View Full Version : So I traded my Sprinfield Mil Spec for a Berreta M9. I'm gald I did!
suffocation23
11-28-13, 22:40
This week, I traded my Springfield Mil Spec for a Berretta M9. I love the 1911 platform for a wide variety of reasons but when I buy ammo lately, I tend to buy 9mm. To be fair, I prefer the shooting dynamics, reliability (with hollow point ammo), capacity and price of 9mm duty pistols/ammo to any 1911 I've owned or shot thus far. The Springfield is an excellent weapon, however it has been collecting dust while I continue to shoot and train with my other pistols ie: duty Glock 22 (department ammo baby!) and my personal favorite S&W M&P 9Pro.
I've always liked the looks and performance of the Beretta M9/92 series of pistols. I decided to try the M9 and now the only full size pistols I own are 9mm. Love or hate the M9, here are my first impressions and range report. After the trade, I purchased a factory Beretta 17 rd mag and a Blackhawk Serpa for the Beretta, along with 200 rds of 115 grn PMC Bronze and a 20 rd box of Speer Gold Dot 147 grn. The Beretta ran flawlessly out of the box and ate all 220 rds with the 17 Rd and 15 rd FACTORY mags. I had no trouble with the DA/SA Beretta as I carried a Sig 220 for years when I worked for at my local Sheriff's Office. The DA trigger pull on the Berretta is long, smooth and heavy (what do you expect). The SA trigger pull is nice, crisp and light (5lbs) with a short, firm and audible reset. BTW the Beretta SA trigger pull and reset smoked the SIG 226 I tried at the shop while comparing.
Accuracy: The pistol was very accurate for me, keeping all rounds w/n the 9 ring out to 10 yards (most on the X ring) on a B27 target. I am as accurate with the M9 as I am with any other pistols I've owned and I've had a lot. The Beretta is a very soft shooting pistol that allows for very accurate and fast follow up shots.
Ergonomics: The Beretta is a large, heavy pistol (34oz) with a frame mounted safety/decocker. Despite having medium sized hands and the M9's wide backstrap, the M9 felt good in my hands and pointed naturally. I had no issues manipulating the weapon. I did not not engage the safety while charging the piece as some do, but it does feel different coming from Glocks and M&P's. The mag release required a change in firing grip as do all pistols I've ever fired. Reloads were a breeze and the slide catch engaged easily for me. The slide locked to the rear for me on an empty mag every time. I plan to replace the factory grips for something with more grip (G10).
Sights: The front white dot over rear post works fine for me, my preference however is a fiber optic front with blacked out rear. The front sight is fixed and can not be drifted. The factory sights were dead on @ 3 yds and shot POA.
Fit and Finish: The M9 is a beautiful weapon. Nothing else looks like The M9/92. It has a very dark black finish. The frame to slide fit is rather tight.The Beretta action rivals any pistol I've owned. It feels the like the slide is ridding on ball bearrings.
Take down/cleaning: Well its about as simple as it gets. No issues there except... with oily hands this sucker pinched me as I lost my grip and caught the palm of my left hand as I reassembled the weapon.
The M9 is a great value at $550. If you have not shot a M9/92 give it a try. They are one of the most misunderstood and underrated pistols that I'm aware off. Caliber debates aside look at the ballistics. 9mm Speer GDHP 124 grn +p delivers 410 ft/pds @ the muzzle w/ 1220 fps. I'm comfortable with that knowing I have 18rds ready to go. If you like DA/SA autos the M9 has a lot to offer. I/m really impressed with the M9 platform so far and I'm looking forward to spending a lot of more time with it. I'm always hesitant to recommend entry level 1911's to folks looking for a defensive pistol (due to feeding issues with HP ammo). So to reiterate, I'm glad I traded my dusty mil spec for the M9. Let the fun begin.
I own both 1911's and Beretta's. I appreciate both but prefer the 1911.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
Put a Dmodel main spring and the double action pull will drop to about 9 lbs, S/A will be at or just below 4lbs and reliability will remain the same. I love the beretta 92 series and they feel like they were made for my hands.
suffocation23
11-29-13, 07:05
I want to try the d mainspring. Any aftermarket grip recommendations?
I want to try the d mainspring. Any aftermarket grip recommendations?
I like VZ's on most of my pistols. Really great 'grip' and feel and they look good. As to the 'D' spring swap, AFAIK the swap doesn't work on the newer plastic coated trigger. You may need to swap the trigger when you do the spring.
The D spring is the main spring, has nothing to do with the trigger.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
The D spring is the main spring, has nothing to do with the trigger.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
My bad, I was thinking about the trigger return spring. You do both and it makes for a competition grade trigger and reset.
mkmckinley
11-30-13, 13:19
My M9 has some VZ grips with the golfball pattern and they're pretty great. The D spring is a must.
The Dumb Gun Collector
11-30-13, 17:34
The Beretta is a seriously under appreciated 9mm at this point. If you have the mitts, its as good as anything else.
The D spring is the main spring, has nothing to do with the trigger.
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The D spring mod makes the double action trigger pull significantly lighter, and makes the single action trigger pull a bit lighter. If you add the Elite II hammer, it also helps to speed lock up. For me these are great mods for the 92FS/M9.
suffocation23
11-30-13, 18:53
Guys thanks for the feedback. I'm gonna go ahead and order that D mainspring. I can't decide on grips yet.
suffocation23
11-30-13, 19:06
Are the VZ grips thinner or the same thickness as the factory grips?
The latest iteration of the M9/92FS series is the 92A1. Most, if not all, of the feedback I've heard on that particular model has been positive.
mkmckinley
11-30-13, 21:31
Are the VZ grips thinner or the same thickness as the factory grips?
'bout the same, but with better grip.
Congrats on the M9. A 92FS stands watch at my house...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/RussBert/Beretta2002.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RussBert/media/Beretta2002.jpg.html)
Are the VZ grips thinner or the same thickness as the factory grips?
A tiny bit thinner,but a whole lot tougher being G10-I like them and I like the M9:
http://s27.postimg.org/as8lc35mb/DSCN0712.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
Carry it wherever I can every day :dirol:
suffocation23
12-01-13, 15:13
A tiny bit thinner,but a whole lot tougher being G10-I like them and I like the M9:
http://s27.postimg.org/as8lc35mb/DSCN0712.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
Carry it wherever I can every day :dirol:
Nice pics.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/02/5u8u6apy.jpg
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Those VZ grips are nice!
Hogue makes G-10 and aluminum Beretta grips too
http://www.g10grips.com/pages/g10-auto-grips.php
Nice pics.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/02/5u8u6apy.jpg
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Thanks,one thing I notice is you have your safety on-you don't need to,I carry loaded and safety off and just use it as a decock.
Only time I use the safety is under "unusual use" like when I camp and sleep with it on my chest and my hand on it then I flip it on.
I switched to a 92 from an HK P30 a couple of months ago. Mine is Elite2, decock only.
I don't know why I was dissing Beretta before. This thing is more shootable than any HK or Glock I ever shot.
It is a big sonofabitch and support, for my needs, is so-so, although choosing an Elite wasn't helpful that way.
.
I don't like double action / single action guns and the 92s safety is in the wrong place. I'll stick with my 1911s and Glocks.
I had a Para 1911 that I shot great. Sold it and got a Berretta M9. Loved the firearm, but didn't shoot it well. Next up is a Ruger GP100 I think.
I love the 92FS with hogue rubber grip panels (not the wrap around with the finger grooves - just the panels), and a D spring. I have almost 5k thru one of my 92's. With some usage and the D spring, the DA pull is just over 8lbs, and the SA pull is just over 4lbs.
I've owned many 1911s over the years, including a $2.2k Ed Brown and a $3k 9mm Springfield Customshop 1911. When I got the Beretta bug again a few years back, I found that I just preferred the feel of the Beretta's grip in my hand over that of a 1911. I shot those two 1911s less andf less. I ended up selling both of them.
Went from an all time high of 9 of them (different variations), to just five now. But, the base model is my favorite - over that of the railed models and the compacts. So, all 5 of mine are set up exactly the same...
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/mistershipwreck/Line1_zpse5c6519a.jpg~original
I guess with almost a generation and a half of military folks being issued Berettas, and them being battle-tested, we will be hearing a lot more about them as the years roll by. The M1911(A1) was still in use when I left the Army in 1986, so the Berettas passed me by. With most of my handgun trigger time on 1911s and a Hi-Power, would I warm right up to these?
thebarracuda
12-09-13, 20:58
Thanks for the write up, I may have to try switching springs and see if I can help out my DA trigger pull. I find it downright offensive. I have always had a soft spot for my Beretta, and I shoot it quite well, but the slide mounted safety is an annoyance. I don't like manual safeties on pistols at all anymore. Though I hear people really love the Elites with the decock only. I'd rather carry my g19 but my Beretta is my absolute fav range gun. Glad you enjoyed it, what they do well, they do really well. ;)
Don Robison
12-09-13, 21:38
I want to try the d mainspring. Any aftermarket grip recommendations?
I put VZs on mine along with a "D" spring. Waiting for Allegheny Gun Works to get parts back in stock to do a "G" conversion.
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s69/Donr101395/M9_zps32141606.jpg (http://s149.photobucket.com/user/Donr101395/media/M9_zps32141606.jpg.html)
I guess with almost a generation and a half of military folks being issued Berettas, and them being battle-tested, we will be hearing a lot more about them as the years roll by. The M1911(A1) was still in use when I left the Army in 1986, so the Berettas passed me by. With most of my handgun trigger time on 1911s and a Hi-Power, would I warm right up to these?
Depends. The SA part is all the same, except 92 has a bit of pre- and overtravel. Highly shootable still. The DA part creates mental block for many people; I find it pretty rewarding, albeit effort-intensive, to master.
Though I hear people really love the Elites with the decock only
I love mine, and I personally think that only HK P30 has decocker in a better location.
. Waiting for Allegheny Gun Works to get parts back in stock to do a "G" conversion.
Talked to him about it last week. Parts supply seems very problematic at the moment.
I guess with almost a generation and a half of military folks being issued Berettas, and them being battle-tested, we will be hearing a lot more about them as the years roll by. The M1911(A1) was still in use when I left the Army in 1986, so the Berettas passed me by. With most of my handgun trigger time on 1911s and a Hi-Power, would I warm right up to these?
You would probably not warm up to them at all. I've put a lot of miles on an M9 and a 1911 (Hi Power too).
I can run the snot out a Beretta, but the safety/decocker is just a show-stopper for me. I hate it and there's no way around it. I don't feel confident with slide manipulations, the trigger reach in DA is too long, SA is too short.
I like the slide release, the sights are actually great (black sharpie on the rear), it's not heavy and recoil is very smooth. Reliability is unsurpassed. The grip is actually the same size as a Glock 19 but it feels big in the hand for some reason. Before anyone says I'm wrong, break out a tape and measure it.
I ultimately moved away from everything but 1911s because I only have to ensure that my pistols work, and if I spend my money to shoot, I'm going to shoot what I like the most...
Don Robison
12-10-13, 09:38
Talked to him about it last week. Parts supply seems very problematic at the moment.
Yep, he was supposed to have them in July, but things are behind.
OP: Sorry for the bunny trail.
the trigger reach in DA is too long
True. I use a factory short reach trigger, helps a bit.
The M9 is an iconic, classy looking pistol. It was the first handgun I ever purchased. I've owned two in my life so far...ended up selling both, but I can see another in my future somewhere down the road.
Fordtough25
12-11-13, 09:13
I love my M9!! I had a couple 92FS's before and traded them off one at a time for something I needed more. Bad move on my part as I always missed it and I finally got this M9 last year, it's not going anywhere! Love the feel, finish, looks, and mags!!
BrigandTwoFour
12-11-13, 13:30
I have a 92A1, and ran it for a couple years in local matches. I got the D spring equivalent from Wolff Gunsprings and the Elite II hammer from Beretta- great combo! I ran Alumagrips for a long time, but recently got a set of the wood-grain VZ grips with golf balls. Its like velcro, and looks very nice. The VZ grips are a bit thinner. I had to get new star washers to stop the grip screw from protruding into the mag well. I may have also stripped one of the grip screw bushings in the process (oops), but everything seems to be running fine.
Pic with alumagrips.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-lCmmX0im46g/T53mCgxn46I/AAAAAAAAAvE/iJDFR8S1ukA/w931-h623-no/DSC_0024.JPG
Its a great shooter. I've been trying to transition to my FNS-9, but I just flat out shoot better with the Beretta. That goes for my Springfield Loaded Black Stainless 1911 as well.
I guess with almost a generation and a half of military folks being issued Berettas, and them being battle-tested, we will be hearing a lot more about them as the years roll by. The M1911(A1) was still in use when I left the Army in 1986, so the Berettas passed me by. With most of my handgun trigger time on 1911s and a Hi-Power, would I warm right up to these?
That's depends totally on what you like. It is nothing like the 1911 or BHP so you would have to learn the DA/SA trigger and slide mounted de-cocker....whether you're for up for that is up to you.
I don't think the DA/SA thing would put me off. My CZ 75 P-01 is DA/SA w/ decocker (not way up high like the Beretta though) and I have no issues with it, though it is nowhere near as sweet as a good 1911 or even a well-tuned Hi-Power. I suppose I'm trying to find out if I'm missing out on something with the Beretta. I guess the only definitive way to know is to get one and shoot it!
I don't think the DA/SA thing would put me off. My CZ 75 P-01 is DA/SA w/ decocker (not way up high like the Beretta though) and I have no issues with it, though it is nowhere near as sweet as a good 1911 or even a well-tuned Hi-Power. I suppose I'm trying to find out if I'm missing out on something with the Beretta. I guess the only definitive way to know is to get one and shoot it!
That would be true.
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I hate the stupid sights, I still want one to play with. Just do !
3ACR_Scout
12-22-13, 08:30
I guess with almost a generation and a half of military folks being issued Berettas, and them being battle-tested, we will be hearing a lot more about them as the years roll by.
I have never heard anyone in the military say anything positive about the M9 in my 13+ years. Of course a lot of this is related to the ineffectiveness of 9mm FMJ and the cheap GI magazines we are issued, but the overall size and the location of the safety/decocker are common complaints too. Early in the war in Iraq, vehicle crews were acquiring AKs because of their poor experiences engaging threats at close range with the M9, as there weren't enough M4s and M16s to go around. Civilian and LE shooters can solve some of this with modern defensive ammo, but we don't have that option in the military.
I addressed the magazine issues by tracking down original Beretta factory magazines (with the thicker, angled baseplate) and installing Wolff springs in them. I've taken those magazines on 3 deployments and never had any feed issues (never had to use it "in anger" though.
One pet peeve of mine is watching soldiers cock the hammer back at the beginning of qualification to get around that first heavy DA shot. They're not training to shoot the pistol the way it's going to come out of their holster, and I don't let my guys do that whenever I can stop it.
Having said all that, I bought one of the commemorative M9 sets, lightly used, about 6 years ago (in the big green box with the horrible Gi belt, holster, and magazine pouch). I wanted to have it as a momento of my military service when I eventually retire. It's a beautiful pistol - I wasn't used to seeing them when they still look new - and I've found it to be very accurate compared to the beat up pistols I've been issued. I still think it's too big and really dislike the safety location. I only shoot it occasionally, but I'm glad I have it.
One note to the OP: get rid of the Serpa holster as fast as you can. The locking mechanism is unreliable and has a history of jamming, locking the pistol in the holster (with accounts of shooters having the break the holster to release the pistol). Many instructors have banned them from classes, partly due to NDs that occur when shooters draw the pistol in a hurry, and their finger moves from the release button directly to the trigger. Here's an example from Gunsite's website of the FLETC ban from 2012:
Safety Issue-Prohibiting Use of Blackhawk SERPA Holsters (http://www.gunsite.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Safety-Issue-Prohibiting-Use-of-Blackhawk-SERPA-Holsters.pdf)
It was discussed here at the time:
FLETC bans the SERPA! (https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?96534-FLETC-bans-the-SERPA!)
Blackhawk has a great marketing campaign for an unreliable and potentially dangerous holster.
Dave
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