Beretta 92
The Beretta 92 is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy.
History
Carlo Beretta, Giuseppe Mazzetti and Vittorio Valle, all experienced firearms designers, contributed to the final design in 1975.The Beretta 92 was designed in 1975, and production began in 1976. Many variants in several calibers continue to be used to the present.
Evolution
92
Production began in May 1976, and ended in February 1983. Approximately 7,000 units were of the first "step slide" design and 45,000 were of the second "straight slide" type.92S
In order to meet the requirements of some law enforcement agencies, Beretta modified the Beretta 92 by adding a slide-mounted combined safety and decocking lever, replacing the frame-mounted manual thumb safety.This resulted in the 92S, which was adopted by several Italian law enforcement and military units. The magazine release button is at the bottom of the grip as is customary in Europe.
This model was produced from 1978 to 1982. The name "92S" means "Sicurezza", or "security", in Italian.
92SB (92S-1)
The 92SB, initially called 92S-1, was specifically designed for the USAF trials. The 92SB model name was officially adopted after winning."92SB" means "Sicurezza Blocco", meaning "safety block" in Italian. This refers to both the slide-mounted safety and the internal firing pin block.
Other improvements include ambidextrous safety levers, 3-dot sights and relocating the magazine release catch from the bottom of the grip to the lower bottom of the trigger guard.
The later relocation of the magazine release button means preceding models cannot necessarily use later magazines, unless they have notches in both areas.
92SB Compact
A compact version with a shortened barrel and slide and 13-round magazine capacity known as the 92SB Compact was manufactured from 1981 to 1991.92F (92SB-F)
In 1984 Beretta introduced a version of the model 92SB slightly modified to create the 92SB-F by making the following changes:- Design of all the parts to make them 100% interchangeable to simplify maintenance for large government organizations.
- Squared off the front of the trigger guard. The squared-off trigger guard protects both the gun and the shooter during hand-to-hand combat. Some have suggested that the square guard enables the shooter to grip the front of the trigger guard with the supporting forefinger to enhance aiming; however, firearms trainer and Beretta collaborator Ernest Langdon says that using the forefinger to grip the front of the trigger guard is improper technique.
- Recurved the forward base of the grip to aid aiming.
- Hard chromed the bore to protect it from corrosion and to reduce wear.
- New surface coating on the slide called Bruniton, which purportedly provides better corrosion resistance than the previous plain blued finish.
92FS
The "S" in "92FS" signifies either "Scivolo" or "Sicurezza" in Italian, due to the design's improved and safer slide in case of a catastrophic failure.
This was in response to allegations of defective slides during U.S. military testing.
Beretta discovered in an investigation that the slides had passed high-pressure proof testing and magnetic particle inspection when they were made, and metallurgical analysis showed that they had indeed been made to the proper specification.
In reality, the slides were separating due to improperly made ammunition, which was extremely overcharged over NATO specifications.
The "out of spec" ammunition was also causing the frames of SIG Sauer P226 pistols to crack. However, even after investigations were made to absolve the 92F of any problems, Beretta still suffered a massive reputation pitfall, which led to a law suit by Beretta against the US government for defamation.
92FS Centurion
The 92FS also came as a 92FS Centurion model which featured the shorter barrel and slide of the 92 Compact on a full-size 92FS frame.Design
The Beretta 92 pistol evolved from earlier Beretta designs, most notably the M1923 and M1951.From the M1923 comes the open slide design, while the alloy frame and the hinged locking block, originally from Walther P38, were first used in the M1951.
The grip angle and the front sight integrated with the slide were also common to earlier Beretta pistols.
Operation
The Beretta 92's open slide design ensures smooth feeding and ejection of ammunition and allows easy clearing of obstructions.The hard-chromed barrel bore reduces barrel wear and protects it from corrosion. The falling locking block design provides good accuracy and operability with suppressors due to the in-line travel of the barrel.
This is in contrast to the complex travel of Browning designed barrels. The magazine release button is reversible with simple field tools. Reversing the magazine release makes left-handed operation much easier.
Magazines
What were perhaps the Model 92's two most important advanced design features had first appeared on its immediate predecessor, the 1974.380 caliber Model 84.These improvements both involved the magazine, which featured direct feed; that is, there was no feed ramp between the magazine and the chamber.
In addition, the magazine was a "double-stacked" design, a feature originally introduced in 1935 on the Browning Hi-Power.
To keep in line with the introduction of laws in some locations restricting magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, Beretta now manufactures magazines that hold fewer than the factory-standard 15 rounds.
These magazines have heavier crimping to reduce the available space while still keeping the same external dimensions and ensuring that these magazines can be used on existing firearms.
Beretta also produces 15-round "Sand Resistant" magazines to resolve issues encountered with contractor-made magazines, and 17-round magazines included with the A1 models. Both magazines function in earlier 92 series and M9 model pistols.
Italian magazine manufacturer Mec-Gar now produces magazines in blue and nickel finishes with an 18-round capacity, which fit flush in the magazine well on the 92 series.
Mec-Gar also produces an extended 20-round blued magazine that protrudes below the frame by. These magazines provide users in unrestricted states with a larger capacity magazine.
Construction
Increasingly, it has become popular to reduce handgun weight and cost as well as increase corrosion resistance by using polymers. Starting around the year 2000, Beretta began replacing some parts with polymer and polymer coated metal.Polymer parts include the recoil spring guide rod, magazine floor plate, magazine follower and the mainspring cap/lanyard loop. Polymer coated metal parts include the left side safety lever, trigger, and magazine release button.
Variants
The Beretta 92 is available in many configurations and models:Original offerings
92D
The 92D is a double action only variant of the 92FS with no safety/decocker lever. The "D" signifies the Italian word "Doppio", meaning "Double-action". The 92D was discontinued by 1998.;92DS
The 92DS is essentially a standard double-action/single-action Beretta 92FS with a safety/decock lever but the flat spurless hammer of the 92D.
;92G
The 92G is a redesigned version of the 92FS with the safety eliminated, making for a decocker-only slide.
The "G" signifies "Gendarmerie National", the French national police force that the pistol was designed for.
While the standard 92G was discontinued in 2005, the 92G slide design is still being used on various Beretta designs, including the M9A4.
92G-SD
Wilson Combat 92G Brigadier Tactical
The Wilson Combat 92G Brigadier Tactical has been produced since 2014.The Wilson Combat 92G Brigadier pistols differ from the standard Brigadier in that they have a military standard 1913 picatinny rail, all steel controls, decock only feature, 4.7" target crowned barrel, fluted steel guiderod, thin profile G-10 grips, rounded trigger guard, the lighter hammer spring used in the "D" model, Elite II hammer, and their own unique serial number with a "WC" prefix among other features.
Vertec
The Vertec is a variant of the 92-series with a re-contoured, straight backstrap, removable sights, 1-slot accessory rail, flared magwell, and 4.7 inch barrel.Although the standard Vertec has been discontinued, the Vertec style backstrap design has been retained on newer, more advanced models such as the M9A3, M9A4 and 92X.
90two
The 90two is a 9mm/.40 variant of the 92-series with a redesigned, thicker slide and frame to accommodate an accessory rail, fully dovetailed front sight and.40 S&W pressures.Other features added include a captive recoil spring, internal recoil buffer, user changeable monogrips and 17-round magazines.
92A1
The 92A1 was introduced in 2010, based on elements from the 92FS and 90two.It is somewhat of a civilian version of the M9A1, but it has the standard 92-series grip profile, two slots in the accessory rail and a round trigger guard.
96A1
The.40 S&W variant of the 92A1.Centennial
The 92 FS Centennial limited edition commemorates adoption by the Italian Military of Beretta's earliest semi-automatic pistol, the Model 1915.This Centennial 92 is notable for its frame-mounted manual safety and single-action-only mechanism. The Beretta medallion in each wood grip panel displays the anniversary dates in Roman numerals, which are also engraved on either side of the steel slide.
The pistol is packaged in a custom M2A1 ammunition can bearing the Centennial logo.