19 Rounds of Good to Go: Review of the FN 545 Tactical .45 ACP
Optics and suppressor-ready right out of the box and equipped with a pair of cavernous magazines, the new FN 545 Tactical is feature-rich and ready for any fan of the .45. We've put one through a 500-round test and evaluation and have a full report below.
Announced just before this year's SHOT Show alongside the new FN 510 in 10mm Auto, the FN 545 Tactical is essentially an upsized FN 509 Tactical chambered in .45 ACP. A round that will not die and today is seemingly even more popular than ever, the .45 ACP has been around for well over a century and the FN 545 Tactical stands ready to carry it deep, shipping complete with two magazines, including a flush 15+1 rounder and an extended 18+1 round mag.
The overall length of the FN 545 Tactical is 8.3 inches, which is about as long as a GI profile 1911, while the empty weight is 31 ounces. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The sight radius is 6.1 inches, which is within striking distance of the typical 6.875-inch radius of a 1911.
Dimensionally, the FN 545 Tactical is also in the same size envelope as the Glock 21 Gen 5 MOS, while boasting a better magazine capacity, improved ergonomics, a more robust feature set, and a more modular optics mounting system.
The Specs
Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 15+1 and 18+1 (10 rounders available in restricted states)
The FN 545 takes down via a simple frame-mounted disassembly lever that rotates 90 degrees. The thread protector must be removed to field strip the gun. Of note, the barrel has a polished feed ramp and chamber for feed reliability.
The 4.71-inch cold-hammer-forged, target-crowned barrel on the FN 545 is threaded .578x28 TPI to mount compensators (which are more popular than you would think) and suppressors. It's seen here with a SilencerCo Omega installed. A great thing about the .45 ACP round is that it is inherently subsonic in velocity, which makes it natural for use with suppressors.
The slide is cut to mount micro red dots, no gunsmith needed, and ships with a series of MRD adapter plates that we'll get more into. Even if you don't go with a dot, the FN 545 has excellent Tritium lamp steel dovetail sights that are suppressor-height and therefore co-witness with most optics and over most cans, seen here with a Leupold Delta Point Pro mounted.
The excellent FN Low-profile Optics Mounting System as used on the 545 includes a series of four different MRD plates, three inserts, and six different screw sets to allow fits for the Leupold Delta Point Pro, Trijicon RMR/SRO, Docter, Vortex Venom/Viper/Razor, Holosun 507/508, C-More STS2, and Burris Fast Fire micro red dots. We went with a DPP 6 MOA, a go-to that we have had great luck with in the past, and FN includes an insert for the rear of the optic in addition to the adapter plate.
The Leupold DPP fit well, and added after the first 100 rounds, remained solid and held zero for the rest of the 500-round evaluation. Of note, FN's fastener system is self-locking, and the company does not recommend a thread locker be used to remain tight. Loaded weight, with the Leupold and 16 rounds of Speer Gold Dot 230-grain JHPs, we found hit 43.3 ounces.
The 545 runs a full MIL-STD-1913 rail that allows it to carry just about any WML, including some big boys like the insanely bright SureFire X300 Turbo shown here.
The magazines are serious, including a 15+1 round standard mag that fits with a pinky extension and an extended 18+1 round mag that runs about 6 inches overall and adds right at an inch to the bottom of the grip.
The ergonomics of the FN 545 Tactical are superb, with an undercut to the trigger guard, while a high beavertail on the rear gives the pistol a good balance, especially when loaded. Note the varying patterns to the grip texture, which runs 360 degrees. Compared to the hammer-fired FNX-45, which has a straighter grip angle, we found the FN 545 felt more natural.
There are interchangeable backstraps, making the grip more modular. Note the lanyard hole, which makes sense as FN markets to LE and military customers as well as the consumer market.
The surface controls are excellent and easy to use.
The controls include a fully ambidextrous slide stop lever and magazine release mirrored on the left and right side of the frame. However, this adds a bit of width to the gun, making it feel very chunky in the hand.
Trigger
FN bills the trigger on the 545 Tactical as "a precision-tuned target grade" fire control group, and it breaks cleanly at an average of 5.8 pounds with most of the take-up in the bow. The reset is short and is both audible and tactile for those who like to "ride" the reset. The flat-faced trigger on the company's Edge 509 series is better and would seem to make a better choice on the 545, especially when you consider the four-digit price of admission. Nonetheless, the FN 545 Tactical's trigger works.
See it in action below.
Reliability
Our test, with range ammo, included a mix of about 250 rounds of 230-grain American Eagle FMJs and another 100 of PMC Bronze FMJs.
When it came to testing with defensive ammo, we ran a mix of 150 rounds of Federal's 230-grain Punch, Hydra-Shok 230s, and Speer Gold Dot 230 GDHPs-- the latter a load long popular with LE customers.
In all, we had no problems with reliability, going 500:500 rounds with no malfunctions. We didn't even have an instance of the slide failing to lock back. The FN 545 Tactical is a beast.
It likes to run fast and is easy to get back on target.
Accuracy
With a nice, long sight radius, excellent sights, a loveseat-sized grip that allows a ton of real estate for control, and a decent trigger (for a striker-fired gun), the FN 545 was capable when it came to putting rounds on target. Doing step-back drills to 50 yards on a torso-sized steel target was no problem.
For practical ranges – 10 and 15 yards, respectively – the FN 545 will eat the heart out of a target.
Plus, you've got to love that Federal Punch, which expands extremely well and brings 400 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle while staying subsonic. We pulled this one from 16 inches of 10-percent FBI gel.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Compatible with just about every major optics footprint.
Suppressor-height three-dot night sights co-witness with most MRDs and over cans.
Threaded barrel accepts most large bore pistol comps and suppressors.
Ships with both 15+1 and 18+1 capacity nickel-coated steel body magazines.
Ambi controls
Good ergonomics
Accurate
Dependable
Cons
Wide, at 1.45 inches
Lack of extensive aftermarket support
Expensive replacement magazines ($65-$75)
Conclusion
The FN 545 Tactical scratches a lot of itches for a lot of folks. Those who love FN's 509 series but wanted something in a .45 are in luck. Those who were interested in the hammer-fired FNX-45 Tactical but would prefer it in a striker-fired action are in luck. Those who want a suppressor/optic-ready .45 ACP with lots of extra capacity right out of the box are in luck. Compared to guns like the Glock G21 Gen 5, it has better ergos, features, and capacity. Plus, it is accurate and reliable in testing.
Folks interested in a serious home defense tool – one on which they can easily add just about any MRD optic, high-lumen light, and big bore suppressor – will want to have the FN 545 Tactical on their list. Looking toward LE customers, it is easy to see where a department equipped with the FN 509 (LAPD, for instance) may want to go 545 for their SRT guys, especially if they run cans. Those wanting the same thing but in 10mm Auto can easily switch gears to the FN 510.
While a little big for most to use for a carry piece, it isn't impossible provided you have the right holster. However, IWB holster fits are few, although FN does offer one on its eStore.
About the worst thing we can say is that about the FN 545 Tactical is that, as with the holster, there is little support outside of FN and that can be a little pricey. For example, OEM replacement magazines run $65-75.
The FN 545 Tactical has an MSRP of $1,139, which is notably about $250 less than the more dated hammer-fired FNX-45 Tactical.
