Beretta 92 9 mm interchange w/96 .40 cal?

PolarFBear · November 5, 2018, 05:15 PM

I have several magazines for my Beretta 9 mm and the Centurion .40 cal. Oops, I've mixed them up. For the life me the mags seem to be the same. I can fit a 9 mm or .40 round in either one. All the mags seem to fit and function in either gun, just a difference in rounds held. Can I shift other components as well, specifically barrels? Heck, if the only difference is the I might as well get spare barrel and delete a gun from my safe inventory.

Wag · November 6, 2018, 09:18 AM

On mine, the 96 mags show a 12 round count along the side. The 92 mags show 15. If you're using aftermarket mags, they may not have the round count. I've never tried to cross load them but when I get out there later this morning, I'll check 'em out.

--Wag--

lamarw · November 6, 2018, 09:53 AM

I have a Model 92 Inox and a standard Model 96. I have no desire or intent to attempt and interchange. I also can not answer your question. Have you googled for an answer or considered asking Beretta Customer Service.

I would expect there to be a difference in point of aim with the two different rounds and this would impact your sights; although I may have confused your intent. I doubt the same set of sights would work for both rounds even if the mechanics of the pistol worked.

ferrarif1fan · November 6, 2018, 01:35 PM

You should probably check the indentation in the slide for the rim of the cartridge. I would assume it's bigger for .40. That might also lead to ejection issues shooting 9mm out of a .40 slide.

SIGSHR · November 6, 2018, 02:21 PM

IIRC rounds with the same cartridge head diameter-i.e. 9MMP and 38 Super can interchange. The position of the ejector is the determining feature.

Walt Sherrill · November 6, 2018, 05:51 PM

I've had both a 92 and 96, but don't remember if the mags will work in the OTHER frame. I think the guns are almost identical internally. The biggest difference is the opening in the front of the slide and the barrels. (Beretta at one time offered a kit with one frame and both a 9mm and .40 slide, but I don't remember whether they had two sets of mags or one.)

There may be some differences in the mags -- which you might not notice unless you feed hollow-point rounds.

I have an FNS-40 (.40) and also use a 9mm conversion barrel. in that gun. The .40 mags will feed 9mm hardball, but have a real problem with hollow point bullets. The feed lip gap is a bit wider in most .40 mags, and because the 9mm round is also a bit slimmer and the gap is wider, the 9mm round will sit a bit higher as it leaves the magazine -- and the "maw" of some hollow point rounds can bite into the feed ramp and cause a feed stoppage.

I would expect 9mm non-hollow point rounds to work fine in 96 mags, but you might feel a little "clunk" as the round is stripped and fed. Hollow points may be a problem. But unless someone can try it and tell you results, you'll just need have to try it yourself. It won't hurt anything if you do try.

Wag · November 6, 2018, 08:06 PM

So, earlier, I went out and took a picture of my mags. 92 on the left, 96 on the right.

On all of my 92 mags, there are three holes on the spine and on the 96 mags, there are five. A bit counter intuitive, I suppose but there you have it.

I wouldn't make any attempts to try to swap them either way, though.

--Wag--

November 5, 2018, 05:15 PM	#1
PolarFBear Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2015 Location: NE Tennessee, a "Free State" Posts: 478	Beretta 92 9 mm interchange w/96 .40 cal? I have several magazines for my Beretta 9 mm and the Centurion .40 cal. Oops, I've mixed them up. For the life me the mags seem to be the same. I can fit a 9 mm or .40 round in either one. All the mags seem to fit and function in either gun, just a difference in rounds held. Can I shift other components as well, specifically barrels? Heck, if the only difference is the I might as well get spare barrel and delete a gun from my safe inventory.

November 6, 2018, 09:18 AM	#2
Wag Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 988	On mine, the 96 mags show a 12 round count along the side. The 92 mags show 15. If you're using aftermarket mags, they may not have the round count. I've never tried to cross load them but when I get out there later this morning, I'll check 'em out. --Wag-- __________________ "Great genius will always encounter fierce opposition from mediocre minds." --Albert Einstein.

November 6, 2018, 05:51 PM	#6
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	I've had both a 92 and 96, but don't remember if the mags will work in the OTHER frame. I think the guns are almost identical internally. The biggest difference is the opening in the front of the slide and the barrels. (Beretta at one time offered a kit with one frame and both a 9mm and .40 slide, but I don't remember whether they had two sets of mags or one.) There may be some differences in the mags -- which you might not notice unless you feed hollow-point rounds. I have an FNS-40 (.40) and also use a 9mm conversion barrel. in that gun. The .40 mags will feed 9mm hardball, but have a real problem with hollow point bullets. The feed lip gap is a bit wider in most .40 mags, and because the 9mm round is also a bit slimmer and the gap is wider, the 9mm round will sit a bit higher as it leaves the magazine -- and the "maw" of some hollow point rounds can bite into the feed ramp and cause a feed stoppage. I would expect 9mm non-hollow point rounds to work fine in 96 mags, but you might feel a little "clunk" as the round is stripped and fed. Hollow points may be a problem. But unless someone can try it and tell you results, you'll just need have to try it yourself. It won't hurt anything if you do try. Last edited by Walt Sherrill; November 7, 2018 at 09:58 AM.

November 6, 2018, 08:06 PM	#7
Wag Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 988	So, earlier, I went out and took a picture of my mags. 92 on the left, 96 on the right. On all of my 92 mags, there are three holes on the spine and on the 96 mags, there are five. A bit counter intuitive, I suppose but there you have it. I wouldn't make any attempts to try to swap them either way, though. --Wag-- __________________ "Great genius will always encounter fierce opposition from mediocre minds." --Albert Einstein.

November 6, 2018, 09:53 AM	#3
lamarw Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2010 Location: Lake Martin, AL Posts: 3,311	I have a Model 92 Inox and a standard Model 96. I have no desire or intent to attempt and interchange. I also can not answer your question. Have you googled for an answer or considered asking Beretta Customer Service. I would expect there to be a difference in point of aim with the two different rounds and this would impact your sights; although I may have confused your intent. I doubt the same set of sights would work for both rounds even if the mechanics of the pistol worked.

November 6, 2018, 01:35 PM	#4
ferrarif1fan Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2009 Posts: 118	You should probably check the indentation in the slide for the rim of the cartridge. I would assume it's bigger for .40. That might also lead to ejection issues shooting 9mm out of a .40 slide.

November 6, 2018, 02:21 PM	#5
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	IIRC rounds with the same cartridge head diameter-i.e. 9MMP and 38 Super can interchange. The position of the ejector is the determining feature.