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In 2021 we reviewd the AHSS FXS-9 imported by American Tactical and were impressed with the performance of the gun, but felt some of the aesthestics and features might not be "hip" enough for some. Range performance was excellent, ergonomics were good, and the trigger to be right in that sweet spot of responsible enough for carry, but predictable enough to land good shots.
At IWA Classics 2024 in Germany we were able to meet with the manufacturer where they showed us a new model set to come to the US. Thanks to Mid America Imports the FX-9 RP is now here and includes the following features:
Front and rear sights use Glock-pattern sights for a wide variety of aftermarket sights.
CZ 75 pattern magazines ensures additional magazines are readily available and affordable.
4340 steel is used throughout; tougher than common 4140 seen in most pistols. 4340 steel has higher corrosion and wear resistance than 4140 steel. (reference here)
4340 steel used for the slides, barrels, and loaded chamber indicator undergoes oxidation and nitriding treatments for increased durability without the need for additional coatings; providing great wear and scratch resistance.
The polymer frame is fiberglass reinforced for added strength as well as greater resistance to polymer's classic attempt to normalize moisture with the environment. (this is why ploymers tend to get soft or brittle in different environments).
Optics Ready with an included plate for RMSc footprint optics.
What Is It? Although Aǧaoǧlu /AHSS/ KOR is a company few have heard of in the US, this is a seriously-built duty handgun. Striker-fired, with a manual safety slim enough to be ignored, but shaped well engough to be easy to use.
Who's It For? While some may find the 17-round CZ 75 magazine length to be a bit large for carry, the FX-9 RP could certainly serve that role, home defense, truck gun, or simply a fun range gun. This manufacturer is relatively new to the US market and as such is not commanding the premium more established brands can, but the lower price does not indicate lower quality.
Take a Look at the KOR FX-9 RP in the tabletop video below:
We were fortunate enough to get our hands on an early sample. I don't know pricing with absolute certainty, but believe it to be around the same low price we saw the previous model imported for.
SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER $299 ANY COLOR. Contact Mid America Directly (405)-201-5411 to transfer directly to the FFL of your choice.
Reduced slide mass and common sight cut was what got me excited, but I know there are those out there wanting to know about the optics cut. The good news is yes, it is cut for optics, the bad news is the system may not be the most durable. I have not put thousands of rounds through it, so I can't say for certain, but the included plate in my sample (this may change during the production run) was polymer with rather shallow nubs for locating the optic. Polymer can absorb some shock, but what concerns me most is this system puts both clamping duty and absorbing sheer forces on the optic's mounting screws. To minimize this I recommend the lightest and shortest optic you're comfortable using.
A positive however is the small spring included that applies slight pressure upward on the cover plate of mounting plate. This force would make it more difficult for screws to want to back out.
I test-mounted the affordable Votatu PMD 505G (red version HERE for $134.99) on the KOR PX-9 RP and it demostrates how tall a mid-sized optic would sit. I'll take this to the range in the future and see if my presumptions about the mounting system are correct, but to avoid possible issues I'd recommend something smaller like the Viridian RFX 11 though it is not my personal favorite for an optic.
Another thing of note is that extra screw length will be needed to go through the plate and engange the threads of the KOR FX-9 RP's slide. Foruntately The PMD 505 came with four sets of screws, labeled, and three screws per size in case there's an "oops" at some point.
We test firearms as they come, out of the box so as not to unintentionally taint or improve performace with third-party parts or accessories. That's just part of our protocol, the range process includes:
Cold Shots: Truly the first rounds through the gun. No warm up, no practice.
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 Dinner™: 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 we used the following ammunition:
Priced and linked where found at the time this article was written
65gr NOVX $21.49 . 20 at Ammunition Depot
100gr Fiocchi Frangible
110gr Koenig JHP $49.69 / 50 at Optics Planet
115gr Sig Elite Defense $39.99 / 50 direct from Sig
115gr Blazer Aluminum-cased FMJ $11.99 / 50 at True Shot
124gr PMC SFX JHP $22.99 / 20 at Bud's Gun Shop
124gr Federal Premium Tactical HST $39.99 / 50 at Target Sports USA
130gr Federal Syntech PCC $29.99 / 50 direct from Federal
147gr PPU Defense Line JHP $23.74 / 50 at Sportsman's Guide
154gr RUAG Subsonic
Range Ammo Federated Ordnace 124gr
Sights & Trigger Control: on a 6" spinner target at a distance of 12 yards. We got this from Titan Great Outdoors and use it to gauge how learnable the trigger is and usable the sights are for forced, timed, precise shots.
Practical Accuracy: Five shots from a distance of seven yards at a one inch target. This isn't so much about printing a tight group as it is a culmination of our shooting experience and time for us to collect thoughts prior to making a conclusion.
After Shots: Final impressions and reflections from the range session.
Watch the Process and hear the feedback in the KOR FX-9 RP Shooting Impressions video below:
Ammunition seen in our Shooting Impressions video was made possible by our Patrons and supporters of our ammunition savings account through Ammo Squared.
On the Range we had a good time with the KOR FX-9 RP. There was one hiccup with one load in our WFD test, but that's why we do those tests. The recoil impulse was very easy to manage and trigger quick to learn. My only complaint is a trivial personal preference of not liking the Glock sight picture. Fortunately the FX-9 RP uses Glock pattern sights, so alternatives widley available with several options at competitive prices.
In attempt to discern what performance differences the new model offers we compared it in a single unpracticed run of the GBGuns Drill against the older FXS-9. This drill is done for time as a means of adding pressure, but the goal is to get a feel for recoil control at speed as well as how quickly the gun can be brought to group. 11 shots are fired, the first six in a Bill Drill on one target, then the last five on a 6" circle on a second target. You can see how we did as well as hear our commentary in the video below.
ANOTHER excellent review, THANKS!.........................elsullo