Beretta M9

[ca_fireman19]

Would a Beretta M9 make a good pistol for a 3gun begginer?

[Koshinn]

An M9 isn't a good pistol for anything, imo. But if you already have one, run it until it starts to hold you back.

[foxtrotx1]

You're going to get alot of haters showing up whenever you talk about the beretta. It's a polarizing pistol, due in part to it being the successor of the 1911 in military service.

Their complaints will be as follows:

1.) Locking blocks break.
2.) DA/SA trigger is guaranteed to slow you down.
3.) It's large for the caliber and round count.
4.) The open top is a vector for dirt caused malfunctions.
5.) They break and malfunction all the time in military service.
6.) It's heavy

Let's address those concerns:

Locking block issue was fixed years ago with he introduction of the gen 3 locking blocks. Search the net and you will see some shooters with blocks lasting over 100k rounds.

DA/SA didn't slow down the guy who won a national champ with it a few years back. It's all personal preference.

It's about the same size as another popular pistol, the P226. Beretta now makes 17 round mags that are flush fitting. Mecgar makes 18 round mags that are just about flush fitting.

I've had mine in the dusty Arizona desert plenty of times without malfunction. Debris in the top just gets flung away. I've never seen a malfunction with a 92 using good mags and enough lube. Sure, its no glock, it won't run dry nearly as well.

The military doesn't keep track of parts life. They recycle parts and don't change the recoil springs at proper intervals, no shit it's going to break.

It's lighter fully loaded than a 1911 and has over double the round count. If you want light, buy a polymer pistol. The weight makes it an extremely light shooter that is very fast back on target.

This guy has put well over 100,000rds through 92s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue8_uN0OIVs

Buy the pistol you like and shoot the best. Let the haters hate.

By the way, the new 92A1 models have interchangeable sights. A useful feature.

I personally sold my Glock 34 and 26 after falling in love with the 92. So, I may or may not be Bias.

[opngrnd]

I think Foxtrotx1 pretty much covered all the bases.

I'll throw in my perspective as well. I'm a big M&P and Glock fan when it comes to 9mm pistols. My personally owned 9mm is an M&P9 FS. I got into the M9 because it was issued to me, and I hated it because I am supposed to hate it, being an "enlightened" M&P/Glock guy.

But after running enough rounds through it and doing enough dry fire practice, I'm a bit of a convert. I normally wouldn't put it ahead of the M&P or Glock, especially given it's overall size. However, with the M&P accuracy issues and the current Glock reliability problems, I don't sit so high and mighty on my polymer pistol horse right now.

Is it my preferred pistol? NO. Is it a good pistol? YES. If you aren't already sold on a polymer pistol, or if you don't care to gamble with the M&P/Glock odds, it isn't a bad choice in its price range.

Just my .02 cents.

[Straight Shooter]

I LOVED my M9. ONLY reason I sold it was to conglomerate all my defense pistols into one type...Glock. IF an experienced shooter has run one and found it not to his liking after many rounds, so be it. The internet world is the greatest recycler of complete bullshit mankind has ever invented, and lies, and damn lies about the gun will never cease to exist. My gun had right about 6,300 rounds thru it before I sold it, and it NEVER once bobbled, ever. Was THE most accurate 9mm ive ever fired, and the 2nd most accurate pistol Ive ever fired.
Completely, utterly reliable and dependable. Use Beretta mags only,
go to an 18lb spring and ditch the 13lb-er, SHOOT & TRAIN with the gun, use the best defense ammo you can find, mine loved 124gr anything, and live long and prosper.

[USMC_Anglico]

You're going to get alot of haters showing up whenever you talk about the beretta. It's a polarizing pistol, due in part to it being the successor of the 1911 in military service.

Their complaints will be as follows:

1.) Locking blocks break.
2.) DA/SA trigger is guaranteed to slow you down.
3.) It's large for the caliber and round count.
4.) The open top is a vector for dirt caused malfunctions.
5.) They break and malfunction all the time in military service.
6.) It's heavy

Excellent reasoned post on the Beretta. My perspective is a military user for the last 10+ years. I also use 1911's and Glocks in 9mm. I have no animosity towards the pistol, to me they are all tools and I'd like to use the better one.

One thing not mentioned is the ergonomics. The pistol is very fat around the grips. I have a large hand (size 11-12 in gloves) and even I don't like the grip size. Smaller hands usually have more problems. The slide mounted safety/decocker is also another ergonomic issue. If you utilize "traditional" or "standard" immediate action drills, there is a very good chance of de-cocking the gun. If you don't double check, "click" instead of "bang"; if you do incorporate the extra step of checking the decocking lever, then it's a time loss however small.

The DA/SA trigger is a training issue. You must spend more time training on that trigger than a SA type trigger. That becomes a time and money for ammo equation.

The only plus I give to the 92 is that they are usually very accurate shooters, other than that pistol design has moved past them.

Bottom line as said before, if you already have one, then shoot it. If you really want one for some reason then get one. Otherwise I would move along to more ergonomic modern pistol designs.

[Failure2Stop]

Ben Stoeger has a very good record with a Beretta 92, as did Ernie Langdon.

It's a decent blaster, like several other options. Biggest issue with them is if you have a slide mounted decocker/safety. Not a big deal if you get the decocker only option.

There are good and bad things about DA/SA, train the transition and you'll be fine.

The inability to easily change the front sight kinda sucks.

I haven't shot one in years, but I used to shoot them pretty well.

All in all, they work, but wouldn't be my first (or 5th) choice.



Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.

[CrazyFingers]

I've run one for five years, with thousands of rounds through it (mostly cheap stuff, FC, WWB, etc.). I can count the stoppages on one hand.
Some people have a strange hatred for the M9, but then some people have a strange hatred for Glock, S&W, Sig, etc. For me, it's been a reliable and accurate pistol.
Sure, it's larger and heavier than some other 9mm pistols, making concealed carry trickier (if that matters to you), and holds 15 rounds default. Best advice - try one and see how it feels and how you shoot it. Carefully consider the pros and cons before making a purchase, and remember that no pistol is perfect (even if they claim to be in their corporate logo )

[billybronco]

keep in mind.....DA/SA guns are going to slow you down.

once drawn, you have to consider either cocking to go to SA or pushing through that DA weight to get the first round off.

don't know about you or anybody else but it takes a LOT of practice in DA mode to get that first round on target and not dip the muzzle and throw that first shot. typically, for me at least, the second round is usually off target a bit b/c i tend to follow up the second shot very quickly after the first as my brain wants to tell my hand that the second trigger pull will be as heavy as the first. therefore, i tend to snatch it.

that, coupled with the fact that you MUST decock AND go to safe before holstering or get DQ'd makes hammer guns atrocious options for 3 gun.

IMO, at least. granted, i'm no grandmaster. just my observations.

plus, it's a big-ass, sharp edged, snagtastic hunk of metal.

[Straight Shooter]

Big? Yes.
Sharp edged, and snaggy? Not to me, in my experience, both personally and militarily. The one and only complaint I can say is true is the grip size is too big for some. was perfect for me.
I don't understand, what was "sharp" on the gun?