N96 Arms FX-9 RP
Review
There are tons of good handguns on the market today. What someone chooses is really up to them. Fit and features should be high on that list when choosing a handgun. N96 Arms has brought out their FX-9 RP. This imported pistol has a ton of great features, both for the beginner and the professional.
To start with, the FX-9 RP is a duty sized handgun. So it has a full size grip frame and a 4.1 inch barrel. It comes with decent iron sights and three different backstraps. These backstraps help to make the pistol fit small to large hands. The FX-9 also has an ambidextrous safety. It also is cut for an RMSc footprint optic. Along with that, it comes with 2 - 17 round magazines, a mag loader, paddle holster, a cleaning kit, and an okay carrying case. You really get a lot of stuff for that $379.00 MSRP.
When describing a pistol, I always try to do the frame first. Mainly because it is the interface between you and your shooting experience. The frame is made from polymer, so all the features are “molded” into it. The grip frame on the N96 Arms FX-9 RP starts with a really good grip texture. On the sides it has a rough stipple like texture. On the front and back are lines with little squares cut into them. Think of a small “frag” pattern, but not quit. The mag release form fits the frame very well and is easy to get to. It is also reversible if you are lefty. Moving to the trigger guard, it is large and has lines on the very front. It is large enough that gloved hands should not have any problems. It is fairly undercut at the rear so you can also get your hand up high on the grip to support recoil. Moving to the front is a 3 slot rail. The rail is a cross between a pic rail and a glock rail. The spacing between the rails is smaller than a pic rails spacing, more like a Glock. When I mounted a light, I had to use the smaller Glock lug, which is how I found out about the spacing. At the rear of the FX-( is a really nice beavertail to keep you from getting any slide bite.
It is now trigger time. The trigger on the N96 Arms FX-9 RP is really good. It is a curved style with a safety flipper. The flipper is barely noticeable when pulling the trigger. The curve on the trigger is very shallow, somewhere between a standard curved and a flat faced. Total movement is around 0.400 inch. So a little shorter pull length than a Glock trigger. The first 0.300 inch is take up. The next 0.075 - 0.100 inch is the actual break. The break is pretty clean. Total trigger pull weight comes in at 4.5 pounds on my trigger gauge. Reset is also decent. Overall it is a nice trigger for a striker fired pistol. Along with the trigger comes a manual safety. The safety lever is ambidextrous. It is located near the rear of the frame, where it should be. Flip it up for safe and down for fire. The FX-9 RP’s safety has a decent detent, so you shouldn’t accidentally put it on. It also flips off decently easy with your thumb. It is very slim shaped, but I didn’t have any problems releasing it. To go along with the safeties, the FX-9 RP also has a striker indicator. When the pistol is ready to fire, you can see a red painted dot in the middle of the backplate.
The slide on the N96 Arms FX-9 RP is nice looking. The machining on it is top notch, which actually surprised me. At the front and rear are angled slide serrations. They work well, but I would like them cut just a little deeper. Most people probably won’t even notice since they work fine. At the front of the slide are 3 holes on each side, and the top. This lightens the slide but also makes it possible for a ported barrel. Or more so, porting the barrel in it. A set of sights, with a white dot front, sit on top. The sights are Glock compatible, so you can upgrade them to any of the various Glock sights out there. I stuck on a set of XS Sights tall big dots. I did this because the FX-9 RP is also cut for a RMSc footprint optic. Be careful when you pull the optic cover plate off, there is a small spring under it that the pistol needs to function properly. Primary Arms sent me one of their Classic Series red dots to use on the N96 Arms.
The extras that come with the FX-9 RP are a nice touch. As kind of mentioned earlier, it comes with 3 cleaning brushes. Who doesn’t need extra cleaning brushes? It also comes with a little metal punch for removing pins. Mainly for use when changing the backstraps, as they have a roll pin holding them in. Then comes the paddle holster. It is a level 2 retention holster. So it has a button that must be pressed to release the pistol. Kind of nice, especially for those worried about their pistol staying in the holster. The paddle is adjustable for cant. I did run into a problem, though minor, with the holster. It will not work with the taller sights that I installed. Anyone using this holster probably isn’t putting tall sights on it anyhow, so take it for what it is. The last nice addition is a magazine loader. It is just the “push down over the mag” style, but it works great.
Now for my experience with the N96 Arms FX-9 RP. The FX-9 RP can rival some US made firearms. Build quality is great. The sights are good from the factory and being able to use Glock replacement sights is a nice touch. As previously mentioned, the trigger is great and lets you shoot fast and accurately. Accuracy is comparable with any other duty pistol. I really like how the grip is short front to back, it gives more versatility for those with smaller hands. Using common CZ75 magazines, that are not very expensive, is also great. I used some of my small frame EAA Witness magazines in the FX-9 RP and they worked fine. Not being able to use common holsters is kind of a bummer, but there is a way around that. Just put a light on it and use a light bearing holster, that’s what I ended up doing with it. Yes, it comes with an OWB holster, but it’s really only good for range use. Actually shooting the FX-9 is nice. I was able to flip the safety off without even thinking about it, thanks to thousands of reps with a 1911 in a past era. I think the FX-9 RP would be a great pistol for someone who is just starting out. Or someone that has just one gun. It could be carried, but I see it more as a bedside gun. Mainly for someone that wants a fullish size pistol, with the extra added peace of mind that a manual safety gives them. Add in night sights and an optic and you have a really good, easy shooting pistol.
If you are looking for a decently priced pistol, that has a lot of features, go take a look at the N96 Arms FX-9 RP. Don’t let the fact that it is imported shy you away, it is a very good pistol. It has great features and can take aftermarket sights and optics. N96 Arms did a nice job with the FX-9 RP. Check one out over at North 96 Outdoors.
Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points
Claim to Fame:
Value priced pistol with a ton of features
Target Market:
Anyone wanting a pistol for home defense, range, or carry
Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:
Style: Single Action Semi Auto
Manufacturer: Agaoglu Aviation and Defence Industry
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Weight: 25.2 oz without magazine
Barrel Length: 4.1”
Overall Length: 7.3”
Height: 5.6”
Width: 1.38”
Mag Capacity: 17+1 Compatible with CZ 75 mags
Sights: Adjustable HiViz
Material: Steel Slide, Poly Body
Picatinny Rail
Manual Ambi Safety
Striker Indicator
Interchangeable Backstraps - S, M, & L included
2 magazines included
Paddle holster included
Mag loader included
RMSc optics cut with plate
Uses Glock iron sights
Lifetime warranty
What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?
Gray, Sand, or Green
What others are saying?:
Nothing found as of publishing
Link to other reviews:
Nothing found, but GB Guns did a very similar review
Price point:
MSRP = $379.00
Retail = Same
I need it now! Availability:
Our Rating:
Pros:
Trigger pull
Adjustability due to Backstraps
Good grip texture
Uses Glock sights
Optic cut
Uses readily available magazines (CZ75)
Comes with extras
Cons:
Safety
Holster compatibility
Score: 8.00 Great
Favorite Link: Primary Arms Classic Mini & Micro red dot review
