Got my first Beretta 92...

[CleanSump]

After years of carrying and shooting an M9 on Active Duty, my wife chose a 92FS as her first gun. She shoots it very well.

I’ve always liked the ergonomics on the Beretta. I own several 1911s, and love them, but the Beretta is a good gun, reliable, accurate, ergonomic. If she can shoot it as well as I do, and she does, I reckon the 92 fits a wide variety of people.

Can't beat someone up for liking what they like or splitting into camps to argue uselessly like Ford vs Chevy.
We all shoot, and that's good. Part of my bias may be I shot a 1911A1 in boot, and was issued 1911A1s for at least 8 years before I had a Beretta 92. Kind of like I tried lasagna and still prefer the spaghetti with meatballs I got in elementary school.

 

[CleanSump]

By the way, the Beretta USA facility is less than 20 minutes from my house, give or take a few minutes for traffic.
My analogy about handguns and Italian food might be closer if i said I tried MREs and still preferred the old C-Rats

 

[Astro14]

Wasn’t the US manufacturing facility a stipulation in the contract award for the M9? I can’t remember if Beretta offered, or the Army required, that the pistol be made in the USA.

 

[CleanSump]

Wasn’t the US manufacturing facility a stipulation in the contract award for the M9? I can’t remember if Beretta offered, or the Army required, that the pistol be made in the USA.

It was a requirement. That's the reason FN built a factory in South Carolina to meet the requirement to build M16s. It could be foreign owned company, but it had to produce in the US. Like BAE and aircraft avionics boxes have the same requirement. We had to get a Congressional waiver just to get some electronic chassis manufactured in England.

 

[Cropduster172]

I remember Ruger's contender was the P-85. They lost out to Beretta.
The P-85 is a bulky, full sized duty sidearm... perhaps not as "refined" as the Beretta? I forget what other contenders there were then. Smith &Wesson??

 

[Astro14]

The third round of tests included the Beretta 92, the S&W 459, the Sig P226, the Ruger P85, the FN BDA (a double action HP), the Steyr GB, the Walter P88, the H&K P7 and the Colt SSP.

The requirements were 13 rounds of 9mm. Double, then single, action. Magazines that dropped free without needed to be pulled out. Safety that was also a decocker. Slide stop that locked the action open.

The 92 was selected on reliability, it went the most rounds (on average) before a malfunction. There were other tests including performance after being exposed to wet mud, dry mud, and water. Corrosion resistance, and, oddly the “firing pin energy” test which the S&W failed, despite being 100% in all of the other tests. I have a 459, by the way, and it’s a well built, very reliable and accurate pistol.

There was a great deal of controversy, and lawsuits followed the selection.

I carried a S&W 5906 (the successor to the 459) in combat in 1991. My first gun. Great pistol and ergonomically, very similar to the Beretta. We didn’t have a bunch of rules that had to be followed back then, and I simply bought my own pistol and had the parachute riggers (PR) fit up my Flight gear to carry it in a custom-made holster.

Many of my squadron mates bought the Ruger P89, the successor to the P85, and I thought the thing was ugly. I’m sure it was reliable, and it would’ve made a really good hammer once it ran out of ammo…

In 1995, I carried a 1911. The squadron with which I flew got some old inventory, I am sure the CO, or the Gunner, was a traditionalist, and preferred the 1911, and we were issued the gun by the duty officer before each flight. I carried it on an empty chamber, because we didn’t have a clearing barrel in which to safely load/unload before each flight.

I was happy with the 1911, but we had limited ammo as a result. I had 14 rounds of .45 ACP with the one spare mag we were issued, where I had 45 rounds of 9mm with my 5906 and the two magazines in a pouch that the PRs made for me. I carried that one on an empty chamber, not because I was smart enough to know about a clearing barrel, but because I really wasn’t sure what would happen in an ejection with a round in the chamber, safety, engaged or not.

 

[Astro14]

Back on topic.

@Fa24wrx - that is a great looking gun. I think the frame mounted safety is an interesting variation. I’m not sure if I prefer the flat backstrap, or the traditional slightly curved backstrap. I have guns with both.

I’m curious what you think about that flat backstrap, it does make the grip size slightly smaller, and you may find that more economic.

Certainly, the accuracy is there. My wife’s Beretta 92 is the only Beretta in our household, but it is a supremely reliable, and very accurate, pistol.

Nice gun!

 

[Fa24wrx]

Back on topic.

@Fa24wrx - that is a great looking gun. I think the frame mounted safety is an interesting variation. I’m not sure if I prefer the flat backstrap, or the traditional slightly curved backstrap. I have guns with both.

I’m curious what you think about that flat backstrap, it does make the grip size slightly smaller, and you may find that more economic.

Certainly, the accuracy is there. My wife’s Beretta 92 is the only Beretta in our household, but it is a supremely reliable, and very accurate, pistol.

Nice gun!

Honestly, I don't mind the vertec grip since it is the same/similar geometry I'm used to of the 2011 I have. Just more slim of a profile, which has proven easier for Conceal carry than my 2011. I can wear slimmer shirts without printing.

Can't wait to take it back out to the range this next weekend. It's a nice shooter

 

[Fa24wrx]

Took the 92xi back out to the range with a coworker.
The Beretta shot SO smooth. I've done hundreds of dry firing practice since last session and the trigger and everything seems to be well broken in. It's the lightest trigger I've got in the stable. Return on target is effortless. Super happy with it. No malfunctions after 250 rounds.

My coworker is getting into CCW and is shooting her husbands gen 1 shield. It had issues with the primer the Herters 9mm has. Would make a strike but no bang like 1 every 10 rounds. I had no such issues with the herters in the Beretta, including from the same box. She has zero issues with the fiocchi I brought too.the picture is a round that has a primer strike but didn't go bang.

 

[football]

The 92 was selected on reliability

Close. The 92 was selected on price. It was like $100 cheaper per unit than the Sig P226, which also passed the testing and was approved for purchase. As you know, the Navy equipped the Seal teams with the P226 as it was better suited for maritime conditions and more reliable in maritime conditions.

 

[Fa24wrx]

First time doing Mozimbique Drill with the Beretta 92xi.
2 things/excuses:
1. I should have slowed down going from torso shots to head shot.
2. Having shot ONLY red dots for over a year straight, I'm getting used to irons again.

With that out of the way, I LOVE this Beretta. Such a smooth shooter and functions flawlessly. The better I get with the irons, the less I'll hold this back. The trigger is perfect.

I was able to hit good groups from 10 yards when I focused. (The head shot picture)

 

[KrisZ]

I do prefer to shoot my 92x over my Glock 19. And it is one of the best looking semi autos out there IMO.

 

[billt460]

Always have liked the 92. The way it looks, and the way it shoots.

 

[HouseTiger]