So… is the Beretta M9 still the Worst?

Check-Mate gave the gov't exactly what was specified at the best price. The problem was, that the parkerizing trapped fine Middle Eastern 'moon dust' and hindered feeding of cartridges in the M9's double-stack, single-feed magazine design. Changing the finish to a slick polymer solved the problem.
Check-Mate had long had an excellent reputation for its park'ed M1911 and M14 mags, which don't have the single-feed geometry of the M9 mags.
 
I was, and still am a 1911 fan. I remember when Beretta won the US contract and thought 'that's crazy'. I now own 2 92s and love shooting them both. One (92 F?) is a police trade-in and the other is import surplus (92 S). The F has considerable wear but shoots great. It now sports a front night sight, threaded barrel and G10 grips. The S was carried to the point that the front sight is almost non-existent, but the barrel has zero slide wear. The S is the one with the European mag release. Found G10s for it too because the one panel was worn too badly from carrying and/or storage.

I have never had an issue with reliability, except with the suppressor attached. Built a decoupler and that fixed that. It's probably my favorite range toy and it sleeps in the sock draw next to the bed.

I still favor the 1911 but I do admire and enjoy the 92. Oh, and I tried to like the Sig 320, I really did, but it just wasn't happening.
 
Muley Gil said:
I did my 5 years with Dyn as well.

When the State Department decided to issue handguns to the Afghan police, we received a bunch of S&W Sigma 9mms. The ammo we were shipped for the Afghans was actually newer than the stuff our staff was carrying. There was a rumor going around at the time that some of the ammo was swapped out. :D
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Now Dyncorp (aka 'the evil empire'), PAE, and a batch of other used-to-bes are Amentum - you never know if the forms you fill out online will be on PAE or Dyncorp systems. I still get weekly reminders to submit my timesheet from Amentum on PAE Unanet - haven't worked for them since early '24.😀 L3 Comm, MPRI morphed into Engility, swallowed by SAIC.

Added:
PAE@unanet.biz
Timesheet Submit Reminder For 8/4/2025 - 8/10/2025.

All corporations have to keep ammo purchased from 'overhead' for part of company operations separate from funded project ammo intended for the target (sorry!) trainee or project entity.
 
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Muley Gil said:
I did my 5 years with Dyn as well.

When the State Department decided to issue handguns to the Afghan police, we received a bunch of S&W Sigma 9mms. The ammo we were shipped for the Afghans was actually newer than the stuff our staff was carrying. There was a rumor going around at the time that some of the ammo was swapped out. :D
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They gave us Winchester white box plinking ammo. It worked in Virginia but after 6 months had deteriorated and gave problems. We were lucky because training the IP's to use their Glocks we had a ton of good Czech 9mm. we banged our old off and reloaded the mags with that stuff.
 
The bean counters never care if stuff works in practice so long as they can prove they delivered the stuff they promised.

The hard-won experience of AF and IQ helped our small Somali project, as we had, by contract with the SKA Camp, a climate-controlled armory (essentially a CHU with extra aircon, dehumidifiers, and no windows) to store weapons and ammo. It worked well.
 
If I was not overloaded on 9mm's I would have an M9/92FS in my collection. Trained on it when it first was issued to USAF, on my way to Europe, and really liked it. Took a long detour into Sigs (the ones made in Germany), though that precluded me buying an M9.
 
biku324 said:
Now Dyncorp (aka 'the evil empire'), PAE, and a batch of other used-to-bes are Amentum - you never know if the forms you fill out online will be on PAE or Dyncorp systems. I still get weekly reminders to submit my timesheet from Amentum on PAE Unanet - haven't worked for them since early '24.😀 L3 Comm, MPRI morphed into Engility, swallowed by SAIC.

All corporations have to keep ammo purchased from 'overhead' for part of company operations separate from funded project ammo intended for the target (sorry!) trainee or project entity.
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We had Amentum security at my last employment location. As for the takeovers, I went through the same. On paper, I've had three employers since 2013, but in reality it has been one, especially when you consider I was contracted to do the same stuff with all of them.
 
crasig said:
Had to add that MY Favored 9mm combat hand guns are one of my DA/SA CZ -75 clones: Sar 2000, & Jericho + laser.
Also, my classic Hi-Power Clones: Stainless Tisas, & Mauser marketed SA-80 by FEG.
Even my compact 9mm TOKAREV = Zastava M88A.
All have performed perfectly for me. Love them all.
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Does the Tisha's take the original 13 round Hi Power mags?
 
BAM-BAM said:
The beretta 92 is highly thought of by the likes of Bill Wilson, Mas Ayoub and Ernest Langdon.

I have several going back to my first a 1988 Compact FS 13+1[Now with D-spring, Thin G-10 grips and Mec-GAR 15rd flush fit mags]
My newest a Wilson Combat Centurion Tactical.

Todays 92 isn't the same gun as the 1985 M-9
Compacts and Centurions have a shorter 4.3" slide [What IMO the M-9 should have been]
G decocker only model
15+1 compact and 17/18+1 Centurion
3rd gen locking block
Thin G-10 grips
radiused backstrap
changeable front/rear sights
some with a rail if you want one

As a revolver shooter the double action first shot isn't a problem especially with a D-spring, and IMHO the double action first shot fits nicely into my "OODA loop"
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Remember the ad saying that the 92D was like a 15 shot revolver? Well, it is. And mine's not for sale, ever.
 
Claymore33 said:
Grip too large, SEALS testers said slide cracked after a few thousand rounds. Someone who you were holding at gunpoint could reach over and grab slide and remove it in one motion.
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Maybe so. Fortunately, I haven't encountered any of those problems nor do I know of anyone who has. All seem quite unlikely.
 
Claymore33 said:
Grip too large, SEALS testers said slide cracked after a few thousand rounds. Someone who you were holding at gunpoint could reach over and grab slide and remove it in one motion.
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Very true. I understand this was commonly taught via intra-inmateal discourse amongst the incarcerated populaces during the heyday of Beretta police issuing in the late 1980s to early 1990s.
 
I have exactly one 1911 pattern .45 left. An excellent sidearm. works 100% and is outstanding for it's intended purpose.

I have exactly one M9 pattern (Centurion, short upper, full size lower w/SS barrel) 9mm left. An excellent sidearm. works 100% and is outstanding for it's intended purpose.

Joe
 
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