Beretta 92FS

This semi-automatic, locked-breech delayed recoil operated, double or single action pistol is prized for reliability and looks. Besides surplus parts are much easier to get.

This 9mm caliber gun can go up to 10-15-17or 20 rounds depending on magazine. The length is 217 mm long, with a barrel length of 125 mm, and it weighs around 945 grams. The grip matter is plastic while the slide and barrel material is carbon steel or stainless steel. This pistol is used for personal defense and it is given to most officers.

Before this gun was designed, Beretta offered a wide range of 92s along with other guns to be standard sidearm of the US armed forces. The Berretta pistols were already being used in law enforcement, when the US Air Force began the Joint Service Small Arms Program.

Seeing a widening market Beretta entered the competition and beat many other contenders in between 1980 to 1985 to be replace the 1911A1 as the most important handgun of U.S. armed forces.

However as there was still some dispute Beretta developed the design further to offer the 92SB-F, which was slightly modified to the 92F and 92G. Later in the 1984 pistol trials the Beretta 92SB-F was chosen as the M9 pistol, this is now called the Beretta 92F.

There were however many design failures. The older Beretta 92SBs would crack and even fly off. This was because the material used was inferior, and the ammunition was not within the specifications. Another weakness noticed was trigger spring, its leg would snap, and the user would have a functioning handgun. Imagine being stuck in firefight with such crucial problem!

Over time replacements of parts, better technology and maintenance has removed these problems. Its added features like interchangeability between pistols, to make it easier for maintenance. The trigger guard was improved so that only one finger was needed for aiming.

Other improvements were also added, for example the bore was made of hard chromed to protect it from corrosion and improve the connectivity of the weapon. The newly patented surface coating Bruniton was used eventually for superior corrosion resistance. The French armed forced later asked for the manual safety to be removed and this was turned into a decocking lever. Now the pistol was safer to load and unload, as the slide could be operated without the risk that touching the trigger. Also the magazine release button was improved, so that the reloading of the pistol became faster.

As the magazine release button was made reversible, both right handed and left handed people could use it with ease, this made it one of the favorite handguns to be used.

The Beretta 92FS is still considered a very accurate gun, which can easily be improved through adjustments. Of course it is still among the most stylish weapons.