Cut my teeth on Glock pistols in the early 2000’s, own many of them, and carry a Glock 26 daily. I’m coming up on one year in a new career, and it’s been an amazing start. Wanted to treat myself to a nice pistol, and settled on an Italian made 92FS.
In terms of appearance, it’s classic and a nice looking pistol. The slide is really smooth and take down is a snap. The grip fits my hands well.
Started off at 10 yards to get a feel for the pistol. I’ve got a bad habit of fliers using double action while keeping the single action shots nice and tight. Results were similar at 15 and 20 yards.
I had no issue hitting a 12X20 steel silhouette on single action at 35 and 50 yards. Double action is more of a challenge for me.
DA/SA is certainly different compared to Stryker fired Glocks, but not necessarily in a bad way. Just different. The only negative is the slide mounted safety. Eventually I’ll convert that to decocker only.
200 rounds of Speer 124 gr. Lawman training ammo gave me no problems and the rounds impacted very near point of aim.
In summary, I’m happy to have it and enjoyed shooting it. I look forward to putting more rounds through it and will likely purchase other Beretta variants in the future.
“… Started off at 10 yards to get a feel for the pistol. I’ve got a bad habit of fliers using double action while keeping the single action shots nice and tight. Results were similar at 15 and 20 yards.”
: ) Classic “crunchinticker”.
Guys were known to simply “throw away” the first double action shot using DA/SA pistols in the day.
Exceptionally bad form.
Lotsa dry fire will be helpful with DA first shot and transitioning to SA.
Experiment with trigger finger placement on trigger. “More finger” on trigger (as on revolver) frequently helps.
Having shot Glocks for so long, I really thought the DA would’ve come a little more naturally. What I learned was the two triggers are very different in terms of feel.
I appreciate the dry fire advice and will experiment with trigger finger placement as you suggest.
I’ve shot Berettas for many years. They are excellent pistols- much better in my opinion than the Sigs of comparable vintage… Take a look sometime at all of the prominent shooters and trainers that shoot them- it’s a long and distinguished list. The DA/SA thing can be difficult, it just take lots of practice but it absolutely can be overcome- especially with a nicely tuned example where the differential is not so great in pull weights. The Beretta will be a part of self defense hardware in American until they invent ray guns.
You need to install a “D Spring”, lightens the trigger without sacrificing reliability. Also replace the roll pin that holds it in with a “Hammer Spring Cap Pin” (which the BUSA 92’s come with from the factory).
I am lucky as I grew up on revolvers back in “the day” then transitioned to DA/SA when they came out. I can still get a first shot off accurately just as fast as most folks can with their Glocks. It just takes practice.
Be careful with that Beretta… If you shoot it enough, you will want another one. Then you might start looking into Sigs. God help you if you get hooked into 1911s. Plastic guns work, but they have no soul.
If you really want to branch out and get used to that trigger, go get a good wheel gun.
Amen. I spent a year shooting a 4" 686 at every class, and using it for a daily carry. I shot it so much and so hard, I had to send it back to S&W for warranty repairs.
My striker-fired and TDA shooting improved greatly as a result.
Sounds like you are on the right path to enjoying the 92FS. I recently inherited one. I really like it. Not my cup of tea to conceal carry, but it is an excellent home piece or open carry in a Safariland ALS on a UBS medium drop rig.
After a few hundred rounds I added a 14# hammer spring, steel recoil rod, recoil spring, shock buffer, and rear sight… all Wilson products. It really improved the shooting experience.
Several have commented that I’ll likely buy more berettas. I’m thinking you’re right! It’s been a real pleasure.
Thanks for the advice on getting better with the DA trigger. I’ll certainly check into LTT trigger kit, hammer springs etc. Until then, I’ll get some dry fire in, experiment, and keep shooting.
My uncle used to let me shoot some of his 92s that happened to be marked M9. They certainly were accurate and I always managed to qualify expert with them, but the DA-SA transition was challenging.
I get the hankering for a Beretta every few years, but they are never high enough on the priority list.
Yes the LTT TJIAB helps, or an action tune from Wilson, or even a steel trigger and D spring from BUSA. My point is, there’s a lot of good stuff that’s available to upgrade one’s 92, but honestly there’s nothing like having reps on a 92 DA trigger to get you used to 92.
This is just my opinion and mine alone, but while I consider myself a true Beretta guy, I don’t loose too much sleep whether the gun is an FS or G. I mean yes, upgrade it, but it’s not the highest priority on my list. Carrying off safe and treating it like a G is just fine; you still have that long DA pull to protect you (and thumb on the hammer while reholstering).
And the time has never been better for Beretta AIWB holsters.
To me a G is absolutely essential. I had a standard FS for many years and about 1/3 of the time on a slide lock reload over the top of the slide I would engage the safety accidentally. Not good and not possible with a G mod.
I think you would really like it. Even if yours did not come as a G model, you can buy the levers for 60 bucks and install them yourself. You really do want a buddy to help, though. A third hand on the install makes life a LOT easier.