight-radius gun, a tiny adjustment definitely shows up at greater distances.
Dirty, Gritty, and Still Running: FN Reflex Reliability
The best part of all the testing was also what I consider most important in a defensive firearm: reliability. The US-made FN Reflex was 100% reliable. I never had the first issue. Both magazines and the pistol fed flawlessly while shooting hundreds of rounds of different types of 9mm ammunition.
I never stopped to clean it or add any lubrication. I wanted to see what it did fresh and clean, then dirty and gritty. It just kept running flawlessly.
FN Reflex Pros and Cons: Small Gun, Serious Performance
- Pros: Fantastic 5-lb. average trigger, high-visibility tritium front sight, 11-round and 15-round magazines included, effective grip texture, .85” best group, and 100% reliability throughout hundreds of rounds.
- Cons: The 11-round magazine requires more attention to grip, the pistol initially shot slightly left, and the short sight radius makes small sight adjustments more noticeable at distance.
FN Reflex Review Verdict: Better Than Expected Where It Counts
The FN Reflex exceeded my expectations, and it was not because my expectations were low. I expected a high-quality handgun from a company like FN. The Reflex trigger was simply better than I expected. The front sight was also better, a cut above what is provided on so many handguns these days.
The grip was comfortable and well stippled. Average accuracy was good, while some ammunition produced great accuracy. Most importantly, the pistol shot, fed, ejected, and functioned flawlessly.
The results of our FN Reflex review are clear. When you are in the market for a small 9mm carry gun, the FN Reflex 9mm is definitely worth checking out.
More FN Reflex Information and Comparisons
Available on GunsAmerica Now
is a world-class competitive shooter having won medals at both the 2012 IPSC World Shotgun Championship in Hungary and more recently the 2017 IPSC World Rifle Championship in Russia. He is passionate about shooting sports and the outdoors. He has followed that passion for over 30 years, hunting and competing in practical pistol, 3gun, precision rifle and sporting clays matches. Jeff is intimately familiar with the shooting industry – competitor, instructor, RO, range master, match director. Among his training credits include NRA Instructor, AR-15 armorer, FBI Rifle Instructor, and Officer Low Light Survival Instructor. As a sponsored shooter, Jeff has represented notable industry names such as: Benelli, 5.11 Tactical, Bushnell, Blackhawk, DoubleStar, and Hornady. He has been featured on several of Outdoor Channel’s Shooting Gallery episodes and on a Downrange TV series. Jeff’s current endeavors cover a broad spectrum and he can be found anywhere from local matches helping and encouraging new shooters as they develop their own love of the sport, to the dove field with his friends, a charity sporting clays shoot, backpack hunting public land in Montana, or the winners podium of a major championship.
