Cons of the Beretta 92fs

[wllfthn]

Anyone on here that has experience with the 92fs, please share some of the things you don't like about it. Although the M9 is essentially the same gun, I am only interested in the 92fs. Thanks in advanced!

[TxFlyFish]

the size, the safety, the grip, and the trigger reach ....and beretta famous customer service. BUT it's easy to get past all that when you watch die hard

yippee Ki YAy!!

[Amsdorf]

Do you have a specific concern about the 92FS in particular? They are pretty much like the 92, except for the larger hammer.

FWIW, I am enjoying my new 92A1.

Link to video.

[vyse.04]

It really depends on what you are looking for. The general complaints I've heard (but do not share) are its' grip size, "backwards" safety mounted on the slide, extra weight, etc. Now if you are talking about issues with the firearm, I have yet to shoot a Beretta with any problems, outside of one magazine that fell apart on me while shooting.

[SIGSHR]

Neanderthal that I am, I don't like the aluminum frame.

[Beentown71]

Only con that I know of is the trigger reach for some in DA. one of my favorite pistols. Their are a couple others I have that I shoot better but it is still one of my favorites.

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk 2

[Edward429451]

I picked one up at the gun show once and was turned off by the external hammer bar. I was able to drop the hammer by manipulation of the external trigger bar without touching the trigger.

[Striker1]

So what did that prove to you? Did it make you feel the gun was unsafe?

I don't like to weight of the DA trigger, if I had one I would probably lighten it up a little.

[Don P]

I have no cons about the 92fs. Have 2, 1 from USA and 1 from Italy and both have the 22lr kits with them and I also have a 96 top end for them

[DBLAction454]

This is my father's favorite gun and the gun he taught me to shoot with so its hard to say this but...

Early locking block failures below 20k rounds, sheet metal saftey, location of safety that allows it to be engaged too easily by accident when racking the slide, aluminum frame.

-DBLAction454

[LockedBreech]

The Beretta 92 is a fantastic handgun and I'm a Beretta near-fanboy, but it does no good to avoid the cons like they don't exist.

1.) It's big. To me, it fits very well, but most shooters find it pretty large.

2.) The locking block will probably need swapped every 5k-10k or so to be safe, but they're not that expensive and that's a lot of ammo - way more than the cost of the gun itself.

3.) The customer service. I called with a simple question regarding my PX4 once and it was a nightmare just to find someone to talk to.

I would still buy a 92FS with no hesitation. They are very well-built, accurate, low-recoil guns with superb reliability.

[Adamantium]

There are plenty of things not to like as a matter of preference like the size, the slide safety or the trigger reach but those are preference things, some people actually like them. I would honestly say the only design thing though is the locking block. I'm not a fan on it and have never seen how it is better than (or even equal to) to good old barrel lugs.

[9mm]

WHAT ISN'T TO LIKE?

Conceal good @ 12o clockw/cant away from package. Useing a black hawk nylon holster.

[TailGator]

It is large for its caliber and capacity, but it is a very sound design executed well.

To OP: Intended purpose has a lot to do with handgun selection. Perhaps if you told us your intentions and needs, the knowledgeable people here could be more helpful.

[wllfthn]

As far the size, trigger pull, safety and all around feel of the gun in my hands, I love the 92fs. After reading for quite some time, I've seen a lot of mixed reviews about the CS. That really isn't a factor for me though, doesn't really change the quality of the gun. Although it would be nice to see nothing but stellar reviews for their customer service..

Anyways, I am really not in need of anything in particular, I have just always been fascinated by berettas, namely, the 92fs. A lot of reviews by owners are amazing and most people that I know who have one are absolutely in love with them.

This will probably serve as my winter carry gun. Too big to carry in the summer, though I might try it just to see.

All in all, I am looking for a really reliable, aesthetically pleasing gun, and for me, that is the 92fs. The purpose of this thread is really just to find out what I need to be watching out for. Thanks again guys!

[Marquezj16]

There are no cons for me with my 92fs compact.

[Cheapshooter]

I have no complaints about mine. Great gun!!!
Well, maybe one. When it goes to the range with me it usually eats up 2 or 3 hundred rounds of my 9MM ammo!

[Edward429451]

So what did that prove to you? Did it make you feel the gun was unsafe?

Yes. Whether it is drop safe or not, it still kinda hit me the wrong way and seems to me to be an engineering blooper. Who puts the triggerbar on the outside?

I did get to shoot one, years later. It shot great and I didn't mind the size of it other than for that size I could have a more serious caliber. I'm not against the gun, just think its a pretty good size con for it considering the plethora of other fine pistols out there.

[ShipWreck]

CONS?

[JohnKSa]

I don't care much for slide mounted safeties--I tend to look for decock-only models of guns with slide mounted safeties. The main problem I have with them is that I find I occasionally activate them when racking the slide.

The grip is pretty large for a 9mm. I've run into a few small-handed shooters who have trouble gripping it properly.

Some folks suggest preventively replacing the locking block every 20K-30K rounds. That sounds pretty reasonable to me. They're easy to install and a 3 piece replacement block kit including the newest generation locking block and a new recoil spring is available from Beretta USA for about $35. Although it's not a common requirement, as an interesting aside, if you plan to use a suppressor, the locking block design/non-tilting barrel means you don't need a suppressor with a "booster".

I was able to drop the hammer by manipulation of the external trigger bar without touching the trigger.

Interesting; I can't recall ever hearing that complaint before. The trigger bar is external and does allow the hammer to be dropped via direct manipulation of the bar, but it takes a pretty concerted effort to do so given the difficulty in getting a purchase on the bar to push it forward and the lack of leverage--leverage that would normally be provided by the trigger. In addition, the only point that can be accessed that provides enough purchase to push the trigger bar in the direction required to fire the gun is somewhat shielded by the slide and grip and is completely shielded by the trigger finger when a proper grip (trigger-finger-alongside-the-frame) is taken on the gun by a right-handed shooter. The back edge of the forward part of the trigger bar where the pressure needs to be applied, is also rounded, which makes it, in my opinion, very unlikely that a snag could catch the back of the bar and accidentally manipulate the bar to fire the gun.

I was able to get the cocked hammer to drop by directly manipulating the trigger bar on the two 92 pistols I have, but not while holding the guns in my hand. I had to put them down, hold them in place with one hand and push the trigger bar forward with my thumb. It required considerable effort--to the point that it was painful to apply the pressure necessary to get the hammer to drop.

I'm not convinced that it's a practical issue given the considerations described above as well as the combination of the ubiquity of the pistol with the absence of any reports of related incidents. That said, there's still a theoretical possibility that it could get snagged and set off the gun accidentally. If a user/owner were concerned about that possibility it could be virtually eliminated by further bevelling the back of the forward portion of the bar to make it even more snag-proof than it already is. It also looks like it would be possible to create a right-side grip scale that projects forward over the back of the forward portion of the trigger-bar to shield it completely from already remote chance of being snagged.

[Jeff22]

I carried a Beretta 92F as a cop from 1988 to 1997. I shot that gun a lot, and loaned it to a friend to use when going through the police academy. I broke a locking block at about 18,000 rounds and cracked the frame at 35,000+.

Beretta replaced the gun for free. They sent me a 92FS with night sights. I still have the gun, and shoot it occassionally.

Replace the recoil spring every 3000 rnd or so and replace the locking block at 15,000 rnds or so and you should get good service out of a 92 series gun. Use Beretta or Mec-Gar magazines. (Mec-Gar is actually the sub-contractor that makes magazines for Beretta, Browning, and Sig) Some of the GI magazines purchased as replacements were made by Checkmate, and many of those magazines had functioning problems. I have heard that recent production Checkmate mags are fine, but I have no personal experience with that.

(In 2000 I bought the Beretta factory .22 conversion unit, which they called a "practice kit". Mine works really well, is not ammo sensitive, and I use it frequently. I don't think Beretta makes them any more . . . )

I personally REALLY like the Beretta 92. But I have big hands and long fingers. The circumference of the grip is large and the reach from the backstrap to the face of the trigger is L-O-N-G, as is the DA trigger stroke. Folks with smaller hands or shorter fingers usually struggle shooting the Beretta 92/M9 because the gun is just too big for them.

The Beretta 92 is basically a 1980 design. It is still perfectly servicible, but I think there are better choices out there for many applications.

If one has some kind of military affiliation, it might make sense to keep a workable level of skill with the 92/M9 because it appears that the M9 will be the issue handgun for most purposes for the military for quite some time yet.

[JohnKSa]

Mec-Gar is actually the sub-contractor that makes magazines for Beretta, Browning, and Sig

I think that was true at one time, but Beretta now owns a company in Italy named MDS (Meccanica del Sarca) that makes all their magazines for them. It's sometimes possible to find MDS marked magazines for sale at a better price than the Beretta marked mags.

My experience with Mec-Gar magazines has been uniformly good. I wouldn't feel bad about recommending their products either.

[Larry C.]

Howdy,

My 92FS has proven reliable and easy to shoot, owing in part to it's size and..heft. Even my petite wife can knock down steel plates with it, so it's grip envelope can't be that much of an issue. MHO

[jason_iowa]

Safety systems
Does not like +P
Does not come in 45acp
Soft frame
Bulky

Great shooting, fun gun. Worthless combat pistol.

[wllfthn]

ShipWreck

That's quite the collection there. I must say, I'm a little jealous...


Edward429451 & JohnKSa

Thanks for the info on the trigger bar. I hadn't really seen much about this in other forums, so I'll definitely be taking some further precautionary measures just to make sure it doesn't become a problem.


Jeff22 - LockedBreech - Adamantium

Since I've heard about this on other forums and I've now seen it a few times in this thread, I will definitely be keeping a watchful eye on the locking block. Will probably end up just replacing it every 10-15,000 rounds, just to be on the safe side. The recoil spring will get replaced as needed also. I want to be sure this gun lasts as long as I do, so these pointers really help.

To everyone else who has one and loves it

I am pretty sure I'll be joining you here soon. Can't wait to pick mine up and get some rounds through it.

Keep the comments coming, folks. Much obliged!

WF