What’s with Beretta ?

[Silver Bullet]

It’s a brutal dose of reality to learn that Beretta has discontinued so many models since the last time I looked.

No more Model 84 tip-up, no more Cougar, no more 96.

I feel like I’ve lost a friend; glad I have my 92FS (love my 92FS). I’m thinking hard about a CX-4.

Is the gun industry doing poorly, or is Beretta losing out to Sig and Glock ?

 

[Devonai]

Perhaps it's as simple as the dichotomy of Beretta and Glock, as someone pointed out earlier today here on THR that Glock has never discontinued a pistol.

When you're an artist, you strive to create. Simple resource management dictates that you can't manufacture all of your creations forever. Some have to take their place in history and make room for the new creations.

Glocks, on the other hand, are only art by philosophical extension.

However, more likely it has to do with the more complex machining that goes into an (all metal) Beretta, and there are only so many CNC machines to go around. Beretta sticks their finger in the wind, chooses to perpetuate the popular models, and anticipate the next great thing at the same time.

 

[Shipwreck]

Actually, it is the 86 that is the tip up model - the 84 is still around.

And, my local shop still has 96's.

Last year, there was talk about discontinuing the Inox models, and ONLY selling the new 90-Two and the M9A1 - but, they went back and changed that. The Inox is available again. I don't think the 96 is gone anymore, but I might be wrong on that.

 

[HorseSoldier]

However, more likely it has to do with the more complex machining that goes into an (all metal) Beretta, and there are only so many CNC machines to go around. Beretta sticks their finger in the wind, chooses to perpetuate the popular models, and anticipate the next great thing at the same time.

Plus they've gone into the plastic gun business with the Px4, so they may be trying to focus more on that line of guns, which cost them less to produce, etc.

 

[SWMAN]

From annoncements I've seen recently from Beretta, they've been reorganizing and hiring new marketing managers for their diffent lines. Likely they need to increase product sales of what sells rather than keeping what doesn't.

 

[Silver Bullet]

Actually, it is the 86 that is the tip up model

Ah, thanks. I was thinking about getting one for my wife because she has such poor hand strength she has trouble cycling the slides on semi-autos, pulling the hammer back on DA revolvers, and pulling the trigger on DA revolvers. The tip-up seemed ideal; or, considering it's .380, better than nothing.

 

[Silver Bullet]

Likely they need to increase product sales of what sells rather than keeping what doesn't.

I get that, but it just seems like the overall selection is poorer. No .357 SIG, no .45, no .40 in a steel gun.

 

[Silver Bullet]

And, my local shop still has 96's.

I don't see them on the BerettaUSA web site any more, so I assume they've discontinuing them and the ones you see in the shop won't be replaced.

 

[bg226]

The 90-TWO is still produced in both 9mm and .40

Perhaps Beretta is cutting back on the old 9x models, and sticking with the new 90-two.

Beretta is advancing the Px4 by making a .45 version and a compact version. (coming soon)

 

[JohnBT]

"Glock has never discontinued a pistol"

Sort of.

_________

Have any models been discontinued?

The G17L and G24 were discontinued when the G34 and G35 were released. However, G17L and G24 slide assemblies and complete guns can be special ordered.

 

[Devonai]

Gotcha. Thanks, John.

 

[guitararmy]

beretta

Hi. When did Beretta D/C the 96? I didn't know my two 96's are now collectible!

 

[Brasso]

The ergonomics of their manual safety is bombastic bastardicity. I don't like them. The guns themselves are
fine.

 

[Croyance]

Glock doesn't have a .40 S&W in a steel gun either. In fact, they offer nothing I know of in a steel gun.
I don't know how popular .357 Sigs are, the Cougar model never seemed popular. But then again, the line wasn't.
Beretta had previously only offered on .45 ACP and plan to again.
I don't think it is a matter of limited machining resources. If a line sells enough, more machines can be bought. They also moved all the machining for Cougars to Turkey for Stoeger to manufacture.

 

[JohnBT]

What's with Beretta? After 500-and-some-odd-years in the gun business I'm going to guess they have a real good idea about what they're doing.

I'm thinking Glock needs to learn more about guns - revolvers, shotguns, rifles, etc.

Do Glock's earlier model generations count as discontinued guns? They've made some upgrades - and done some recalls - to improve their pistols (IOW, fix the problems with them.)

John

 

[Quiet]

Beretta is just consolidating and discontinued models that were not selling well or making a big enough profit to justify their continued production.

Hence, Beretta selling off the Cougar series to Stoeger.

The new Beretta PX-4 Tactical (.45ACP) was Beretta's entry to the now cancelled Joint Combat Pistol program. It should be released to the public sometime Q4 2007/Q1 2008.

 

[Ethereal]

The model 96 Berettas you see out at stores are old stock being slowly sold off by distributors until they are all gone. There are still alot of Berettas floating around out there, and you can still find all kinds of discontinued cool ones like the Brigadiers, Centurians, Vertecs, and Elites. It's a shame though as Beretta's only problem with the model 92/96 was that they flooded the market with too many variants of the same gun. The market picked one that satisfied them and it was the 92FS, all the others slowly died off.

 

[RNB65]

It’s a brutal dose of reality to learn that Beretta has discontinued so many models since the last time I looked.

My take is that Beretta has a 500 year history of making long guns, but they've never quite figured out handguns. They have a talent for making handguns that few people want. If they hadn't undercut Sig on pricing and won the US military contract, the Model 92 probably would have been DC'd long ago. It's amazing how few 92/96's I see at the range. My shooting buddies and I have 50+ handguns between us and the only Beretta in the bunch is a well used Mod 96 .40S&W that one of them picked up cheap at a gun show. And nobody likes shooting it. When he brings it to the range, it's the least fired gun there.

 

[ftierson]

Their handguns may not have done that well, but I have a couple...

Including a Cougar 8000F Inox in 9x19mmP...

And also including a PX4 in 9x19mmP...

And if they ever get around to selling the PX4 in .45ACP instead of whispering in people's ears about it, I'll eventually be holding one too...

But I don't have any 92/96 series guns (too big and clunky to my way of thinking)...

Oh, I almost forgot my Model 21...

Too bad Beretta doesn't make any popular handguns (too bad for them because I don't care if my Beretta handguns are popular or not)...



Forrest

 

[JohnBT]

"Beretta selling off the Cougar series to Stoeger"

Beretta owns Stoeger, and also Benelli, Franchi, Sako, Tikka, Burris and Uberti. They could probably arrange to buy Glock if they took a liking to it.

John

 

[Croyance]

Beretta hasn't figured out handguns?
All those police agencies that used them, including the Border Patrol, must be suprised.
I have seen a fair amount and known other owners. But considering all the models out there, I wouldn't expect to see any one model at a range at any given time.

 

[Princi]

Perhaps it's as simple as the dichotomy of Beretta and Glock, as someone pointed out earlier today here on THR that Glock has never discontinued a pistol.

Really? Try ordering a 17CC - I did, and my dealer actually called Smyrna and inquired why none of her distributors had one. They told her it had been discontinued and to tell her customer to by the 34.

 

[Quiet]

US Border Patrol switched to the H&K USP-40 Compact, when they got placed under the Department of Homeland Security.

LAPD switched from the Beretta Model 92FS to the Glock Model 22.

 

[OpFlash]

I think they'd do much better if they quit designing so many of their new offerings to look like props in a star wars movie.

 

[Eightball]

I think they'd do much better if they quit designing so many of their new offerings to look like props in a star wars movie.

With so much talk about a "star wars" space/missile defense, it's no longer a movie--we need the weapons to make the movie real!

Mayhaps this is their recent take on the direction they need to take for their future?