The FN Forty-Nine (also FN 49) is a recoil operated,
locked breech
Locked breech is the design of a breech-reloading firearm's action. This is important in understanding how a self-reloading firearm works. In the simplest terms, the locked breech is one way to slow down the opening of the breech of a self-reloadi ...
semi-automatic pistol developed by the Belgian company
FN Herstal, and manufactured in the United States.
The name of the pistol reflects its two chamberings,
.40 S&W (''forty'' caliber) and
9×19mm Parabellum, while also matching the manufacturer's initials (FN).
Overview
The FN Forty-Nine was designed to be a modern semi-automatic pistol with modern pistol chambering, intended for
law-enforcement and military markets.
Introduced in 2000,
[ the 49 pistol was apparently discontinued in early 2005, having last appeared on the company's website in late 2004.][ The Forty Nine did not meet the expected commercial success, and in 2003 gave rise to the more attractive FN FNP.
]
Design
The 49 is striker-fired
A firing pin or striker is a part of the firing mechanism of a firearm that impacts the primer in the base of a cartridge and causes it to fire. In firearms terminology, a striker is a particular type of firing pin where a compressed spring ...
and uses FN's "Repeatable Secure Striker" mechanism. This means that unlike many other striker-fired pistols, the Forty-Nine operates on a double-action
Double action (or double-action) refers to one of two systems in firearms where the trigger both cocks and releases the hammer.
*Double-action only (DAO) firearms trigger: The trigger both cocks and releases the hammer. There is no single-action f ...
only (DAO) trigger mechanism, meaning that the hammer is cocked by the trigger pull before every shot. This allows the user to re-strike a misfired cartridge simply by pulling the trigger again.[Leroy Thompson, "Combat Handguns" p.64 ]
The double-stacked detachable magazine holds sixteen rounds in 9mm caliber and fourteen in .40 S&W; 10-round magazines are also available for each caliber.[ There is no external (manual) ]safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are two slightly dif ...
.[ The frame is constructed of polymer and the slide of stainless steel. An accessory rail under the barrel allows for quick and easy mounting of laser aiming modules and flashlights.
FN Forty-Nine is considered easy to field strip and one of the more user-friendly pistols of its era.]
Notes
References
{{FN Herstal firearms
9mm Parabellum semi-automatic pistols
.40 S&W semi-automatic pistols
Forty-Nine
Semi-automatic pistols of Belgium
Semi-automatic pistols of the United States
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 2000