Patron's Choice: FN Reflex XL MRD
- Graham Baates
- 23 hours ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago
*Some of the external links found on this website are affiliate links. Those links use cookies to generate revenue and fund continuation of this website. By clicking an external link you are consenting to a temporary cookie, by purchasing from that link you are supporting this website. To opt out of cookies do not click external links.
Patrons of GBGuns not only get to see videos days to months before they are public, they also get to have a say in what gets reviewed. When Patron funding reaches a level I think we can make a purchase with I ask the Patrons, and from there we vote on what to purchase for review. This system helps keep GBGuns free from industry dependence. If you like this idea please join us on Patreon.
In a recent round of voting a pistol I hadn't heard of was the winner; the FN Reflex XL. Interes in the FN Reflex XL stems from the simple fact that it is, as far as we know, the only hammer-fired micro-compact pistol on the market. As a fan of hammer-fired guns I looked forward to this review and the chance to have a crisp and defined trigger in the size category I expect to dominate the market; the extra large micro compact.
What Is It? The FN Reflex XL is a micro compact, like those found in the Micro Compact Guide, but uses a higher-capacity magazine for a full-hand grip and longer barrel for velocity slightly closer to what 9mm is intended to perform from.
Hammer Fired is not something seen often in modern releases. Although my experience has been that hammer-fired guns have superior ignition, they also require more parts making them more expensive to make and thus more expensive to the consumer. Critics point out that foreign objects could potentially obstruct the hammer, and that hammers can be less comfortable for carry or print more. FN's solution to this was to make the hammer internal.
Who's It For? Thanks to the slimness the FN Reflex XL would make for a good carry gun, especially for those with larger hands and body. The gun provides higher capcity in a smaller footprint than a standard "compact". I like this size balance because if it's good on the range and the magazines aren't a pain to load then it makes for a carry gun one will also take to training. I know we all end up taking a gun we enjoy shooting to training, but training done with one's carry gun is unmeasurably more effective.
Take a Look at the FN Reflex XL including my initial impressions, what's in the box, and more in the Tabletop review below. Rumble Link
Specifications:
Caliber: 9mm
Operation: Internal Hammer-Fired SAO
Mag Capacity: 10, 15 or 18 Rd.
Weight: 20 oz.
Barrel Length: 3.8"
Overall Length: 6.75"
Twist Rate: 1:10 RH
Height: 5.2"
Width: 1.08"
Trigger Pull: 4.5-5.5 lb.
Sight Radius: 5.55"
MSRP: $719
Prices Around the Web as of 15APR25
Check links for current pricing and availability.
Impressive in hand is a great start, but not the best way to know how a gun will be during live fire. The most fair way to discover that of course is to put a gun through the same process used on hundreds of other guns. That's why we have the GBGuns range protocol which 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 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 Fiocchi Frangible $35.29 / 50 at Optics Planet
115gr Hornady American Gunner JHP $18.99 / 20 at Bud's Gun Shop
115gr Specialty Cartridge Elite Defense From Atlanta Arms (unavailable)
124gr Federal HST $25.99 / 20 from KYGunCo
124gr Sig Elite Defense $44.99 / 50 direct from Sig
124gr PMC SFX $22.07 / 50 at Target Sports USA
130gr Federal Syntech PCC $29.99 / 50 direct from Federal
135gr+p Hornady Critical Duty $30.49 / 25 at Optics Planet
147gr Fiocchi Defense Dynamics $20.36 / 50 at Global Ordnance
165gr AMMO, Inc. /stelTH/ $30.69 / 50 at Ammunition Depot
Standard range ammunition was PMC Bronze 124gr FMJ $249.99 / 1000 at True Shot
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 the shooting experience and time for to collect thoughts prior to making a conclusion.
After Shots: Final impressions and reflections from the range session.
See the process yourself from my very first shot as I explore the FN Reflex XL MRD in the Shooting Impressions video below. Rumble Link
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 the FN Reflex XL MRD felt great in hand, but I wasn't having the best of range days. I forgot a piece of equipment at home, the target camera finally died, and my eyes weren't cooperating well. My biggest struggle however seemed to be the trigger. While I wasn't expecting a 1911-grade trigger from the Reflex XL MRD, I did expect a defined wall and predictable break. Instead, this pistol's trigger seems to somewhat roll through.
I don't see it as a fault in the gun, rather something that one would need to learn to be good with. Perhaps those who stroke through trigger pull for every shot would not notice, but it took me a while to be able to land good hits. The Practical Accuracy segment went great, but it doesn't normally take me that long to learn a trigger. Either the FN Reflex XL MRD is that much of an oddity, or I was having that bad of a range day. I'll need to revisit this gun before making a final conclusion.