Had a scare with my Beretta 92FS...

**zachomega** · July 24th, 2010, 07:42 PM

I have been shooting my Beretta 92FS a lot more lately (about 100 rounds a week - sometimes more sometimes less). Today I was examining it after 50 rounds when I noticed what looked like a piece of metal missing from the back by the firing pin. I wasn't sure if it was built this way or if the piece of metal blew out of the back of the gun.

Upon googling some pictures, it appears to have been built this way. See the picture with the area I am talking about circled (this picture was pulled off of the net from a page comparing walthers and berettas).

What is the purpose of that notch being cut? It seems that the slide would be stronger if that was not notched. Is it for assembly/disassembly purposes?

-Zach

**Dave_n** · July 24th, 2010, 08:14 PM

It is the cut so that the ejector can avoid being knocked off when the slide moves. Dave_n

**Noah_Zark** · July 25th, 2010, 06:33 AM

I got a heck of a deal on a 92FS Inox a few years ago because the owner/seller was flat convinced that the slide was cracked by the FP, and no amount of information to the contrary was going to convince him otherwise. So I bought it for his ridiculous "parts gun" price.

Noah

**DBZ220** · July 25th, 2010, 09:04 AM

That cut is perfectly normal on 92 series pistols. In years past on Beretta Forum, I believe someone mentioned it was actually to provide stress relief for the area, and that if it wasn't there, cracking around the hole could be possible after extended use. I've never seen a 92 without that cut, but it's possible very early 92's were made without it.

**zachomega** · July 25th, 2010, 11:05 AM

Thank you all! Scare over.

And congrats on that Inox!

-Zach

**Neko456** · July 26th, 2010, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Noah_Zark

I got a heck of a deal on a 92FS Inox a few years ago because the owner/seller was flat convinced that the slide was cracked by the FP, and no amount of information to the contrary was going to convince him otherwise. So I bought it for his ridiculous "parts gun" price.

Noah

Do you know of any other friends like that I need a 92/96 Inox for that price?
Please send them my way I'll buy at least 2 or 3 for part price. A fool and his money will soon be parted I'll play the fool . i like helping people out of their misery. I'm nice like that ;-).[

**BlueGunGuy** · July 27th, 2010, 11:08 PM

it would be a lot scarier if it were an old 92F, and not a 92FS. My dad has a 92F in mint shape, and even though i know i shouldn't worry, i'm paranoid about shooting it. reality is, i'm not even sure there was ever a real case of a 92F failing in the field. the only failures were with +P in military lab tests.

**ham385** · July 28th, 2010, 01:10 AM

LOL, when I got my slide back from trijicon ( new night sights ) I thought it had a crack too!

**eXceLon** · July 30th, 2010, 03:50 AM

There actually used to be a sticky thread on the Beretta forum about this, because of the number of panicked people coming in and thinking their gun was broken. Just checked over there and it seems to have been taken down.

It's normal though. I believe I read it was a design decision to relieve stress that could result in a possible cracked slide.

FYI this design decision is duplicated in the Px4 Storm series of pistols.