No. 1

Q. Would you kindly send me any information concerning a COMMEMORATIVE DESERT STORM BERETTA 92 FS model ESPECIALLY, NUMBER OF EDITION MADE, PRICE, AVAILABILITY, etc. Thank you for your time and consideration. (9/17/1998)

A. You place me a question much difficult one, especially for me who live in Italy, where have not been commercialized the models to which you refer. I answer to you what I know. I do not have sure news of a model " COMMEMORATIVE DESERT STORM BERETTA 92FS ". I know instead that the Beretta USA has commercialized, only in the USA, in 1995, one " M9 Special Edition " "America' s Defender ". This model has been commercialized in the tenth year from the adoption of the gun 92 FS (M9) from the USA army. The " M9 Special Edition " is constituted from one 92 FS standard; it is distinguished for the written ones in gold brought back on the slide: " America' s Defender " "Beretta M9-92FS cal. 9mm parabellum" " The First Decade 1985-1995 " and badges " U.S. Army " " U.S. Navy " " U.S. Air Force " " U.S. Marine Corps ". The number of the exemplary is limited and the serial number is characterized from suffix " M9 ". Of this arm the version " De Luxe " exists also, polished blued version with grips in walnut and golden particular.


No. 19

Q. Is the Beretta 92FS the same as the Taurus PT-92? Please reply to my e-mail. Thanks for your time. (01/02/1999)

A. Taurus is a Brazilian Corporation that for a ten of years, around the years 1970, it has produced, under licence of Beretta, Beretta firearms. (In order to understand, you can think to the Beretta USA Corporation that today it produces, in the States, Beretta firearms.)
In the following years the commercial agreement changed and today Taurus produces, using some Beretta patents, Taurus firearms.
These firearms, in some cases, are really quite similar to the Beretta guns, but they are not Beretta guns.
Therefore Taurus PT-92 is really quite similar to Beretta 92FS, but is not a Beretta 92FS one.


No. 24

Q. Hello, I would like to know if you have knowledge of industry wide malfunctions with the 92 FS Centurion. I am doing research and your help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
"Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence." Sun-tzu (02/20/1999)

A. Sir, as far as the question if I have knowledge of industry wide malfunctions with the 92 FS Centurion, my answer is : "No, no at all.".
Moreover, I can add that it is really very difficult that a pistol of 92 series has some problem.
Some problem that I have heard, was caused from a bad ammunitions supply. During some crash tests carried out in Italy, have taken place serious problems after 10,000 shots. Of these 10,000 shots many were overloaded. I saw a man that fired in a 92 FS a reloaded cartridge with the bullet and the primer, but without powder. The bullet came out from the case and stopped within the barrel. Subsequently the same man fired another cartridge, this time with regular loading. The gun lightly warped , but some piece of metal or other material was not thrown about.
A friend said to me that in the States it has been coined a new word : "berettability" that means: "reliable and sure like a Beretta".


No. 36

Q. I'm a police-officer in Belgium and our service gun is a Beretta 92 FS Brigadier. For the moment I'm following a course for Range-officer (shooting) and I have to make a work about Berreta pistols double Action and Double Action Only. Is it possible to sent me the technical fichier of the 92 FS and the 92 D and any explanation about the difference in the working of the Double Action and the Double Action Only. (03/30/1999)

A. In order to answer to your question I will make large use of that the Beretta says. But I will add also some personal considerations.

Beretta says:

92 Series Pistols are semi-automatics and operate on the short recoil, delayed locking block system, which yields a faster cycle time. Each features a lightweight, forged frame made from aircraft-quality aluminum alloy. A combat trigger guard is standard. The slide and other steel components are coated with Bruniton, a Teflon based material that provides superior corrosion resistance and reduced friction between frame and slide. High definition sights. Standard 3-dot sight system is designed for quick target acquisition. Notched rear sight is dovetailed to slide. Blade front sight is integrated with slide. Three-dot tritium night sight system also available.
All 92 Series pistols feature unique safety refinements. On FS models, the ambidextrous manual safety also functions as a decocking lever. A firing pin block secures the firing pin, preventing it from moving forward and accidentally discharging, even if the pistol falls and strikes the ground muzzle down. The chamber loaded indicator is an added safety feature. When a round is chambered, the extractor protrudes to show a red indicator. In the dark, the user can feel the slightly protruding indicator.
The 92 Series pistols are available in 9mm Parabellum, .40 caliber, and 9mm x21 IMI.

Brigadier Pistols : the pistol incorporates all the high performance characteristics of the traditional 92 Series pistols, plus features that are uniquely Brigadier's. The Brigadier's slide is heavier and recontoured. This design accommodates a removable front sight and provides shooters with a critically important advantage. Because of the heavier slide, the gun's balance is enhanced and felt recoil is reduced significantly, increasing accuracy for second and subsequent shots. The Brigadier pistol is available in 9mm Parabellum (FS and D Models), .40 caliber (FS, D and G versions), and 9mm x21 IMI (98 Brigadier FS).

92D Models are double action only versions of the standard 92FS, with no external safety levers ("slick slide") and the hammer spur removed. Extended side serrations provide a sure grip for fast, easy racking of the slide. D models are as easy to operate as a revolver, with the exact same smooth trigger pull for each shot.

92 Series Pistol Specifications:

model
caliber
Magazine Capacity
Action
Overall Length (mm/in)
Barrel Length (mm/in)
Rifling
Pitch (mm/in)
Overall Width (mm/in)
Overall Height (mm/in)
Sight Radius (mm/in)
Weight Unloaded (gr/oz)
: 92FS
: 9mm x19
: 15
: Single/double
: 217/8.5
: 125/4.9
: R.H.,6 grooves
: 250/9.8
: 38/1.5
: 137/5.4
: 155/6.1
: 975/34.4
92 D
9mmx 19
15
Double only
217/8.5
125/4.9
R.H.,6 grooves
250/9.8
36/1.4
137/5.4
155/6.1
960/33.8
92FS Brigadier
9mm x 19
15
Single/double
217/8.5
125/4.9
R.H.,6 grooves
250/9.8
38/1.5
140/5.5
161/6.3
1000/35.3
92 D Brigadier
9mm x 19
15
Double only
217/8.5
125/4.9
R.H.,6 grooves
250/9.8
36/1.4
140/5.5
161/6.3
985/34.7

I say:

The difference between a single/double action pistol and a double action only pistol is:

- single/double action pistol: I can shoot in two ways. First: I start from decocked hammer and pull the trigger until the hammer before raises and then pulls down itself on the firing pin. (double action) (long trigger travel, great trigger pull weight). Second: I start from a cocked hammer and pull the trigger until the hammer pulls down itself on the firing pin. (single action) (short trigger travel, lighter trigger pull weight).
- double action only pistol: the hammer cannot stay in a cocked position and for this reason I can shoot only starting from decocked hammer and pull the trigger until the hammer before raises and then pulls down itself on the firing pin. (long trigger travel, light trigger pull weight).

With a double action only pistol I can shoot in an only way (double action).
With a single/double action pistol I can shoot in two different ways and theoretically, when I fire many rounds, the first shot (double action) differs from the other (single action).
In my opinion, really this does not happen.
Since the hammer stays in a cocked position when I chamber the first round, and however the hammer stays in a cocked position after shooting, and however when I am in a dangerous situation I raise the hammer until the hammer is cocked, really with a single/double action pistol I always shoot in the second way (single action) (starting from a cocked hammer) (short trigger travel, light trigger pull weight).

In order to shoot with "single action" (short trigger travel, light trigger pull weight) it is necessary that the person has a good training, why in dangerous situations stress can give rise to an involuntary contractions of the finger of the hand and release a shot accidentally.

From this point of view the "double action only" is safer why it needs of a longer trigger travel and therefore eliminates the problems written above.

But a long trigger travel affects the precision of the shooting and the time that is necessary to fire.


No. 46

Q.Do you have the info for model 92F.CAL.9mm.Parabellum and please include the picture of the gun. (05/03/1999)

A. The model 92F cal. 9mm Parabellum is the first name of the model subsequently called M9 (military denomination) or 92FS (name on the Beretta price list for to the civil market).
Really, in the model 92F miss the safety block (head of the hammer pin), destined to avoid that, in the case of breach of the slide, the slide can exit outside from the rear of the gun.
For the other details, the model 92F is identical to the model 92FS (US M9). The technical features of this model are the followings:

model : 92FS
caliber : 9mm x19
Magazine Capacity: 15
Action : Single/double
Overall Length (mm/in): 217/8.5
Barrel Length (mm/in): 125/4.9
Rifling : R.H.,6 grooves
Pitch (mm/in) : 250/9.8
Overall Width (mm/in) : 38/1.5
Overall Height (mm/in): 137/5.4
Sight Radius (mm/in) : 155/6.1
Weight Unloaded (gr/oz) : 975/34.4

For what concerns a picture of the gun you can see, in my website, the pictures that are reported to the model 98FS (only difference is the caliber, 9x21mm rather than 9mm Parabellum).


No. 47

Q. Can you tell me if there is both a 92FS and a 92FSS? I'm referring to a full-size stainless 9MM. If so, what is difference? (05/12/1999)

A. I have never felt to speak of a model 92FSS.
I only know the model 92FS.
Also on the Beretta catalog there is only this model.
In the model 92FS the letter " S " should mean " safety ", since this model has a further safety in comparison to the precedent model 92F. (The further safety is the block of the slide in case of breakup).
The stainless steel version of the model 92FS is normally called " 92FS INOX ". The stainless steel version (INOX) doesn't introduce any difference in comparison to the 92FS standard (M9) except for the material.


No. 73

Q. What is the model designation of the Beretta 92 series that is blue with gold lettering on the slide? (09/05/1999)

A. You have not given a lot of details to me around the pistol.
However I think that it is the "model 92FS EL".
I send what it is written on the Beretta catalog around the model 92FS EL to you.

92 FS EL Model : feature highly polished, blued slide and frame with gold "P. Beretta" signature and smooth, richly figured walnut grips. Gold-plated screw heads, magazine release button and safety lever add a special touch to this handsome EL version.

LAST REVISION :