Beretta M9 or 92 ?????????

[kraigwy]

They say there is no dumb question.........this is probably the exception.

I never fired the Beretta, When the Army (in my case the National Guard) came up with the Beretta I was in a position where I could keep my 1911a1 and no one would dare questioned me. (I was old school and resented the Beretta replacing my beloved 1911a1). Kind of like cutting my nose off to spite my face.

So now comes the situation where I have to qualify with the Beretta M9, and carry it for a year in "never-never' land.

Like I've said, I've never fired, let a lone qualified with a Beretta. I've fired expert with the 1911a1 every time except for the first time I fired one in 1966, even then I fired marksman.

I've shot the 1911 in Bullseye and coached combat teams with the 1911. I not the best pistol shot in the world but I have no problems with all my other guns, Pistols or revolvers ( including my Sigma).

I'm wondering if I should get a Beretta and work with it so I don't make an ass out of myself come next month when I have to qualify and start carrying.

So should I be concerned of just go with the flow? I have no other need for one, I will qualify and use an issued pistol.

 

[Mosin44az]

Given your resume, I can't imagine you won't be able to qualify with the M9. If you are trying to make a pistol team with one, you might want to practice.

The DA pull is long and a bit heavy, and if you have a small hand like me you will have to shift the pistol in your hand for a straight DA pull, shoot more like an Isosceles than a Weaver.

 

[HorseSoldier]

I'd echo what Mosin44az already said -- given your resume the Army qual course with an M9 will be a no brainer. As an eample, if I recall correctly the army course gives you eight seconds to do mag changes -- not to shoot an engament including a mag change in eight seconds, but eight seconds before the next target even comes up. (And all the targets are single hit deals with the weapon already presented -- no failures to stop, no controlled pairs from holster, etc.)

The DA pull on the M9 sucks if you're used to a better trigger, but I've never had a range safety knowledgable enough about handguns to notice and call me on thumbing the hammer back into SA before the start of a table. (Though I did have one nearly go into convulsions and wet himself in fear when he noticed that I'd <gasp> decocked my pistol and then put it back on fire at the end of an engagement </gasp> -- F***ing Big Army dolts :barf

Other than possible having to deal with the DA/SA trigger pull issues, though, the course is stupidly easy if you have an LEO background or just a lot of pistol trigger time.

 

[p99guy]

I would spend the money on 3 or 4 Beretta sand resistant mags to take to never never land, rather than using issue crappy contractor made magazines, or issue mags with weakened springs from use.

 

[triumph666]

you will qualify with the M9, they are easy to shoot with mild recoil, if your used to 1911 then the only dif is slightly dif SA pull an less recoil(an grip difference too but....), you'll do great i'm sure

 

[Jamas]

YEAH!!! what they said...

Almost every range I've been to that rents out handguns has a 92 model of some sort... Would be cheaper than buying one.

 

[10mm4ever]

You could always buy one to train and get familiar with and then sell it after you qualify, if you dont want it. Berettas hold their value extremely well due to their excellent reputation. I'd be willing to bet that you'll keep it though. I to was biased against the Beretta for many years until I actually broke down and got one(Elite2). Now I could kick myself for letting some petty resentment get in the way of owning one of the most reliable, smoothest pistols on the planet.

 

[Leejack]

Can't go wrong with a Beretta in my opinion.

 

[SPEMack618]

To echo some previous posters, the Beretta, excuse me, let me kick into Army speak, the M-9, isn't that hard at all to qualify with.

I'm not the best pistol shot, and shot expert with it at OSUT with minimal training.

Also, during my course of fire with it, I never once fired it double action. And nobody with a round brown got on my case about it.

And also, for never-never land aftermarket mags are a must, atleast one to ride in the weapon at all times so you'll know the first 15/16 rounds you have will feed. All of my issue M-9 mags were so much junk.

 

[kraigwy]

OK who makes or where can I buy the after market "sand proof" mags. I don't mind spending money on such things as the "best" mags I can get.

 

[SPEMack618]

Optimum, available at Brownells, is what I bought. If I recall correctly, they were about ~$40 w/shipping and what not, plus the additional shipping of Pops dropping them into the mail to the Sandbox.

They might not be the best, but they were pretty good, especially compared to what we were issued.

Also, another option, and one that works too, is the plain old Beretta factory magazines that you would purchase at Bass Pro or the like. My Battle Buddy did that, and they were made much better than the contractor ones. Can't remember the price on them though.

 

[UniversalFrost]

the new sand resistant mags are in fact sand resistant.

Checkmate redid the coatings on them after they discovered the problem with the ultra fine sane (I remember it like almost a powdery substance in some places like when we had to patrol near a the river bottoms)....

the M9 or betetta 92FS is an easy weapon to shoot and maintain. trigger pull is slightly heavy on DA, but not more than any other DA. SA is just like a nice 1911... If i were you , get the hogue panels (not the wraparounds) and put them on your issued weapon (yeah I know those armorers will be screaming if they catch you, but the enhanced grip will be worth it).

to fail the basic pistol course, you will have to try and fail.... it is that easy... no worries about it.

only thing i would get for my beretta is the wolff trigger spring kit,replaces the factory trigger spring and is a must have for any m9/92 and also some wolff extra power mag springs and of course the hogue panels I mentioned earlier.

 

[HorseSoldier]

The Beretta OEM mags are good, too -- the main problem back in the day seems to have been some real garbage Checkmate mags purchased prior to the invasion (and, knowing the military, still kicking around in the supply system somewhere).

Brownells is showing $17 and change for Beretta OEMs (dealer pricing), versus $50/each for Beretta factory "sand resistant" models. Personally, I'd probably just go with OEM mags and if I wanted a little extra piece of mind I'd put some of the Wolff +5 or +10% mag springs in them.

 

[Rugerismisticness]

They're even eaisier to shoot well without familiarity than the 1911, that's really the only reason why the army picked them- less training/more results. I love the 1911, it is the gun of a true shooter.