{"id":159965,"date":"2022-01-25T07:00:26","date_gmt":"2022-01-25T13:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=159965"},"modified":"2024-09-27T12:22:45","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T17:22:45","slug":"the-fn-ls-edge-a-big-gun-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/the-fn-ls-edge-a-big-gun-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"The FN LS Edge \u2014 A Big Gun…For You"},"content":{"rendered":"

FN has always made some very nice pistols. The FNS and FNX were great guns. They often get overlooked in a crowded field of polymer-frame pistols. However, FN is finally getting the recognition they deserve with the FN 509. In fact, it\u2019s become popular enough that FN has developed a number of variants, including various sizes, a tactical model, and finally, the subject of today\u2019s discussion, the FN 509 LS Edge.<\/p>\n

\"FN
It’s not carry friendly, but it’s easy to shoot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s a long name befitting of a big gun. Development of the FN 509 came to be when the Army began the Modular Handgun System contest. The MHS eventually saw a win by Sig, but the FN 509 persevered. FN wisely released the gun to the American market. The gun proved popular, and FN continued to back it.<\/p>\n

\"FN
If 17 rounds aren’t enough then 24 round FN 509 mags are available<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the first widespread adoptions was done by the private security market in the form of Brinks guards getting the FN 509. Heck, recently, the LAPD adopted the FN 509 for duty. The LS Edge took the FN 509 and stretched it a bit. They made it bigger, better and turned it into one helluva gun.<\/p>\n

LS Edge Specs and Features<\/h2>\n

The LS in LS Edge stands for long slide, and the barrel extends to five inches total. That expands the sight radius to 6.7 inches, making it perfect for longer than average engagements. In general, the LS Edge doesn\u2019t shy away from being large and in charge. The LS Edge is 5.9 inches tall, 1.35 inches wide, and has an overall length of 8.2 inches. It\u2019s decently light at only 31 ounces, so it\u2019s lighter than something like a 1911.<\/p>\n

\"FN
The FN LS Edge is big and good-looking, much like me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The LS Edge comes with three 17 round magazines<\/a> or ten-round magazines<\/a> for less free states and also comes with a nice little soft case. Inside that soft case also sits an optics mounting kit that provides you with a wide variety of plates, inserts, and screws to attach a wide variety of optics. You can attach nearly every major optic. In fact, when looking at the list, I don\u2019t see any major manufacturer left off. Even the ACRO is covered.<\/p>\n

\"FN
The optic panel makes adding any optic with ease.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

FN did something I wish way more companies would do and installed suppressor height sights as part of the gun itself. Why optics-ready guns don\u2019t come with these sights standard is silly to me. The slide also features a series of lightening cuts along the slide. These reduce weight and do two (maybe three) things.<\/p>\n

\"FN
The lightening cuts reduce weight and better balance the weapon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First, they better balance the gun. With such a long barrel and slide, these cuts help keep the gun from feeling front-heavy. Second, they reduce the weight moving rearward when the gun fires, which reduces recoil. Third, they do look cool.<\/p>\n

\"FN
The flat trigger is very nice and breaks cleanly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To the Range<\/h2>\n

With three magazines loaded to the gills, I went to the range, ready to get some training in. I began with some basic warm-up and dry fire drills, as well as ensuring I understood how the weapon worked. It\u2019s a simple, striker-fired polymer pistol without anything crazy. It has an ambidextrous slide lock that\u2019s worth noting. I attached a Streamlight TLR-1<\/a> to the gun\u2019s rail and brought my Phlster Floodlight<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"shooting
Shooting with one hand is easy due to the weapon’s awesome balance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I started doing some basic draws and engagements and challenged myself by using a two-inch dot as my target at five yards. It\u2019s close but still challenging and requires precision. I went dotless for this engagement, and I grew to appreciate the very precise front sight and all the air between the rear sight and the front sight. The front sight of the LS Edge is a high visibility design with a small green insert that\u2019s quick and easy to acquire.<\/p>\n

\"FN
The thin front sight and wide rear sight make it easy to see and hit targets quite far away.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This small dot made seeing and then hitting that small two-inch dot fairly easy. In fact, I dumped five rounds into one single hole with my first five shots. The trigger breaks at exactly 90 degrees and is a flat-faced design. It\u2019s not an uber light trigger that goes bang when you sneeze, but I think it could be described as a refined duty trigger. The wall is definitely there, but once it breaks, the gun goes boom.<\/p>\n

On the Draw<\/h2>\n

The LS Edge grip is massive, easy to find, and easy to get a good grip on. I\u2019ve been slacking in my handgun practice in favor of shotguns, so I got a few sloppy grips but could quickly adjust before the gun left the holster. It\u2019s heavily textured and hand-filling. Once it\u2019s in the hand, it stays there.<\/p>\n

\"The
The FN 509 LS Edge produced a very tiny group at five yards during dot torture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Getting the sights on target is easy as long as your presentation doesn\u2019t suck. All that air between the front and rear sights does make it quite fast and easy to find the front sight even if you flub everything just a little. Those sights are also very easy to track and see. This makes well-aimed double and triple taps possible and relatively easy. Long slides also tend to make tracking sights easier. At least to me, they do.<\/p>\n

\"The
The LS Edge is easy to shoot and easy to control.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Getting Handsy<\/h2>\n

I used the same two-inch dots to practice my single-hand shooting. With my dominant hand, I felt quite confident with my skills and scored quite well on that little dot. With my non-dominant hand…well, let\u2019s just say I\u2019m glad I was at the range alone. What I took from the LS Edge is that those slide lightening cuts do a good job of keeping the gun balanced.<\/p>\n

\"Shooting
Shooting with the off-hand isn’t easy, especially when you suck at it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the LS Edge sitting in a single, outstretched hand, the gun never felt barrel heavy or wanted to slightly tip forward as I fired. Balance becomes quite important in this situation and allows the gun to settle back on target a bit easier, especially when you suck with your non-dominant hand like I do.<\/p>\n

\"mag
Drop it likes it’s empty!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do these slide cuts reduce recoil? Well, I\u2019m not sure. I\u2019d have to handle a similar gun without the cuts to notice it.<\/p>\n

This big gun also makes reloading easy. My first reload from concealment was so smooth and fast, I felt like I was well trained and practiced. FN added a slightly beveled magwell to the LS Edge. It\u2019s not crazy like an open gun, but it’s decent and it does make these reloads nice and smooth.<\/p>\n

\"Reloading
Reloading the LS Edge is easy due to the big magwell.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why Such a Big Gun?<\/h2>\n

The LS Edge is a big gun, but it\u2019s not super difficult for me to conceal carry. I\u2019m using a Phlster Floodlight, and I\u2019m also 6\u20195\u2019\u2019, so that might help as well. While the LS Edge isn\u2019t made for concealed carry, it\u2019s not off the table. I think most people will prefer to use the gun for competition use or home defense. In both realms, it will excel. As a home defense gun, all you need to do is toss on a light and maybe a red dot. Heck, I\u2019d even rock and roll with the 24 round FN Tactical magazine for home defense. If you\u2019re going big, go all the way.<\/p>\n

What do you think of the LS Edge? Is it a worthy long slide hand cannon? If so, let me know below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The FN 509 LS Edge brings big guns back in a day and age where small guns rule. The LS Edge is feature filled and tough to beat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":159934,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2333],"tags":[237,2054],"class_list":["post-159965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-firearm-reviews","tag-fn","tag-9x19mm"],"small_media_thumbnail":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1013211013-scaled-e1634653498524-300x239.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159965","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159965"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159965\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":439934,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159965\/revisions\/439934"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159965"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=159965"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=159965"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}