Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Freedom Ordnance FX-9


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 63
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Shot one two weeks ago and it is very sweet shooting. Had to share with a friend because my expensive MPX went jamomatic once again. My friend got it on Memorial day and got a few extras when they had it on special over Memorial day. Might wait till the July 4th holiday and they might have another special. For $600 you can't beat it.

Link to comment
Looks like the upper, lower, and bolt are all proprietary and not the "standard" sizes that are usually seen. That would limit your upgrade/replacement choices. Good price though. 

I'd be willing to bet they are standard sizes, but they put a disclaimer out since they probably have not tested any other parts with their uppers/lowers. The economy of scale is completely lost by not using standard spec sizing, and unless they are deep pockets like S&W, not many small manufacturers can afford to make all their own parts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment

This is from their ad-

 

"The upper and lower receiver are more than 1 inch shorter than a standard AR-15 upper and lower receiver making it more compact and lighter than a standard mil-spec AR-15 design."

 

They show the bolt in the video. It looks....unique.

Link to comment

I bought an FX-9 during the Memorial Day promo and got 2 additional mags and BUIS with it. Only had a couple of issues, and none of them due to the gun itself.

Got almost 2k rounds through it at this point and can account for each of the couple of issues/problems and none of them are the gun itself.

The 33rd mags swell a LOT if you load them up past 20rd and don't insert easily or drop free. The SGM mag was the best... seated easier than even a factory Glock 33rd mag and was the only one that would drop free most of the time. The feed lips on that mag failed, though, so waiting to hear back from SGM about a replacement.

The 2 additional no name Korean mags swell so bad that even sanding a few thou off each side doesn't help if there's more than 15 rds or so in them. Still hard to insert and forget about dropping free. I've even polished the mag tunnel to make sure there's no burrs or roughness; there isn't now but there wasn't from the factory, either.

Factory Glock 17rd mag + Dawson toolless base pad (Glock spring and follower) seats very easily and drops free, but is only 22rd.

Replaced trigger/hammer springs with a JP 3.5 spring pack and dropped the trigger weight from about 8.5 lbs to 5 lb. Had 1 bump fire at the only USPSA match that I've shot it at, but was transitioning to a target on my weak side, so may have pulled the stock away from my shoulder slightly, inducing the bump fire.

Had a round stick in the chamber and had a bear of a time getting it out. Didn't want to put a lot of force on the minimalistic charging handle. Ended up being a really banged up case that slipped through my top-notch QA dept! [emoji13]

Have since bought a 9mm cartridge gage. Hehe

Stock is milspec and we replaced it with a LaRue RAT stock, which is more comfortable and definitely spruces up the carbine.

With my 145gr 9mm minor load (4.25" barrel 1911 in Single Stack), the velocity is about 100 fps faster (1080 fps vs 980 fps out of the pistol) and it's a tack driver out to at least 50 yards! With the TruGlo Triton Compact reddot, where the smallest dot (2 MOA?) is, is where the bullet hits every time!

I have two videos of the FX-9 in action (not reviews) on YouTube, if you're interested :





In summary, if you find mags that work, hold the carbine tight to your shoulder and case gage your loaded rounds, you shouldn't have any issues as far as I can tell.

Let me know if you have any questions that I could help you with.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

Link to comment
2 hours ago, N3WWN said:

I bought an FX-9 during the Memorial Day promo and got 2 additional mags and BUIS with it. Only had a couple of issues, and none of them due to the gun itself.

Got almost 2k rounds through it at this point and can account for each of the couple of issues/problems and none of them are the gun itself.

The 33rd mags swell a LOT if you load them up past 20rd and don't insert easily or drop free. The SGM mag was the best... seated easier than even a factory Glock 33rd mag and was the only one that would drop free most of the time. The feed lips on that mag failed, though, so waiting to hear back from SGM about a replacement.

The 2 additional no name Korean mags swell so bad that even sanding a few thou off each side doesn't help if there's more than 15 rds or so in them. Still hard to insert and forget about dropping free. I've even polished the mag tunnel to make sure there's no burrs or roughness; there isn't now but there wasn't from the factory, either.

Factory Glock 17rd mag + Dawson toolless base pad (Glock spring and follower) seats very easily and drops free, but is only 22rd.

Replaced trigger/hammer springs with a JP 3.5 spring pack and dropped the trigger weight from about 8.5 lbs to 5 lb. Had 1 bump fire at the only USPSA match that I've shot it at, but was transitioning to a target on my weak side, so may have pulled the stock away from my shoulder slightly, inducing the bump fire.

Had a round stick in the chamber and had a bear of a time getting it out. Didn't want to put a lot of force on the minimalistic charging handle. Ended up being a really banged up case that slipped through my top-notch QA dept! emoji13.png

Have since bought a 9mm cartridge gage. Hehe

Stock is milspec and we replaced it with a LaRue RAT stock, which is more comfortable and definitely spruces up the carbine.

With my 145gr 9mm minor load (4.25" barrel 1911 in Single Stack), the velocity is about 100 fps faster (1080 fps vs 980 fps out of the pistol) and it's a tack driver out to at least 50 yards! With the TruGlo Triton Compact reddot, where the smallest dot (2 MOA?) is, is where the bullet hits every time!

I have two videos of the FX-9 in action (not reviews) on YouTube, if you're interested :
 

 

 

 

 



In summary, if you find mags that work, hold the carbine tight to your shoulder and case gage your loaded rounds, you shouldn't have any issues as far as I can tell.

Let me know if you have any questions that I could help you with.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
 

 

Awesome. That's what I was looking for. Now, I just need to convince the One that I need it.

Link to comment
56 minutes ago, GrumpyOne said:

Awesome. That's what I was looking for. Now, I just need to convince the One that I need it.

 

Start talking about wanting complete $1500 AR with a 9mm upper... or nickle-and-diming one together:  $200 for this, $400 for that, $75 for the other, $125 do-dad, etc.... probably gonna cost about $1k, but cheaper than the $1500 alternative.

 

Then, when the One starts to warm up, unleash the "Hey, I found exactly what I'm looking for!  It's complete and only $600!"

 

You'll be a hero! :D

Link to comment
  • 2 months later...

Has anyone who has this carbine tried any drop in triggers? The website says it doesn't reccomend using any, but I'm curious if any tests have been done outside the manufacturer by you guys.

 

also, my local got 3 in stock and I handled one yesterday. It's an interesting piece for sure. The bolt is, as stated above, "unique". And the shortened upper and lower are also interesting as well. Has a solid looking LRBHO assembly and a built in feed ramp. The weight seems pretty light compared to full sized alternatives. 

 

 

Link to comment

A fellow CTASA shooter has a CMC flat Trigger drop-in in his and has had no issues after replacing the firing pin retaining pin (one piece) and firing pin spring with the new parts they will send you if you have the older cotter pin and two springs on the firing pin.

 

I simply replaced the hammer and trigger springs with JP springs and it improved mine enough to satisfy me.  I replaced a fellow members springs on his with JP and he's happy too.

 

Didn't feel like dropping in a $100-200 trigger in a $550 AR :)

 

James

Link to comment
  • 2 months later...

I'm thinking about one of these as an entry into PCC. The price is right. I shoot lefty and the lack of even a possibility of an ambi mag release is making me hesitate. Their marketer's website even warns that it's designed for the right handed shooter and leftys beware. Seems a little short sighted to design 20% of your market out.

 

Any wisdom on this?

 

Note - The FX-9 Carbine is designed for right handed use. We advise left handed shooters to consider this before purchase, as some features may not be well suited to all left handed shooters.
 

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

I pulled the factory trigger out of mine and noticed what appeared to be an additional disconnector spring drilled and placed in the front of the trigger.  This applies lots of extra pull weight to over come all the springs.   It had about a 9 lb pull.  I replace the springs with JP spring kit and removed the extra spring.  Seemed to do ok and didn't have an issue.  Trigger was still a little creepy.  I finally put a POF drop in Trigger in mine and haven't had any problems so far, and have about 500 rounds thru the gun.  I called and talked to Freedom Ordinance about the trigger situation.  They indicated that "some" people were reporting doubling with other triggers or modifications, possibly due to bump fires or hammer follow. They recommend following the guidance on their web site - no light triggers or if you do keep you factory one close at hand.

 

I bought a cheaper ambi safety that had reversible pads on it and it seemed to have a lot of play side to side.  maybe a 1/16 of inch or little more.  It worked fine but I didn't like the look or feel that much.  Being right handed I really didn't need it so I put the factory one back in the gun.

 

Only issue I had was at the one and only club match I shot where I had a piece of brass separate in the chamber.  Certainly not the guns fault.

 

I really like the gun and it's a ball to shoot.  But man can I shoot up a bunch of ammo with them 33 round sticks.

Link to comment

I just got mine, had the doubling, tripling problem, but here’s the strange thing, it was only happening with factory UMC ammo....switched back to federal and it stopped. I am at a loss on that one, any ideas would be appreciated before I call the factory.

Link to comment

Was there a noticeable difference in recoil between the UMC and Federal ammo or could you have been holding the carbine differently?

With the JP 3.5 springs and the "extra" trigger return spring removed, I can bump fire if I try to, but the only time it happens when I'm not trying is when I am not solidly holding the stock against my shoulder.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Link to comment

Yes, much softer shooting the UMC ammo.  I got the gun, ran 250 rounds of Federal 115 g. Factory ammo through it and zeroed red dot for a competition.

I bought the yellow box of UMC with 250 rounds for the competition and never shot any before the competition in this particular gun, but I had shot it in my other PCC (Mag Tactical 9mm) and it ran great and very soft shooting.

Not soft shouldering the gun, but like I said when I switched back to Federal at the competition, all was well.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Yep, I purchased one last June 2017 and have run huge quantities of handloads through it...both plinking and in 3 Gun.

It has fed flawlessly except for the few times my small framed grandson has held it away from his shoulder...with my light handloads being the issue.

For me it's flawless, and it's flawless for him too when I remind him it's not a Tommy Gun. :)

 

I use Glock OEM mags only...never did use the mag that came with it as I sorta' accidentally ran over it in my truck.

Since reviews on it were spotty on it anyway I wasn't going to ever use it.

 

I shoot a really light load from my M&P CORE which consists of 4.0 of TiteGroup behind a plated/jacketed 124 grain round nose from  Rocky Mountain Reloading.

Works flawlessly in the FX9.

Same holds true for 4.3 grains of HP38/231 which is my preferred load for the FX.

At 30 yards with a Leupold Delta Point Pro I placed three rounds in one hole, which freaked me out so much I made the rifle safe and peered down the bore to make sure I didn't have one or two rounds lodged in the barrel.

 

When handloading do be aware that you'll need to make sure that you do a full length case size.

I've been using a Lee Progressive loader since the early 1980's for flawless extraction with numerous 9mm pistols.

However, on the FX if you try and eject and unfired round (as someone else noted) it ain't happening.

I live down the road from my outdoor range so had to fire it into the backstock to eject.

No big deal, as I now just run the cases through the full length crimping die on my Lee Classic prior to reloading.

 

Buy one, all the cool kids are.

 

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Looking into buying one of these. Few questions though. 

 

Will the upper take standard AR style handguards? 

 

What is the thread read pitch for the muzzle brake?

 

Safe to guess it uses its own charging handle?

 

thanks

 

edit: found most of my answers. 

 

It can take “most” AR style handguards and it uses 1/2x28 threads. 

Edited by MrRick
Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Well just want to report about this carbine. Finally took it out and ran some of my reloads through it. Ran some 124s 9can't remember the load) and some 147 with 3.4gr of TG. the rifle fired them just fine and the action cycled and lock back on all the reloads. Currently running a Hiperfire Competition trigger (formerly knows as the 24C). Didn't have any issues with the trigger. the only issue I'm having is with magazine fitments. Carbine came with one SGM 31 rounder and I have 2 Glocks big sticks. The SGM seem to fit a bit better but they don't drop free. The Glocks are TIGHT. There seems to be a cast line and a raised area in the magwell that makes it tight. I'm betting that the tight fittment of the magazine was the reason why I was getting failure to feed on the first rounds when magazine were loaded to 33 rounds. After filling the cast marks and the raised area a bit got the SGM mag to drop free. I didn't want to remove any more from the magwell, so I desided to sand the Glock big sticks whenere it was making contact with the magwell. Now they are drop free. I also installed an Armarlite handguard I had laying around. It works fine, it was just too heavy. Will try to go tomorrow and put some more rounds through it. FWIW, the Glock big sticks were also sticking to NC-9 lower but not as bad.

Edited by MrRick
Link to comment
  • 8 months later...

Sorry for the necro. I used my FX9 for the first time in USPSA tonight and really enjoyed it. However, both of my SGM mags started failing as soon as I dropped them during reloads (the feed lips opened up so much that rounds didn't strip off clean and jammed the gun). Not a huge shock, I guess. My "classifier" mag (a factory G17 mag with Henning extension) ran perfectly.

 

Has anyone figured out a 30+ round mag configuration that feeds reliably? Maybe the Glock 33 rounder with an extension but not loaded to capacity?

 

Also, has anyone tried the Magpul PMAG 21? I like to keep shorter mags on hand for fast reload stages and classifiers and they're about a third of the cost of a G17 mag with an extension.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...