Berettas in movies; idle curiousity question

[happygeek]

Are Beretta 92s extremely popular in the civilian market or is it just Hollywood? My question was prompted by seeing yet another DVD cover with a Beretta 92 on it:



I've seen a LOT of Beretta 92s in movies and TV shows and just wondered if they're really THAT popular in the civilian market (and with criminals) or if Hollywood just puts them in lots of movies/TV shows because that's what the military and some police agencies use.

 

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

I dunno, it just looks like "the" pistol. Just something about it. I see the Beretta 92, or the Taurus look-a-like, it in virtually any movie with a gun in it.

 

[yakkingallover]

I would say fairly popular in civilian life. I can think of four people I know well that have Beretta pistols. 3 of them are 92's and I think my brother's is a 96 the only difference I believe is that it is chambered in .40 instead of nine, but they are visually similar. I do have to agree they are in many movies and in quite a few instances referred to by name unlike a lot of other generic guns in movies.

 

[highorder]

The 92 has great stage presence.

 

[jay gatz]

Much like the 1911 and glock they look like business weapons, they look like they were built for no nonsense killing, and thats often what hollywood is looking for. Almost any gun movie will have at least 2 of glock/1911/beretta 92. check out imfdb.org to get a look at what other movies feature these guns.

 

[highorder]

Much like the 1911 and glock they look like business weapons, they look like they were built for no nonsense killing,

Would you care to explain that?

 

[jay gatz]

They(to me) don't look dressed up and fancy, they look like a functional design. I know they can be purchased in all sorts of fancy versions, especially 1911s.

 

[Monkeyleg]

I've been wondering about this, too. Almost every movie I've seen lately, including movies made in the 90's, feature a 92.

I wonder if Beretta didn't contact Hollywood at some point and offer them guns for free. It's very common with other products such as Coke, Pepsi, Miller, Bud, etc.

 

[General Geoff]

Beretta 92, Colt or other 1911, and IMI Desert Eagle. These are the staples of hollywood movie pistolcraft.

 

[Rancho Relaxo]

I too have noticed Hollywood favoring the 92. I don't get it, I'm not that enamored with the weapon myself.

 

[General Geoff]

I think the 92 craze started with Lethal Weapon.

 

[Cosmoline]

Would you care to explain that?

I think he did:

thats often what hollywood is looking for.

Exactly. They don't think in terms of actual firearms, they're looking for PROPS to support the characters they're creating. They see a Beretta 92 or tricked out 1911 and they think "professional killing tool." With rare exceptions, these are not people with any significant knowledge of firearms at all. If you put a Beretta 92 next to a Security Six and asked them which one is more powerful, they'd all tell you the Beretta 92. They'd tell you the revolver is a "Cowboy gun." They don't know a 9x19 from a .357 from a hole in the wall.

 

[highorder]

Cosmoline,

I understood that hollywood looks for "the look" when it comes to props, I just didn't understand what he meant by,

they look like they were built for no nonsense killing

I take that to mean that a 7 1/2" engraved SAA was built for high falutin' nonsense killin?...

 

[chibiker]

Combination of the two, popularity and it's stage presence...the cover shot on your DVD there. Take a look at the lighting and how it is used, the distinctive design of the Beretta really stands out. I don't think that photo would have so dramatic if in the sense of handgun had it been anything else besides the Beretta.
I take a lot of different people shooting on a pretty regular basis, most have never held a gun before let alone shot one. I usually bring three or four different guns with so they get to sample auto's vs. revolvers, .22s thru .45s and invariably when we go over them, safety and handling rules, when I unzip the case on the Beretta I always get the "OOOOH, I want to shoot THAT!" It's just a very distinctive looking gun...

 

[9mmepiphany]

you'll see a lot of beretta 92s in movies for a much more practical reason...unless a manufacturer is paying for product placement...it is because it is the easiest semi-auto pistol to make function reliably with blanks...the non-tilting barrel and cut way slide help alot.

all you have to do is take out the locking block and you'll have a blowback pistol with the slide being held forward by the recoil spring...then it's just a matter of balancing the recoil and mag springs

 

[highorder]

you'll see a lot of beretta 92s in movies for a much more practical reason...unless a manufacturer is paying for product placement...it is because it is the easiest semi-auto pistol to make function reliably with blanks...the non-tilting barrel and cut way slide help alot.

all you have to do is take out the locking block and you'll have a blowback pistol with the slide being held forward by the recoil spring...then it's just a matter of balancing the recoil and mag springs

Thats an interesting perspective. I hadn't considered that.

 

[medmo]

Another possible contributing factor is that it is the current US Military general issue sidearm. That never hurt any firearms popularity.

 

[highorder]

I still credit Martin Riggs, and perhaps the T-1000.

 

[Prince Yamato]

I think it has more to do with the fact that it has many surfaces which you can get light to play off of. Somehow, the design is just "right" for hollywood. From an aesthetic perspective, the Beretta has the right mix of round and square. It has a sharp front sight. It features and exposed barrel. It's also easy to add a silencer to. It has all the features that make it look "right".

 

[fireman 9731]

Personally, I think that the Beretta 92s are ugly as sin and I cringe every time I see one.

Sometimes I think that Hollywood just wants to make me cringe on purpose though.

 

[Deus Machina]

It's a mix between aesthetics, function, and association--most moviegoers know it's in US military and 'know' it's police-issue, and that makes it a 'good guy gun.'

Check the movies out.As a general rule, good guys get the M92 or 1911. Bad guys get the Glocks and Desert Eagles.

 

[DougDubya]

Personally, I think that the Beretta 92s are ugly as sin and I cringe every time I see one.

That sin must be one hot jezebel... Berettas are gorgeous compared to the Block. Hell, Berettas are gorgeous compared to Denise Richards.

 

[highorder]

Berettas are gorgeous compared to the Block. Hell, Berettas are gorgeous compared to Denise Richards.

Seconded. I like the lines of the Beretta family.

 

[Ltp0wer]

My mother's only pistol is a Beretta 92. She chose it because out of all the ones she tested at the range, she liked shooting it the most.

I don't think it is just hollywood.

 

[Erik M]

Seconded. I like the lines of the Beretta family.

cheetah, inox, brigadier, vertec, they all have great lines.