FN 309 MRD: Patron's Choice
- Graham Baates
- 1 hour ago
- 6 min read
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At GBGuns Patron funding is only spent on what Patrons nominate and vote on. This system puts control in the hands of Patrons, creates a "secret shopper" real-world consumer experience, and perhaps most importantly allows us to take a look at guns from companies who either hide behind paid influencers or do not think you (the GBGuns audience) are worth their time. This has enabled us to see past the hype and find the reality of more than a couple companies and guns. If you appreciate coverage like this please consider becoming a Patron of GBGuns.
FN has long been known for military and government contract firearms production. My first assigned weapon in the US Army was an FN-produce M-249. Those contracts seem to largely keep FN afloat, and so consumer products, particularly aimed at the US commercial market tend to be few and far between, and to come with a price tag fit more for a purchasing agent than working stiff. The FN 309 MRD seems to be an effort to bridge that gap and is the first FN product I'm aware of to actively be marketed as a "budget" option.
What is it? Marketed as a personal defense weapon, the FN 309 MRD has a 3.8" barrel length which fits just shorter than a "compact" 4", and a 16-round capacity. Unlike the 509 series, the 309 is hammer-fired, but using an internal hammer so as not to scare off the striker-fired fans. A single-action only trigger gives the 309 MRD the chance to have a crisper trigger than many striker-fired guns. An MSRP of $549 positions the 309 as the most affordable pistol in FN's current lineup.
Who's it for? I stared at the bilnking cursor for a moment while writing this. With an MSRP of $549 the FN 309 MRD hardly fits in the "budget" category so I don't see someone grabbing one because it's inexpensive option, and those specifically wanting something from FN are more likely going to save a little longer and pick up a model they saw in a movie or on a uniformed hip. Fortunately, the MSRP is well above market price and so we can consider the 309 MRD an affordable option for someone wanting something produced in the US.
But, the FN 509? The FN 309 MRD differs from the 509 in several ways.. The 309 MRD is hammer-fired rather than striker-fired, and since it's an internal hammer the 309 has a longer slide. The two guns use different magazines, are made of different polymer, and although the FN 309 MRD's manual mentions backstraps, none come with the gun and they appear to be the more-primitive Glock style additions to the frame rather than replacing a segment of the grip like on the FN 509.
How did FN reduce costs? Take a look at the tabletop video below and I bet you'll spot a couple of places where the 309 MRD doesn't quite live up to the "I bought an FN because I could" feel. Rumble Link
Specifications
Caliber: 9mm
Operation: Internal Hammer Fired SAO
Mag Capacity: 16/20 Rd.
Weight: 22.5 oz.
Barrel Length: 3.8"
Overall Length: 7.4"
Twist Rate: 1:10 RH
Height: 5.4"
Width: 1.26"
Trigger Pull: ~5 lb.
Sight Radius: 6.3"
MSRP: $549
Price around the web as of 23JUL26
Click links for current pricing and availability
I must admit that upon first taking the FN 309 MRD out of the box the magazines, trigger, polymer, and sights all made me feel like the executives at FN asked "how can we make this cheap?" rather than "how can we make this less expensive?". Wondering if the Patrons had set me up for another disappointing range trip as they did previously with the Alpha Foxtrot Attila, S&W Bodyguard 2.0, S&W M&P 9 Metal Carry Comp, and FN Reflex XL I packed everything up to go to the range and see what the FN 309 MRD was really all about by of course following the stndardized GBGuns Range Protocol which helps prevent personal bias from influencing a review.
Cold Shots: Truly our first shots through the gun.
Full Magazine +1: Suprisingly some modern guns still struggle with this. It's a test of how much play is in the magazine as well as how the slide cycles with pressure. This is also when I do my best to learn the trigger.
What's For Dinnerâ„¢: A test to see what ammunition the gun will eat. Does the gun feed the round from slide lock, will it cycle and feed another round of the same type, does the slide lock to the rear on empty, and is there any notable point of impact change with different loads.
For this gun the following ammunition was used:
Priced and linked where found at the time this article was written
100gr Sellier & Bellot XRG $13.34 / 25 at Target Sports USAÂ (see review HERE)
115gr TMJ EcoBullet (See review HERE)
124gr HotBrass FMJ (See review HERE)
115gr Sierra Sports Master (Out of Production?)
100gr Federal BallistiClean (Out of Production?)
50gr+p Liberty Ammunition Ultra-Light $38.99 /20 at Palmetto State Armory
124gr Veteran Ammo JHP $26.99 / 50 at True Shot
124gr Freedom Munitions X-DEF $22.89 / 50 from Freedom Munitions
115gr Sig 365 FMJ $24.99 / 50 direct from Sig
147gr Federal Premium HST $41.99 / 20 direct from Federal
Standard Range amunition was 115gr Fiocchi Range Dynamics $13.11 / 50 from Target Sports USA
Watch the process, and how the opinions of two shooters changed in the Shooting Impressions video below. Rumble Link
Ammunition seen in Shooting Impressions video was made possible by our Patrons and supporters of our ammunition savings account through Ammo Squared.
As you saw, both of us learned how to work with the FN 309 MRD and the aweful trigger I felt in the tabletop video began to break in for us in just one range session. By the end, the gun grew on both of us as a nice shooter. The trigger improved from worse-than to better-than a FN 509, and the recoil impulse was certainly better the whole way through. As I had hoped, the magazines also started to massage themselves into feeling better with a little wear. We struggled with glare off the white plastic insert in the rear sight thanks to the lighting of the day, but otherwise couldnt' really complain about the FN 309 MRD.
For the money, there are certainly others I would recommend before the FN 309 MRD, but there aren't many that are American made in this price range. Those who prefer to shoot with optics will enjoy the direct-mount option, though the screws included with the gun didn't fit any optics I had on hand, and screws included with the optic didn't fit the gun. I can't say that the FN 309 MRD is a bad gun, jus that I'm still a bit lost as to for whom this gun exists.
