Beretta92FS or B-HP for home use

[fvf]

I personally carry a Glock 19 and would like to leave either a Beretta 92FS or a Browning HP both in 9mm for the house. This will be the reserve pistol for my wife when I am not at home. I currently have a G26 and the BHP but am in the process of selling the G26 and deciding whether to keep the BHP or get a Beretta 92FS which has a decocker and slide safety.

Which would be the better house gun and if I decide to carry and range use the 2 later on which would be more durable?

 

[10-Ring]

Why change if you've already got Glocks around? You've already got the trigger time w/ the Glock and as long as your wife has enough experience w/ the 19 or 26 you should be fine.
That said, I have a 19, BHP and a 92fs, and each would be fine...bottom line if it will be for your wife when you're not around, does she have a preference? Depending on her size, the grips on the BHP & 92fs may a bit on the large size for her.

 

[david_the_greek]

I'm slanted in favor of the BHP but I've never shot a beretta personally. The browning holds enough rounds and the modern versions all feed HPs well. They are easy and fun to shoot (in my opinion). recoil is very managable in the HP as it is a steel gun. they look nice, are combat proven and are great at the range. I suppose the beretta may have similar characteristics but it (for me) doesn't have the great fit in your hand like the browning.

 

[Pilot]

I prefer the BHP because if you do decide to carry it at some point its slimmer and smaller than the Beretta. Both are fine for home defense but the Browning gives you more flexibility and is just a wonderful 9MM.

 

[huntershooter]

The BHP's grip is substantially smaller/trigger reach shorter than a 92. Have your wife shoot one of each and see which is her preference. Five bucks says it's the P-35.

 

[Vitamin G]

I also think the BHP is a fine house gun. Very customizable with different grips, widths, even new slides now.

Ask Jack Ryan (Tom Clancy books)

 

[Alan Fud]

My BHP wouldn't handle HPs so well. Not so with my 92FS.

 

[BHPshooter]

Alan, how old is the HP you're referring to?

Wes

 

[fvf]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I thought of the 92FS because it might be safer to leave in condition 1 because of all the safeties. But the comments on the BHP made me realize that it has a magazine safety which would also make it safe in condition 1.

Since my wife is not a regular shooter, would the BHP be less likely to stove pipe because of a limp wrist. I haven't seen it happen in a Beretta because of the wide ejection port.

 

[Pilot]

I thought of the 92FS because it might be safer to leave in condition 1 because of all the safeties. But the comments on the BHP made me realize that it has a magazine safety which would also make it safe in condition 1.

Since my wife is not a regular shooter, would the BHP be less likely to stove pipe because of a limp wrist. I haven't seen it happen in a Beretta because of the wide ejection port.

The BHP is designed to be left cocked and locked. If your wife is incomfortable with that stick with a DA/SA auto like the Beretta, CZ-75B, Sig P series, etc.

My wife limp wrists ALL polymer guns like Glocks, XD-9, and even my Sgi P228. She is fine with the all steel BHP, CZ-75B and even my alloy framed CZ-75D PCR. The BHP should not be a problem for her, but she should shoot it first. The BHP grip will probably feel better to her than the Beretta's. The Beretta is a huge gun for its caliber, but still a fine weapon.

 

[JNewell]

You didn't say how much training your wife has, so the following thought may not apply. I think I'd think hard about having the BHP (or any similar pistol) as an emergency weapon for use by relatively untrained person. The odds of something going wrong (not firing when needed or firing when not wanted) are a lot higher than with other pistol types.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Both are excellent pistols, but the 92 gets the nod for two reasaons.

-it is DA, so it can be left round chambered, safety off, hammer down. IOW, ready to go but still safe. It is foolish to leave a SA pistol C&L safety off. Having to take a gun off safe is one more variable that could make the difference.

-It does not have a mag safety.

The capacity difference is negligeable, but I'd take the extra 2 rounds in the 92.

 

[Pilot]

The capacity difference is negligeable, but I'd take the extra 2 rounds in the 92.

You can get 17 round mags for the BHP. Actually, MachIV I used a BHP with a 17 round mag for a gun course I took at someone's property in of all places, Elbert County, just east of Parker.

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

I have both a BHP and a 92 as well as a glock & XD. My wife only shoots a couple of times a year and then usally only one or two mags, she prefers the Beretta over everything else and it's because of the safety.

 

[Alan Fud]

Alan, how old is the HP you're referring to?

Made in the late 1970's or early 1980's ...

 

[rellascout]

Older HP do not always feed hollow points well. A competent gunsmith familar with BHP should be able to take the bump out of the feedramp that is causing your failure to feed.

Newer BHPs MKIII will not have these issues.

 

[RustyShackelford]

hand strength/semi auto pistols/DA only

If you plan to keep a loaded 9mm pistol in your home for protection, I'd check and see if your wife/domestic partner can shoot/handle a double action or even better a da only semi auto. You may be strong enough to load, rack the slide(s), fire etc but she may not. A security or critical incident is not the best time to find out!

You may want to consider a Beretta 92D or a smaller Beretta DA only model in 9mm. It's worth buying a new da-only design like the SIGarms DAK P-229 or HK P-2000 9mm. The HK P-2000 has ambi controls, has a smooth lightweight DA only pull, is easy to clean, and has a built in trigger lock. The HK pistols come with slots to add laser sights/white light-flashlight systems and/or extended(10-20 rd) mags for home defense.

www.gunsamerica.com www.berettausa.com www.hk-usa.com www.sigarms.com www.packing.org www.nra.org

Rusty

PS: for 9mm loads use the Magsafe or Glaser Silver.
www.magsafe.com www.corbon.com

 

[fvf]

I agree that racking the slide might be difficult for my wife, that is why I am considering a Beretta92FS because of the numerous safeties I can leave it chambered and all she needs to do is deactivate the slide safety.

Or I can keep the BHP MkIIIs in condition1 with a bullet chambered with the hammer down and all she has to do is pull down the hammer and flip up the safety to get it to safe or eject the magazine to deactivate the trigger.

The comments on the size of the grip area are worth considering also.

 

[rellascout]

I would not keep a hammer down on a loaded chamber.

In a self defense situation you can guarantee that her motor skills will be deminished. Under stress there is a greater chance of an AD if the hammer slips out of her fingers. Dropping a safety is hard enough.

If you go with the BHP cockand locked is the way to go. You might also look into the CZ P01/PCR. They fit smaller hands very well. They have a great in the hnad feel. The P01 even has a light rail for a home defense gun.

My final suggestion is to get an Remington 870 shotgun. Get her a 20 guage with an 18" barrel. That is what I got my wife. Load it with light recoil buckshot. It is easier to handle and more accurate than a hand gun espically for those without a lot of gun experience.

I always say that the best house gun is a shotgun.

 

[fvf]

On the BHP MkIIIs there is a half cock notch on the hammer (like a 1911) so the possibility of discharge in case the hammer slips while being cocked is remote, also because of the firing pin safety in this model.

Once the hammer is cocked the BHP fires in single action mode which might increase hit probability than from a double action pull.

One of my concerns is limp wristing of the BHP could this induce a stove pipe jam as against the wide ejection port of the Beretta 92FS

 

[rellascout]

I still think that having to cock a weapon in order to fire under stress is a bad idea. I do not understand why cocked and locked is not an option?

You are correct on a MKIII you are less likely to have an accidential discharge if the hammer slips you will still be left with a weapon that will not fire.

As for limp wristing if she is going to rely on a gun for her protection she should shoot it well enough that limp wristing is not an issue. If she will not practice enough to elimate this error again I would suggest a shot gun.

 

[fvf]

Thanks for your suggestion.

Actually I have a 12gauge shotgun at home which might do the trick. It's a Saiga 12K magazine fed AK designed shotgun that operates on a gas system in semi automatic mode. Will this be ok ? Also do you keep your shotgun chambered while at home?

 

[rellascout]

The Saiga would work. Again i would get reduce buckshot loads. As long as you know it is reliable and that she knows how to clear a malfuntion if one were to occur.

For home defense I really like pump shot guns. They are simple they work. Easy to point, shoot and clear if there is a malfunction.

I keep a round in the chamber 6 in the tube. My 870 has a push button safety so I don't worry about it My wife shoots often enough that she can handle it well. She likes shooting her shotty more than pistols so I know she is good to go when she is home alone. Practice Practice Practice.

Good luck.

 

[fvf]

Your so right about the practice thing which I follow, unfortunately my wife is not really into firearms and I am the one providing these things for her and the kids protection just in case I am not at home.

I have tested my Saiga12K with #4 birdshot which is the weakest I would go because of the gas system operation. Would this load be good enough for HD?

I also have a pump, a Mossberg Bullpup which which I haven't used often but I think it would be reliable. Altho it is quite heavy for a pump shotgun.

I was thinking of leaving the chamber of the Saiga empty and leaving a 7-round magazine which she can use. My Saige12K have a bolt hold open button so she can use for easier loading of a round into the chamber.

 

[rellascout]

That would work but I would not use bird shot in a defensive weapon. I suggest reduced recoil OO Buck.

http://www.remingtonle.com/ammo/ss_rrb.htm

or Number #4 Buckshot

http://www.tacticalshotgun.ca/content_nonsub/gelatin_testing/buck_4_fed/gelatin_buckshot_4.html

Good luck.