Taurus Beretta 92 copy

[Malice]

It seems that Taurus handguns are pretty well thought of. I hear their revolvers are up to par and a lot of good things about the Milineum guns.

How is their copy of the Beretta 92? For $100 less, would I be better off with getting the real deal?

 

[dsk]

I don't know how well they're being made these days, but an earlier PT-92 I had back in the early nineties was a solid performer. I did trade it for a Beretta, but that was only because I finally could afford the "real deal". However the Beretta never really shot any better than the Taurus did.

 

[Matthew748]

I have a 2002-2003 era Taurus PT92 and have never had any issues with it. To be honest, I have only shot about 500 rounds throught it. When I was shopping around it seems to me that the price spread between the Taurus PT92 and Beretta 92 was a lot more than $ 100.00. If you can get a new Beretta 92 for $ 100.00 more than a new Taurus 92 I would say to go with the Beretta. If nothing else, it will probably hold it's value better than the Taurus if you ever want to sell it.

 

[Malice]

Does the taurus use beretta mags?

 

[WillBrayJr]

Nope, not without modifying the mags. Both brands being new, there's usually a $200.00 difference between them. The Taurus PT92 maybe a clone of the Beretta M92 but it's no knock-off.

 

[SouthpawShootr]

Does the taurus use beretta mags?

Nope. The magazine release cut is wrong/in the wrong place. You probably could convert Beretta mags, though. Personally, I've always found Taurus factory full cap magazines to be trouble-free. Additionally, Mec-gars have a well deserved reputation for reliability.

From what I've been able to ascertain, the PT92 series and the derivatives of that design (PT99, 100, etc) have about the best reputation among Taurus handguns. I've had 2. My initial PT99 was purchased in 1989 and I shot somewhere around 10,000 rounds through it with absolutely no malfunctions whatsoever. I traded that one and, in 1995 bought a fixed sighted PT92 (which was what I wanted the first time and settled on the 99). I've probably put a few thousand through this one and it's been just as good. Accuracy and reliability is on par with my Beretta 92FS Inox. Difference is the Beretta sports a noticably better finish and a is likewise noticably smoother in operation (you really have to shoot these side-by-side to get a full grasp of what I mean). OK, your question was would you be better off with the Taurus. Depends. If you like the features of the Taurus buy it, you'll be happy. If you're looking for a Beretta, spend the extra hundred for the real thing, you'll be happier in the long run. I bought my Beretta solely b/c the agency I was volunteering with at the time issued it and I wanted to practice outside of the academy (maybe have a spare as well).

 

[SouthpawShootr]

Nope, not without modifying the mags. Both brands being new, there's usually a $200.00 difference between them. The Taurus PT92 maybe a clone of the Beretta M92 but it's no knock-off.

Paid $575 for my Beretta 92FS (prices around here are roughly the same now as when I bought mine). My Taurus PT92 was $300 OTD. Both guns were brand spanking new. Taurus prices have creeped up a bit, but I still see them at gunshows for under $350.

 

[rde]

Basically agree with Southpaw. The attention to detail in the application of the finish and the overall fit is indeed higher on my Beretta than on my Taurus. There was about a $200 difference in price. My Taurus (one of the newer ones that has the rail) seems to be more accurate than my Beretta. Both are absolutely reliable. Taurus mags (or Mecgar for the Taurus) are plentiful so there is no real need to convert Beretta mags to fit. Having small hands I really appreciate the location and operation of the safety on the Taurus. I like the "quality" of the Beretta which provides more "pride of ownership." I like the "value" of the Taurus and the location of the safety. For me they both win.

 

[idahoberetta9000s]

Go with the Beretta. I have not been impressed with any Taurus. Also, the mags are not interchangable. I also like the safety on the slide with the Beretta.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I like a frame mounted safety myself. I don't think a DA/SA autoloader needs a safety at all, but if its gonna have one, Taurus makes it the right way. If you can thumb the safety off that big, thick Beretta without adjusting your grip halfway around it . . . You're a better man than me.

 

[10-Ring]

I had a Taurus semi auto pistol once...didn't much care for it Still have an OLD Taurus 22lr revolver...crappy trigger, but I've used it to teach me how to shoot DAO. I figured that if I could shoot that POS, I could shoot most anything Lately tho, I have been tempted to invest in one of their snubbies

What was the question???? OH, IMHO, I prefer the Italian Beretta 92fs' over all That's why I got 2

 

[dsk]

The first Taurus PT-92/99 pistols were clones of the early Beretta 92's that existed at the time (late 1970's). Those pistols all had the early heel-clip mag release. Since then both designs have evolved in completely different directions, adopting different features. Taurus designed their thumb-operated magazine release independently of Beretta, which is why the mag catch holes are different. There is a small number of parts that remain interchangeable between Beretta and Taurus pistols, but most aren't.

 

[Russ]

I bought a PT 99 in the late 1980's. That is the 92 with adjustible sights. Mine was a real POS. Very heavy trigger, I hated it. Only gun I ever got rid of. For $100 extra, get the real thing. You won't be sorry.

 

[Cueball]

I also have a PT99 that has several 1,000's of rounds thru it. I've not had the first problem with it and it is still one of my HD guns now. Just as good as a Beretta IMO

 

[Old Dog]

I'd bet almost everyone that's ever owned a PT-92 would tell you that they're stone reliable and reasonably accurate pistols. I picked one up new around '91 or '92, it's more accurate than two of my Beretta 92FS pistols; not as smooth, not as pretty, but totally reliable with thousands of rounds through it ...

Price difference between the new stainless PT-92AR and an INOX 92FS in my neck of the woods is somewhat over $200.00.

BTW -- search function, search function, search function ... lots of threads on Taurus pistols over the past two months, including some with the very same question ...

 

[GarrettJ]

I like a frame mounted safety myself.

+1
I prefer the Taurus over the Beretta for this reason.

 

[otomik]

Taurus trigger guard is that dramatic hooked thing, which I think just looks silly, worse than 99% of the hooked trigger gaurds out there. Inside the trigger-gaurd it also gives less room for a gloved hand than the Beretta does. Taurus lacks that frontstrap curve toward the bottom, I like that Beretta refinement, it gives the magwell a little bevel and aids your grip.

about the safety, some people prefer it on the slide some on the frame, I don't get too hung up about it since it's a double action pistol and I think it's fine to carry with safety off (need to get a "G" decocker only type, why doesn't taurus have those?). and why does the safety look so cheap? it's like the philips head screws on CZs, it's just cheap looking, like the taurus pimp bling. Why doesn't Beretta just sell more 92 Stock pistols which have the (better looking) frame safety?

really though, Taurus started making these on Beretta machinery, other than the usual Taurus lack of quality control (fine if you want to rely on their lifetime warranty) they're both fine pistols.

 

[Pilot]

it's like the philips head screws on CZs, it's just cheap looking

I've replaced all the phillips head screws on my CZ's with real slotted gun screws like the ones that come on the PCR. Its very easy to do. All you do is unscrew the old one and screw in the new one.

 

[otomik]

I've replaced all the phillips head screws on my CZ's with real slotted gun screws like the ones that come on the PCR. Its very easy to do. All you do is unscrew the old one and screw in the new one.

nice to know, looking at their website it looks like a few other models like the RAMI have slotted now too. I really prefer the hex screws, I think it allows just the right amount of pressure to be applied. My 1984 vintage Beretta had some weird thin blade screws on it at first, very annoying.

I would be nice if a gun company provided things like hex screws and a simple multipurpose hex tool/pin punch with the gun. Wouldn't cost them much and would have saved me some time and money. Bersa included a nice keychain with Argentine flag, shwag helps create a customer-company bond. Bersa tops Taurus in south american "value" pistols IMHO.

 

[SONICMASD]

u can get a taurus 92 online for 329 NIB so thats about 200 cheaper, definetly worth it especially when u get a lifetime warranty. cant beat a taurus.