Beretta 92FS: Still a top-notch 9mm?

American1776

American1776

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I have room in my safe for only 1 hi-cap 9mm pistol. I therefore want the one I pick for this role to be the best I can find that suits my own preferences.

For me, I prefer steel / metal pistols. Nothing wrong with polymer; just my own preference for metal. It has to be reliable, and cannot be made by a company with spotty QC. I want the darned thing to go bang when I want it to, and I don't want to have to send it back to the factory to make it work.

It should have the option of extended magazines that work reliably. 18 rounds are good, 20 are even better.

I think I found the pistol that best fits ME: The Beretta 92FS. Got mine new, came with 3 15 round mags. It happens to have the straight dust cover and non-radiused back strap. I keep it loaded with 135 gr. Hornady Critical duty, with a MecGar 20 round magazine plus one in the chamber. I can carry it just fine in a DeSantis pancake thumbbreak holster.

What I like about it is the extensive documented testing this model has gone though. (Average 13,000 rounds before a single stoppage, some M9's have endured 100,000 rounds, 35,000 rounds average service life).

It's a big gun to be sure; but, that makes it easier to shoot fast and maximizes the 9mm velocity. It's just a smidgen longer than a Glock 17.

It may be a retro throw back these days, but for me, I like this pistol. Anyone else share my sentiments on this gun? Any personal experience (good or bad) with the 92FS?

Thanks.
 

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The 92 is one of those guns I like from far away. They look good, they even feel good in hand but that DA trigger is awful and I'm not the type to start swapping parts. But I have the same feeling towards most DA guns. The 10 - 12 lbs trigger pull is ridiculous. I'm probably 5x slower with those gun then with strickers. That being said they are reliable as long as they are serviced. Like old Sigs they have (had) issued with the ..... (ok brain far, can't remember the name of the part).

I tend to go for reliability over esthetics so most of my guns are HKs (I have Glocks and Sigs and 1911 as well). While no manufacturer is 100% the USP series and the P series have proven to be above and beyond all others when it comes to pure reliability and longevity

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I've fired many, many rounds through one I purchased new more than twenty years ago. Yes, they're huge and heavy. The grip is unwieldy, but then I question the "need" for any handgun that uses a double stack magazine. Probably better to learn to shoot than rely on handfuls of cartridges.

On the positive side, these guns are incredibly reliable. I've never been a fan of the 9mm cartridge, but with oversize cast bullets (all I shoot in mine anymore), it's quite an accurate pistol, closely rivaling my Sig 226.

The Beretta will feed SWC .38 Special cast bullets flawlessly, bullets for which it was never designed to function with. Try that in the temperamental guns, like H&Ks, Glocks, etc.

Certainly not my favorite pistol, but for the 9mm enthusiast wanting a good, reliable, accurate handgun that will last, the Beretta is a good one.
 
rockquarry said:
I've fired many, many rounds through one I purchased new more than twenty years ago. Yes, they're huge and heavy. The grip is unwieldy, but then I question the "need" for any handgun that uses a double stack magazine. Probably better to learn to shoot than rely on handfuls of cartridges.

On the positive side, these guns are incredibly reliable. I've never been a fan of the 9mm cartridge, but with oversize cast bullets (all I shoot in mine anymore), it's quite an accurate pistol, closely rivaling my Sig 226.

The Beretta will feed SWC .38 Special cast bullets flawlessly, bullets for which it was never designed to function with. Try that in the temperamental guns, like H&Ks, Glocks, etc.

Certainly not my favorite pistol, but for the 9mm enthusiast wanting a good, reliable, accurate handgun that will last, the Beretta is a good one.
Click to expand...
HK USP 45 will shoot 45 supper with a change of the recoil spring. The same gun can can also dislodge a squib with another fired round and continue to fire without issue. Try that with a Sig or Beretta

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I am on my fourth Beretta 92

My current, and likely my last, is an Italian made 92FS Inox. Large and thick, but totally conceilable with the right holster.
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I like the 92...but, it is aluminum and it is big. So big in fact that it is to the point where there are other {at least for me} guns I would carry that are that size before I would carry the Beretta. That aside, it is extremely very reliable and it is accurate. If you cannot shoot decent groups with a 92 then there are a whole lot of other handguns you might just as well forget.
I once shot 3500 continuous rounds thru an M9 in one afternnon{had to use the rounds, they were assigned to the range and couldn't give them back or take them home.} So we decided to see at what point the gun would just quit working. It never did...in fact, it shot them all and the last 100 or so you could watch the slide open and close slowly it was so dry.
 
There is plenty that one can say negative about the 92. It is too large, the trigger is too heavy, the safety is not quickly removable if you carry with the "dingus* down," the grip is almost as uncomfortable as the Glock 20/21 large frame guns, it is a 9mm, etc.

If you can live with those things, however, the 92FS is simply one of the three or four most tested pistols in the world, it is completely and utterly reliable, accurate, has redundant safeties, and all of the problems are well known. It is mostly user repairable for those pesky things that do go wrong. For example, the pistol is so extensively tested, you can almost set your watch by when the locking block will break. That is ok, however, it is easily replaceable, and Beretta sells the kit on its web site. Magazines are plentiful and inexpensive, as are other spare parts, such as springs, etc.

The pistol has standard 15 round magazines, Mecgar sells a 17 round magazine, and the factory also has a 20 round magazine for those times when you want an extended magazine.

Personally, in the role you want, I suppose I would get a Glock 17 or 19, but the Beretta is certainly a very fine weapon. You could do much, much worse.

All in all, I say you made a great choice.

:)

* Dingus: Jeff Cooper coined the phrase, "Don't get caught with your dingus down." The "dingus" is the slide mounted safety/decocker that was probably first introduced by the Walther people on the PP, and then used on the P38, which later appeared on pistols that copied the design, such as the Beretta 92FS/M9, the S&W 39/59 and newer generations, and similar. It is worth noting that Beretta, unlike S&W, addressed the occasional breaking of the safety drum that occurred on P38s, especially those made during WWII, by inserting what amounts to a second firing pin in the drum itself, which when hit by the hammer, transmits the blow to the real firing pin. You will note on the Beretta that when the safety/decocker is rotated, the piece that is in the drum that actually strikes the real firing pin actually rotates out of the way so that when the hammer falls, if the drum were to break, the blow would not be transferred to the firing pin as it would on the P38/S&W design.
 
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Beretta 92FS

In a word-yes. I have sent thousands and thousands of rounds through probably a dozen different 92's over 20 years. Never ever had one malfunction. I have a 92A1 set up with rail light right now as my nightstand gun. Big in this new world of micro 9's for sure, but it's a reliable, accurate and soft shooting weapon. Btw, a quick d spring change takes care of the hard heavy DA trigger pull. Takes a few bucks and 5 minutes to install.
 
Would like to have a military one for my safe but just never was overly excited by them,guess it's because they aren't a 1911.
 
I once owned a 92FS and a CZ 75 at the same time. The 92 is a great gun. But the CZ kept up with the 92 in every manner.

I grew to like the CZ more and more as I shot it and the 92 less. So I got rid of it.

I'm not nor ever will be a fan of slide mounted safeties or decockers. The CZ could be carried cocked and locked. And higher capacity magazine are available.

That being said, enjoy you new gun!
 
My department issued the DAO, .40 caliber version of the Beretta, the -96? The trigger pull was so heavy that, in training, the shooters with small hands (and apparently small muscles) would be unable to pull the trigger with the muzzle anywhere on the target after 100-150 rounds. Some of the women cheated and used both index fingers together. Our range staff had nothing else to offer, and as soon as someone turned in their S&W 4006 (the prior issue pistol), a Beretta carrier would swap put for the S&W, even though they had to buy another retension holster (cops are often cheap). Meanwhile, those of us carrying 1911's laughed at everybody.

It was easy to tell who was carrying one in court from the huge bulge under their sport coat.

That said, the guns worked splendidly. I have never handled a production pistol where the slide ran so smoothly. The deputies who wore a uniform and had bought their 92's with their own money praised them highly. I never saw one malfunction.

With the OP's goals in mind, you could certainly do a whole lot worse than the -92. I think the only other metal frame, high capacity 9mm that might rival it is the Sig P-226. Then, it would be Granny Smith vs. Macintosh.
 
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I vote yes. Gobbles up everything I put in it, Brown Bear, Tula, Wolf, Reloads, the Good Stuff, anything with a aluminum case etc. Accuracy is great IMO and the Italian ones are definitely the way to go. I prefer the blued, rounded trigger guard models. Particularly the 92SB's



Best Regards
SVT28
 
I've owned a bunch, and they are my favorite pistol. Close second is the S&W 3rd gen's. I am left with one 92, the 92fs Vertec. The straight grip and dovetailed sights are an improvement over the original.

No polymer, striker fired weapon will ever equal a beretta. Racking the slide feels like it's rolling on greased ball bearings. Double action pull is not bad, and can be improved if you want with a 5 dollar D spring and 30 seconds to install it. The quality and pride of ownership will never be there for a Glock or an M&P. Can you imagine passing down a plastic gun to your heirs? Not me.
 
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Thanks for all the feedback. There are two main themes that I keep hearing about the Beretta 92 which really make me a fan:

1) 'I've never seen one malfunction'. I've read many times, even from 'experts' who train and write about guns, say things to this effect.

2) Documented cases where 92s go 50,000, 100,000, even 200,000 rounds without ill effect to the frame and slide.

Documented confirmation about reliability and durability speaks for itself. And, I just love the way it looks. All those 80's and 90's action movies featured the good guys with Beretta 92s.
 
I have owned several Beretta 92 series pistols and I like them a lot, If I ever get a 92G then I may make that a carry pistol. Always had a hard time turning down a Beretta at a good price.


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I carried one at my first agency; it was great. I moved on to two different Glock agencies. I'm hoping to go back to my first agency and look forward to the Beretta again.

Yes, it is heavy and large for a 9mm, but I'd take it over a Glock, M&P or XD all day long.

I think the P226 is better for a SA/DA 9mm and prefer it or a USP in 9mm but the Beretta is just fine.
 
Found one at a show that I could not pass up last year.



It shoots great, but I prefer my XDM 5.25

 
There's nothing about the 92 series that can't be fixed by Wilson Combat. I'm currently building a Beretta Centurion and swapping out parts whenever I have spare money. This will work until I can finally send it to Wilson for checkering, refinish, and possibly more options if I can get my air conditioner paid off.

Here's where it's at right now:




Here's a tally of what I've added:

  1. 14# Hammer Spring (Now 8#/4# DA/SA trigger and 100% Reliable)
  2. Battlesight Rear Sight (Large U Notch Sight with the perfect sight picture)
  3. Fluted Guide Rod
  4. Flat Wire Recoil Spring w/Shok Buff (springs good for 10,000 rnds)
  5. Oversized Checkered Mag Release (this was a bitch to put in)
  6. Black Cherry Ultra Thin G10 Grips (makes the gun feel smaller than a 5906)

I have an Elite II hammer on order and will go into this gun. Right now with gun and parts I'm at $550. If I was going to carry this gun, I'd put the low profile safety levers on it that makes it impossible to put you gun on safe accidentally. If I find out my levers are plastic, I'll probably have Wilson change them out when it gets to Arkansas. I'm also not going to spend the money for the G conversion (again, I'm not carrying this gun).

What's 100% confirmed (besides how much I love this gun) is I'm getting front/back checkering, front sight drilled for a green fiber optic, and a refinish. The slide's getting black ArmorTuff and the frame is getting a different color. I just can't decide between Gray, Burnt Bronze, Federal Brown, or their dark OD Green.
 
No flies on the Beretta 92 series. In the early 1980's my department (CT State Police) was one of the first major departments to switch from revolvers (S&W 66's) to the 92. Beretta ran a magazine ad showing a couple troopers wearing the 92 on their belts, wit the caption "The gun that protects Connecticut", or words to that effect.

At first, a lot of the guys, me included didn't like the idea. I was used to my revolver, good with it, and had faith in the .357's stopping power.

Funny thing happened though. After a few "teething" problems switching to the new weapon platform, qualification scores improved for most troopers, and reliability equaled and maybe exceeded the revolver. Stopping power of the 9mm in actual use could not be shown to be any different than the .357, at least statistically speaking, within the department.

The only issue we experienced was troopers with small hands had problems with the double stack grip. For most, it was offset by the reduced recoil, faster follow up shots, and the increased capacity.

On the big side for concealed carry, they were an excellent uniform carry gun, and still are. With so many different designs and construction materials available now, the 92 series is not as popular as it once was, but that does not distract from the fact that if it fits your hand, and you are comfortable with its operating system, it is a great choice that will serve you well.

Larry
 
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