The FN 509 CC Edge Carry Pistol was going to have to work hard to persuade me that it could do the job, and that it wasn't just a fashion statement.
Pistols with muzzle compensators became a thing a couple years ago, though I didn’t take them too seriously. They looked cool. But…functional or just another marketing ploy?
Then, I shot the new FN America’s 509 CC Edge Carry Pistol in 9MM and discovered that the compensator on this particular semi-automatic actually worked as advertised; it reduced muzzle flip and got me on target during fast, follow-up shots.
SummaryKey takeaways for the FN 509 CC Edge Carry Pistol
Effective Muzzle Control: The built-in compensator routes gases to effectively reduce muzzle flip.
High Shooting Reliability: The pistol passed rapid fire testing without jamming across multiple ammunition types.
Excellent Offhand Accuracy: Fast target acquisition delivered tight groupings at defense distances.
Premium Factory Features: It includes a light flat trigger and multiple fast-dropping weighted magazines.
Optics-Ready Setup: The slide features a removable rear plate to accommodate ten different red dot brands.
Meet the FN 509 CC Edge Carry Pistol
I’d already put over 100 rounds through the 509 CC Edge, and it was very accurate at the self-defense distances I shot.
Then, I did one of my standard tests. I stagger-loaded the pistol’s 12-round magazine, alternating between two different range rounds and two hollow-point, self-defense options.
I shot off the magazine fast, reloaded, and did another mag dump.
My test is to evaluate just how well the slide, ammunition feed ramp. and the magazine all mate together. Or do not, as about 20-percent of the semi-autos I’ve reviewed fail, frequently jamming when they go from a range round to the self-defense load.
Not the 509 CC Edge. It ran through both magazines without hesitation, firing, ejecting, and reloading fast and fine.
Then I noticed my two targets, shot at seven yards offhand. In each case, my first shot was aimed for the bullseye. After this, I fired as soon as I got the front sight post back on target as I emptied the magazines.
On my second target, four of my 12 shots were bullseye hits, six were within three inches of the bullseye, and two went wide.
So, 10 of 12 shots were center mass hits!
When I’ve done this test previously, my targets usually looked like I shot a 12-gauge with OO Buckshot, with the hits/holes spread out wide. But the CC Edge’s compensator really controlled the muzzle, thanks to v-style ports on either side that routed gases sideways and down, leveraging the end of the barrel towards the ground.
Check Price at Guns.comCheck Price at Sportsman's WarehouseShooting the FN 509 CC Edge Carry Pistol
For my shooting, I used a pair of self-defense loads—Dynamic Research Technologies (DRT) Terminal Shock with an 85-grain hollow point frangible bullet and Remington’s High Terminal Performance +P loaded with a 115-grain jacketed hollow point—and two range rounds—Federal Premium’s Syntech Range with 124-grain, poly-coated bullets and Sig Sauer Elite Performance and a standard 124-grain load.
Offhand shooting accuracy was impressive. The DRT, for example, placed five rounds at .5-inches fired from five yards and five more at 1.3-inches from 10 yards.
The Federal Syntech punched in five shots at .70-inches at five yards, and another five at 1.2-inches at 10 yards.
About the Gun
FN 509 CC Edge Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Highly effective muzzle compensator | • Wider than standard concealed-carry guns |
| • Flawless reliability with mixed ammo | • Heavier than competitor compact options |
| • Light, clean 2 lb. 10 oz. trigger pull | • High retail price point under $1,600 |
| • High-capacity, weighted magazines | |
| • Toolless, self-indexing compensator removal | |
| • Adaptable slide fits 10 optic brands |
The FN 509 CC Edge featured a flat-faced trigger with a built-in safety blade. My Lyman Digital Electronic Trigger Pull Gauge measured the trigger pull at a clean two pounds, 10 ounces, on average.
The CC Edge ships with a single 12-round magazine and two 15-round magazines, each built with weighted aluminum base pads, so the mags drop quick and free with a push of the release button.
The CC Edge sights feature a green fiber-optic front sight and a low-glare blacked-out rear sight. They are great sights, aided by what I call “wings,” which bracket the rear sight.
Those wings are built into the removable optics plate at the rear of the slide, and the frame they created pulled my eyes right onto the sights.
Want an optic? Simply remove that plate and the four adapters included to allow the quick installation of 10 different brands of mini red dots.
Verdict
The pistol fit my hand well, with aggressive texturing on the front and back strap as well as the sides of the grips. An accessory rail was molded into the frame under the barrel.
That compensator, by the way, twists off without tools and is self-indexing, meaning when re-attached, the compensator fits at just the right place to correctly realign the muzzle blast ports.
The pistol is somewhat wider and heavier than many concealed-carry options on the market today. But if you are ever in a worst-case situation and need to unload a full magazine in a couple seconds? You’ll want to do so using the FN 509 CC Edge.
Specifications: FN 509 CC Edge
- ACTION: Semi-Auto, Double Action
- CHAMBERING: 9MM
- SLIDE: Stainless Steel, Graphite PVD Finish, with Side Cuts
- FRAME: Polymer, Stippled and Textured
- BARREL: Hammer-forged steel, gold titanium-nitride finish, 1:10 Twist
- BARREL LENGTH: 4.2”
- MAGAZINES: One 12-round, two 15-round (three 10-round mags in restricted states)
- SIGHTS: Green fiber optic front, low glare rear
- TRIGGER: Precision flat-faced, 2 lbs., 10 oz., pull average
- HEIGHT: 4.8”
- WIDTH: 1.35”
- LENGTH: 7.5"
- WEIGHT: 25.5 oz.
- ACCESSORIES: Self-indexing compensator standard; four optic adapter plates included.
- MSRP: Under $1600
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