Thoughts on the FN PS 90?

24 June, 2013 | LucianOfSamasota

[LucianOfSamasota]

Does anyone have first hand experience with the FN PS 90?

Would it be a 'good' self defense choice for a woman who is not comfortable with a 5.56×45mm carbine due to weight and recoil? (Not me.)

Does it feed reliably?

Or is this a gun designed for a full auto machine pistol role which loses value when confined to a semi auto capability?

[USNBandit]

There is only one reason the USSS uses the PN90. They want to punch through body armor and they have access to the specific ammo that will do it.

I would echo what other people said about more common ammo. Once you drop below 5.56 you are looking at short range carbines. Maybe something in a pistol caliber would be better. A pistol caliber that matches other guns you already own.

Another option might be stripping down a short AR to make it lighter and training her to get used to the recoil. You can't get much lighter recoil than an AR, but a pimped out AR with a metal forearm can get pretty heavy to lug around. If she was shooting an AR it might not really be the recoil, but the racket from the recoil spring right next to her head that she doesn't like.

[MHGinTN]

Prvi Partisan has the soft nose rounds at $.50 per through Widener’s. But for home defense in a rifle round, I prefer the 5.56 in an AR pistol with 11 inch barrel. If you need to use it at more than fifty yards, the tube from a shop vac slips over the buffer tube quite nicely.

[driftdiver]

My wife has trouble holding an AR up, she also has trouble with the slide of an automatic, and the hammer of my ruger .357 revolver.

I’m thinking of a 20 ga double barrel for her.

[SampleMan]

IMHO neither the 5.56 nor M1 carbine have any recoil; however, I have a 15 yo daughter that loves the M1 and hates the AR (noise too loud), conversely my 12 yo daughter loves the AR and says the M1 kicks too hard. It’s not logical, but its real.

[Joe 6-pack]

"It’s not logical, but its real."

Makes sense to me. I'm guessing the ergonomics of the respective weapons fit their builds differently, and hence they experience the felt recoil differently. I also know it's largely psychological, but a lot of people are weirded out by a reciprocating charging handle like on the Carbine or an M-14, and much prefer the AR since all the movement is internal and goes unnoticed.

[SampleMan]

Felt recoil is definitely difficult to define, it’s best just to accept different strokes for different folks.

[JoeFromSidney]

Hornady is also now making their Critical Defense loads for the .30 carbine:

This is probably the most important thing about ammo for the M-1. The old ball ammo wasn't that effective. Better than a pistol, but not much. I'm going to get some of that new ammo for my daughter's M-1.

[LucianOfSamasota]

Thanks for the advice/information/opinions/impressions!

Much help in determining how to proceed!

[BerserkPatriot]

They are also good at taking out Wraith at close range Ping!

[altsehastiin]

Something else to think about.

How about a carbine chambered in a pistol round?

Beretta CX4 .40?

Or even an HK USC in .45, if you’re feeling spendy.

[humblegunner]

"I have a PS-90, and it is a very sweet rifle."

There it is! With a couple of ol' range rats but just ignore them...

[Jim Robinson]

LOL!

[jboot]

5.56 recoil? .30 carbine recoil? Huh? Such things are in the same category as hens teeth.

Then again, I am a poor one to judge recoil. To me, full power .45-70 out of a light lever gun isn't really all that bad.

[USNBandit]

When I was in the Navy I went to the range with some of our sailors and a handful of M-11s, the SIG 228 in 9mm. I was surprised how many of the women had troubles pulling the double action trigger.

[Joe 6-pack]

"5.56 recoil? .30 carbine recoil? Huh? Such things are in the same category as hens teeth. Then again, I am a poor one to judge recoil. To me, full power .45-70 out of a light lever gun isn't really all that bad."

In case you hadn't noticed, the discussion was about suitable firearms for women and SampleMan's 12 and 15 year old daughters.

But thanks for letting us know what a real man you are anyways. A lot of us were, ya know, wondering about that.

[driftdiver]

i guess my other option is to keep a round chambered, so all she has to do is flip the safety off on the AR. The dbl action trigger on the sig won’t work but I bet the glock trigger might. She probably wouldn’t be able to get many shots off but then it wouldnt take many with a .45.

[SampleMan]

jboot, I’ll let my 12-year-old daughter know that you are tougher than her. Would you like her to sign anything for you to that effect? Could come in handy the next time someone questions your .45-70 story. ;-)

[USNBandit]

Whatever weapon you pick for her, she needs to be able to function it completely on her own without help, including malfunctions. Glocks are great for low trigger weight, but the slides are still pretty stiff, especially on the smaller ones.

What I would recommend is looking around your local area for a gun class for ladies, taught by a lady. They can often times provide the right opportunity to try different kinds of guns and find one she can operate. You might be able to find a recommendation at your local gun shop.

[Atlas Sneezed]

I own one. Must SBR to avoid the “dork/wannabel factor.

Must get a can to complete the package.

When suppressed, the supersonic ammo is so tiny that it has a minimal “crack” signature.

The entire manual of arms is odd (mag placement, etc.

I’ll bet her problem with the AR is not recopil, but noise. Try it with a can, if you can (You’ll want to SBR to avoid excessive length.)

Or get a pistol caliber carbine. Try the TNW ASR, or any of a host of others.

But mastering the AR is the best suggestion. The PS90 is a novelty, not an ideal for just a out anyone.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Good point about the recoil noise. Get a “twang buster” or look at advabced alternatuve stocks.