Rate my HD Pistol!

[Model12Win]

Hello all.

I would like you to rate and comment on my home defense pistol build. It is a Beretta 92A1 with several modification that I believe tailor it to the job:



It started as a base 92A1 and here are the upgrades I did to it:

1. Installed all metal parts (factory Beretta)
2. Installed G-Series decocker kit (no more accidental safety engagements)
3. Added factory D-spring (lighter DA first pull but still reliable)
4. Streamlight TLR-1 HL weapons light
5. Added Trijicon night sights
6. VZ tactical slant grips (much improved traction over factory grips)
7. Mec-Gar 18 round magazines (recommended by industry experts)
8. Speer Gold Dot 124 grain standard pressure ammo (tested 300 rounds, perfect reliability)

This is a fairly big and heavy gun as we all know. I went into it knowing that and consider it a bonus for dedicated home defense as it reduces muzzle flip for better follow up shots. With the added weight and weapons light, this is the smoothest and least recoiling 9mm handgun I have ever fired. It is also super reliable so far and I've tested 300 rounds of Speer Gold Dots in it that I keep for home defense, 0 failures at all so far.

What do you all think of the gun? Is there anything I should do to improve it? Do you think it would be an effective dedicated nightstand gun? I also have a Remington 870 Police but I keep this gun on my nightstand in case I don't have time to grab the shotgun.

Thoughts? Please rate my home defense handgun!

[1-DAB]

nice set up.

i wouldn't change anything else. my 92s all have G levers too. always ready to go. also sport 18 round Mec-Gars.

[GeneS]

Great choice. There's nothing more reliable than a Beretta 92. Your set up seems about as close to perfect as it gets.

[DFM914]

Beyond sufficient! Very nice handgun.

[wizzamen]

I think you did a great job, those grips look really nice. All the changes you made were well thought out and an improvement over the stock pistol. I would say this is the definition of a nightstand gun, I can't think of anymore improvement you could make.

p.s. You are not suppose to put up a pic of a Morakniv, these are an insider secret that should be only shared with deserving people

[Pops1085]

I thought I was looking at a picture of my gun when I saw this haha

Biggest thing is can you hit anything with it!

[Eazyeach]

Good enough for Martin Riggs.

[James K]

I have been taken to task a number of times for saying this, but I will continue to do so. If I am entering or in a dark area where a armed bad guy may be lurking, the last place I want my flashlight (the target) is directly in front of my face where a shot at the light will deposit a nice neat hole in my forehead. But, if that turns you on, go with what you see in the ads.

Jim

[TunnelRat]

How do you suggest solving that though? The majority of the handheld techniques involve the light near or around the pistol itself and you're essentially in the same boat. The only technique that doesn't involves holding the light in front of you involves holding it as far away from you body as possible. Then you have to independently aim both the light and the pistol in different hands at the same time and they're on different axes. When I've tried it it's been a royal pain in the butt. Then if you try to go through a door like that you're too wide and have to compress the light back into your body anyway. I also find that technique leaves my sights in shadow as opposed to a more central light hold where the spill tends to help contrast the front sights for aiming.

Lights, whether handheld or mounted, should not be left on. You illuminate, scan quickly, then relocate. I can agree with a separate light if you're worried about muzzling someone (though I'd add you can use the spill of a weapon mounted light at a low ready to scan too), but I've yet to try a handheld technique where the light isn't centralized and I felt I had good control for aiming both the light and the pistol. There is no free lunch.

[Model12Win]

Originally Posted by James K

I have been taken to task a number of times for saying this, but I will continue to do so. If I am entering or in a dark area where a armed bad guy may be lurking, the last place I want my flashlight (the target) is directly in front of my face where a shot at the light will deposit a nice neat hole in my forehead. But, if that turns you on, go with what you see in the ads.

Jim

Wow, kind of a tactless remark from a Staff member.

[tahunua001]

in addition to drawing attention to your face, it requires you to point your gun directly at anything you want to see... a separate flashlight gives you the ability to see something without requiring the gun to be pointed at it and gives you an extra split second to react and decide if that think you just saw really does need shot or not.

[Cheapshooter]

You don't want my opinion!
Over done with too many bells and whistles. Nothing wrong with a 92fs out of the box, and a good hand held light.
Everything else is pure Mall Ninja!

[railroader]

I like it. If I had a Beretta 92 set for home defense that is exactly the way I would want it. I have the same light on my Walther I keep around the house.

[Model12Win]

Originally Posted by Cheapshooter

You don't want my opinion!
Over done with too many bells and whistles. Nothing wrong with a 92fs out of the box, and a good hand held light.
Everything else is pure Mall Ninja!

Meh.

[Troy800]

Very nice. The 92 is a great weapon. I dont care for weapon mounted lights for home defense but that is just personal preference.

[PSP]

How does the bayonet attach?


Just kidding.

[TunnelRat]

it requires you to point your gun directly at anything you want to see

When weapon mounted lights put out 500-800 lumens, you really don't have to shine straight on to identify a target. The spill off the floor can illuminate a whole room. But I do get the point. As a counter, there's no reason you can't have both a handheld and a mounted if you wanted. It doesn't add much weight to a pistol. As for why you'd want a weapon mounted light, having only the use of one hand is a thing that happens in conflicts. Not only injury, but in a home the need to carry a child, render assistance to a family member, any number of reasons. Of course shooting with both hands provides some stability too.

[Cheapshooter]

Reminds me of my 870 Express 18". 99% Tacticool junk I put on it that is pretty much unneeded!
[URL=http://s549.photobucket.com/user/bobwehnert/media/002-2-1.jpg.html][/URL

[DubC-Hicks]

I like the setup. I'm a fan of weapon lights. I like having a free hand to be able to open doors, use a phone, carry a kid, anything you can think of. I'm also required by my department to have a weaponlight on my issued pistol, so it's what I know, and I've found it works very well for me.

I'm also a huge fan of the 92 series pistols, and very jealous of the 92A1. I've got an M9 currently and a 92A1 will be my next 92 series.

[Model12Win]

Originally Posted by Cheapshooter

Reminds me of my 870 Express 18". 99% Tacticool junk I put on it that is pretty much unneeded!
[URL=http://s549.photobucket.com/user/bobwehnert/media/002-2-1.jpg.html][/URL

I see. Thank you for your comment.

[Snuffy308]

Like what you did there. Seems well thought out. As far as weapon lights, you have to know how to tactically deploy to gain optimum effect.

[1goodshot]

I like everything except the light mounted on the weapon

[dgludwig]

Lights, whether handheld or mounted, should not be left on. You illuminate, scan quickly, then relocate. I can agree with a separate light if you're worried about muzzling someone (though I'd add you can use the spill of a weapon mounted light at a low ready to scan too), but I've yet to try a handheld technique where the light isn't centralized and I felt I had good control for aiming both the light and the pistol. There is no free lunch.

All great points, TunnelRat. Any light from a "target" position in a dark place will bring a bag full of potentially bad consequences along with it. But you have to be able to see your target before you can shoot it.

I have a TLR-2 StreamLight mounted on my SIG Model 226 pistol @ my bedside that combines a laser beam with the light. Though it comes with a "strobe" mode, as much as I like the idea, I wish it was more intuitive to engage quickly-it takes me way too long to activate this feature under even stress-free circumstances. Maybe more practice with it, lots more...

[Kvon2]

Well a full size gun with a hammer so I'd give it a 10/10...but I might be biased

[FAS1]

Very nice and should get the job done.

From my handgun safe sales, it appears that about 50% of the people use a weapon mounted light (safes ordered with that holster). It's a matter of preference and how you train. I still use a handheld light when needed.