Looking at a Beretta 92FSand 92A1

[JohnKSa]

Also I don't think Beretta ever made an all stainless gun.

They have in the past. I own one, and have owned others over the years.

The bottom pistol in the picture is factory stock except for the grips & grip screws. Even the factory grip screws were stainless, I just liked the look of the allen screws better.

The magazine is also factory stock including the floorplate. The original INOX 92FS pistols shipped with silver magazines with clear aluminum anodized floorplates--just like the one in the picture.

Only the rear sight is anything other than stainless/silver.

[Ben Dover]

I do not believe that you could go wrong with either. I am somewhat partial to the 92F, but I suppose that may well be because I've been shooting one in excess of twenty years.

[915A]

plouffedaddy, I am digging that version for sure! I might have to look for one of those. I carry the M9 when duty calls. Everyone I have been issued, works without fail, just have to figure out POA on it. While I cant carry concealed with it, I am sure with the right setup it wouldnt be an issue with the exception possibly being a short small framed individual.

[Homerboy]

Also I don't think Beretta ever made an all stainless gun.

The plastic black controls on the INOX guns is a fairly recent change, and one done to save Beretta a few pennies, I am sure. My old INOX was all stainless. I bought it in 2002. New Italian INOX guns come fully stainless, too. As a matter of fact, real early INOX had stainless mags, too.

[Dragline45]

Originally Posted by JohnKSa

They have in the past. I own one, and have owned others over the years.

Interesting, had no idea Beretta ever made stainless framed 92's/M9's. Must be heavy as all hell.

Originally Posted by Homerboy

New Italian INOX guns come fully stainless, too.

Not so sure about this. Looks like the Beretta website lists the same weight for both the Inox and regular versions.

Edit: With a little poking around it appears the Italian made Inox's were discontinued in 2012.

[Homerboy]

I should have clarified. The INOX version, just like the standard version, has an alloy frame, not stainless steel. The weights are the same because they are both alloy.

[RBid]

Originally Posted by plouffedaddy

plouffedaddy, I have never seen that exact model before. It looks like an M9A1 rail on a stainless compact version which leads me to believe that it is an M9A1 compact?

From what I understand it's never been released here before. M9A1 Compact Inox L. "L" for light rail.

We have one in the case at the shop I work at. Great option for guys who want to carry Beretta!

[Pilot]

M9A1 Compact Inox L. "L" for light rail

I believe all Beretta compacts, rail or not are designated Compact L. The new one is a 92FS Compact L on a shortened M9A1 frame. I really like mine and have already installed a D spring and Elite II hammer. Works and looks great.

[Death from Afar]

I think the Beretta family is the best 9 mm available. I certainly shoot very well with one, and they are ergonomic and just ..well, feel right.

One tip. The safety / de cocker takes some getting used to when you are clearing a stoppage. We experimented with some blanks in the magazine and when you are clearing the induced stoppages, it is easy to swipe the decocker and put it onto safe. You should certainly train to prevent this.

Aside from that, I cannot say a bad thing about this pistol.

[Mrgunsngear]

I believe all Beretta compacts, rail or not are designated Compact L. The new one is a 92FS Compact L on a shortened M9A1 frame. I really like mine and have already installed a D spring and Elite II hammer. Works and looks great.

Interesting. My manual says ' "L" (light) '

[Pilot]

Beretta 92FS Compact L Type M (the M designates a single stack). There are other non-railed 92FS Compact L double stacks also, I just don't have a pic of those.

[JohnKSa]

Interesting, had no idea Beretta ever made stainless framed 92's/M9's. Must be heavy as all hell.

As Homerboy points out, the standard stainless 92FS pistols (including the one in the picture I posted) were actually aluminum framed with a finish that roughly matched the stainless slide.

HOWEVER, Beretta has made at least two pistols that actually did have stainless steel frames. The Beretta Billenium and the Beretta Steel both have stainless steel frames and are, at least loosely, based on the 92FS design. They both differ from the standard 92FS in that they have frame-mounted safeties instead of the slide-mounted safety/decockers found on the more common 92 pistol variants.

[ShipWreck]

I believe those two ACTUAL steel framed Berettas were not stainless.. I think the frames were carbon steel and then plated.

[deepcreek]

I couldnt decide between the 92A1 and M9a1 so I got them both. The problem is, Finding holsters for the A1 models. I searched forums and checked out the sites that people suggested. I still dont regret getting them, being left handed, I am used to things being hard to find. This day and age though, I figured it would be a little easier to find what i need. Good luck with the 92A1 and whats up with 9mm ammo being hard to find?

I got this one from Beretta form my 96A1 and it fits nice. Should fit a 92A1 the same.
http://www.berettausa.com/products/p...olster-90-two/

[dgludwig]

when you are clearing the induced stoppages, it is easy to swipe the decocker and put it onto safe. You should certainly train to prevent this.

This can happen especially when you sweep your supporting hand over the top of the pistol to clear a stove-pipe malfunction. This potential malady is not unique to the Beretta 92, as it can definitely occur when clearing stove-pipe malfs from pistols like most Third Generation Smiths and other pistols configured with the same safety/decocker design. As Death from Afar advised, you should anticipate this possibility and train to deal with it effectively.

[JohnKSa]

I believe those two ACTUAL steel framed Berettas were not stainless.. I think the frames were carbon steel and then plated.

All the information I can find indicates that you are correct. I've known for some time that Beretta uses Nickel or NP3 plating for some of their steel parts, but it had escaped my attention that they had used that plating on the frames of those two pistols.