Beretta 92 appreciation with a few minor complaints

[zachomega]

I bought a 92A1 around 2012. I hated it. The way I rack my slides, I accidentally activate the safety all the time. If I still owned it, I'd definitely install the de-cocker only kit. The other problem back then was the near total lack of holster availability for the A1. I'd hope that problem has been solved in the last 8 years.

Since then I bought a P229 and a P226. I love the Sigs - the feel of them in my hands, the triggers, the frame-mounted de-cockers. And holsters galore.

It's funny seeing these guns in the movies. The 92 is so Bruce Willis, and the P229 is all Jason Bourne. The P229 is definitely the hot movie gun these days.

I never had an issue with accidentally engaging the safety, but i also never needed to operate it under duress.

How do you normally carry that you couldn't find a holster?

I either carry in a cheap uncle mike's #5 iwb or a galco jackass rig. It is a big gun so iwb can be unpleasant.

It just occurred to me that I'm thinking of a 92fs. Not the a1 with the rail. I haven't carried (heck, i haven't even shot it yet) the a1 yet. Probably never will. I have a bulky light on it for nightstand use.

Currently the a1 is taken apart awaiting a few more parts. I can't just leave well enough alone.

-Zach

[scruff]

I never had an issue with accidentally engaging the safety, but i also never needed to operate it under duress.

How do you normally carry that you couldn't find a holster?

I either carry in a cheap uncle mike's #5 iwb or a galco jackass rig. It is a big gun so iwb can be unpleasant.

It just occurred to me that I'm thinking of a 92fs. Not the a1 with the rail. I haven't carried (heck, i haven't even shot it yet) the a1 yet. Probably never will. I have a bulky light on it for nightstand use.

Currently the a1 is taken apart awaiting a few more parts. I can't just leave well enough alone.

-Zach

I think the A1 was fairly new then. There were no holsters - the rail didn't fit existing holsters. No Safariland, no Blackhawk, no Bianchi, no kydex, nothing. All I found was a flimsy DeSantis scabbard holster that I didn't like. I don't do Uncle Mike's.

Accidentally activating the safety has nothing to do with being under duress. I do slingshot reloads, I don't use the slide release. I grip the slide and keep pulling back until my hand rips off the slide and hits me in the chest. That way every gun works the same for me, and there's no chance of me riding the slide. That method doesn't work at all with the slide-mounted safety/decocker.

Larry Vickers discusses reloads with the Beretta here:

[zachomega]

I think the A1 was fairly new then. There were no holsters - the rail didn't fit existing holsters. No Safariland, no Blackhawk, no Bianchi, no kydex, nothing. All I found was a flimsy DeSantis scabbard holster that I didn't like. I don't do Uncle Mike's.

Accidentally activating the safety has nothing to do with being under duress. I do slingshot reloads, I don't use the slide release. I grip the slide and keep pulling back until my hand rips off the slide and hits me in the chest. That way every gun works the same for me, and there's no chance of me riding the slide. That method doesn't work at all with the slide-mounted safety/decocker.

Larry Vickers discusses reloads with the Beretta here:

I'm a sling shot guy as well. I will use a side stop too though. Just depends on the gun. I still haven't activated the safety. But my thought was if i needed the gun and if i had to clear a malfunction, i don't want to have to think about the safety during a tap rack bang.

No love for uncle Mike? My first iwb lasted almost a solid decade with regular carry. It isn't glamorous, but they also cost all of 15$. I know it isn't for everybody and some of their universal holsters don't fit some guns very well.

-Zach

[1st8th83]

I know the Beretta 92 usually brings out people who love the pistol and those who absolutely detest them. I am a defender of the Beretta 92.

My first semi automatic pistol was a Beretta 92fs. I find the ergonomics work for me. I know it isn't a popular opinion, but i also prefer the slide mounted safety. It is out of the way and my hands are large enough to access it without changing my grip. I have a bad habit of accidentally activating frame mounted safeties that are positioned too low or with a weak detent.

Yesterday i picked up a new Beretta 92a1. The clerk told me i have caviar taste. I laughed.

So the gripes - the double action trigger out of the box is like a million pounds. They know the d spring works. They include it from the factory on some of the newer models. Why not every model?

And let's talk about the polymer coated parts. Yes, i have zero reason to believe that they will ever fail. But Beretta knows nobody really wants that and even sells a factory metal parts kit. Going back to the caviar statement, it isn't a cheap gun. Just include the metal parts. The polymer parts just kind of cheapen the feel of an otherwise excellent gun.

-Zach

92fs is probably the easiest gun to disassemble clean and reassemble... besides being a fine firearm

[jthrelf]

Got the 22 conversion kit. Very high quality, German proof marks (made by Umarex, Beretta licensing). Had to do some fitting with the Dremel on the locking surface. I was expecting this based on reviews but not a big deal. Should be very accurate based on the fixed barrel lockup it has. Only downside is it doesn't lock back on empty. Range report to follow when I feel like freezing my nuts off!

[materials elitist]

I’m late to this party but chalk me up as a 92 fan. I hated it when I was in the army (I preferred the 1911) but have really come to love tinkering with it.

[zachomega]

Where does Beretta get off calling the 92 compact a compact? It is 3/4" shorter and the grip is marginally smaller. Barrel is still over 4". It is still a monster sized pistol.

I love my full sized 92. But I'm having a hard time understanding the compact. My cz 75d pcr is slimmer, shorter, lighter, and holds more ammo (and it fits my 92 shoulder holster well).

-Zach

[Daycrawler]

I know the Beretta 92 usually brings out people who love the pistol and those who absolutely detest them. I am a defender of the Beretta 92.

My first semi automatic pistol was a Beretta 92fs. I find the ergonomics work for me. I know it isn't a popular opinion, but i also prefer the slide mounted safety. It is out of the way and my hands are large enough to access it without changing my grip. I have a bad habit of accidentally activating frame mounted safeties that are positioned too low or with a weak detent.

Yesterday i picked up a new Beretta 92a1. The clerk told me i have caviar taste. I laughed.

So the gripes - the double action trigger out of the box is like a million pounds. They know the d spring works. They include it from the factory on some of the newer models. Why not every model?

And let's talk about the polymer coated parts. Yes, i have zero reason to believe that they will ever fail. But Beretta knows nobody really wants that and even sells a factory metal parts kit. Going back to the caviar statement, it isn't a cheap gun. Just include the metal parts. The polymer parts just kind of cheapen the feel of an otherwise excellent gun.

-Zach

I detest this entire thread! IMO the 92's and the S&W 5906 models are worthy of boat anchors. They are some of the worst guns I have ever had the displeasure of carrying. My hip hurts just thinking about it.

[schwetty]

I spent big dollars for a Wilson 92G Centurion, then upgraded it even further, for probably the same reason probably anybody buys a 92; it was extremely cool looking. It's got a timeless, unique style. I bought it as a range gun since I carry tiny capacity single stacks; I bought holsters for it to try and ultimately fail to conceal carry; the thing is way too big to carry unless you dress like an Eskimo. In its thousand+ dollar riced out form it's extremely accurate, soft recoiling, has both excellent sights and DA/SA trigger with Langdon/Wilson parts. Those are the good parts.

However I do ultimately regret getting it, as over the past year or so I concluded that while it's very pretty and stylish it's functionally obsolete, a gun version of a Ferrari with wire wheels and carburetors. It's easy to take down (like all good guns) but infuriating to fully disassemble, the G lever/firing pin in particular is full of teeny pins, springs and plungers. The gun is big. Even in Centurion form, this "practical" 9mm is about the same size as my .50cal Desert Eagle with a grip that's actually 5mm thicker. Unless you spend extra $ you get tiny crap 92FS sights with the front milled from the slide and no option for night sights. It's only very recently that they got replaceable sights/night sight option, something everybody else had for a long time. I can understand why people who had to carry it all day hate it.

IMO these Cold War era big iron "battle pistols" like the 92 and CZ75 are all gigantic, overcomplicated boat anchors. It gave me a new-found appreciation for the simplicity and light weight of modern pistols, even hammer-fired ones like my carry Ruger LCPII are brick simple by comparison. I will always like the 92 for its style but the novelty of owning it wore off TBH, I get kinda sad when I see Langdon's prices for his 92s, you're literally spending Desert Eagle levels of money for what's ultimately a riced out LAPD cop gun to get what are effectively standard-issue features on other pistols.

TL;DR Beretta 92 looks cool. It's huge. Desert Eagles look cool too, and are also huge, but shoot huge wrist-breaking bullets to justify their huge size, expense and weight. 92 shoots the same stuff a $500 Glock does just as well. It's all about the style . I am looking to sell it for $1k though, been too lazy to make a classifieds.

[zachomega]

Finally got my cdnn Beretta parts kit.

Authentic parts for 25$. Not sure how compatible the parts are with every model. I heard internet rumor that they were for early 90-two pistols or something like that. The trigger and hammer alone make it worth the price. I suspect most of the parts will work.

The hammer pin is the small style which isn't current. The safety is kind of whatever since I went to g conversion. The trigger bar (if compatible) is worth the price. I paid 60$ for a spare. The sear is another good item.

The lone grip panel is comical. It is gray and very dusty. It might actually be black if i rinsed it.

No rust on the parts.

I don't think I'd go out of my way for the kit unless i was already going to buy any of the parts or was already buying something at cdnn. But my Beretta spare parts could probably build a pistol 92% (see what i did there?) of the way of I had a frame and slide.

The price is certainly right.

-Zach