Beretta 92: Locking Blocks Break?

[bg226]

This thread is about the Beretta 92/96 series locking block design.

It has been suggested that the Beretta 92 series locking block design is "weak" and prone to breakage. Maybe that is why they never introduced the .357 Sig in the popular 92/96 series.

I've been reading some numbers in the 5,000 - 10,000 range where locking blocks break.

Is the particular locking block design weak?

 

[KC&97TA]

I have shot 23,250 rounds through my Beretta 92FS, the locking block is now loose, but still hasn't broke. Most of those rounds were WWB 115gr, I've shot some TAP, Some JHP, Some M882, it's been a good gun, only 5 jams on reloads.

My issued M9 looks like it was drug behind a hummer. From Dec 2004 to June 2005, I'd estimate I fired about 18k rounds of M882, 124gr which seems like a pretty decent load and it's still working fine. If it was a military M9 that you're hearing problems with, just remember, that we don't pay for our guns, we have them issued and if they break, we get it fixed or issued another, I've seen M9's used as hammers, they don't exactly get a nice life.

People like to talk Trash about the Beretta 92/M9 series pistols, mostly out of Ignorance, but every gun manufacture has problems, even the hand build customs have hic-ups form time to time.

 

[Texas Colt]

I agree with KC that every gun has it's own quirks. And I can tell you from my experience on the National Guard pistol team that we had several locking blocks break. One of the armorers used to walk around with a bag of new blocks. All of our shooting was done with issue ammo, no match ammo.

One year at the nationals, one of my teammates had a block crack, so he switched guns. The next day the block on the backup gun broke. Coincidence? Probably, but it does happen.

 

[WYO]

You should be aware that Beretta changed the design of the locking block sometime in the mid-90s to make it less susceptible to breakage. 5-10,000 sounds low even for an old style. You might try Beretta Forum for more info. www.berettaforum.net

 

[Ohen Cepel]

This gets beat to death every now and again.

From my experience I've never seen it happen and I've seen probably 50,000 rounds go out of issued M9's.

Not saying it doesn't happen. Things do break, but I haven't seen it, and when I take my civilian 92 to the range it has never crossed my mind.

 

[HorseSoldier]

I don't own a Beretta 92, and will preface anything I say about the M9 by noting that civilian Beretta shooters seem to generally have very good luck with the weapon and most will never see a locking block failure, in much the same way that most Glock .40 cal shooters will never see a kB, etc. Can happen, odds are that it won't unless you really push the Beretta.

Disclaimer aside, however, with military issue M9s I've seen plenty of broken locking blocks during relatively intensive flat range work. At my unit if we put 50 guys on the firing line for a week, we probably break 3-5 locking blocks. Generally I'm not sure on the round counts involved, but in two cases I know the blocks failed after less than 2000 rounds. Not a real confidence builder in the weapon, even if the amount of use grossly exceeds what anyone would ever actually do in combat.

I personally suspect that an exclusive diet of M882 9mm ammo, which is loaded to something near +P levels, has something to do with the poor performance I see. Some cases may also be very high round count guns or blocks, but it happens to frequently too be a catchall explanation in my opinion. Could be the number of rounds per day on the range, as well, I suppose.

Anyway, if I, personally, owned a Beretta 92, I don't think I'd run any hot loads throug it on the practice range, but would not have any reservations about shooting +P defensive loads in a real world situation. That's just me, however, and YMMV.

Edited to fix spelling and grammar errors.

 

[mete]

The original M1951 , the predicessor to the M92 certainly ,did and it wasn't only mine that broke !!!

 

[psyopspec]

Yep, 92 locking blocks break.

Oh, and for the record, HK firing pins split.

Sigs rust.

Glocks explode.

MIM parts on 1911's are brittle, and will shatter when the shooter needs them to work.

XD's have terrible finishes.

Kahr's lock up due to tolerances being too tight.

Taurus is junk all around.

Despite that, I'd take any of the manufacturers above any day for carry or combat. Most of the epidemiological handgun problems that people have can be cured by a little TLC. For every statement above, there's a "Yes, but..." to correct it. In the case of Beretta, one could say "Beretta locking blocks break," and a person could reply "Yes, but Beretta corrected that problem over 10 years ago. Also, they're less likely to break if you don't use the gun to pound in tent stakes, and stick with the manufacturer's recommended round count for replacement, compensating for use of +p rounds..."

Clean it, don't abuse it, feed it right, and stick with scheduled maintenance and you've cured 90% of the problems a shooter can have with a handgun.

 

[Steve in PA]

Had a locking block break on my 15 year old Beretta. It had the old style locking block. Replaced it with a new style and it's slinging bullets once again.

I broke a take down lever and trigger bar spring in my Sig, the extractor in my PPK/S and a part in my S&W 6906.

 

[10-Ring]

I have 2 1992 92's...one fs & one Centurion. The Centurion has 7400 rounds through it & the fs has about 14000 rounds through it (that I know of, I bought it used). Do parts break, I'm sure they do...see it all the time, but my Berettas have been loyal performers

 

[MadMercS55]

Over the years I've put alot of rounds through 92 series Beretta pistols. Some old, some new, with my current one being a recent production piece. I've never had any problems with them. I would say that, yes, there were some locking block issues in years past, but Beretta seems to have taken care of it. Combine that with regular maintenance and it really shouldn't be an issue.

 

[MrZ]

"Disclaimer aside, however, with military issue M9s I've seen plenty of broken locking blocks during relatively intensive flat range work. At my unit if we put 50 guys on the firing line for a week, we probably break 3-5 locking blocks."

Ditto.

My first prolonged experience with the military beretta was in a school with much, much, much flat range work. Out of say 40 people in the class, we probably had 10 locking blocks break...and 2 slides. Granted, the weapons had a gazillion rounds put through them, but they were also maintained by an on site armorer. That experience has soured me on ever, ever...ever owning one.

However, for what it's worth, when I blew the factory pegged front sight post off of my springfield 1911 while at an indoor range, I showed the guys that ran the range, and rather than a look of surprise on their faces, they were nonplussed.

"I've broken just about everything you CAN break on those things, sights, hammers, slides..." Said the dude.

He was an IPSC shooter, and spent many years shooting .45s in AMU.

I think the bottom line is this: if you shoot it enough, it will break.

 

[bg226]

I'm definitely going to take a big step away from the 92/96 series.

 

[fastbolt]

I don't see all that many Beretta 92/96's come through the range, but I know folks at a couple of agencies that have been using them for several years.

I've heard of a couple 9mm models experiencing broken LB's, but I've only personally seen one in which it occurred.

Last time I spoke to a LE Beretta armorer who had one break in one of his agency's pistols, he said when he contacted Beretta he was told that he wasn't replacing the recoil springs often enough ...

I also recall being told that the LB's were revised at some point to help prevent potential stress risers from occurring.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Periodic inspection and scheduled preventive maintenance procedures are often a good thing, you know ... with any handgun.

Just my thoughts ...