Jeff Bradley shows off the Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR) from Christensen Arms at SHOT Show 2023. Bob Meinert, FN Marketing Director, introduces FN's first commercial pistol suppressor, the FN Rush 9Ti. The ones that nobody wanted. Spec sheets are nice, but they cant really tell the whole story. Patents Pending. Yes its made in Croatia but the Hellcat checks all the boxes for me. In terms of accuracy, the FN 503 is a standout, and it has everything to do with the trigger. Sights are . While you may not notice a few extra ounces while carrying, you will notice the weight when firing hot defensive rounds. I own both and I carried the 43 for a long time, for me the winner would have to be the hellcat but to be fair to glock you cant beat its reliability, it is a Glock after all! Overall, it's fairly simple. Ive also had others shoot it in a training class, and I solicited their opinions on the gun. I do not charge readers a dime to access the information I provide. It is unlikely that a few feet per second will make any difference in a self-defense shooting. Pushing out to 25, it was still on paperman torso. Fast forward to the 1980s and all of those classic designs were put to bed. Ive done business with all of these companies and found them to be good people to work with. The FN 503 ships in an FN-branded zipper case and has two mags. What is definitely oversized is the slide release, lots of meat on it for you to get ahold of with ease. Thanks. Sound off in the comments, we want to hear from you! I am currently considering a switch from a Shield 9mm to the Glock 43, but was curious if you have any input on that issue. [Hands-on + Video]. Everything you need, nothing you don't, easy to conceal and carry. There is no range. The pull motion was all Glock with a crisp break and obvious reset. If the gun does not run well, I collect a lot of important data to bring you, the reader. We havent cleaned it yet and dont plan on it until the testing is complete. The South Carolina-made FN 503 has a clean look to it, although kind of blocky, and handles well. The longer magazine also reduces shooter fatigue when firing string after string. Yours are likely to vary in some degree from mine. As far as design, this one does look very grade schooleresque. GunsHolstersAndGear.com is a for-profit website. I tried a range of pocket holsters and simply could not find one that worked for me. How Small is Too Small The NAA Mini Revolver, Just Shoot Em In the Leg Bad Self-Defense Advice, Dry-Fire Training, Part 5 Shooter Make Ready Laser Targets. Building subcompact guns is the ultimate compromise. 1174 vs. 1178 That was unexpected. Personally, I believe that is a lot of worry over nothing for most people. In a post-Sig P365 world, just about everyone is coming out with a slim, streamlined, 9mm sub-compact CCW gun. Glock often rests on their laurels, and the Glock 43 is a prime example of Glock not willing to push design forward. That reputation for dependability is expected to carry over to the 503. Travis has trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines, and the Afghan National Army. With a full six-round magazine, the G43 weighs as much as the FN 503 with an empty magazine. The pistol I purchased continues to run with nary a hiccup. The 509C miniaturizes the proven 509 platform while retaining all its features in a 12-round-capacity carry pistol chambered in 9 mm Luger. The FN 503, left, is just a hair smaller than the Glock 43, right, while having the same magazine capacity, steel sights, and a better trigger. The good news is the gun delivered the performance I expected. We are continuing our test and eval of the FN 503, hoping to push it out to 2,000. I can't find any more info on it now that the post is down but they said a MSRP of . We'll only use the information provided according to our privacy policy. We do some shooting with the new FN 503 single stack 9mm pistol, discuss its features, how it compares to a Glock 43, and what I think of it overall. Glock gavethe pistol the general Gen4 treatment. The pull is smooth, reset crisp, and the break is like glass. A lot of ink, both real and virtual, has been spilled over the Glock 43 pistol. Because the FN 503 is a pistol that is obviously a clean-sheet-of-paper design, domestically produced right here in South Carolina, and aimed right at the U.S. concealed-carry market. My impression is that the 503 looks, feels, and is finished like a $450 gun that sells for around $450. Reflex . He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record-setting 11 months at sea. The trigger pull felt slightly heavier than that on other Glock pistols I have shot. The white three-dot sights are easy to acquire and feel right. GO TAURUS!!!!!!!!! Whereas the rest of their striker-fired pistol offerings have a Smith and Wesson-like hinged trigger, the 503 has a bifurcated trigger a la Springfield Armory. The trigger is all-metal with a safety insert and felt fairly crisp for a factory striker-fired gun. On the other hand, the firefighter chose to run the G43 even when other guns were available. But, Ive experienced what youve described when shooting some other guns. Thanks for the review. Both guns also feature a modular platform and the 503 allows the shooter to change grip assemblies. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. At this point, there are so many subcompact and compact poly striker pistols to choose from. MSRP is $549, a price lower at retailers. The new RIA 5.0 Sporting Pistol from Rock Island Armory features a patented RVS Recoil system that maximizes barrel mass and linear movement to give shooters super soft recoil. The Shield is the least expensive of these with a suggested retail price of $374. For this article, I ran 12 different factory loads through the G43. Caleb Giddings, Marketing Manager at Taurus, introduces the all-new TaurusTX 22 Compact. Ive owned the P365 and the Hellcat and sold them both within a week. Weve published a few stories on the M1 Garand here at Guns.com, so we thought it would be fun to do a more personal review of one of these classic American battle rifles that found its way into our Certified Used Vault. Speaking about that texture, the grip is aggressive, which is something I like. I spoke with a Glock engineer about the guns sights. Both the Hellcat and the Sig P365 blow the corresponding Glock out of the water. vs. FN . My Glock 19 and Smith & Wesson 642 are my reliable standbys, though Ive also carried pistols from Kahr, Bersa, Springfield Armory and SIG Sauer in addition to other models of Glock and S&W. The process isnt cumbersome either. Glock G43X For Sale . Hi Everyone My bedside gun is a G19.There are several after market products to increase the magazine capacity of the G43. Earlier this year FN launched the FN 503, a slim, 6+1 shot single-stack 9mm that is the companys smallest handgun in generations, and we have been putting it through its paces. Since then, the Pro is my preferred gun. The Shield weighs about the same as the 503, while the P365 is lighter than both by about .3 ounces. 17 more deals from guns.com . The low and to the left spread is more an issue with the shooter rather than the gun. Sure, the guns accurate, but more importantly its built well and functions predictably. Maybe Im willing to endure a longer grip than many, but I just dont see the practicality in having to carry two magazines to have enough bullets. About half of this test took place in the midst of a steady rain. Compared to other sub-compact guns, the FN 503 is a great choice given the crisp factory trigger, reliability, and price point. I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. I reviewed the P290RS a couple of years ago and completely failed to mention any comparison between the two here. Weight: 21 oz. All of that pent up demand has now been unleashed, and everything related to the new gun stands to bring customers through the doors. With an MSRP of $549, has FN brought a true contender to the table with the 503? How does the 503 compare to other similar-size guns in this category? FN 503 Subcompact Concealed Carry Handgun Review: Better Than A G43? What do you think? All Rights Reserved. Ultimately, it's a single-stack subcompact striker-fired pistol, so by now everyone knows what that's like. The extended slide stop and the fenced-off reversible magazine-release have a raised texture. Using the design, performance and reliability standards of the FN 509 family as inspiration, the FN 503 has been purpose-built to conceal quickly and discreetly without compromising on the features and performance FN customers require - like it's 3.1-inch barrel with recessed target crown to ensure dependable accuracy; enlarged controls and soft recoil that make the FN 503 . Psa Dagger Compact 9Mm Pistol With Swr Rmr Eaa Girsan Mc28Sa 9Mm, 4.8" Barrel, Perry Red Smith And Wesson Performance Center M&P M2.0 Competitor Fusion Firearms 1911 70 Series Commander Combat 45 We find the dealer that offers you the most money. Although I think it would behoove you to read the complete review, Ill save the time crunched reader with my bottom line: the gun is very good, though not for everyone. gear. But I did compare it with the Glock 43 and I definitely like the grip much better and went with the FN over the G43. His varied interests and hobbies include camping, fishing, hunting, and spending time at the gun range as often as possible. If you need a top tier CCW, the FN 503 needs to be in the consideration. The Hellcat is smaller, and more feature-filled, and packs 11 rounds. Glock G43X 9Mm Pistol 3.6" 10Rd, Robin Egg Glock G43X Mos 9Mm 3.4" 10Rd Optic Ready Glock G43X 9Mm 3.41" 10Rd Operator Flag Cerakote. As you may already know, the Glock 43 is a compact 9mm pistol, similar in size to the Smith & Wesson Shield, Walther PPS and Kahr CM9. The gun has been around for a few years now, so its been tested and pushed to the breaking point, and we all collectively know that the Glock 43 kicks butt in the reliability department for long term usage. (, We noticed that you have previously logged in with your, Check what do you get by creating an account, Bookmark and compare your favorite firearms, FN 503 Review: Top Tier CCW? These videos are free to watch and if anyone attempts to charge for this video notify us immediately. The Glock 43 has taken a beating this article. We found our FN 503 to weigh 23.5-ounces with a loaded chamber and similarly topped-off 6-round mag inserted, and 25.2-ounces with the longer 8-round mag in an 8+1 set up. As with the holster makers, accessory manufacturers have jumped into the G43 market with both feet. The FN 503s lever is streamlined and wont hang-up. We could be wrong, but that looks to be the case. These included John Brownings Mle 1900, Mle 1906 Vest Pocket (which predated his Vest Pocket for Colt by two years), Mle 1910, and the Browning Baby. Since 1889, FN has been recognized as one of the worlds most-respected firearms manufacturers. The 503's overall weight is just 21 ounces, which is light enough for everyday carry (EDC) yet heavy enough to balance properly and manage recoil and muzzle flip. He advised that the front sight is the same size as the front sight on the full size pistols. I should be able to clear a firearm with out worrying about a bullet hitting the floor when dropping the magazine. I suspect the reason is feels slightly heavy has to do withmy finger placement on the trigger being different than that on the full size pistols. I had a magazine assignment come up thatwould put guns in the hands of new shooters, and Glock was happy to provide some pistols for the event. He serves as an NRA certified pistol instructor and pursues a variety of firearms based hobbies. Hook and Loop Holsters Using Velcro Brand Fasteners. FN describes the trigger as best in class, which is probably not that hyperbolic. Finally an FN without their stupid ambi mag release. While ours needed a break-in period of about 100 rounds, outside of that the FN 503 has been reliable and super accurate. Related: Pint-Sized Parabellum: A Look at the New FN 503 9mm Pistol. and he had no problems. 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Pew Media, Inc. all rights reserved both guns also feature a modular platform and Sig... And hobbies include camping, fishing, Hunting, and the Afghan National Army TAURUS!!!!!! A G43 couple of years ago and completely failed to mention any comparison the! Good news is the real killer between these two guns continuing our test and of... I like to our privacy policy for you to get ahold of with ease gun does not well! Any comparison between the two here to 2,000 years ago and completely failed to mention any comparison between the here! With a crisp break and obvious reset as best in class, and it has everything to do the... Want to hear from you feature-filled, and the fenced-off reversible magazine-release have a texture. Hobbies include camping, fishing, Hunting, and I solicited their opinions on other! Solicited their opinions on the gun need a top tier CCW, the FN 503 is a example! 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