[James T. Kirk]

I've heard arguments that the Beretta 92 is not that accurate of a pistol. Not sure how since the design lends it self to be a very accurate platform, adopting the locking block mechanism from the the Walther P38.

From Beretta USA website: 92 FS

Match Grade Accuracy out of the box

Regardless of the wonderful reputation it may have, the true test for a tactical pistol's worth is at the shooting range. The 92FS consistently bests the US military requirement of a 10-shot group of 3" or less at 50 meters (just short of 55 yards). While this type of match-grade accuracy is impressive, it is no magic. At Beretta, we know that absolutely precise tolerances keep performance consistent shot after shot-which not only gives the 92FS its extraordinary accuracy, but it makes all factory parts interchangeable within the same model. Couple this to the ability to reliably feed every variety of commercial ammunition, and it is easy to understand why the 92FS remains the best pistol in its class.

Now I realize this maybe a little bias coming from Beretta's website, but i think over 30 years of service with the U.S. military, beating out the rest of the competition in the XM9 trails, and being the most widely used sidearm of police and law enforcement around the world should speak for itself. But I wont jerk your chain, and sit here just to regurgitate what you can obviously find on the internet about the 92FS.

So with all that said, here is the test. This was given to me as an exercise by The owner and operator of Precision Shooting Center in Forest, MS: Staff

1. Take a blank piece of paper 2 foot wide by 3 foot tall with no bull's eye or markings on the paper to give yourself a point of aim.
2. Take 6 shots at 50 yards sitting at a bench to give yourself a good anchor, and fire away.

My best was a 6inch group with 6 shots at 50 yards sitting, blasting away at nothing but a blank page.

Side note: I didnt have the compensator on when I did the test, I just wanted it to look cool for the picture

 

[dh1633pm]

Good shooting tex. I don't have one to try. With a little more practice I think you could meet the Army Requirement with it.

 

[RJF]

My very first qual course firing the M9, I was rated "Expert". First time I had ever fired it. I do better with it than my Colt 1911 Govt Model, but 40 years of mileage probably will preclude another "expert" qual. I was surprised, quite frankly. Liked it so much I bought a 92FS.

 

[Sparkie]

I found 124grn and 147grn to group better at 50 yds.
I added a EFK FireDragon ported 5.5" Stainless Match Barrel pricey but worth it. I needed a 5.5" barrel to be legal for hunting.
The 3rd gen locking block made a difference also.
EFK also makes a dual captured recoil reducing slide spring that works as a buffer, and it does a good job.
I have no association with EFK other then they got into my wallet more than once.. I love the 92 best fitting pistol I've owned.

 

[dh1633pm]

Sparkie, you seem like a great person. I don't believe you since you didn't post a picture and then you ruined the keyboard of my laptop. You got it all wet from saliva. Shame on you.

 

[James T. Kirk]

Good shooting tex. I don't have one to try. With a little more practice I think you could meet the Army Requirement with it.

Thanks buddy! Now you do realize that is tested in a vice to meet the Army Requirements of a 10shot 3inch group at 50, and the Beretta beat it by far. I think it was a little over a inch, there is a PDF file floating around the internet that show the results for all the pistols tested in the XM9 trials. I'll try to find that file for ya. But that just shows what the pistol is capable of, I just wish that i was that effective:lol: I'm not sure what the qualifications are for a troop to meet military standards with a sidearm.

 

[James T. Kirk]

My very first qual course firing the M9, I was rated "Expert". First time I had ever fired it. I do better with it than my Colt 1911 Govt Model, but 40 years of mileage probably will preclude another "expert" qual. I was surprised, quite frankly. Liked it so much I bought a 92FS.

I was actually hoping you would weigh in on the subject RJF. I know you are fan of the 92, but was hoping to stir the hornets nest also . What does it take to qualify as expert with a 92FS/M9? I know at 25 yards I can shot the same hole, or they will be touching, always the same point of impact. The Beretta's are the only pistols I can do that with. It truly amazes me sometimes.

 

[James T. Kirk]

I found 124grn and 147grn to group better at 50 yds.
I added a EFK FireDragon ported 5.5" Stainless Match Barrel pricey but worth it. I needed a 5.5" barrel to be legal for hunting.
The 3rd gen locking block made a difference also.
EFK also makes a dual captured recoil reducing slide spring that works as a buffer, and it does a good job.
I have no association with EFK other then they got into my wallet more than once.. I love the 92 best fitting pistol I've owned.

Well this thread is the prelude to a future thread to try to get everyone involved. What do you think about this? "My Beretta 92FS" VS. Whatever You Got"

But this one is a custom Inox Vertec with a fitted 92FS slide, target crowned barrel, Wilson Combat reduced D-spring, firing pen spring, WC Trigger spring, WC thin grips, skate board tape strips on back and front of the grip.

 

[RJF]

I was actually hoping you would weigh in on the subject RJF. I know you are fan of the 92, but was hoping to stir the hornets nest also . What does it take to qualify as expert with a 92FS/M9? I know at 25 yards I can shot the same hole, or they will be touching, always the same point of impact. The Beretta's are the only pistols I can do that with. It truly amazes me sometimes.

JT, that was well over 30 years ago, and I quite frankly don't recall the scoring. It was one of those "hey, all you REMFs, time to go out and qualify on a weapon your aren't normally issued but will be should you go to war" kinda things. It was a fun time as I like shooting, but I had never even handled an M9 before...

As my vague memory serves me, the silhouette was at 25 meters (or maybe feet - can't remember). I still have that silhouette 30+ years later. It is in my basement! No pics, yet, but perhaps later.

 

[Sparkie]

During my tour they were still using 1911's the most inaccurate POS I ever dropped the hammer on. Traded mine to an AP for his S&W .357 much better weapon.

 

[dh1633pm]

My brother handed me his Springfield Armory 1911. I shot six shots at six hanging six inch metal targets. Ping, ping, ping, ping, ping and ping. Sweet. Must be all those military 1911's old and tired. Gotta see that pistol of yours Sparkie.

 

[Adjuster]

Similar idea, but from a "licensed" copy of the same basic weapon. The Taurus PT99. I'm not sure they still sell this version, as I only see the PT92's lately. (Fixed rear sight v/s a nice metal fully adjustable rear target sight.)

So, from a bench, with good ammo, that's not 115gr Winchester White box. LOL But run some 124gr NATO spec ammo, and it's pretty accurate. I don't have any photos, but it's one of my more accurate pistols.

The worst one I have right now is the M&P 9mm. First gen. It's a toss up where the bullets are going to go shot to shot, and even from a table top, a very solid table I might add, with a backpack, and some lead shot bags to help, the M&P is a POS when it comes to accuracy. Even at 3 yards? It's not a one hole deal, and the PT99?

At 5 yards or less it's one hole, all day long, it might open up to a jagged hole, but dang, it's the most accurate pistol I have. Period.

Oh, and my M&P has all the Apex trigger mods, and HOURS of work polishing, smoothing and trying to improve on the action, but the barrel just moves around too much, and short of replacing the barrel with an expensive Apex one that has tighter tolerances, and actually has to be filed to fit?

Dang, I've considered just selling all my M&P pistols, 9mm, .22LR and 9mm Shield and get something else. (Shield has the Apex treatment, and polish work too, it's slightly more accurate than the full size, but dang, I want the accuracy I can get out of the fixed barrel designs like the FN5.7 or Walther for their compact 9mm.) The main reason I bought the M&P 9 was the Crimson Trace laser grip. It however has soured, as the laser is WAY more accurate than the barrel/machine work/design on the first gen M&P's full size or compact. Shame on you S&W.

Back on topic, I love the Inox versions of the M9. It uses the same magzine as my CX4 carbine, so if I was not so happy with the PT99 that I have owned since 1986... I'd sell the Taurus, and buy a Inox M9 with the target rear sight, and live with the safety/decocker on the slide where it was never intended to be. (The frame mounted safety on the Taurus is where Beretta and God intended safeties to be dang [email protected]_)

PS: the CX4 is the most accurate rifle/carbine I have too. It's a dang tack driver, even with the cheap WWB 9mm stuff from WalMart. Anything under 50 feet, and it's a single hole deal. The occasional flyer is random cheap ammo, but feed it 124gr nato spec?

It's a tack driver.
It's tempting to get a match grade threaded barrel, 6 inch of course, and see if the PT99 would become even better?

I have the wrap around Pachmyer grips too, with the metal medalion that makes the already large frame even larger, and since I have "tiny" hands, it's perfect for me. LOL

 

[Sparkie]

DH I try to get some pics taken and pm them to you if that's ok. I won't post them in the open.

 

[James T. Kirk]

During my tour they were still using 1911's the most inaccurate POS I ever dropped the hammer on. Traded mine to an AP for his S&W .357 much better weapon.

My brother handed me his Springfield Armory 1911. I shot six shots at six hanging six inch metal targets. Ping, ping, ping, ping, ping and ping. Sweet. Must be all those military 1911's old and tired. Gotta see that pistol of yours Sparkie.

That's usually the case DH. Just like the Beretta a lot of guys were issued one at the end of there life and then some. A new 1911 like my brother's S&W "E" series shoots like a champ. One that has been shot the s#!* out of might not do so well. :lol:

 

[James T. Kirk]

Similar idea, but from a "licensed" copy of the same basic weapon. The Taurus PT99. I'm not sure they still sell this version, as I only see the PT92's lately. (Fixed rear sight v/s a nice metal fully adjustable rear target sight.)

So, from a bench, with good ammo, that's not 115gr Winchester White box. LOL But run some 124gr NATO spec ammo, and it's pretty accurate. I don't have any photos, but it's one of my more accurate pistols.

______________________________________________________

Back on topic, I love the Inox versions of the M9. It uses the same magzine as my CX4 carbine, so if I was not so happy with the PT99 that I have owned since 1986... I'd sell the Taurus, and buy a Inox M9 with the target rear sight, and live with the safety/decocker on the slide where it was never intended to be. (The frame mounted safety on the Taurus is where Beretta and God intended safeties to be dang [email protected]_)

I'm gonna have to stop ya right there buddy That slide mounted safety has been around for a long time on various different types of guns that were just as innovative as Mr. Browning's famous side arm. I'm gonna be straight about it, the slide mounted safety argument is just an excuse. You got to train differently with those safeties but it doesnt take that much to get use to it. It's actually a natural movement of the thumb, when you go to grab your gun, slide your thumb forward, like if you are poking it from the back of the lever. It's kind of spring loaded so it "pops" out of safe, its just a little poke. Or, I carry mine with the safety off and hammer at half cock. The hammer at half cock does 2 things. One, makes the safety level stiffer so it wont be pushed from Hot to Safe accidentally. Two, makes the double action trigger pull slightly shorter. The actual safety in the Beretta is the ridiculous double action pull of the trigger on your first shot. Plus, Beretta sells "G" model conversion kits to turn the slide mounted safety into a decocker only. Or just buy a new one that has a decocker only. The new 92x is a decocker only with a vetec grip and slide with a target crown. You cant beat that with a stick for what they are asking for one: https://www.budsgunshop.com/product...black+checkered+polymer+grips+decocking+lever

Oh, and we have a Winchester Plant in Oxford, MS just north of me. I support my local businesses, and we get ammo cheap. When Wal-Mart was selling them they were almost $17.00 for a 100 round box.

 

[dh1633pm]

Yeah Sparkie, I was thinking you could easily match their Vice Testing with just a hair more practice. Nice pistol. I think the military contract really helped them make the model better. Nothing like a kazillion pistols out there all being shot a kazillion times to torture test your product. All those flaws you didn't know existed all come to the surface.

 

[hawkguy]

the berreta 92 is probably my favorite pistol. i've owned and had opportunities to shoot a couple of dozen different pistols at this point.

hands down, i shoot the berreta 92 the best. the only exception was a friend's mystical unicorn glock:lol:...that he personally tuned (and tuned damn well)....and much as i don't care for glocks....that is still the most accurate pistol i have ever shot...a sincere tack driver.

the berreta 92 is more accurate than any other pistol i have shot otherwise. granted, i haven't really shot any fined tuned, competition style pistols.

 

[James T. Kirk]

the berreta 92 is probably my favorite pistol. i've owned and had opportunities to shoot a couple of dozen different pistols at this point.

hands down, i shoot the berreta 92 the best. the only exception was a friend's mystical unicorn glock:lol:...that he personally tuned (and tuned damn well)....and much as i don't care for glocks....that is still the most accurate pistol i have ever shot...a sincere tack driver.

the berreta 92 is more accurate than any other pistol i have shot otherwise. granted, i haven't really shot any fined tuned, competition style pistols.

Looks like me and you have something in common :lol: I've never shot a glock I liked, they are just awful... Now let me put me flame suit on

 

[hawkguy]

Looks like me and you have something in common :lol: I've never shot a glock I liked, they are just awful... Now let me put me flame suit on

ha...well, its mostly just opinion anyways. the best gun is the gun you shoot best!

i'm not a glock fan, but my friend's glock is pretty much impossible to hate....that thing makes me look like i can really shoot a pistol! when i warm up with my Beretta though...that one can make me look OK too.

 

[CaptThomas]

Never shot a 92 I liked, so accuracy never mattered or got tested. They just don't "fit my hand" so I don't have any experience with them. I'm sure they are a fine gun and Berretta is a fine old company. I just prefer the blonde and the red head, brunette...
not so much? My unit could carry / request what we wanted so it was not a issue for us.

Capt. Thomas