Question on Beretta 92F

[Swamprabbit]

For the past 15 or so years, I've had the 9mm bug a few times. Each time, I would keep the pistol for a year or so then get tired of the cartidge and sell or trade. In that time, I've had a couple of Browning HPs (love those things) and a Glock 19. This time, I'm being tempted by the Beretta 92F - not sure why, just am.

My question is it seems to me that the barrel flops around alot when the pistol is locked into battery. Since I like for any handgun to shoot at least 6" groups at 50yds (please, no comments on why I have this requirement, its just one of my sticky points ), will the Beretta 9mm meet my "standard"?

 

[R.H. Lee]

The 92F (or FS) is a fine pistol. I owned one for awhile and it functioned flawlessly. Yeah, the barrel does wiggle a little in battery, but it's still as accurate as any other production pistol out there. I just didn't like the size of the thing for what it was, besides I'm limited to 10 rounds mags here in California, and traded it for a Springer Stainless Milspec .45

 

[datasmith]

I own a stainless 92FS and will probably keep it forever. I never noticed the barrel being noticably loose in the battery, and the slide and frame are precision and so finely matched. I don't think any of my other guns are made any finer than my 92FS. The easy to acquire sights and 5" barrel should give you the accuracy you're looking for.

 

[ZekeLuvs1911]

Why in the world would you want a pansy caliber like a 9mm when a real man caliber like the .45ACP exists? Go with a M1911 and you'll never go back.







BTW, just kidding.... I wanted to start another caliber war. I've been bad this Christmas and got my presents auctioned off on Ebay......lol. I own 3 Berettas along with many 1911's and I find the Berettas to be ok....not as good as a 1911 but ok.

 

[Old Dog]

Why in the world would you want a pansy caliber like a 9mm when a real man caliber like the .45ACP exists? Go with a M1911 and you'll never go back.

Hope you're joking ... people who can say this with a straight face crack me up. Would you volunteer to get shot with my "pansy caliber" Beretta?

Hey, I've carried Berettas on duty for the past ten years ... and found them adequately accurate -- some exceptionally accurate. My favorite is my Inox stainless 92FS, just a fun pistol to shoot, very, very accurate, and stone reliable, 100%.

I do, however, always sport a 1911 for concealed carry.

 

[nhhillbilly]

Great firearm just big. I own two and have carried one of several years on duty. Very reliable and accurate. It is just a bit to big.

 

[ZekeLuvs1911]

Hope you're joking ... people who can say this with a straight face crack me up. Would you volunteer to get shot with my "pansy caliber" Beretta?

BTW, just kidding.... I wanted to start another caliber war. I've been bad this Christmas and got my presents auctioned off on Ebay......lol. I own 3 Berettas along with many 1911's and I find the Berettas to be ok....not as good as a 1911 but ok.

Boy, I wish some people would read the whole text before making an blatantly incorrect assumption...........

 

[gc70]

I just pulled both my Beretta 92FS and my Colt NRM 1991 out of the safe and compared barrel lockup in battery. The Beretta is absolutely rock solid, without any hint of movement, while I can feel the tiniest hint of movement with the Colt.

The Beretta is marvelously well fitted and smooth - the slide feels like it is on ball bearings. For me, the Beretta's only downside is the shape of its grip, which will never feel right in my 1911-shaped hands.

 

[Pebcac]

I had a stainless 92FS that I kept for many years of flawless performance, then sold to buy an 8000F Cougar.

What a mistake. The Cougar was nice, but it was nothing compared to my 92FS. It's the gun I miss the most out of all that I've traded or sold.

 

[Lone Star]

My son has a M92F and has used some military M9's He says they shoot quite well, and he's also got a .45 auto and has owned a particularly accurate Mk. III Browning 9mm. I shot it once, was very impressed.

I'm sure the Beretta won't shoot any better than my CZ-75B, which thinks it's a SIG-P-210! But I think that's plenty good in a reliable service arm!

As for 9mm stopping power, I know an officer who shot an Iraqi across a room last year, and two rounds of GI ball in the solar plexus put him down fast. A medic came running, but he died within a minute or two. I have also been told of a couple of tankers who popped Iraqis trying to get on their mounts and they also expired promptly. Finally, the late Dave Arnold, the onetime chief anti-terrorist cop in then-Rhodesia told me that the 9mm usually sufficed on the local commie thugs. He was in a position to get quite a bit of feedback.

Lone Star

 

[Swamprabbit]

Thanks for the info folks and I don't mind, at all, the tongue in cheek 1911 humor . My carry gun has been the 1911 for several years and will be for years to come.

Since I am a 1911 guy, I guess one of my major hangups with the Beretta is the double action trigger pull. Seems like you've got to drive around the whole farm before the hammer will fall. I'm curious, for those who carry these (police or military), do you typically shoot the first shot double action or do you cock the hammer first? Just seems like it would be a tough transition, in rapid fire, to shoot the first shot DA then SA on the following shots.

 

[Kor]

Well, I own a Beretta 92F for sentimental reasons - the M9 was the first handgun I ever fired, in Army Basic Training at Ft. Knox, KY, and I qualified Expert with it in Basic. I still shoot it pretty well, although I must admit that the grip is the fattest of all my pistols, and the trigger reach is pretty long.

If I try to push the muzzle up/down/sideways with my 92F's slide forward, it does have a little bit of play, but not too much. About as much play as in the slide of a "duty" 1911(as opposed to a match-accurized 1911), i.e. enough so the gun doesn't freeze up from a little mud or gunk. If your prospective purchase's barrel wiggles much more than that, pass or talk the seller down at least $150 so you can buy a new Bar-Sto barrel(which, when properly fitted, turns Berettas into tack-drivers).

GI armorers know that a quick-'n-dirty trigger job can be done by swapping out the factory mainspring for a 1911 mainspring - I've done it to my own Beretta, and now the DA trigger pull is almost as nice as my Kahr K40's, about 8 smooth pounds, albeit much longer. With the pull-weight whittled down to a reasonable level, you can "trigger-cock" the gun with the pad of your index finger as you bring the gun up from low-ready - but NEVER put your finger on the trigger itself until you start coming up from low-ready onto target, for safety's sake. With some diligent practice, you can convert the "off-safe" portion of your 1911 drawstroke into a "trigger-cock" stage when shooting the Beretta, so you keep continuity of motion instead of stopping on target so you can haul that DA trigger all the way home for the first shot.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

I guess one of my major hangups with the Beretta is the double action trigger pull.

There are a few variants floating around with a Single Action trigger only, and also variants with a frame mounted safety like a 1911 too.

 

[Old Dog]

I'm curious, for those who carry these (police or military), do you typically shoot the first shot double action or do you cock the hammer first? Just seems like it would be a tough transition, in rapid fire, to shoot the first shot DA then SA on the following shots.

I usually fire my first shot DA, although during re-qual, I confess that once or twice (on the 25-yard portion of the course) I've been sneaky and cocked for my first shot (we have to de-cock prior to holstering) on a dark day or a dim indoor range (suffering from "geezer eyes") ... The DA trigger pull has never bothered me; I prefer it for "threat management" situations (but not for shooting).

Boy, I wish some people would read the whole text before making an blatantly incorrect assumption...........

Zeke -- Sorry! You're right, I'm guilty as charged; that's one of my pet peeves, too. That first sentence of yours triggered my "not this crap again" button and I neglected to read further (all that white space between statements); should have realized you were funnin'.

 

[ZekeLuvs1911]

Hey Old Dog!
No harm done and thanks for your apology which is accepted. I am impressed by people who can acknowledge a mistake which is not easy for some people to do. So anyway, have fun all!

 

[bosshoff]

Response to trigger concerns

I have a 92F which was my first non-rimfire handgun. The DA trigger leaves a little to be desired. I am thinking of sending my 92 to Landon Tactical to have some trigger work done, as well as one of their triggers with the over-travel bump installed. Here is the link. From what I have read, this guy is THE guy when it comes to 92's.

http://www.langdontactical.com/

 

[cstuard]

For an immediate,very noticeable reduction in trigger pull weight you just need $5. Buy a "D" hammer spring and install it.Get it from Langdon as mentioned above and might as well order a "comp" spring at the same time.The "D" is absolutely reliable in defence as it is installed in all DAO Beretta 92's.Good luck