The Balance Dance: FN Reflex XL MRD

We’re always searching for the compromise that compromises less. The best current balance of weight, capability, and mobility. This dance has taken many forms over the years, but the big needle moves always occur after something new disrupts the status quo.

Over two decades ago, one such disruption happened in the world of concealed carry with the release of tiny polymer micro-nines. Thanks to advances in manufacturing and materials science, those pocketable pieces were sized the same as the .380s that came before them, and hit the market during a time when states were passing new more-permissive CCW laws. Think KelTec, Ruger, and the like. The needle swung to the small end.

If someone wanted more, they usually went with the now-archetypical Glock 19 (or one of the many analogs). The Glock 19 is a compact pistol, but still closer to a full-size gun than anything specifically designed with carry in mind. Which makes sense, because it’s simply a Glock 17 with some of the slide shaved off and the length of the grip reduced. You can look through earlier issues of CONCEALMENT when we used to highlight what professionals in the field carried — and 80 percent of the time it was a Glock 19.

That Glock 19 takes more consideration to carry than a micro, but those who deemed the additional capabilities like capacity and shootability necessary could always find a way. The pocket-nines were just for carry, whereas the Glock 19 could pull off being used for duty, too. 

And then the SIG P365 brought forth a new era of modern stagger-stack nines, which shook up the market again. Here was a gun not much larger than those pocket-nines, but with double the capacity. All of a sudden, there were a lot of new possibilities reinvigorating the space, and everyone had their own stagger-stack model. Springfield Hellcat. FN Reflex.

What the P365 and similar really did was get those sized-Glock-19 people to try out something smaller. And one of the things discovered was, despite the capability of higher capacity and being easier to conceal, little guns really suck to shoot. And if it sucks to shoot, you aren’t going to shoot it. So, barrels get a little longer, grips lengthen a bit too. You end up with something maybe-but-not-quite the size of a Glock 19. Still more slim, but certainly easier to shoot. Half once more again.

And it’s here we hit yet another point of balance, and FN’s place in this space is the Reflex XL.

SPECS & MORE

FN Reflex XL MRD Specs:

• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 10, 15, 18
• Weight: 20 Oz
• Width: 1.08 inches
• Barrel Length: 3.8 inches
• Overall Length: 6.75 inches
• Height: 5.2 inches
• MSRP: $719

Palmetto State Armory	$625
Guns.com	$590
Sportsmans Warehouse	$600

UPSIZE & UPGRADE

FN released their stagger-stack 9mm Reflex after the first quarter of 2023, and we didn’t think it would be long before we saw an XL option. Not just because it’s a good addition in terms of form but also evidenced by the extended mags included with the original. FN uses sleeves to prevent over-insertion rather than basepads, and as sleeves are usually for smaller models of larger guns, this pointed to a larger pistol in the works — and here it is.

It seems funny to call something “extra-large” when it’s still smaller than most compact double-stacks, but size is always a relative term. It’s an XL compared to their original, but certainly smaller than those dubbed for duty. In fact, the differences between the OG and the XL don’t even add up to inches; it’s just a half-inch longer and 0.6 inches taller.

In addition to the enbiggening, the Reflex XL also comes equipped with an interchangeable backstrap, and FN spent some time making some subtle changes to the palm swell. This really only becomes more obvious when you overlay the pistols themselves.

FEATURES & DETAILS

Though the FN Reflex XL looks like a standard striker piece, the reality is that it’s actually a hammer-fired handgun. FN keeps the hammer protected inside a crevice in the slide, so there are no concerns about snag hazards. Though this design is similar to the FN Five-seveN, we can’t help but think of John Browning’s FN1903 (and the Americanized follow-up, the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless) because of the combination of a hidden hammer, FN, and concealed carry.

But as the hard comparisons start and end with the hammer, call it a spiritual successor rather than a direct ancestor.  

FN first opted for a hammer because it allows them to keep the pistol very slim; the original order was for it to be no more than an inch wide. But there were also other benefits, such as the slide being easier to rack.

A hammer also simplifies safety on a compact carry gun while allowing for a decent trigger; it’s hard to have a good trigger on a striker gun without pre-loading the striker spring. Not only do pre-loaded striker springs require a correspondingly stronger recoil spring assembly in order to ensure reliable operation, but the relative safety of such systems, especially in compact guns, has been called into question.

One place where the FN Reflex XL shows their carry roots is with their rail system. While accessory rails aren’t on every carry gun, they have been an increasingly frequent addition. And though the FN Reflex XL has a rail on the front, it isn’t a standard Picatinny. FN did do some homework, however, and talked to the major makers of compact weapon-mounted lights. The railed Glock G43x/G48 footprint was universally the biggest seller, so the FN Reflex XL is compatible with any WML that can be used with those. While this does mean there are some decent options like the SureFire XSC and Streamlight TLR-7sub, it’s far fewer than the N+1 possibilities of real Picatinny.

TRIGGER & SIGHTS

Like the FN 509 and the original before it, the FN Reflex XL has standard dovetails for sights. The Reflex includes a high-viz orange ring with Tritium insert on the front just like the original, but they improved the rear sight by making them plain black. Since they use standard dovetails, you can put about anything in there that you want or just remove them entirely.

FN uses an optic footprint that works with the Shield RMSc and Holosun 507k standards. Instead of pillars on the corners of the optic base, FN opts for supported fasteners à la ZEV.

The Reflex might represent the best factory FN pistol trigger this side of the century, which is to say it’s OK. FN says it’s a 5-pounder, though the scale shows our example to be a bit lighter with an average pull of 4.5 pounds. The hinge trigger is curved, wide, and polymer. There’s a lot of pre-travel, so if you’re the type who likes to take up the slack before the break, you’ll like this one. The break is predictable, and the reset isn’t awful.

No, it’s not a match trigger, but combining an ultra-light match trigger on a carry pistol, especially one without a manual safety, is tempting trouble.

HOLSTERS

There are far fewer holster woes with the FN Reflex XL relative to other newcomers. Many current Reflex holsters with open bottoms will work right away, and regarding the XL, you’ve already got more than a dozen decent places to pick from. For those in a pinch, we found that the Reflex fit essentially every tension-adjustable P365 XMacro or FUSE holster we had on hand (if that wasn’t on purpose, it should’ve been).

OUTFITTING & ON THE RANGE

In terms of optics, the FN Reflex XL got more love than most pistols that grace these pages. The RMSc footprint isn’t terribly limiting, double-so if you don’t mind the use of an adapter. We wanted to roll with an enclosed optic, and we tried a Holosun EPS Carry, Romeo-X Enclosed Compact, Aimpoint ACRO P2, and a Primary Arms HTX-1. Even though it required an adapter to run, the Primary Arms was just too much fun not to run.

For a light, we really wanted the new SureFire XC3, but the rail accommodates the SureFire XSC.

While the size additions to the XL are scant, they pay dividends at the range. An awful lot of grip force comes from the ability to place your pinky on a pistol. In fact, the pinky can increase that force by a full third. And better grip force comes with the ability to better control recoil. Along similar lines, shorter barrels are snappier, so even a little can go a long way. And absolutely, the Reflex XL is much more fun to shoot than the smaller Reflex — and that one isn’t too bad to begin with.

The Reflex XL almost melts into the hand when you shoot it. Shooting a pistol this thin with a full grip makes for a different experience. Just like the FN Reflex that came before it, the Reflex XL gobbled up random ammo but also had a failure-to-feed relatively early in testing. As it wasn’t a repeating problem, no alarm bells blaring here.

The factory irons were dead-on at 10 yards. The tritium/photoluminescent front sight is an excellent balance of bright and durable.

Like some other magazines, cramming that 18th round in was quite difficult but certainly doable. This makes it harder to insert on a closed slide and harder to rack when it’s in. Either use your muscles or load with the slide locked back. In terms of controls, the slide stop is very small and reminds you that it’s more a stop than a release.

Palmetto State Armory	$625
Guns.com	$590
Sportsmans Warehouse	$600

LOOSE ROUNDS

If the FN Reflex XL were a rifle, we’d call it a short carbine. Just like how an M4 can be used up close and afar without over-specializing in either, so does the FN Reflex deal with carry and duty. That said, if we had to find the perfect place for the needle on the scale, we’d say that FN got it right by calling this one an XL carry gun rather than full duty — hell, the serial number does start with “CCW.”

This tester might just become a carry gun.

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