Smith and Wesson has been doing a lot of odd things lately. Not bad things, not even weird, just unconventional, and I’m most certainly here for it. In recent years, they’ve released a dual tube bullpup shotgun, a Shield in .30 Super Carry, and a semi-auto .22 Magnum pistol with a 30-shot capacity. The subject of today’s article, the all-new FPC, combines three genres of firearms I like: pistol caliber carbines, folding firearms, and inherently odd guns. The S&W FPC, or Folding Pistol Carbine, has hit the market, and we have one ready to spew tons of 9mm at the range.
First Impressions of the FPC
The Folding Pistol Carbine comes out swinging with a rather nice discreet carry bag. It’s grey and oblong and devoid of any telltale tactical giveaways, including the lack of an S&W logo. I really appreciate the bag. Inside the bag is a series of pockets for magazines, accessories, and more. S&W Provides two tie-downs with the bags to secure your FPC in its folded position.
The FPC comes with three magazines, which is impressive. We get one seventeen-round magazine and two 23-round magazines. It gives you a fighting load, so to speak. You’ll notice each mag has a grip-filling attachment, and that’s because S&W made a smart call in using the M&P Compact size grip. This means you can use the compact 15-round magazines as well as the full-size 17-rounders and extended 23-rounders.
The grip itself is nearly identical to a S&W M&P pistol grip. This includes the ability to use a variety of backstraps. Up front, we have an M-LOK rail system and a long optic rail. The stock is surprisingly supportive and robust. The rifle is quite light at only five pounds total. Heck, they even threaded the barrel for muzzle devices.
Folding Up With the FPC
We’ve seen folding firearms before, especially in the PCC world. The Sub 2000 is the elephant in the room. With that said, the FPC folds to the side rather than over the top. This provides a number of benefits and creates an interesting profile. It fits better in bulkier bags like backpacks and packs, but it also fits oddly in longer thinner cases. If I needed to carry a gun in a tennis case, it wouldn’t be the FPC.
Because the gun folds to the side, the top rail is free, and you can very easily toss an optic onto the gun without the need for an oddball mounting system. The downside is that your left side rail isn’t exactly useable. You take what you can get. You cannot fold the FPC when a round is chambered. I’ve tried, and it simply doesn’t allow it to function.
The S&W FPC uses a small lever on the side to fold the rifle, and an M-LOK slot locks into the charging handle to keep the rifle folded beyond your typical friction fit. Deploying the gun doesn’t take much effort, and it springs into action quickly and efficiently. A good click signifies it’s locked, and you can start your shooting adventures.
The Ergonomics of the FPC
Using a M&P pistol grip is smart. We know it works with M&P pistol mags, and we know it’s ergonomic grip. The interchangeable grip panels are just an extra plus. The ergonomics of the grip work for a pistol, but there are a few difficulties when we move to a rifle. The magazine release, for example, is tough to reach. I have to shift my hand a bit to do so. It’s seemingly placed too deep into the grip.
The gun does have a last-round bolt hold open, which is nice to see, and it also has a slide lock and release that’s very pistol-like. However, it’s ultra-small and very hard to press downward. It’s most certainly a bolt lock rather than a release. Using the ambidextrous charging handle is the best way to reload.
That ambi charging handle sits on the buffer tube of the gun and is a nonreciprocating design, which is very nice to see. It’s smallish but stays out of the way. You will need to move your face out of the way to charge the weapon.
We also have a cross-bolt safety that fails right where your trigger finger lies. It’s easy to press and use and delivers a nice tactile click when pressed. It’s quite nice and a high point of this pistol.
This is a rather bare-bones carbine, but it still manages to have a very supportive stock. It reminds me of the B5 stock. It’s quite comfy and even holds two spare magazines.
At the Range
The FPC is a direct blowback design, and that typically means you have to deal with harsh recoil and a strong recoil spring. Somehow, Smith & Wesson found a way to get rid of both. The weapon isn’t difficult to charge, and the recoil isn’t harsh. It’s nice and soft. S&W must have put a lot of time into balancing the weight of the bolt with the strength of the spring to deliver a very soft shooting gun. It’s softer than most blowback AR-9s but is also lighter than most AR-9s.
The 9mm round won’t throw much muzzle rise your way, and the gun barely burps off target. It doesn’t come with sights, so adding your own of some kind is necessary. I went with an old CORE red dot I had lying around. That red dot reticle barely moves upward with each shot, and laying down rapid-fire shots is easy.
At twenty-five yards, I started in the low ready and fired two shots on two targets at 20 yards. The targets were a four and six-inch gong. At the beep, I was able to do this in just under a second and a half. The gun’s lack of recoil made it pretty easy to keep things under control and to shoot fast and accurately. It gets addictive to shoot long strings of fire due to the gun’s relatively low recoil.
What About Accuracy
Fast is fine, but accuracy is final, so is the gun accurate? It dang sure is. I zeroed in at 25 yards and kept my shots in one ragged hole from a benched position. Back out to fifty yards, I got groups right around one inch, making it a two-MOA gun. It’s not bad for a PCC firing a cartridge designed more or less for 25-yard engagements.
From a practical standpoint, the gun delivers quick and accurate shots on target. I pulled off a series of drills, including the famed failure to stop. I plopped both rounds dead center in the chest of the target and put the last one right between his eyes. It’s such an easy gun to control and an accurate one to boot.
I tried to learn to reload from the magazines in the stock. At first, it was taking me up to seven seconds. The mags are held with an active retention device, and once you figure out how to grab the mag while defeating the device, it gets easier. I also had to figure out how to manipulate my firing hand to reach that deeply set magazine release. I was able to trim it down to about three seconds. It’s not bad from an awkward position with an awkward mag release. A belt reload is faster and can be done in about a second and a half.
Is It Right For You?
The Smith & Wesson FPC is an accurate, easy-to-control, and reliable rifle. It’s great for those seeking a compact PCC and who are a little nervous about how the brace issue will shake out. When folded, it’s a mere 16.375 inches. This makes it very compact and easy to store. For those seeking a lightweight, low-recoiling home defense option, the FPC works. If you already carry and enjoy the M&P 9mm series, this is a natural extension of that weapon.
The FPC is a great rifle. Could it be better? Sure, a few ergonomic fixes would be nice to see, but overall, it’s a great option in the world of PCCs.
