FrankenElite Beretta

[Sam]

It started as a plain 92G last October. Bought it from Olde English Outfitters in Ohio, nice bunch of guys.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/20141026_112241.jpg

Little by little I replaced parts. The first to go right away was the factory hammer spring, I put a Wilson 13 lb hammer spring in, so far I'm close to 1000 rounds and no failure to fire yet.

Then I found an Elite II hammer from a fellow member here. I ordered a Wilson Combat fixed rear sight with the U notch. I really like how the sight picture look and how easy it is to pick up the front sight. My friend John Harrison helped install the sight. Then came the VZ grips. Finally a member here told me that I can order an Elite barrel from Beretta.

Now the transformation is complete.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/92G.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/20150913_120309.jpg

Muzzle pic, don't realize how much nicks and scratches I collected on the front end in 10 months.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/muzzle6.jpg

BTW, the original 4.9" barrel shot just fine, I just wanted some bling bling look. I am not going to try to break this gun, like my friend Greg Bell. :)

[JBecker 72]

I like it.

[colt191145lover]

Nicely done!

[Helix12]

Well done. You've made a nice gun even better.

Our college graduation present to our son was a Beretta 92 Brigadier Elite II. Beautiful gun and, like our other Beretta 92s, it shoots extremely well.

[Sam]

Well done. You've made a nice gun even better.

Our college graduation present to our son was a Beretta 92 Brigadier Elite II. Beautiful gun and, like our other Beretta 92s, it shoots extremely well.

Thank you sir. Your choice of present to your son is great. My college graduation (1986) present was an attache case :)

BTW, the reason I swapped the barrel was to get the look of the Elite. I would have to hard chrome the slide to make it look like the E II. Anyway, I am having fun getting reacquainted with the 92G series again after an absence of four or five years.

[KalashniKEV]

Is that a CompTac holster?

They stopped making the "belt holster" and I'm looking for a substitute...

[Sam]

Is that a CompTac holster?

They stopped making the "belt holster" and I'm looking for a substitute...

Yes it was a Comp Tac, got it used from a guy on the Berettaforum. It sat too far away from my body as compared to the Blade Tech of similar style. Nothing wrong with the quality, their holsters are tough. The Comp Tac is already sold.

I am using this Blade Tech.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/20150304_213011.jpg

[KalashniKEV]

Yes it was a Comp Tac, got it used from a guy on the Berettaforum. It sat too far away from my body as compared to the Blade Tech of similar style. Nothing wrong with the quality, their holsters are tough. The Comp Tac is already sold.

Ah, too bad, I would have been all over that.

I hate the new "International" that's replaced it, and I already own enough that I don't want to switch.

I was hoping you would tell me some other company was cloning their old design to meet the demand...

[Sam]

There is a company called Ready Tactical that make the old school tunnel belt loop design similar to Comp Tac. You can order through SKD:

http://www.skdtac.com/Ready-Tactical-Holster-p/rdt.203.htm

There is only one thing I have against Ready Tactical, the maker is extremely slow in delivering direct order. It took me two years to get a holster and that was after over a dozen of emails, phone calls and personal interventions from a guy that knows him. Then I had to settle for a different holster, I took it because it was the only way I could get anything from him. I quickly sold the holster to get my money out of it. I guess that ordering from SKD is more secure, maybe he will deliver more promptly through a distributor. Sorry for the off topic rant.

Edit:

I saw this on Comp Tac's site:

http://www.comp-tac.com/competition-holsters/belt-holster-10210

Looks like the holster is still available.

[RAM Engineer]

I'm still upset that Comp Tac discontinued their Locking Paddle holster.

[Helix12]

Thank you sir. Your choice of present to your son is great. My college graduation (1986) present was an attache case :)

BTW, the reason I swapped the barrel was to get the look of the Elite. I would have to hard chrome the slide to make it look like the E II. Anyway, I am having fun getting reacquainted with the 92G series again after an absence of four or five years.

My wife and I thought he earned it. An extra bright kid and hard worker, he had a foot locker full of academic scholarship offers from colleges and universities all over the country. When he competed for, and won, a four year ROTC scholarship even more poured in.

His college education did not cost us much money. So we splurged on a graduation present for him.

[Auto426]

Yes it was a Comp Tac, got it used from a guy on the Berettaforum. It sat too far away from my body as compared to the Blade Tech of similar style. Nothing wrong with the quality, their holsters are tough. The Comp Tac is already sold.

I am using this Blade Tech.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/20150304_213011.jpg

Slightly off topic, but as someone who has never owned a 92 series before I liked to hear your thoughts on the standard 92 frame vs the Vertec.

I've been wanting a 92 for a while now, and had previously wanted a 92A1, but I'm being very tempted by the current production Inox Vertec models.

[foxtrotx1]

if you wait a bit, the new M9A3 will ship with a vertec frame

[MountainRaven]

That looks vaguely familiar from somewhere.

;)

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a198/Jagdraben/IMG_0808_zpsft1kh2qs.jpg

[Sam]

That looks vaguely familiar from somewhere.

;)

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a198/Jagdraben/IMG_0808_zpsft1kh2qs.jpg

Handsome looking pistol, I bet it shoots good too. I do not have the Brigadier slide like the Elite series though.

[Sam]

Slightly off topic, but as someone who has never owned a 92 series before I liked to hear your thoughts on the standard 92 frame vs the Vertec.

I've been wanting a 92 for a while now, and had previously wanted a 92A1, but I'm being very tempted by the current production Inox Vertec models.

The Vertec G in the picture is no longer mine, it went to a nice gentleman in the midwest :)

But I've had two Vertec Gs, shot the first one really well. The grip angle of the Vertec is similar to that of the 1911 and it's smaller than the standard 92 grip frame. It fit smaller hands really well. I probably would have kept the Vertecs if they didn't have the light rail. Yes, the light rail is very "tactical" and useful for attaching a weapon light. But I have other guns (polymer frames) that I can attach lights to. My own purpose with the Beretta is a work horse shooting gun that offer the balance of a metal framed gun and soft recoil, without being too heavy up front. The rail (for me) makes the 92 series front heavy. While that helps reduce recoil, it cause other things such as over swing. All this may just be in my head, but that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

Even though I have small hands, the standard 92 frame is manageable for me. Like I said above, if they make a Vertec frame gun with no rail, I would be all over it.

Either of your choices of the 92A1 or Vertec would be good guns, you just have to handle both of them side by side. Sadly, neither one come in a G configuration. But if you wait for the M9A3 that would be the gun that is the best of both world, you can have it in FS or G mode, as well as convertable from Vertec frame to standard frame.

[HKGuns]

I like ya'lls choices in grips. How hard was that hammer to change out?

http://hkguns.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v46/p1453729233-5.jpg

[Sam]

I like ya'lls choices in grips. How hard was that hammer to change out?



Sorry partner, just saw your post. BTW, good looking grips, it goes well with the stainless gun.

It is extremely easy to replace the hammer. Plenty of youtube videos. Takes about 5 minutes.

Shooting report:

Between work, family, rainy weather, I have only limited time to run by the indoor range and run a few magazines through the new barrel. I was very pleasantly surprised at the series of one hole groups at 7 yards. This was with 115 gr. Remington ball. I didn't shoot it at any farther distance because of the poor lighting condition and lack of proper stable bench to get the best out of the barrel. A friend of mine who has never shot a 92 shot the same ragged 1" groups at 7 yards. The original factory barrel (4.9" black) shot twice the size groups at 7 yards with this same ammo. After he shot the gun, I told him to turn in the direction of Smyrna and bow three times for Gaston's forgiveness :-)

I am very happy with this barrel, it is more accurate and better looking too.