Now, I’m no physicist… but… since the locking-block system keeps the barrel straight the as gun cycles, it would (or could) explain the more “linear feeling” recoil impulse you find in a Beretta 92. Another way to look at it: a separate part does the tilting to unlock the barrel from the slide, instead of the entire barrel pivoting down and back. In a nutshell, the locking-block (also known as “falling block”) system allows the barrel to stay straight as the gun cycles-it only moves back and forth, instead of tilting. I’ve had 4 Beretta 92s from different generations, and they’ve all been 100% reliable (minus a broken extractor spring on a surplus 92S from the early ‘80s). And it’ll probably outshoot most of its more “modern” competitors. But, beyond these over-hyped anomalies from the past, I feel there’s a consensus that the Beretta 92 is one of the most proven, most reliable, most rugged handgun platforms out there.Īs long as you keep some semblance of lubrication on the innards… a 92 will run. And there were some sand issues (in Iraq) with aftermarket mags (i.e., cheapo finish, no hole near the bottom for sand egress). Supposedly, they were torture-testing the guns with oodles of high-pressure 9mm. Sure, some Navy SEALS cracked some slides way back when. It also serves the Italian military and many other foreign military units / police forces. It served the US military with distinction for over 35 years and it will probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

I don’t have to tell you the Beretta 92 is reliable. NOTE: While I offer some perspectives on how the 92F compares to more recent 92FS / M9 models, I will mainly focus on the shooting/handling characteristics of the Beretta 92 in general. It just wants you to peer down those iron sights and hose-down the 10-ring with as many bullets you can afford to feed it. It gives you punch-out-the-bullseye accuracy every time, and it doesn’t give a shit what you think about red dots, accessory rails or one-handed slide manipulations. Like the distance between you and your target almost disappears. But I’m not sure any other gun offers up its signature recipe for accuracy so willingly. There are more accurate guns than a Beretta 92. The 92 isn’t just an icon-it’s a gun that shoots like no other, offering a refined sense of poise and purpose that translates into effortless accuracy. What makes the Beretta 92F hipster worthy? So… after putting about 200 rounds and roughly $300 of collector value through my latest, umm, divestment, I can confidently tell you this: An old-school Beretta 92 is gun-hipster gold. And, until about 3 weeks ago, it was completely unfired.

45 caliber pistol as the official sidearm of the U.S. In 1986, the Beretta M9 9 mm semi-automatic pistol replaced the M1911.Elvis Pressley one used a Beretta 9 mm pistol to shoot out the screen of a TV during a televised performance by singer Robert Goulet, calling the handgun his remote control.The manufacturer is also spreading out its efforts into the production of precision sporting, competition, and personal-defense weapons including its well-respected pistols.įrom modular U22 Neos made for target shooting and training to classics like the 9 mm 92FS, gun collectors and small arms enthusiasts appreciate the history, quality, and reliability of Beretta pistols. Beretta, which owns firearms plants in Italy, Spain, and Finland as well as in the United States, continues to focus on military production. 45-caliber pistol, previously the standard issue since 1911. It created gun barrels for the kings of Naples and the Venetian Senate, cannons for Napoleon Bonaparte's imperial army, and hunting guns for the Austro-Hungarian Hapsburg empire.īeretta's recent claim to fame is the official adoption of its semi-automatic handguns as U.S.

The Italian gun manufacturer has made history-changing armaments for more than 500 years. But 007 not the first to rely of Beretta weapons for combat and survival. A Beretta handgun was initially the preferred tool of the trade for fictional British super spy James Bond.

Beretta 9mm made in italy