As far as rifles go (some douchebag is going to correct me and say “it's a semi-automatic carbine version of the SMG”. Touché douchebag, touché), the FN PS90 is one of the original, truly ambidextrous bullpups that I can remember ever seeing in person. The civilian PS90 was released in 2005… I couldn’t tell you the date, but I will never forget seeing one on the wall at the local gun store for the first time. I knew I had to have one.
Out of the box it weighs 6.3 lbs, measures at an overall length of 26.2 inches, comes with molded in sling points, and charging handles on both sides. The safety, a textured dial, can be easily manipulated, rolled on or off with either hand, from either side with gloves, no gloves… doesn’t matter, it's super easy. It ejects the spent casings out of the bottom towards the rear of the stock like a weapon out of a goddamn Ridley Scott Film. At the time, this was not a common feature, I’ll even take the risk of saying that it may have been the first. It comes from the factory with a 16.04 inch barrel that has eight grooves and a 1:9-inch twist, a 50 round magazine that loads from the top of the weapon by sliding it in just under the sight rails and slapping it into place. Fully loaded with the 50 round magazine it weighs in at a measly 7.5 lbs… about 2 lbs. less than most of my AR offerings. But who gives a shit? If an engineer is reading this, just go visit the website.
Now let me share some of the main complaints you might hear whispered amongst the plebs in a dark, dingy, poorly lit gun shop where the fluorescent light tubes flicker and hum as they tell you why you wouldn’t want one…
The price of 5.7 ammo went from $19 per box of 50 when I originally bought mine, skyrocketed to the Covid price of $70 per box and has settled back down to roughly $45 per box these days.
It doesn’t pack the same punch as some of the larger cartridges, and there isn’t a vast amount of aftermarket support for them like the others. It is, in fact, a very niche platform, so most of the accessories you’ll want will be from independent manufacturers who mill this piece or that, usually for a specific add on. This means building one out with just the basics can certainly get pricey, and fast…
Despite a few cons, the PS90 is by far the most fun firearm that I own, regardless of how subjective that is. Of all the platforms I have, this is the one that puts a smile on my face every time without fail. You should come to expect that you’ll attract a crowd at the range with this thing.
You owe it to yourself to hit your local range and at least rent one. If that isn’t an option, why not try befriending your local FN collector that is rumored to “have more money than sense” (that's what the poors say in the aforementioned poorly lit gun shops when they tell you that you “don’t need nothin' better than a hi-point 9mm carbine”) to let you sample from their collection.
If you’re not a communist, and don’t hate the second amendment, get out to the range and get some trigger time whenever you can, regardless of what gun you bring.
However, I’ve found those days are so much sweeter when you’re behind the trigger of one of the most unique, smooth shooting, compact, lightweight, tac driving rifles that I have ever had the pleasure of owning.