Beretta 92

I don't usually like Taurus, but I've become a real fan of its Beretta PT-92/99 autos. Not only is the reliability top rate, the price is more reasonable, it's a prettier gun (in stainless steel, anyway) and it's accuracy has actually improved since the 90s. It also sports adjustable sights.



I've never had a Taurus revolver I liked. The finish is great on most of their guns, but the tolerances (the things you can't see) are often lacking. But substantially more quality is put into its autos.

You may want to check one out. By the time you buy a Beretta and add third party adjustable sights, you'll spend a chunk of change. The Taurus also has a vastly superior safety, which includes a hammer drop and a cock and lock.

I'd get a basic 92 and do what you want to do with it. Wilson parts are pretty reasonable for them if you go that route. Converting it to a G model is pretty easy. You can improve the trigger a lot by simply swapping the main spring to a D spring.

A good gunsmith can dovetail the front sight for you. A lot of people have fiber optic sights installed at my local shop. I think he charges $50 for the cut and the sight. Trijicon also installs sights on 92 slides.

I didn't own my M9 very long as I just didn't shoot it well, but after renting a 92 recently I'm also looking to get another one as I shot it really well and just think it's an iconic gun.

I'd love for Beretta to have a frame mounted safety/decock like the Taurus and Beretta Cheetah models.

I'm not a fan of the 92, due to my hate-hate relationship with it in the mil. If that's your preferred pistol and you shoot it well, I would recommend a G series brigadier. The safety decock is totally unnecessary on a DA pistol.

FL-NC said:

I'm not a fan of the 92, due to my hate-hate relationship with it in the mil.

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It's interesting how service member's experiences can be so different. I thought my M9 was an outstanding weapon, and I was very happy to find an almost NIB early 90's 92FS with all metal parts.

May I suggest installing the after market sights of your choice. Then send your pistol back to Beretta, have them install the skeletonized hammer, extended mag release, crown the barrel and replace the trigger. I did that to mine and it makes all the difference in the world. DA trigger pull is sweeeeet!!! It took 4-6 weeks.

So one thing I am considering is getting a "G" Brigadier so I could swap sites out. Of course that would lend itself to considering the Beretta/Wilson version. I am just not sure if I want to go $1200 deep and wait till year end when they say they will have them again.

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A couple of key points to consider are waiting and changing sights...

Beretta is still finishing up on their move from Maryland to Tennessee. They are not fully up to speed yet at the Tennessee plant and most models are hard to come by.

If you want a G model and you don't have to change sights out, especially the front sight, Beretta has the standard G model available for significantly less than the Wilson Combat Brigadier Tactical. One key feature of the 92G compared to the BrigTac and the 92G-SD is the regular G doesn't have a rail or the Brigadier slide, so holsters are a whole lot easier to find.

Beretta 92G http://www.beretta.com/en-us/92-g/

Now on to the waiting part. If you are patient, the biggest news out of Beretta in recent years is the upcoming convertible safety/decock lever. Beretta has been working on a lever that will allow the user to swap between a safety/decocker (like a 92FS) and a decocker only (like the G models). Beretta's had some troubles with the lever and the move hasn't helped, but if you don't mind a little longer wait, I suspect Beretta will soon offer most models with the option.

I also expect the near future to bring the M9A3/Vertec type slide, with dovetailed front sights without the thickness of the Brigadier slide to more models in the line-up.

A few considerations:

If this is primarily going to be a range gun, will having a G model really make that much difference? For use at the range, I rather like having the option of putting the safety on if I need to put the pistol down when it is still loaded, like when checking my target with binoculars, etc.

Contrary to what was stated above, the Beretta 92FS cannot easily be converted to a G model. The Beretta/Stoeger Cougar and the Beretta PX4 Storm can, but converting the 92FS requires milling the slide. Bill Wilson will do it for you for a fair sum of coin if you really want.

Also, I would not recommend having a gunsmith try to cut a dovetail in the front of a 92 slide. With the open slide design, the only thing that holds the front of the slide together is a relatively narrow band of metal that is too thin to safely cut a dovetail into without critically weakening it. The Brigadier slide is much thicker there and that is why it can accommodate a dovetail.

If you are afraid of accidentally putting a 92FS on safe when cycling the slide, or you object to the size of the frame-mounted safety levers, if you are a right handed shooter you could consider installing a Wilson Combat low profile safety lever. The SC lo-pro lever pretty much eliminates the right sided lever and slims down the left sided lever to the point where it cannot be accidentally tripped cycling the slide. Yes, this does make it harder to take the safety off. I usually use the safety/decocker lever like a decocker most of the time, simply flipping the lever down then immediately back up. The WC lo-pro works fine that way. I don't carry the 92FS but if I did it would be with a round chambered and the safety off.

If you really would prefer a frame-mounted safety/decocker lever you could consider the Taurus PT92:

http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=133&category=Pistol

Yes, I know it is a Taurus but by all accounts the best pistol that company has produced and I have yet to run into an owner of the PT92 who did not like it. The Taurus has a three-position lever that functions as a decocker but also like a Model 1911 safety that allows the pistol to be carried cocked and locked if desired.

As for the new G convertible lever that Beretta is allegedly working on, many 92 owners would welcome it but just be aware that Beretta has had a bad habit of announcing products that turn out not to become available for years.

By Beretta 92FS came with tritium night sights (a "Police Special") and I have added the WC low-profile safety lever, WC short reach trigger, WC G10 tactical slant grips, a Beretta extended magazine release button, a Beretta steel recoil spring guide rod, a Beretta Elite II skeletonized hammer, and WC reduced power mainspring. All of these modifications are easily accomplished by the amateur kitchen table gunsmith.

You could also shop around for a new or used Beretta 92G-SD.

When I am done with my pistol at the range (or anywhere else) I either put it back in the holster or clear it and put it in the range bag.

455- The unit I was in would be on the range 3 days a week on average, and have some pretty high round counts. Our M9 pistols just weren't up for the task. They were constantly breaking, and would only last about 1 year to 18 months before they just needed to be replaced. Bottom line, they just weren't suitable for our mission and we ended up having them replaced with Glocks.

Harleytoo

Another not-a-big-fan of the Beretta 92. When looking for my first DA/SA 9mm. I had narowed my choices down to the Beretta 92 Compact and the SIG P226. For me the SIG had the better design and ergonomics, easier to reach and a much smoother DA trigger, and felt perfectly balanced in my hand.

The only Beretta 92 models I would consider would be the older Vertec model or the new M9A3.

get a wilsonized 92a1.

I saw a Steel-1 for sale for 400€ a week ago. Jesus. Last time I saw one for sale it was 5y ago and $1500...

needless to say I missed the deal, no purchase permit ready... EU sucks.


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IMO the Sig 226/228/229 are way superior to the M9. At one time I was issued the 228 (M11) and it was like a breath of fresh air. Then they took it away and gave me a M9 back.

Harleytoo

The down side to the SIG's I have owned is that they are boringly functional.

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Yep, just like the Toyota and Honda cars that I have owned. In terms of guns and automobiles boringly functional is always a good thing to me.

I'd get a basic 92 and do what you want to do with it. Wilson parts are pretty reasonable for them if you go that route. Converting it to a G model is pretty easy.

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For folks that like such thing there are custom parts such as trigger, hammer and slide safeties. There are frequent discussions about a G conversion kit but so far Beretta has not made them.

You can improve the trigger a lot by simply swapping the main spring to a D spring.

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Yep. I changed one out yesterday on a Italian 92FS. It takes longer to describe how to do it than to actually do it.

A good gunsmith can dovetail the front sight for you.

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That is not true. There is not enough material on the top of the Beretta slide to cut a dovetail for the front site.

A lot of people have fiber optic sights installed at my local shop

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Wilson Combat, AGW do this work. I recently had front and rear fiber optics install on a 92FS.

Trijicon also installs sights on 92 slides.

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Trijicon will only install sights on guns with dovetails cut in the slide. They will not install new night sights on fixed front sights. It is unlikely that I will ever buy another standard 92FS unless the price is really sweet.

I used to own a 92FS Italian version. Like a fool I sold it to get a smaller carry gun. It was one of the smoothest guns I have ever owned. I picked it up in a shop for $350 as a police trade in. I like the FS version because it has all the features of the M9 minus the price. Its hard to go wrong with any of the 92 series guns.

I really like my 92 and will probably end up with an M9A3 for suppressor use.

Tooltech Gunsight used to drill out the front sights on Beretta 92/96/M9s and install tritium vials but I seem to recall reading that they don't anymore or are out of business. There is one other company that is reported to do this, but the name escapes me.

I personally prefer the slimmer and lighter slide of the standard FS compared to the brig. The DA trigger with the D spring installed is about as good as a DA trigger gets. Mine is better than my German P226 and that's saying something. SA trigger is better on the SIG. I prefer the SIG decocker. I will install the mythical G conversion if it ever appears. And probably a low profile lever. I may send it to get a fiber optic front sight drilled as I prefer them. The SIG is about 25% more accurate with all ammo I've tried but the beretta can hold its own and is very smooth and fun to shoot. In matches a couple of times I've put the safety on during clearances or reloads but that's a training issue. I wish they offered a standard model with the frame mounted safety of the Steel or Millenium.

My LGS has a couple of 92Gs in stock. For some reason I think they have 10-round mags. PM me if you want their contact info.