The Beretta M9

[Equus]

There's no doubt some troops found the .45 ACP's recoil objectionable (although it was more an issue of magnitude than sharpness), and the lower recoil of the 9mm Luger helped in that regard, particularly in range qualification.

But a US 9mm Luger service pistol was envisioned as far back as 1947 and the 1949 trials included the 9mm Lightweight Colt Commander, the S&W X100, which became the Model 39, and a short slide allow version of the Browning Hi Power.

All of them would have offered the same reduced recoil and to carrying degrees increased magazine capacity in a handgun with a grip that would fit a larger percentage of troops than the eventual M9. The reality simply was we had plenty of serviceable 1911s in the decades following WWII period and the whole idea was eventually dropped.

Interestingly all of the above were excellent designs.

The S&W 39 enjoyed good commercial success and led to the S&W 59, one of the first "wonder nines".

The Colt Commander also enjoyed a great deal of success and is still one of the more commonly cloned semi auto pistols.

The short slide alloy frame variant of the Hi Power was revived by FM in the 1990s after they discontinued their license with FN, and is currently being produced by Girsan.

And of course the 1911 Lightweight commander was not only sold by Colt with success, but has also been marketed by Ruger, Kimber, and others.

All the US company entrants failed in the XM9 trials. Of the US companies the S&W entrant lasted the longest, only being rejected close to the end when they found a cracked frame that was not experienced with the Beretta or Sig entrants, which statistically tied.

They redid the test again in 1988 and the Beretta won a second time.

 

[gunbarrel]

I have a Beretta M9, and it would be extremely hard for me to choose between it and one of my 3rd Gen S&W pistols. It has NEVER failed me. One of my brothers who retired from the Army loves the M9, as well.

For the youngsters here, this a picture of USMC 1st Sgt Brad Kasal still holding his Beretta M9 as he is brought out from "The House of Hell" in Fallujah, in November 2004. A couple of years later, he received the Navy Cross, and was promoted to Sgt. Major. He retired in 2018 and wrote the book "My Men Are My Heroes." He is now 59 years old.

 

[Harv 24]

I read that book, SGM Kasal is as hard as Woodpecker lips....What a great pic to forever remember, Never Quit!!

 

[Rocketmedic40]

I really like my M9, more than the 1911 by a long way. The M9 is a soldier's pistol. It is reliable. It is simple. It is dependable. It is very easy to clean, and it is very easy to assemble. There are no strange, bushings or hard to reset springs, and it can be safely carried by anyone. The 9 mm is entirely adequate for military service against unarmed targets. It size is a virtue in that it is difficult to displace, people who need more covert options aren't carrying Service pistols. If I had to pick one pistol right now to go to war with, it would be my M9. I have a colt government model, a model 19, a model 15, a military police revolver, and some other pistols, and I'm sure that all would work serviceably, but none would work as dependably as the Beretta.

 

[Fvernic]

Have several variants, like em, have never had an issue with control and I don't have abnormally large hands.
Swap to a D Main Spring and G Safety Conversion if not factory and it really wakes them up.

 

[Rocketmedic40]

in fact, I have explored the possibility of trading my new-manufacture colt government model towards a beretta 96. That is how much I like the beretta platform over the 1911.

 

[Rocketmedic40]

Have several variants, like em, have never had an issue with control and I don't have abnormally large hands.
Swap to a D Main Spring and G Safety Conversion if not factory and it really wakes them up.

The only mild gripe I have with the M9 is the width, but some slimmer grip pads from Beretta made it look good and feel better.

The M9 and the cougar seem to have used my hands for models.

 

[Fvernic]

The only mild gripe I have with the M9 is the width, but some slimmer grip pads from Beretta made it look good and feel better.

The M9 and the cougar seem to have used my hands for models.

Agree 100% on what to bring into harms way out of the safe. Mine is an ex-KCPD 92G with NS. Most accurate of all the 9mms out to 25 yards that I have.

 

[Rocketmedic40]

Agree 100% on what to bring into harms way out of the safe. Mine is an ex-KCPD 92G with NS. Most accurate of all the 9mms out to 25 yards that I have.

The M9 and the cougar are the two most accurate auto loaders I own. The only one better is the combat masterpiece.

 

[Fvernic]

in fact, I have explored the possibility of trading my new-manufacture colt government model towards a beretta 96. That is how much I like the beretta platform over the 1911.

I too have a yearning for a 96. I have a habit of finding 357 SIG barrels for 40s and swap the calibers every so often. Be neat to have a 357 SIG 96

 

[shil]

I had a 92FS until I transferred it to my son. I liked the gun, even though the grip was just a tad too wide for my dainty hands. My son, who has Shrek hands, loves it. I would not be against acquiring another, but my atrophied 75-year-old mind can't decide on an M9 or a 92FS.

 

[shil]

Have there been any reports about how the pistol is faring with the new M1152 ammo? That load is pretty hot, around 39,000 psi.

 

[poledorus]

I was still on active duty when the M9 was adopted. Tankers are issued pistols as their normally assigned individual weapon. First units to get the Beretta were infantry and MPs. There were many, if not most, Armor units still carrying M1911A1s through the first Gulf war. Convenient, since tanks were also carrying a pair of M3A1 grease guns until 1995.

I shot it OK, never really warmed to it.

Of possible interest, during the Gulf War we had some replacement MPs assigned to us who arrived in country with M1911A1s. The CIF issued the older pieces because they had run out of M9 Berettas. Unfortunately, these soldiers arrived without ammo, and so we were forced to do some blanket trading with units still carrying .45s to equip those troops with at least with a basic load.

As for the Grease Gun...I spent some time during the Gulf War attached to the 3rd ACR. One of the staff officers at regimental carried an M3A1 instead of a pistol, slung over his left shoulder and resting on his right hip. Over the right shoulder and resting on his left hip he carried a map case filled with spare magazines. This was the coolest rig of the war, hands down.

 

[poledorus]

Most of the issues are Training Issues. Plus the Training Issues were created by poor Trainers/Instructors.

The Beretta slide rail should be lubed every two weeks. My Police Department pays every two weeks so that was our reminder to lube the slide.

Still the best DA/SA 9mm pistol. JMHO

My only complaint with the M9: desert moon dust could seize the slide. Absolutely agree that proper field maintenance is a must in austere environments. But it is easily accomplished with attention to detail -- like maintaining the slide rails.

 

[Golddollar]

Of possible interest, during the Gulf War we had some replacement MPs assigned to us who arrived in country with M1911A1s. The CIF issued the older pieces because they had run out of M9 Berettas. Unfortunately, these soldiers arrived without ammo, and so we were forced to do some blanket trading with units still carrying .45s to equip those troops with at least with a basic load.

As for the Grease Gun...I spent some time during the Gulf War attached to the 3rd ACR. One of the staff officers at regimental carried an M3A1 instead of a pistol, slung over his left shoulder and resting on his right hip. Over the right shoulder and resting on his left hip he carried a map case filled with spare magazines. This was the coolest rig of the war, hands down.

Got any pictures?

 

[BB57]

All the US company entrants failed in the XM9 trials. Of the US companies the S&W entrant lasted the longest, only being rejected close to the end when they found a cracked frame that was not experienced with the Beretta or Sig entrants, which statistically tied.

They redid the test again in 1988 and the Beretta won a second time.

The various trials in the 1950s were long before the XM9 trials in 1979-1980, and then again in 1984, so its apples and oranges. Beretta only had the Model 1951 at the time the 1950's trials, and I don't believe it was entered.

In regard to the XM-9 trials, the S&W 459 was the S&W entrant in those trials which were strictly limited to double action semi auto pistols.

That DA requirement disqualified what became the FN SFS Hi Power (bottom), even though it accomplished the same goal very elegantly, without separate DA and SA trigger pulls. They also entered a double action development of the Hi Power, what became the HP-DA (center), but it just wasn't successful.

The Browning BDM (Browing Dual Mode) (top) was developed later for the FBI trials and it also was not successful (personally, I think it just feels funny).

But... the original points in my posts are two fold:

- If the US Military had adopted a 9mm pistol in the 1950's it would have allowed a more modern 9mm pistol about 30 years sooner; and

- the Beretta adopted in the XM-9 was a poor fit for many troops.

The US Military would have been better served by issuing a development contract for a variant of the XM9 that incorporated better ergonomics, along the lines of the current Beretta 92X with thinner grips and a short reach trigger.

 

[BB57]

Most of the issues are Training Issues. Plus the Training Issues were created by poor Trainers/Instructors.

The Beretta slide rail should be lubed every two weeks. My Police Department pays every two weeks so that was our reminder to lube the slide.

Still the best DA/SA 9mm pistol. JMHO

Many of the current generation of shooters have the mistaken impression that handguns should be run dry. that works with many polymer framed pistols, but all metal and in particular alloy framed pistols need to be run wet.

In the mid to late 1980's many troops had a similar opinion about the M16A1 and A2, feeling they were more reliable if run dry as there was very little lube to attract dirt. That idea didn't work out so well in the Gulf War. Run them wet, keep the dust cover closed, and wipe off the bolt carrier anytime you have two minutes to spare.

 

[poledorus]

Got any pictures?

Sadly, no...I never had many from that time, and most everything was lost over multiple moves.

 

[poledorus]

The various trials in the 1950s were long before the XM9 trials in 1979-1980, and then again in 1984, so its apples and oranges. Beretta only had the Model 1951 at the time the 1950's trials, and I don't believe it was entered.

In regard to the XM-9 trials, the S&W 459 was the S&W entrant in those trials which were strictly limited to double action semi auto pistols.

That DA requirement disqualified what became the FN SFS Hi Power (bottom), even though it accomplished the same goal very elegantly, without separate DA and SA trigger pulls. They also entered a double action development of the Hi Power, what became the HP-DA (center), but it just wasn't successful.

The Browning BDM (Browing Dual Mode) (top) was developed later for the FBI trials and it also was not successful (personally, I think it just feels funny).

But... the original points in my posts are two fold:

- If the US Military had adopted a 9mm pistol in the 1950's it would have allowed a more modern 9mm pistol about 30 years sooner; and

- the Beretta adopted in the XM-9 was a poor fit for many troops.

The US Military would have been better served by issuing a development contract for a variant of the XM9 that incorporated better ergonomics, along the lines of the current Beretta 92X with thinner grips and a short reach trigger.

I like the look and feel of the FN HP-DA, and own the HP-DAO/BDAO version. It is a very accurate handgun, but the trigger slap I get from mine is barely tolerable. I had wondered if it was due to shooting heavier 9mm loads than the 115 gr that was in use back then.

 

[S-W4EVER]

Sadly, no...I never had many from that time, and most everything was lost over multiple moves.

I have very few pictures from when I was in LE, I guess I was too busy working.