FMK 9C1 G2 Dark Grey 9mm Luger

GUN TESTS GRADE: B

$332

We purchased one pistol for the price above, and we bought a second pistol used for $188. Because we have not tested FMK pistols previously, we felt that we would test two if the opportunity presented itself.

The FMK 9C1 G2 is similar in layout to most polymer-frame pistols, but with some differences. The 9C1 G2 pistol is at that popular Glock 19 size. The slide isn’t angular, however; it is actually a smooth-looking design. The sights are standard Glock sights. Simply order TruGlo, Ameriglo, or XS sights, among others, for the Glock 19 if you wish to upgrade.

The slide lock, magazine latch, and trigger action are standard Glock types. They operate in a crisp manner. The striker-fired action is a typical modern trigger action in operation, with a compression of 7.5 pounds in one pistol and 6.5 pounds in the other. There is the usual blade-type safety lever set in the trigger face.

The grip is interesting. It cannot be said to be a finger-groove front strap type, yet there are slightly raised areas. The raters in general were neutral on this feature. However, we did like the shallow cut out on each side of the grip that shortens trigger reach. The pistol benefited from this addition, we feel. The pistol doesn’t feature grip inserts. The rear strap is a type of cushioned recoil pad. The rubber material is set into the grip. This makes it a comfortable pistol to fire. One of the two pistols featured a loaded-chamber indicator set into the rear of the slide. The other pistol did not. If you want this feature, then choose a model with it. Two quality 14-round magazines are included with the FMK pistol. They are not difficult to load to full capacity. The handgun frame is inscribed with a message, “Thank You Armed Forces.”

The pistol locks up by butting the barrel hood into the slide and unlocks via angled camming surfaces. Due to the pistol’s size, weight, and generous grip, we thought it should be a soft shooter. Recoil was more than we expected, but not unpleasant. Firing the newer pistol on the combat range, we got fair results at 5, 7, and 10 yards. In comparison, the Taurus G3X was more useful in combat firing, we thought. The heavier trigger of the FMK was a drawback. The FMK was much more useful than the SCCY pistol in all drills. We feel the G3X came on target more quickly. The FMK never failed to feed, chamber, fire or eject. The second pistol, a long-term home-defense pistol in the backup/spare/emergency niche, purchased during the pandemic, has fired 200 trouble-free mixed rounds. Oddly, the used pistol purchased for $188 failed to fully go into battery the first four times we attempted to fire it, then did not repeat this malfunction. Perhaps the pistol was unfired when traded in? This isn’t uncommon when credit-card bills come in.

Our Team Said: During the accuracy test, the pistol shot well enough for defense use with all three loads tested. However, some of the raters did poorly in offhand combat shooting with the FMK, taking time to acclimate to the pistol. Fired off the bench, FMJ loads were less accurate at an average of 3 inches at 15 yards. The Black Hills 115-grain Extra Power (EXP) load averaged 2.75 inches. The FMK lacks some of the finesse of more expensive pistols in this size class, but it worked well enough. While this isn’t the most accurate handgun in the size and class range, it is a pistol that may be purchased on the cheap as a spare or emergency.

9MM Luger Range Data