A Minty Beretta 96 goes kaput.........

[45R]

I was at the local range the other day and my buddies Stainless Steel Beretta 96 decided to break.

The gun has about 200 rounds through it and well the slide stop seared off at the base. The pistol was still functional but never the less it was minus the slide stop. Inspection of the part looked like cheap pot metal.

Any insight to such failures on 96's or is this type of thing few and far inbetween.

I'm not a huge fan of the .40 round but there is something about this gun that made it very nice for me to shoot. I like the SS 96's and I want one...but after the weekend I'm thinking twice. Something about racking a stock gun and having it feel like it was riding on ball bearings. For 700 dollars I can spend a few more bucks and get the Sig 220ST.


Thoughts please


Thanks

45R

 

[socomcen]

I know that the (stainless) INOX models have more trouble with the extractors breaking. Maybe ask Ernest Langdon of www.langdontactical.com he worked for BerettaUSA for a number of years.

 

[Drjones]

Well, you WERE the last one to touch it....



KIDDING!!!

It sucks...'twas my gun, folks.

Ditto 45R; thoughts?

This is the same gun that already had to be sent back for a new trigger bar as soon as I got it, and now this.

I think the guys at the shop are going to be nice enough to allow me to trade this thing on a whole different gun. I've decided on a Colt 1991A1.

 

[WonderNine]

The Beretta 96 is HUGE for a 10+1 round gun. Even if you managed to get your hands on a few rare Mec-Gar 12 rounders it's still oversized for the capacity.

I read about reliability problems with 96's all the time. Ever considered a 92? It's like night and day difference in every way.

 

[meathammer]

Drjones, sorry to hear about your Beretta breaking. I own a 96fs (not the stainless model) that I purchased about 6 yrs. ago. My first pistol. Only problem I ever had was when I tried feeding it Wolf ammo.

QC problems? I heard they have been using plastic guide rods now too.

Maybe you just got a lemon?

Agree with Wondernine, the 96 is huge. I have large mits, so it fits me. It's size does make it very controllable though.

 

[memorex]

I've got a brig 96 that I haven't had any problems with. IIRC- the Inox models have various parts break like the slide release.

Check out:
http://www.berettaforum.net/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi

and you can read more about it.

 

[dsk]

New Berettas use a lot of MIM parts. I'll bet the slide stop is as well. There's plenty of plastic on the new guns too. I'm really glad I bought my two back when Beretta actually worried about its reputation.

FWIW I wouldn't mind cheaper construction as much if they resulted in lower-cost guns. Instead we get cheaper materials AND a price hike!

 

[Drjones]

I do have a Blued 96 and now I'm afraid of something breaking on that one.

It doesn't have more than 2-300 rounds through it, and I'm thinking I should do something about that to see if its reliable... It has been so far...

Time will tell...

 

[45R]

Well, you WERE the last one to touch it....

But you were the last one to shoot it

The Slide Stop looked like MIM. It seared off at the base. Dr. Jones and I will try and get some pictures of it for you guys.

Saturday at Yolo a 50AE might make an appearance. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Drjones]

You know I'm TOTALLY kidding, 45R.

You are right: I was the last to shoot it.

Regardless, it does seem like VERY cheap pot metal crap.

Anyhow, its all moot since I will hopefully be trading this for that Colt anyway.

 

[45R]

Dr. Jones.

I know that your kidding.

I'm just glad the side stop didnt pop off and ping any of us upside our noggins.

Maybe somethings do happen for a reason. A Colt would look nice in your collection. You'd balance the calibers to 2 .40s and 2. 45s

The SF123s should arrive tomorrow. Give me a hollar tomorrow night so we can get pictures.



Wondernine-
I never really considered a 92 because I already have 2 nines in a platform that I really like. (Sigs). Due to SB489 Dr.Jones and I need to narrow down our semi-auto buys. I am going for the 1911, Sig 220 and the Glock 30.

Take care guys!!!


45R