Beretta 92 SB Compact Type M

BB57

BB57

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I’ve been looking for one of these foryears and one fell in my lap today as a gift.

The 92 Compact SB Type M is a slim line version of the SB Compact with an 8 round single stack magazine. I have always liked the Beretta 92 for a number of reasons, but the large grip has never felt good in my hand.

There were only about 1200 of these imported to the US in 1988-89. This one is dated 1989 and except for some minor holster wear on the left side of the slide appears to be in near new condition. It has both boxes plus the manual, warranty, cleaning tools, and three spare magazines.

IMG_2012.HEIC
 
Heck of a nice gift. They usually command a pretty hefty price. I've always liked the 92's but just like you I always felt like I was holding a brick. I installed a set of ultra slim grips from Pachmyer that are similar to the VZ composite grips but way thin. Big difference.
 
Congrats...... I've got a brace of those..... just the guns, no box or docs.
That Italian bluing is great.

Found both in the same LGS.... but a year apart..... covered in dust. IIRC late 90s. Both with factory wood grips and 2/3 mags. Like yours mine appear to be "sock drawer" guns.

1200 imported nice to know..... where did you get that number? While I have two I've never seen another. What.if I may ask is the current market value?

Got two FS M's also (1994 and 2004); built on SB frames with round trigger guards .... one of my favorite carry guns in cooler weather

Also found a Type M DOA with D spring......... nice 9 shot revolver.


4 Mags total...... good for you... can't tell you the last time I saw a mag for sale!!! Can't tell you the last time I saw one for sale!
 
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ISCS Yoda said:
How compact is that beauty? What can you compare it to in terms of size? It's yummy!
Click to expand...

It’s still a Beretta 92, which has always been a large frame pistol where a medium frame would have done just fine.

Here it’s shown with a CZ 75 Compact PCR, and a Kimber Compact CDP II. It’s in the same ballpark.

FullSizeRender_2T6gWXUv7BQNbAxkomTfB3.jpg

IMG_2017.HEIC


The S&W is a good comparison as well as a single stack pistol. It’s “full size” but the two are fairly close, with the 92 SD Type M having the “compact” length grip.

Again, I suspect that reflects the Model 92 being over sized for a 9mm pistol to start with.

IMG_2020.HEIC

IMG_2018.HEIC
 
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BAM-BAM said:
Congrats...... I've got a brace of those..... just the guns, no box or docs.
That Italian bluing is great.

Found both in the same LGS.... but a year apart..... covered in dust. IIRC late 90s. Both with factory wood grips and 2/3 mags. Like yours mine appear to be "sock drawer" guns.

1200 imported nice to know..... where did you get that number? While I have two I've never seen another. What.if I may ask is the current market value?

Got two FS M's also (1994 and 2004); built on SB frames with round trigger guards .... one of my favorite carry guns in cooler weather

Also found a Type M DOA with D spring......... nice 9 shot revolver.


4 Mags total...... good for you... can't tell you the last time I saw a mag for sale!!! Can't tell you the last time I saw one for sale!
Click to expand...

The 1200 number came from a couple auction descriptions, but I’m not sure of their source. That number also only applies to the SB Type M. They also produced the single stack type M in the F, FS and G versions, but again in comparatively limited numbers.

Current value is a good question. There’s one on GB that keeps getting listed at $2999 and gets no bids. I think that’s about twice the actual market value based on the semi recent completed sales I have been able to find.
 
I’ve got a couple 92FS Type M’s (bruniton finish and square trigger guard) and they’re nice pistols. The tough part about the Type M’s is finding spare magazines.
 
1sailor said:
Heck of a nice gift. They usually command a pretty hefty price. I've always liked the 92's but just like you I always felt like I was holding a brick. I installed a set of ultra slim grips from Pachmyer that are similar to the VZ composite grips but way thin. Big difference.
Click to expand...

The last few years I’ve been looking for a 92X Compact and have never come across one. The slightly smaller grip on the 92X fits better. But now it’s a “Legacy Model”, replaced by the railed version and the “RDO” optic and rail equipped version. I’m not a big fan of rails and other tacticool carp on pistols.
 
Got my first two from a Police Supply House in the 1990s that had a Dept order for the Type-Ms for Detectives and Lt's and above.....mine were extra's and they had a stash of mags which allowed me to get a nice stash for myself. Fact is they were happy to move them to me as it was the era of Wonder-9s and .40S&W.

They are not "small" but easy to conceal in a IWB like a summer special. 8+1 and a spare mag or two are adequate for my Burb of the Burgh.
 
BB57..... look for an older Compact (IIRC 2000 to date) with the radiused backstrap; then add a short trigger and a set of ultra thin G-10 grips.
Makes it a much better gun for medium sized hands.
 
BAM-BAM said:
BB57..... look for an older Compact (IIRC 2000 to date) with the radiused backstrap; then add a short trigger and a set of ultra thin G-10 grips.
Makes it a much better gun for medium sized hands.
Click to expand...

I’d considered a regular 92 Compact and the short reach trigger kit in the past. It’s just stubbornness that kept me from going that route.
 
Appreciate those measurements, I do! ;)

It's not small enough to make me go out and buy one even though it is a really neat pistol. I was looking at my 6906 just two days ago, as I was contemplating carrying it again, and it's a definite maybe, despite it being larger than my Walther CCP but not by much. We'll see.

Thanks!
 
ISCS Yoda said:
Appreciate those measurements, I do! ;)

It's not small enough to make me go out and buy one even though it is a really neat pistol. I was looking at my 6906 just two days ago, as I was contemplating carrying it again, and it's a definite maybe, despite it being larger than my Walther CCP but not by much. We'll see.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

My most common EDC 80%+ is a 3913.... a single stack 6906 which is my
second most EDC in the form of a Performance Center Shorty-9.
Third most is my 92 Type-M.

A 6906 at 12+1 isn't really much bigger than a Sig 365 10+1 in most dimensions.... except barrel length.... 3 vs 3.5 inches.
 
BAM-BAM said:
BB57..... look for an older Compact (IIRC 2000 to date) with the radiused backstrap; then add a short trigger and a set of ultra thin G-10 grips.
Makes it a much better gun for medium sized hands.
Click to expand...

BB57 Got a Centurion set up this ^^^^^^^ way;plus D-spring, G kit, EliteII hammer, Fiber Optic front sight and action tune up. Flush fit Mec-gar 17 rd mag and 18rd spare(s)

Beretta has made a lot of small changes since the M-9 was adopted in 1985

One of my favorite Berettas..... would carry it more, just don't need 17+1 +18 everyday in my Burb of the Burgh. looking back wish I'd grabbed one of the Wilson Combat Compacts..... did get the WC Centurion Tactical;IMO what the M-9 should have been
 
BAM-BAM said:
BB57 Got a Centurion set up this ^^^^^^^ way;plus D-spring, G kit, EliteII hammer, Fiber Optic front sight and action tune up. Flush fit Mec-gar 17 rd mag and 18rd spare(s)

Beretta has made a lot of small changes since the M-9 was adopted in 1985

One of my favorite Berettas..... would carry it more, just don't need 17+1 +18 everyday in my Burb of the Burgh. looking back wish I'd grabbed one of the Wilson Combat Compacts..... did get the WC Centurion Tactical;IMO what the M-9 should have been
Click to expand...

It’s raining Beretta 92 Compacts this week. Yesterday I walked into the local gun shop and saw this Beretta 92 Compact L. It hadn’t been there on Friday.

I took the slide off and noted it had near zero wear. If it’s been fired it hasn’t been fired much. I negotiated a $549 price and took it home.

Given that Beretta only rarely imports these and the current Compact incorporates a rail, which I don’t like at all, it made sense to grab this 2015 dated like new in box example.


FullSizeRender_bmp4kA7WaBYcx2rmsUaMdc.jpg


I ordered a set of thin grips for it and a short reach trigger from Wilson Combat, as well as their trigger return spring kit and a lighter hammer spring.

If the trigger reach ends up being short enough, and it proves reliable over a couple hundred rounds (and I don’t have any expectation it won’t as the Beretta 92 is an inherently reliable design), I’ll carry it.
 
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