Beretta 96

[GoBrush]

What do you like?
What dont you like?

Want to buy one for the night stand probably get the model with a rail to mount a light.

 

[bearmgc]

Like smooth DA trigger, the reliability, Very smooth action to chamber round, night sights really work, fit and finish, the easy disassembly, and ooh the accuracy. Don't like the gun weight and size of grip.

 

[10-Ring]

I've owned several pistols in the 40 cal & the 96 was my fave of the bunch...(let's see, the bunch included a Para P16, HK USPc 40, Glock 23, & Beretta 96)
Pro's - I really like the feel of the 96...I love my 92's!
Con's - I don't much care for the caliber

 

[solareclipse]

sights are pretty pathetic. they make target acquisition difficult and it is pretty darn hard to know when you have them lined up proper. removal is a pita and replacements are just as bad. 3/10

fit and finnish.. quite good but edges do tend to exhibit extra wear. i don't like the bruniton finnish on the frame which always looks old, dull and dirty. 8/10

DA trigger is a rediclously long with a nasty and heavy notch you have to press through for the hammer to get released... the whole thing of having the trigger come so close to the grip negates it being a big gun. feels like a mini and i hate it in my big hands. 5/10

recoil... a lot. glocks half its weight in .40 have less recoil. this is only helped by the trigger in DA in which you need to fight to keep the muzzle in direction so you get a somewhat weaker grip in the process. 2/10 SA gets a 6/10

reliability.. accuracy... it is reliable. 10/10. it will digest everything but seems to work best with 180gr and above. accuracy is pretty pathetic. could be just mine (no reason why though..) but for the love of it all i can't shoot this thing on target. accuracy gets 2/10.

do yourself a favor and shoot one before you buy. that's all i can say.

 

[WillBrayJr]

Like any 40S&W that was modified from a 9mm, it just doesn't handle like the M92. I hear the same thing with the Browning H-Power and H&K P7 in 40S&W.

It's very dependable, accurate, and a fine choice when in an urban setting. The thing I don't like is the 40S&W, not because of it's performance but because everyone and the mama has one.

Make sure to change out the locking blocks and recoil springs often.

 

[Devonai]

Make sure to change out the locking blocks and recoil springs often.

I suppose you might want to have spares lying around, but I've put something like 8,000 rounds through my 92FS and I don't see any unusual wear on the locking block. The recoil spring is just as strong as when I bought the pistol.

The 92FS is my favorite 9mm to shoot and I'm better with it than any other pistol. I also have plenty of faith in the 124-grain +P Speer Gold Dot JHP rounds that I carry, and 15+1 of them makes me rest easy.

It is not, however, my favorite pistol to carry around all day and concealing it requires a certain minimum of outer clothing. Still, it was my only pistol for years and I carried it in all kinds of weather. Every summer I would wish for something smaller.

As far as the 96, I owned a .40 conversion kit for my 92. I found it to be the most pleasant .40 caliber handgun I've ever fired with the exception of the Baby Eagle (full-size, all steel). I would have to respectfully disagree with solareclipse on recoil versus Glocks. The Beretta was easier for me to fire, especially rapidly.

As a bedside pistol I think the 96 would be an excellent choice.

 

[HD]

lockingblock problems are a thing of the past...

4th gen LB are supposed to eliminate all the previous issues...

 

[britinaz]

Love the fit and finish,

Love the DA/SA

Hate the safety decocker. Decocker is fine but it should spring into a firing position like a sig.

It conceals easily with the stock grips inside the wasteband,or you can put on hogue rubber grips and have big recoil taming finfer grooves (not really necessary)

Love the accuracy.

Hate the Mag capacity- 10 rounds as standard, 12 rounders are around but pretty rare.

I have at least 10,000 rounds through mine with no spring/locking block issues.

 

[_N4Z_]

96

I had an INOX 96 for a little over a year. Looked great, fit/finish very nice, became quite accurate with it. I liked the weight and thought recoil was a non-issue. My wife fired in quite a bit and never complained about the recoil either.

All that aside it suffered too many ftf's, 7 or 8 in about 1200 rounds. Was the designated bedside HD weapon and I found this to be unacceptable. I think had I put a slight chamfer on the feed ramp the problem would have gone away, but I ended up letting it go in favor of a gp100.

My 2 cent.

 

[gudel]

The recoil is a non issue on my 96 Brigadier. I got a Glock 32, you wanna talk about reocil? Now that's a recoil that kicks like ass kicking you in the nuts.

Don't fall for the sissy talk about heavy recoil on the Beretta, they just hear things from other people, and that other people could be just women who seem to be recoil sensitive. I call BS on heavy recoil on the 96

the trigger is very smooth, and action is very smooth. not even my sig p220st can match the buttery smooth action in the 96 Brig.

 

[WillBrayJr]

Regardless the locking blocks should be changed out, I would every 10,000rds. The recoil spring really should be changed every 2,000rds. After all we're not talking about 9mm, we're talking about the 40S&W.

 

[GoBrush]

Good information so far I am a 40S&W shooter Sig 239 and love it recoil isnt an issue from that shortie dont think a full size Beretta will bug me.

All this talk about Lock Blocks and springs do concern me though. I do shoot alot and even though I have a 9 for my wife and realize with Gold Dots performance of a 9 is very very good. I still cant talk my self into a 9 for a primary defense gun inside the house. Probably my personal bias but its the way I feel.

Those of you up on the Beretta knowing my thoughts on 9's do I need to talk myself into a model 92 to eliminate the issues listed above.

Thanks for the help keep the info coming

 

[WillBrayJr]

There's really nothing to worry about. All semi-autos need recoil springs changed out, same goes for magazines. You'll end up putting 15,000rds through the Beretta M96 before changing the locking blocks.

 

[_N4Z_]

ftf's aside i really liked my 96.

i would buy another beretta "92" just because the I think 9mm profile would most likely eliminate the one hang up i had with the .40cal weapon.

9mm good enuff to get the job done?

imo anything from .38 up to .45 will get the job done. pay no mind to the 1 shot stop rabble.

 

[Average Joe]

I like the 92 better

 

[9mmepiphany]

the big thing, in my mind, is the smoothness of the beretta action compared to the tilting barrel of most semi-autos.

it is also the most accurate .40 i have ever owned/shot (including the sig 229 and 226, glock 22 and 23 as well as a smith 4006). mine has a very smooth DA trigger stroke and the huge open slide makes FTE stoppages almost impossible.

if i had to do it again, i would likely get a "G" model (decocker) and one with dovetailed sights (makes changing sights easier

 

[MikeJ]

I have the 96D (DAO) Centurion and really like it. I also have this gun in 9mm and although there is a difference in recoil I find it to be minimal. I really like the smoothness of Beretta's DAO trigger and the overall fit and finish; the slide feels like it is on ball bearings it is so smooth. I have average size hands and it fits very well in my hand. There is really nothing about it that I don't like. I would say that the last DA/SA Beretta I tried had a horrible DA trigger and I would have never bought it but that could have just been that particular gun.

 

[Alan Fud]

Want to buy one for the night stand probably get the model with a rail to mount a light.

You mean something like this one ...

That's where mine lives as well -- in the night stand along with a light mounted to the rail.

 

[GoBrush]

You mean something like this one ..

That's where mine lives as well -- in the night stand along with a light mounted to the rail.

Exactly!

How do you like it?

 

[Alan Fud]

I like it. Accurate & reliable. The fact that it's the first thing I reach for when I hear something going bump in the night, should speak for itself. The only negative is that recoil is a bit sharp. Definitely kicks more than my Beretta 96 Brigadier but the recoil is manageable and the Brigadier doesn't have the built-in light rail.

 

[GoBrush]

Alan

Really appreciate your time one more question cant help myself

If this is a picture of your 96 it looks like you alternate ammo I recognize the Gold Dot it the other a Winchester Silver Tip? Why have you chosen to alternate every other shot like this?

Why not just stick with the Gold Dots?

Thanks again

 

[shooter 7]

96 Brig, INS model, DAO, no hammer spur, factory 3 dot, bruntion finish, 11 rd mags in .40S&W. Put appx 3 cases thru it in appx 5 yrs.
Like: smooth, no suprizes trigger, durable finish, revolver like safety, reliability.
Dislike: l-o-n-g trigger stroke, though it could be improved by visiting a competent gunsmith.
imho, I find it hard to print tight (same hole) groups, esp iwhen double tap. b 4 you guys start in about the shooter, I have no problemo printing tight groups (same jagged hole) w my favorite duo CZ 75 & 97b. Been considering adding a set of crimson trace laser grips to the brig, have not decided if it's worth it. Reasoning: focusing on target, vs front sight. Also, potential to id shooter position in certain conditions.

 

[DAVE RICHARDS]

I have a 96G Elite. What do I like about it? Everything now. To get to that point for me took an Ernest Langdon level II trigger job and a short trigger. They are not little ccw guns. But thy are a rock solid, very accurate, totally reliable gun in a good caliber. Yes they are heavy but that'makes the .40 a pleasure to shoot. The long barrel squeezes every bit of performance out of the .40 you can get. Great home defense weapon. Yes I do carry it some in the winter when I can wear a thick coat. My Beretta has never not worked. And mines two tone and just a beautiful, well made gun. BTW, with the Elite no ????ty plastic parts. Berettas were made to be metal damn it!

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Liked the accuracy, reliablilty and ease of cleaning.
Didn't like the amount of space it took up in the safe so I sold it.

It got pushed out not because it was bad, but because I liked S&W pre-wwII revolvers better...