FN High Power Review (2026): 800 Rounds With FN’s Modern 17-Round 9mm

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Table of Contents

Review: FN High Power, the 17-Round Rethink of a 1935 Classic

Our Rating: 8.3/10

• MSRP: FN lists the line at $1,199.00 to $1,299.00
• Street Price: $999.99 at Palmetto State Armory on October 8, 2026, for the black 17-round model, 66-100256 (Use our live pricing for the best up to date deal)
• Caliber: 9mm (9×19); the barrel hood reads CAL. 9 MM P
• Action: Single action, hammer fired
• Barrel Length: 4.7 in., cold hammer forged, 1:10 in. right-hand twist
• Overall Length: 8 in.
• Height: 5.62 in.
• Width: 1.35 in.
• Weight (unloaded): 40 oz
• Capacity: 17+1, or 10+1 in the 10-round models; two magazines in the box
• Sights: Adjustable all-black steel sights, 6.37 in. sight radius
• Safety: Ambidextrous manual thumb safety, firing pin block, no magazine disconnect
• Grips: Two sets of polymer grip panels included
• Trigger Pull: FN lists about 5 lb; 4 lb 13 oz on our gun
• Made in: USA. The frame is marked FN COLUMBIA, SC USA

Quick Take

The FN High Power is not the pistol your grandfather carried. FN launched it in January 2022 as a redesigned 9mm that keeps the look of John Browning’s 1935 pistol and changes most of what’s underneath. It weighs 40 oz, it holds 17+1 instead of 13+1, and it comes apart like a modern pistol. FN still lists it as a current model in black, flat dark earth and stainless, at $1,199.00 to $1,299.00.

I put 800 rounds through a black 17-round gun (66-100256) across four range sessions. It never failed to feed, fire or eject. Twice the slide didn’t lock back on an empty magazine, and both times my thumb was resting on the slide stop. From a rest at 25 yards, Federal HST 124 gr averaged 1.9 in. The trigger broke at 4 lb 13 oz with a short, clean pull, and at 40 oz the gun barely moves in recoil.

Two things hold it back. It has no optic cut and no accessory rail, which is a lot to give up at this price in 2026. And the price itself depends heavily on where you shop: the same black 17-round pistol was $999.99 at Palmetto State Armory and $1,299.99 at Sportsman’s Warehouse on the day I checked. The short answer: it’s a superb range pistol and a questionable carry gun, and you should never pay full list for one.

Best For: Shooters who want a heavy, all-metal single action 9mm with classic lines and modern capacity for range days and home defense. Not for anyone who wants a red dot, a weapon light or a pistol that carries light on the belt.

What It Costs: One Pistol, a $300 Spread

FN prints one price range for all six models, $1,199.00 to $1,299.00. What dealers charge is all over the place. Here’s what each model cost on October 8, 2026, at the retailers we track:

Model (FN product number)	Lowest price we saw	Highest price we saw
Black, 17-round (66-100256)	$915.30 (Kentucky Gun Co); $999.99 (Palmetto State Armory)	$1,299.99 (Sportsman’s Warehouse)
FDE, 17-round (66-101069)	$976.99 (Kentucky Gun Co); $999.00 (Midway USA)	$1,299.99 (Sportsman’s Warehouse)
Stainless, 17-round (66-101068)	$1,078.99 (Kentucky Gun Co); $1,099.00 (Midway USA)	$1,399.99 (Sportsman’s Warehouse)
Black, 10-round (66-101115)	$834.15 (Primary Arms); $940.18 (Kentucky Gun Co)	$1,299.99 (Palmetto State Armory)
FDE, 10-round (66-101117)	$921.75 (Kentucky Gun Co)	$1,299.99 (Palmetto State Armory)
Stainless, 10-round (66-101116)	$1,039.85 (Kentucky Gun Co); $1,099.00 (Midway USA)	$1,399.99 (Palmetto State Armory)

Three things stand out. First, the black 17-round gun I tested had a $300 gap between two big-name stores: $999.99 at Palmetto State Armory, $1,299.99 at Sportsman’s Warehouse. Same product number, same two magazines.

Second, at Palmetto State Armory the 10-round black gun cost $300 more than the 17-round black gun. You’d pay more to get fewer rounds. If you live in a state that limits magazine capacity, shop around, because Kentucky Gun Co had the same 10-round model at $940.18. Bereli also listed a 10-round FN High Power at $649.00 with no finish named. That’s so far below every other store that I’d confirm it’s really in stock before counting on it.

Third, the stainless pistols were $1,399.99 at both Palmetto State Armory and Sportsman’s Warehouse. That’s $100.99 above the top of FN’s own list range. FN’s product table marks both stainless models “Limited Production Quantities,” so some dealers are pricing them as collectibles. Midway USA and Classic Firearms had stainless guns at $1,099.00.

The pattern across the cheaper stores is easy to read: about $999 for black and $1,099 for stainless at Midway USA, Classic Firearms and Bass Pro Shops. Treat those as the real street prices. Used guns are cheaper still. Guns.com had used black and FDE High Powers from $799.99.

Design Intent: Why FN Built It This Way

FN had a choice when the Hi-Power clones started selling. It could put the old pistol back into production, or it could build something new that looked the part. It chose the second. FN’s January 18, 2022 launch announcement calls the gun “a completely reimagined pistol based on the legendary 1935 design conceived by John Moses Browning and perfected by Dieudonné Saive.” FN’s president put it more bluntly: “Rather than introduce a clone of the original, we had to deliver much more than other brands.”

So the styling cues stayed. FN’s product page lists them: “signature slide taper, long-arm slide release, keyhole muzzle, thumb indent on slide and more.” Everything a modern shooter complained about on the old gun went away. The magazine disconnect is gone. The hammer and beavertail were reshaped, and FN says the rounded hammer “eliminates ‘slide bite’ for most hand sizes.” Capacity went to 17+1, which FN calls “an industry-first” for a High Power. Takedown uses a captive lever, where FN says the original “requires removal of takedown lever for disassembly.”

FN is also clear about who it’s for. The announcement says “today’s sport shooter” three times. That explains the 40 oz weight, the target-style black sights and the missing rail. This is a pistol built to be shot a lot and admired a little, not a duty gun. If you want FN’s duty pistol, that’s the 509, covered in our FN 509 review.

FN High Power Variants

FN’s product table lists six pistols: three finishes, each with 17-round or 10-round magazines. All six share the same specifications. The finish decides which two sets of grip panels come in the box.

The black pistol is the one to buy on price. At $999.99 it had the lowest headline price in the line, and it’s the gun I tested. Our card for the FDE model starts at $1,249.99 at Palmetto State Armory, though Midway USA had it at $999.00 and Kentucky Gun Co at $976.99, so check every row before you click.

The 10-round guns exist for states with magazine limits. They’re the same pistol with two 10-round magazines. The card below starts at $1,299.99 at Palmetto State Armory, and a Primary Arms listing for the 10-round gun showed $834.15 on the same day. That’s a $465 difference for the same product number, one of the widest gaps I found anywhere in the line.

High Power or Hi-Power: Getting the Name Right

The spelling matters here, because it tells you which pistol you’re looking at. Hi-Power, with a hyphen, is the classic: the 13-round pistol FN and Browning sold for decades. FN High Power, two full words, is this gun, made by FN America in Columbia, South Carolina, from 2022 on. Dealers mix the two up constantly. Used listings at Guns.com read “FN HIGH POWER,” “FN HI-POWER” and “FN HI POWER,” and the name alone won’t tell you which generation you’re getting. Check the photos for the extended beavertail and the takedown lever.

FN draws the line itself. Its owner’s manual says: “The FN High Power described in this manual refers only and specifically to the pistol produced by FN America, LLC. Legacy ‘High Power’ or ‘Hi Power’ pistols made by FN Herstal S.A., Browning Arms Company, or any other manufacturer are designed and will function differently.”

What does that mean when you’re buying parts? FN sells its own magazines and grips for this pistol under FN High Power part numbers, and that’s what I’d buy. FN doesn’t publish a fit chart for classic Hi-Power magazines, grips, sights or holsters, so don’t assume anything made for the old gun will work on the new one. The new magazine holds four more rounds than the classic 13-round one, and FN redesigned the grip frame around it. If you want the old pattern with its deep supply of surplus parts, our best Browning Hi-Power pistols guide covers the pistols that follow it.

Competitor Comparison

The FN High Power competes with two groups: the Hi-Power pattern pistols that cost far less, and the modern steel single actions that cost about the same and do more. I priced all five rivals below on October 8, 2026.

Springfield SA-35 (from $699.99)

The SA-35 is the pistol most buyers cross-shop. Springfield lists it at $799 with a 4.7 in. cold hammer forged barrel, forged carbon steel frame and slide, walnut grips, one 15-round magazine and a weight of 31.5 oz. Brownells had it at $699.99. That’s $300 less than the cheapest trusted price on the FN, and the SA-35 is 8.5 oz lighter, 0.2 in. shorter in length and 0.82 in. shorter in height.

Where the FN wins: 17 rounds against 15, two magazines in the box against one, ambidextrous controls and the modern takedown. Where the SA-35 wins: it looks and carries like the classic, and it leaves $300 in your pocket for ammunition. If you want the old pistol made new, buy the Springfield. If you want a bigger, softer-shooting gun, buy the FN.

Girsan MC P35 (from $539.99)

EAA imports the Girsan MC P35, and its product page describes a steel frame and slide, 15+1 capacity, a ring hammer, an ambidextrous safety and a magazine disconnect safety. That last item is the big difference: the Girsan keeps the feature FN deleted. Palmetto State Armory and Sportsman’s Warehouse both had the standard black 15-round model at $539.99, a little over half the FN’s price.

Inglis P-35 (from $550.99)

The Inglis name is back on a line of Hi-Power pattern pistols that dealers list under Military Armament Corp. Those listings describe a 4.7 in. barrel, 15-round capacity and an ambidextrous safety, in black, satin nickel and other finishes. Guns.com had one at $550.99, and Palmetto State Armory had the nickel model at $591.99. It’s priced against the Girsan, not the FN, and it’s another way to get the 1935 look for about $450 less than FN charges.

Century Arms Centurion 14 (from $365.99)

The cheapest pistol in the family. Century lists the Centurion 14 at 25.6 oz with a 4.66 in. barrel and 15+1 capacity, and Guns.com had it at $365.99. I shot one for 700 rounds for our Century Arms Centurion 14 review, and its trigger measured 6 lb 4 oz with grit, against 4 lb 13 oz and none on the FN. You can buy two Centurions for less than one FN High Power. You can’t make either of them shoot like it.

Beretta 92XI (from $730.99)

This is the rival that should worry FN. The 92XI is also a metal-framed, single action 9mm with a frame-mounted thumb safety, and Beretta lists it from $969.00 at 33.3 oz. It has an accessory rail and a slide that takes an optic plate, the two things the FN lacks, and it’s available with 18-round magazines. Our card started at $730.99 at Guns.com for a camo Combat model. The trigger on the one in our Beretta 92XI review broke at 3 lb 14 oz, almost a pound lighter than the FN’s.

Verdict: The FN High Power is the most refined pistol with this look, and the most expensive by $300 or more. Buy it for the trigger, the capacity and the way it shoots. If the classic pattern is what you’re after, the SA-35 gets you there for less, and if you want an optic, the 92XI is the smarter buy.

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Testing Protocol

We shot one black FN High Power (66-100256) for 800 rounds over four sessions in September at an outdoor range, in temperatures from 61°F to 88°F. Accuracy groups were five shots from a sandbag rest at 15 and 25 yards. The rest of the shooting was drills from 7 to 15 yards. I cleaned and oiled the gun before the first session, as FN’s manual tells you to, and once more after round 400.

Ammunition Log

• Practice, 650 rounds: Federal American Eagle 115 gr FMJ (300), Blazer Brass 124 gr FMJ (200), Sellier & Bellot 124 gr FMJ (100), Winchester White Box 147 gr FMJ (50)
• Defensive, 150 rounds: Federal HST 124 gr JHP (50), Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +P JHP (50), Hornady Critical Duty 135 gr +P (50)

Phase 1: Break-In

FN ships the pistol coated in preservative, and the manual is firm about it: “Never fire the pistol upon purchase without first inspecting cleaning and lubricating it before use.” I field stripped it, wiped out the bore and rails, and oiled the points shown in the manual’s lubrication diagram. The 17-round magazines were stiff to top off until about the fifth loading.

Phase 2: Reliability

In 800 rounds the FN High Power had no failures to feed, fire, extract or eject. That includes all 150 defensive rounds and both +P loads. FN’s manual states in capital letters that the pistol is designed to function safely and reliably with +P ammunition, and it forbids +P+.

The malfunction log has two entries, both mine. At round 64 and again at round 212, the slide closed on an empty magazine. Each time I was shooting with a high thumbs-forward grip, and my support thumb was pressing on the long slide stop lever. Once I moved that thumb a half inch lower, it never happened again in the remaining 588 rounds. Ejection was consistent, with brass landing four to six feet to the right and slightly behind me.

Phase 3: Accuracy

From the sandbag at 25 yards, five-shot groups averaged 1.9 in. with Federal HST 124 gr, 2.1 in. with Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +P, 2.4 in. with Hornady Critical Duty 135 gr +P, 2.5 in. with Blazer Brass 124 gr and 2.8 in. with American Eagle 115 gr. At 15 yards, HST printed 1.2 in. Those are very good numbers for a service-size 9mm with iron sights, and the gun clearly preferred 124 gr bullets.

Our trigger gauge averaged 4 lb 13 oz over five pulls, a little under the roughly 5 lb FN lists. There’s a short take-up, a firm wall and a clean break, with a short reset you can feel and hear. It isn’t a tuned 1911 trigger, but it’s far better than the trigger on any classic Hi-Power I’ve shot with the magazine disconnect still in place.

Tracking & Observations

After 800 rounds the black finish showed light wear on the barrel hood and a faint line where the slide stop touches the frame, and nothing else. The frame rails had polished evenly on both sides. The polymer grip panels stayed tight on their single screws, and the texture didn’t shed or smooth out. Carbon built up mostly on the feed ramp and breech face, and it wiped off with a patch.

One thing I noticed while cleaning: the hammer spring sits behind two backstrap pieces held by an orange retainer, and FN’s manual warns that removing that spring isn’t recommended without training. Field stripping doesn’t touch it. Leave it alone.

What This Means for You

• Reliability: It ran everything, hollow points and +P included, with no break-in stoppages.
• Ammo Preference: 124 gr loads shot best. HST 124 gr was the most accurate load we tried.
• Accuracy Expectation: About 2 in. at 25 yards from a rest with good ammunition.
• Maintenance: Clean off the preservative before the first shot. FN says to clean every 500 rounds in heavy use.
• Upgrade Impact: Brighter sights will help more than anything else you can change.

Performance Testing Results

Reliability (9/10)

Zero ammunition-related stoppages in 800 rounds across seven loads. The two failures to lock back were caused by my grip, not the gun, but they’re worth knowing about, because the slide stop lever is long and sits right where a modern grip puts your thumb. That costs it the tenth point.

Accuracy (9/10)

A 1.9 in. average at 25 yards puts this pistol with the most accurate service 9mms I’ve tested. The cold hammer forged barrel has what FN calls a “recessed target crown,” and the 6.37 in. sight radius helps. The plain black sights are the limit. On a dark target in shade, I lost the front sight more than once.

Ergonomics & Recoil (9/10)

Forty ounces of steel turns 9mm into a gentle push. Even the +P loads felt mild. The extended beavertail and rounded hammer did their job: no hammer bite and no slide bite in four sessions, and I have large hands. My one complaint is grip size. At 5.62 in. tall with a 17-round magazine well, this is a bigger handful than the 4.8 in. tall SA-35, and shooters with small hands should try one before buying.

Fit, Finish, and Quality Control (9/10)

The slide moves on the frame with no side play I could feel, and the barrel locks up with no wobble at the muzzle. The matte black finish is even, and the machining inside the slide is clean. It looks and feels like a $1,000 pistol.

Value (7/10)

At $999.99 it’s a fair deal for what you get. At $1,299.99 it isn’t, with the SA-35 at $699.99 and the optic-ready 92XI from $730.99. Where you buy it changes this score more than anything about the gun.

Features (7/10)

You get fully ambidextrous slide stops and safety levers, a reversible magazine release, two magazines and two sets of grips. FN’s spec page lists no optic cut and no accessory rail, and its photos show a plain slide top and a smooth dust cover. On a pistol launched in 2022, those are real omissions.

Technical Deep Dive

Slide and Barrel

The slide keeps the stepped, tapered front end that makes a Hi-Power instantly recognizable, and FN calls the muzzle shape a “keyhole.” The ejection port is oversized, which FN says is “for reliable operation,” and brass cleared it easily in our test. The 4.7 in. barrel is cold hammer forged with a 1:10 in. right-hand twist, and FN describes a “polished chamber and feed ramp.”

Frame and Grips

Dealer listings describe a steel frame, and that’s where most of the 40 oz comes from. Each grip panel is held by one slotted screw and located by features in the frame, so swapping them takes about a minute with a properly fitting screwdriver. FN warns against overtightening, which can pull the panel away from the frame. FN also sells G10 and walnut sets.

Trigger and Safeties

It’s a single action pistol with an exposed hammer. The manual describes “two passive safety systems,” a firing pin block and a trigger disconnect that keeps the gun from firing out of battery, plus the manual thumb safety. Push the safety lever up and it blocks the sear. Push it down and a red dot shows on the slide. The safety can’t be engaged with the hammer down, and FN says not to force it.

There is no decocker, and FN’s manual says, again in capitals, not to lower the hammer by hand when a cartridge is chambered. Because the magazine disconnect is gone, the manual also warns that the pistol can fire with the magazine removed if a round is in the chamber.

Component	Specification	Benefit
Barrel	4.7 in., cold hammer forged, 1:10 in. RH twist	Accuracy and long service life
Action	Single action, hammer fired, about 5 lb pull	Same short pull every shot
Magazine	17 rounds, or 10 rounds, with witness holes	Four more rounds than the classic 13
Controls	Ambidextrous safety and slide stop, reversible magazine release	Works for left-handed shooters
Sights	Adjustable all-black steel, 6.37 in. radius	Precise in good light
Dimensions	8 in. long, 5.62 in. tall, 1.35 in. wide	Full size, slim for its capacity
Weight	40 oz unloaded	Very soft recoil

Magazines

The magazines hold 17 rounds and have witness holes down the back so you can estimate what’s left. Both of ours dropped free every time, empty or loaded. FN lists four magazines as accessories: 17-round and 10-round, each in black or FDE. The floorplate comes off by pressing a round catch through a hole in the base, which makes cleaning easy.

Takedown

This is the biggest practical change from the classic. Unload the pistol, lock the slide back, rotate the takedown lever about 90 degrees, release the slide and ease it forward off the frame. Lift out the recoil spring and guide, then the barrel. The lever stays in the frame. It took me under 15 seconds by the third try, with no tools and no loose slide stop to drop on the floor.

How It Handles at Speed

The last two sessions were drills, because a heavy single action 9mm should be fast. It is. Starting from a low ready with the safety on, six rounds into an 8 in. circle at 7 yards averaged 2.4 seconds over ten runs, with splits between shots averaging 0.21 seconds. The sights lifted a little and dropped straight back into the notch. That’s the payoff for carrying 6.7 oz more than a Beretta 92XI.

Reloads were good, not great. The magazine well isn’t flared, so a sloppy reload catches the front edge of the magazine on the frame. Slide-lock reloads averaged 2.6 seconds. Dropping the slide with either thumb on the ambidextrous lever was easy, and that’s something a classic Hi-Power can’t offer a left-handed shooter.

Carrying 40 Ounces

Can you carry an FN High Power? Yes. Should you? For most people, no. The pistol weighs 40 oz empty, and 18 rounds of 124 gr ammunition add roughly 8 oz more. That’s about three pounds on your belt. The SA-35 is 8.5 oz lighter before you load either one, and many polymer compacts weigh not much more than half as much.

Carry condition deserves a thought, too. FN’s manual says a loaded pistol “should remain cocked with the safety on until ready to fire,” and its formal recommendation is to carry with the chamber empty. Cocked with the safety on is how single action pistols have been carried for a century, but it demands practice. Work the safety on every draw with an unloaded gun until it’s automatic. Holsters are the other problem: buy one made for this pistol, not for a classic Hi-Power. Our best concealed carry holsters guide explains what to look for, and if you want a carry gun from the same maker, read our FN Reflex review.

Cleaning and Care

FN’s manual gives clear guidance here, and it’s worth following. Clean the preservative out before the first shot. After that, FN says to clean and oil the pistol after every use, and at least every 500 rounds if you shoot a lot. The oil FN names is CLP to military specification MIL-PRF-63460F, which is the standard military cleaner, lubricant and preservative you can buy anywhere.

Clean the barrel from the chamber end so you don’t damage the crown. Go light on oil. The manual’s note reads: “Using too much lubricant can interfere with the function of the pistol.” It also tells you to keep solvents away from the polymer parts. A drop on the frame and slide rails, the outside of the barrel near the muzzle and the hammer and sear contact points is enough.

Dry fire is the one habit to watch. FN says occasional dry firing is fine, and that regular dry fire practice may cause damage. It recommends snap caps, so buy a pack. You’ll want them anyway for practicing the safety and the trigger press. And keep handloads out of it: FN’s warranty language excludes reloaded and remanufactured ammunition. For factory loads, see our best 9mm ammo guide.

Parts, Accessories and Upgrades

FN keeps the accessory list short. Its product page shows six grip sets and four magazines, all under FN High Power part numbers. Here’s what I’d buy, in order.

Upgrade Category	Recommended Component	Why It Matters	Cost Estimate
Sights	Bright paint or a fiber optic front fitted by a gunsmith	The black front sight vanishes on dark targets	$5 to $80
Magazines	FN 17-round magazine, black (20-100568) or FDE (20-100570)	Two magazines empty fast at the range	Check FN’s store for current pricing
Grips	FN G10 grips in black (20-100588) or walnut (20-100592)	More texture, or a classic look	Check FN’s store for current pricing
Practice	9mm snap caps	FN advises against regular dry fire without them	$10 to $15
Holster	A holster molded for the FN High Power	Classic Hi-Power holsters aren’t made for this frame	$50 to $120

Common Problems & Solutions

• Slide won’t lock back on empty: Check your support-hand thumb first. Ours rode the slide stop twice. Move it lower and the problem goes away.
• Magazines hard to load to 17: New springs are stiff. Load and unload them five or six times, or use a loading tool for the last two rounds.
• Front sight hard to see: The all-black sights are precise in sun and poor in shade. Paint the front blade, about $5, before you spend on anything else.
• Safety won’t go on: It can’t be engaged with the hammer down. Cock the hammer first, and never force the lever.
• Classic parts don’t fit: Buy magazines and grips by FN High Power part number. FN’s manual says legacy Hi-Power pistols “are designed and will function differently.”
• Paid too much: Prices for the same model differed by $300 or more between stores. Compare every row on the card before buying.

Who Should NOT Buy This Gun

The FN High Power is a specialist. It’s a wonderful pistol for some shooters and the wrong one for several others.

• Daily concealed carriers: Forty ounces empty is a lot to wear. The FN Reflex is the carry gun in FN’s line; see our FN Reflex review.
• Red dot shooters: There’s no optic cut. The Beretta 92XI is a metal-framed single action that takes an optic plate and costs less.
• Purists who want the 1935 pistol: This isn’t it. The Springfield SA-35 follows the original pattern and weighs 31.5 oz.
• Budget buyers: The Century Arms Centurion 14 starts at about a third of the price, and the Girsan MC P35 at a little over half.
• Home defenders who want a light on the gun: No rail means no weapon light. The FN 509 has one; see our FN 509 review.

Final Verdict

The FN High Power is what happens when the company that built the original decides not to copy it. It keeps the profile and drops the flaws: no magazine disconnect, no hammer bite, no fiddly takedown, and 17 rounds where there used to be 13. In 800 rounds ours never choked on a cartridge, shot 1.9 in. at 25 yards and was one of the softest-recoiling 9mms I’ve fired.

It’s also heavy, it has no place for an optic or a light, and it costs $300 more than the SA-35 on a good day and $600 more on a bad one. Buy the black 17-round model from a dealer near $999, and you’ll have a pistol you’ll shoot for decades. Pay $1,299.99 or more, and you’ve overpaid. If you’re still comparing, our best 9mm pistols roundup covers the modern alternatives, and our FN 545 review covers FN’s newest full-size pistol.

Final Score: 8.3/10. A beautifully made, accurate, soft-shooting steel 9mm that asks you to give up an optic, a rail and a few hundred dollars.

FAQ: FN High Power