FN America has pulled a specific group of FN 502 Tactical .22 LR pistols from circulation and is urging owners to check serial numbers immediately. The company has identified a safety defect in certain handguns that can defeat the manual safety and allow the pistol to fire when it should be blocked. The recall is limited to a defined serial range, but the manufacturer is pressing every 502 Tactical owner to verify whether a pistol is affected before it is fired again.
What FN discovered about the 502 Tactical safety issue
FN America, LLC has acknowledged a defect in some FN 502 Tactical pistols that were already under scrutiny from an earlier safety bulletin. The company reports that it has become aware of a potential safety issue in which the manual safety system may not function as intended on a subset of these rimfire handguns, even after prior inspection guidance was issued. According to the updated recall notice, the affected pistols were previously the subject of FN’s January safety communication and are now formally included in a voluntary recall.
The core concern centers on the manual safety lock lever inside the 502 Tactical fire control system. Earlier information from FN explained that a small number of pistols left the factory with a missing manual safety lock lever, which could allow the pistol to fire even when the safety was engaged. Follow-up reporting notes that, consequently, if the trigger is pulled multiple times in succession, or if the pistol is jarred, an unintended firing may happen despite the safety being on, a risk described in detail in a separate technical summary. FN characterizes the issue as rare but serious enough that it is asking owners to stop using any potentially affected pistol until it has been inspected and, if necessary, repaired.
Which FN 502 Tactical pistols are covered, and how to check
The recall does not apply to every FN 502 Tactical on the market, but the company has drawn a clear line around the serial numbers that require attention. FN states that the pistols subject to this recall are those with a serial number lower than LR010300, a threshold spelled out in the official safety recall. Any 502 Tactical with a serial number at or above LR010300 is not listed as affected in the current guidance, while those below that mark are included in the voluntary action.
FN has also provided specific instructions on how owners can confirm whether their pistol falls inside the recall range. The company directs customers to locate the serial number on the grip frame, which is circled in an image within the recall FAQ, and compare it against the LR010300 cutoff. The FAQ section titled how do I know if my FN 502 Tactical is affected explains that any pistol with a serial number lower than LR010300 is subject to the safety recall and should not be fired until it has been processed through FN’s program.
From safety bulletin to full recall: how the response escalated
The current recall is the latest step in a sequence that began with a safety bulletin on the FN 502 Tactical platform. Earlier communication from FN America issued a Safety Bulletin regarding the 502 Tactical Pistol, which described how the company had become aware that a very small number of pistols might have an issue with the manual safety, and it provided detailed instructions for inspecting the safety lever at home. That bulletin, reflected in the FN 502 TACTICAL SAFETY BULLETIN, walked owners through a step-by-step process for checking the Tactical Manual Safety, including ensuring there was no ammunition in the work area and visually confirming the presence and function of the safety components.
Within weeks of that initial bulletin, FN shifted from inspection guidance to a formal recall of select pistols. The company announced that, because the safety of its customers is its primary concern, it was voluntarily issuing a recall to address the newly discovered issue with the manual safety lock lever in the 502 Tactical. The recall announcement, detailed in FN’s press communication, reiterated that the original concern involved a missing manual safety lock lever in a small number of pistols and that affected owners would be offered inspection and repair at no cost. A separate analysis of the recall framed it as a targeted action by FN America, LLC, the U.S. subsidiary of FN Herstal, S.A, to address a Pistols With Manual Safety Issue on the 502 platform, as described in a recall overview.
What owners should do next and why it matters
For current owners of the FN 502 Tactical, the immediate priority is to stop using any pistol that might fall within the affected range and verify its status. FN’s recall page instructs customers to check the serial number on the grip frame, confirm whether it is lower than LR010300, and, if so, contact FN for return instructions. The company notes that it is handling the recall directly through its customer support channels, and that affected pistols will be inspected and repaired to restore proper function of the manual safety. The official recall portal provides contact information, a description of the issue, and answers to common questions about shipping and turnaround.
Industry coverage of the recall underscores why FN is taking a conservative approach. Product Safety FN America, LLC advisories describe how a defective or missing safety lock lever can allow the pistol to fire when the safety is engaged, particularly if the trigger is pulled repeatedly or the firearm is subjected to impact, a scenario that raises the risk of unintended discharge during handling or transport. A detailed product safety summary notes that the recall applies to the FN 502 Tactical .22LR pistol that was previously the subject of the January bulletin, and it reinforces FN’s request that owners not load or fire any pistol identified as part of the recall until it has been serviced. For a platform marketed as a training and recreational handgun, the integrity of the manual safety is central to safe use, and FN’s decision to pull select 502 Tactical pistols reflects a broader industry expectation that manufacturers act quickly when even a small number of firearms show a defect that can defeat a core safety feature.