Beretta 92FS vs. Brigadier

[ECVMatt]

I have been reliving a lot of my 1980's favorite films with my 10 year old son (Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, etc..) and we have decided it's time to add a 92 to the safe. The local store is having a Beretta sale, so I want to go get one tomorrow. I have always wanted one, but there was no way I could afford one when I was 21, so I bought a Glock 17. I still have that gun and love it, but feel it's time for the 92. So I have read all I can read about the 92 series and still can't make up my mind. Money really isn't an issue, but finding holsters is. I am a Lefty to boot. I like the idea of the extra strength of the Brigadier, but I am not sure if I really need it.

So does anyone who owns both or have experience with both have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Matt

 

[nathan]

Get the best ...

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

I've had my Beretta 92FS for close to 25 years with not a problem. Hard to see where you can go wrong with this one, especially if it's been a dream gun for you.

Can't speak for the Brigadier, though.

 

[1KPerDay]

If you're only going to buy one, get a G model. Maybe a Wilson combat one. The plain 92FS will be closest to die hard and lethal weapon though. Make sure you get a Glock 7 for Die Hard 2.

 

[MikeInOr]

When I bought my 92 some 20 years ago I splurged and went for the Stainless version. I am glad I went stainless!

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

I have had my Beretta 92f since my dad bought it for me in 1984, I was 14, It was not really for me then but that's what he told mom as justification for buying it. It's had probably 15,000 rds through it no problem and it's a it's just a F model so buy which one you like best.

 

[Shipwreck]

I have more than 1 of both kinds...

I will say that the slightly heavier slide of the Brigadier DOES have a tiny bit less recoil. You can actually feel the difference. BUT.... My preference is honestly a standard slide, or a Vertec slide.

The front sight on the Brig is actually a little shorter. Plus, The squareness of the front sight area on the Brigadier slides also makes the front sight not as quick to pick up. The base where the front sight sits at is squared off on the Brig slide.

It is much easier to see the front sight on a standard 92FS slide, with the curved area under the front sight... (this is 1 thing I like about a 1911 - the top of the slide is curved, and it makes it so quick to pick up the front sight).

I personally find the non Brig slides faster to get on target - with the front sight being taller and also sitting on the rounded base.

 

[I6turbo]

I've only owned one 92-series so I can't help you with the comparison, but my 1984 model 92SB would have fit perfectly with your '80s movies. And this thread needs pictures!

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I have more than 1 of both kinds...

I will say that the slightly heavier slide of the Brigadier DOES have a tiny bit less recoil. You can actually feel the difference. BUT.... My preference is honestly a standard slide, or a Vertec slide.

The front sight on the Brig is actually a little shorter. Plus, The squareness of the front sight area on the Brigadier slides also makes the front sight not as quick to pick up. The base where the front sight sits at is squared off on the Brig slide.

It is much easier to see the front sight on a standard 92FS slide, with the curved area under the front sight... (this is 1 thing I like about a 1911 - the top of the slide is curved, and it makes it so quick to pick up the front sight).

I personally find the non Brig slides faster to get on target - with the front sight being taller and also sitting on the rounded base.

I've shot a 92A1, and I own a Wilson/Beretta 92 Brigadier Tactical. As shipwreck noted, I feel the recoil impulse is a little more subdued on the brigadier slide, and I'm glad I bought the Wilson version I did. If there had been an Inox version, I probably would have gone with that, though I do find the black finish more attractive.

Shipwreck, I have to say, I don't quite understand all the aspects of your feelings about target acquisition being faster with a rounded slide versus a more squared off slide. The last time I saw your notes about this I pulled out my Brig Tac and my 1911 and compared the two. I didn't really feel that there was any increase in speed when acquiring the front site on a rounded slide, versus a squared off slide. But, I know you have been shooting for a lot longer than I, and you have been shooting 92 variants a lot, so your speed and experience probably makes this difference a lot more noticeable than mine does.

Is it just the contrast of shapes (rounded slide and square post on a 92 or 1911, versus square post on top of squared off slide with a Brig)? If so, do you find guns like Glocks and XDm's, and other square on square sight picture type guns slower to acquire the front sight as well?

 

[BSA1]

I also have had a Beretta 92FS for 25 years. Mine is a Law Enforcement model with night sights.

I had it tuned by Teddy Jacobson, Actions by T, and just replaced the magazine release button with a oversize extended checkered one made by Wilson Combat. I really like the Wilson Combat extended mag release button.

Unless you plan on shooting it a lot, especially with hot loads I don't see a need for the Brigadier model.

I just brought my second 92FS new for $520.00. (Two is One). This one has the ''safety warning billboard" on the slide. The commercial M-9 runs $100.00 more at $620.00. The only difference I can tell between it and the 92FS is the rounded trigger guard. You have to get the M9A1 for the rail on the bottom of the frame.

I am planning on using my first 92FS regular carry. Kansas has open carry so size is not a issue. We have had two domestic terrorists shot and killed by LEO's near me in the past month (Hesston and Butler County).

I can't help on holster much. I have a Uncle Mike's nylon belt slide holster that carries it well. However it is high ride so not the best choice for self-defense carry. I have been looking at the holsters Wilsons offers. Remember the 92 is going to need a strong belt.

 

[arspeukinen]

I have 92fs inox and two with brigadier slides. Brig is nicer but so is the new 92a1, it has replaceable front sight and round trigger guard. Vertec grips are meh.

 

[Shipwreck]

I actually bought a standard Brig in Nov 2014, as I was trying to resist the extra $ of the Wilson Brig. I also wanted a Brig since they had bee out of production for so many years... I did a few mods to it, and even had night sights installed.

But after seeing the pics of the Wilson Brigs on all the forums, I finally gave in and bought one last summer. I couldn't resist. I am not a huge fan of the grips they came with (I just recently changed mine). But damn, if those green Wilson grips don't look super sweet.

I've shot a 92A1, and I own a Wilson/Beretta 92 Brigadier Tactical. As shipwreck noted, I feel the recoil impulse is a little more subdued on the brigadier slide, and I'm glad I bought the Wilson version I did. If there had been an Inox version, I probably would have gone with that, though I do find the black finish more attractive.

Shipwreck, I have to say, I don't quite understand all the aspects of your feelings about target acquisition being faster with a rounded slide versus a more squared off slide. The last time I saw your notes about this I pulled out my Brig Tac and my 1911 and compared the two. I didn't really feel that there was any increase in speed when acquiring the front site on a rounded slide, versus a squared off slide. But, I know you have been shooting for a lot longer than I, and you have been shooting 92 variants a lot, so your speed and experience probably makes this difference a lot more noticeable than mine does.

Is it just the contrast of shapes (rounded slide and square post on a 92 or 1911, versus square post on top of squared off slide with a Brig)? If so, do you find guns like Glocks and XDm's, and other square on square sight picture type guns slower to acquire the front sight as well?

Well, on a 1911... The top of the slide is rounded. Then, you have the front sight... I pick up on the front sight so fast because of the curve of the slide below the sight. And, on a 1911, I can actually just cover the target with the front sight and shoot a bullseye at 7 yards or less... Without even lining up the rear sight to the front sight. The fact that the front sight stands out so well makes this easy to do, and rather fast.

A slide with a squared slide (like a Glock), doesn't have the front sight stand out quite as much. At least in my opinion (although, I have had some aftermarket Glock sights that are taller than factory sights, and this helps minimize this issue).

For me - on a standard Beretta slide (or on a Vertec type of slide, like the M9A3 comes with)... The front sight is taller, AND it also sticks out more noticeably from the slide because the slide is curved below the sight. The front sight on the Brig is actually shorter on its own. And then it sits on a squared off base.

I can bring the gun up and on target, with the front sight covering what I want to shoot, faster with the non Brig slide. That front sight just pops more and stands out more IMHO. Shifting from target to target, I am faster with the non Brig slide.

Now, I haven't timed myself shooting both to make it official. But, the front sight pops up in my brain faster.

I am very, very particular on my sights. I have friends that tease me about this all the time. I hate buying a new gun where the paint on the sights are messed up, even in the least. I also hate seeing new guns with trijicon night sights, and the white paint around the tritium is already screwed up. I won't buy such a gun.

I also see tons of screwups on the paint on the sights on CZ handguns. This annoys the hell outta me when I view the sight picture on such a gun.

So, maybe I am more particular about handgun sights than others.

 

[Shipwreck]

I have 92fs inox and two with brigadier slides. Brig is nicer but so is the new 92a1, it has replaceable front sight and round trigger guard. Vertec grips are meh.

I don't care for the Vertec grip either. But, I love the Vertec slide.

What is cool about the M9A3 is that is has a Hogue add on grip included - and you can covert the Vertec grip to a standard grip. My M9A3 is actually my favorite of all of my handguns and all of my Berettas

 

[1KPerDay]

what's different about the vertec slide?

 

[JTQ]

what's different about the vertec slide?

It allows a dovetailed front sight without being as thick as the Brigadier slide.

The M9A3 and 92A1 also have a dovetail, but the standard 92FS family slide cannot accommodate the dovetailed front sight.

Edit to add: The 92A1 is an oddity. The slide will not fit on other family members (I think it will probably fit on the now discontinued 90-Two). The Vertec and probably the M9A3 slide will fit on other family members. I expect to see the 92A1 to go away within a couple of years as the M9A3 slide becomes the standard slide.

 

[OregonJohnny]

The commercial M-9 runs $100.00 more at $620.00. The only difference I can tell between it and the 92F is the rounded trigger guard. You have to get the M9A1 for the rail on the bottom of the frame.

I'm not sure what you mean, as both the M9 and the 92F have square trigger guards. Rounded trigger guards come on the older 92SB (as in the picture earlier in this thread from I6Turbo), the Wilson 92G Brig Tac and the 92A1.

My opinion for anyone who wants to buy their first Beretta, mostly for that 80's/90's movie nostalgia, is to buy a standard 92FS. If you can find an older used model with straight dust cover (pre-2000), even better. For the closest match to the original Lethal Weapon/Die Hard gun, you want to look for a 92F. It was the version right before the 92FS, and the only difference is it had a slightly smaller hammer pin base. They enlarged the hammer pin base and cut a slot in the slide to accommodate it in the 92FS (to prevent a broken slide from flying back at the shooter). But the "Hero Gun" from those action movies was a 92F, made in Italy in the 1980's.

If you just want a Beretta 92 with all the bells and whistles, go all out: The Wilson Combat 92G Brigadier Tactical.

As for you being a lefty, the Beretta is a fantastic gun for you. The magazine release can be reversed and the ambidextrous safety/decocker is easy to manipulate from either side.

Whichever model you choose to get, do yourself a huge favor and buy a Beretta "D" hammer spring. You can find it on Brownell's or from Beretta USA for around $5. It will lighten your double action trigger pull by 3-4 pounds. It is a MUST.

 

[FL-NC]

In the mil I was forced to use the M9 series of pistols off and on for about 20 years, when I wasn't issued other handguns. At one point (2000?) our M9s were fitted with brigadier slides. They came in a kit with the required slide stop and trijicon sights were installed into the dovetails. We liked them because of the added weight, there was slightly less recoil when firing our hot loads, and of course the sights, but mainly because the incidents of locking block failures went down (one of the reasons we switched to Glock). (BTW, a M9 pistol in my unit normally lasted about 2 years before it was "coded out" due to over-use, with typically 1 locking block failure during the 2 years it was in service. We shot a lot.) The only disadvantage of the brigadier slide was that it wouldn't fit into most of the existing kydex holsters as they were molded for the standard slide. In fact, not many off the shelf kydex holsters out there for the brigadier, though the safariland holsters we used had enough play in them to work fine.

 

[il.bill]

I6turbo -

That picture would look good framed, hanging on a wall - nicely done!

 

[ECVMatt]

Thanks for all the info guys. I guess I will have to go and check them both out. I would get the Wilson in a heartbeat if I didn't live in communist California. I can get a 92FS blued or SS, Brigadier blue or SS, a M9 or an A1.

Any of those versions would scratch my 80's itch, I guess I will just have to go check them all out and decide. I will definitely add the D spring as this will be my first DA in a long time.

Thanks again,

Matt

 

[BSA1]

I'm not sure what you mean, as both the M9 and the 92F have square trigger guards. Rounded trigger guards come on the older 92SB (as in the picture earlier in this thread from I6Turbo), the Wilson 92G Brig Tac and the 92A1.

I mistyped when I said 92F. I meant 92FS.

Well Poo! Now you have me puzzled. The Beretta I saw in the display case at Cabelas was marked Commercial M-9 on the tag, has a round trigger guard and no rail under the dust cover. The front sight has a white dot and the rear sight has a white post for dot on top of post sight picture and priced at $620.00. It must have been mismarked and could be a 92A1 except it doesn't have the rail.

Then they had the M-9A1 with a round trigger guard and the rail under the front of the frame for about $700.00.

I was interested in buying it as I have a coupon and some Cabelas bucks but, since the manager wasn't there, the clerk said he could not do anything on price. He said it was a new gun but got flustered when I asked why it was in the used gun case. I have yet to talk to any of the associates in the gun department that know anything about the guns I have looked at. The manager is also equally clueless about how to sell a C&R gun to a C&R license holder.

Anyway I brought another new 92FS for $100.00 less so my budget is shot until Fall. (I have a sick dog that has racked up a $2,000 vet bill so far. The things we do for our pets).

Next time I am in Cabelas I'll look at it again if they still have it.

Dang it. My interest in Beretta 92 series could get expensive fast.

 

[Shipwreck]

Well Poo! Now you have me puzzled. The Beretta I saw in the display case at Cabelas was marked Commercial M-9 on the tag, has a round trigger guard and no rail under the dust cover. The front sight has a white dot and the rear sight has a white post for dot on top of post sight picture and priced at $620.00. It must have been mismarked and could be a 92A1 except it doesn't have the rail.

There are only 5 options this could be:

1. It was a 92A1, and you didn't see the rail
2. It was a Wilson Brig and you missed the rail and Brig slide
3. It was an older model(would be used, by now) called a 92SB (this is most likely scenario) and it was mislabeled: See http://www.berettaweb.com/92sb/beretta 92sb.htm
4. It was a used M9 that was sent somewhere to be customized. There are places that will modify the trigger guard to a curved model
5. It was a modified parts gun with an SB frame.

 

[OregonJohnny]

The Beretta I saw in the display case at Cabelas was marked Commercial M-9 on the tag, has a round trigger guard and no rail under the dust cover. The front sight has a white dot and the rear sight has a white post for dot on top of post sight picture and priced at $620.00. It must have been mismarked and could be a 92A1 except it doesn't have the rail.

My guess is that it is a 92SB that someone mistakenly marked as an M9. The easiest giveaway that it is an SB would be a straight front strap, whereas all 92/M9 models that followed have a flared frame at the bottom of the front strap. Or, as Shipwreck said, someone could have sent an M9 off to be customized, including rounding the trigger guard. Or it is an M9 slide on a 92SB frame, which would be the least likely scenario. As for the sights, the M9 uses the dot on post sights, but so did older 92 models (SB, F). The only way to be sure about that particular gun is to see exactly what markings are on the slide, and also what the serial number on the frame is.

 

[BSA1]

Beretta

1. It was a 92A1, and you didn't see the rail

I handled it and it does not have the rail.

2. It was a Wilson Brig and you missed the rail and Brig slide

I handled it and it does not have the rail and Brig slide

3. It was an older model(would be used, by now) called a 92SB (this is most likely scenario) and it was mislabeled: See http://www.berettaweb.com/92sb/beretta 92sb.htm

Checking the Beretta website it appears to be a Beretta SB which would explain why it was in the used gun case. What sights came on the SB?

4. It was a used M9 that was sent somewhere to be customized. There are places that will modify the trigger guard to a curved model

Possibilty. I thought about that. The rail under the slide would have been removed at the same time. If so it was well done. That will explain the front sight with white dot and rear slide with the white post. I thought about Wilson Combat but there are no identifying marks on it.

5. It was a modified parts gun with an SB frame.

Another good possibility.

Thanks to all of you for the replies. There is nothing like a unusual gun to provoke a lot of maybes post.

Unfortunately I am still crippled up from recent knee surgery so getting back to Cabelas in the next two weeks is unlikely. However it is a 92SB Model seems most likely with Cabelas mismarking the model.

Like I previously said the gun staff at this store are ignorant about handguns. I had to show the associates that were working how to remove and reinstall the cylinder on a 1858 Remington.

Matt we ended up high jacking your thread a bit but hopefully you will find the conversation about the different models useful. I prefer the standard 92FS.

 

[Shipwreck]

Your answer about the M9 and the rail.... You do realize that there are TWO different M9 variants. The standard non railed M9 and a railed M9A1.

A regular M9 has no rail.

But yes, it is most likely a mislabeled 92SB.

 

[jamal28]

Get the 92a1 or the vertec