Just wondering what everyone's thoughts were on a Beretta 92 as a first handgun. I'm shooting for fun, so want to keep it at 9mm so its fairly cheaper ammo.

 

Good place to find used? I'm in Piscataway

 

Haven't shot in 9 years, so I'm rusty!

Excellent handgun! You will not go wrong with the quality of a Beretta. My 1st was the Beretta cougar in 40 cal. and it's a great shooter. Easy field strip, nice fit and finish and it will not let you down.

Great gun! Good first handgun.

Beretta 92 in 9mm is an EXCELLENT first handgun. I would generally tell someone to go with a 9mm over a .40 for their first handgun, as the .40 is both more expensive to shoot (ammo-wise) and not as pleasurable to shoot as 9mm.

 

I have the Beretta 92A1 variant of the 92 and love it... it's a great gun, very accurate and it looks sweet too! Here's a pic:

 

Sweet!! Thanks for the input guys. Just got my permit, so I'll be looking for a used one soon

Its a great gun. Love my beretta. I think its easy to handle and is very reliable. I would check Lou's in Raritan. My first stop when I buy my firearms. Chris knows his stuff.

oh and I would get the M9 or the 92A1 but thats my personal preference

I own the Beretta 92 Vertec model and let me tell you this gun is very reliable. However, there are a few things to consider. The gun is very heavy for a 9mm so if you plan to carry out of state it might not be a good choice. Also many of the new ones have plastic parts which include the guide rod and trigger. I am not sure if this affects the reliability but its certainly effects the feel of the gun. I replaced the plastic guide rod with a wolf stainless rod and it made the gun smooth as glass. Lastly the Beretta has a very very heavy trigger and long take up which is not the best for competion shooting for such as IDPA. Don't get me wrong its a good gun just takes some getting used to. If you purchase the gun I learned through other Beretta 92 shooters to make sure to cover the target you are shooting with the sights since they do not line up like shooting a traditional striker fired gun such as an XD or M&P.

Check out the Beretta PX4 in 9mm also. Same operation/controls, great balance/weight, rotating barrel, and maybe even a little less recoil. Either way you can't go wrong.

I have the 92FS Inox version. It's a sweet shooter and looker.

Beretta 92 in 9mm is an EXCELLENT first handgun. I would generally tell someone to go with a 9mm over a .40 for their first handgun, as the .40 is both more expensive to shoot (ammo-wise) and not as pleasurable to shoot as 9mm.

 

I have the Beretta 92A1 variant of the 92 and love it... it's a great gun, very accurate and it looks sweet too! Here's a pic:

 

That is a beauty. Ever since I started shooting a all steel pistol,I've noticed they just feel and shoot better than most of the polymer guns I've had the opportunity to shoot. I was also contemplating the Baretta although I've not fired one yet.

I too have the 92A1 and love it.

I have the 92FS Inox version. It's a sweet shooter and looker.

 

Yo Rick- I got one of those recently as well. Do you have a male or female? Maybe we can breed them...

Yo Rick- I got one of those recently as well. Do you have a male or female? Maybe we can breed them...

 

Mines female, but I'll stop there...

Mines female, but I'll stop there...

 

OK - I get a $250 stud fee plus 1st pick of the arsenal.

I have the Beretta 90-TWO. Its the newer model and although i love the look of the classic 92, i love this one even more!!!

 

You can't go wrong with a Glock 19, Sig P226 or Beretta 92FS as a first gun.

 

I prefer the Beretta 92, although I would also look into the PX4 Compact.

 

One advantage of the Beretta 92 is that you can get a conversion kit for the gun and shoot .22LR ammo. If you thought 9mm was cheap...

 

I actually kept the plastic guide rod in my 92FS and there is a very simple reason why. I think that plastic guide rod is "better."

 

If you have a steel guide rod and you accidentally bend it (let's say you drop the gun while the slide is open), you are running the risk of the gun jamming with a bent guide rod. This won't happen with a plastic rod. Theoretically, the plastic guide rod could melt if the gun gets too hot, but I wouldn't worry about that unless you intend to put 1000 rounds through the gun without stopping.

You can't go wrong with a Glock 19, Sig P226 or Beretta 92FS as a first gun.

 

I prefer the Beretta 92, although I would also look into the PX4 Compact.

 

One advantage of the Beretta 92 is that you can get a conversion kit for the gun and shoot .22LR ammo. If you thought 9mm was cheap...

 

I actually kept the plastic guide rod in my 92FS and there is a very simple reason why. I think that plastic guide rod is "better."

 

If you have a steel guide rod and you accidentally bend it (let's say you drop the gun while the slide is open), you are running the risk of the gun jamming with a bent guide rod. This won't happen with a plastic rod. Theoretically, the plastic guide rod could melt if the gun gets too hot, but I wouldn't worry about that unless you intend to put 1000 rounds through the gun without stopping.

 

 

Not that I had ever planned on replacing my guide-rod, I'm glad you posted this. Down the road if I had ever thought of replacing it, this has changed my mind and agree the keeping the OEM rod is probably best.

Anyone seen the Steel I version selling online? Love to get one of those steel frames...

You guys are going to make me BROKE! Sweet pics, I like that 90 two. I haven't seen the px4 compact 9mm, although I handled a px4 .45 and it fit like a glove!

I've been thinking about the Beretta 92 as a 2nd pistol.. I had the opportunity to fire one last week. Sweet as hell, although it took a few rounds to manage the recoil. I have a couple of questions though:

 

1. Clones: I've heard good things about the Turkish clone, by American Tactical. I think Arms N Ammo sells one. Any good? Also, I beleive Taurus makes a clone, but heard "iffy" reviews about it. Just curious if anyone has experience with clones.

 

2. Shorter barrel: Does Beretta make a shorter barrel version of this one?

 

3. Concealed carry: I realize it's a full sized gun and may not be the best to carry concealed, BUT, if one were to do so, what would be a good way to do so, i.e. shoulder holster, on the hip FBI slant?

 

Just love this gun, though.

Fantastic firearm. Sold mine, but really great gun. Will replace with an Inox one day.

Fantastic firearm. Sold mine, but really great gun. Will replace with an Inox one day.

 

Amazing Mike I sold my 92FS regretted it and replaced it with an Inox.

If anybody comes across a used one I would love to hear about it! Got my ppp and looking to use it!

 

1. Clones: I've heard good things about the Turkish clone, by American Tactical. I think Arms N Ammo sells one. Any good? Also, I beleive Taurus makes a clone, but heard "iffy" reviews about it. Just curious if anyone has experience with clones.

 

2. Shorter barrel: Does Beretta make a shorter barrel version of this one?

 

3. Concealed carry: I realize it's a full sized gun and may not be the best to carry concealed, BUT, if one were to do so, what would be a good way to do so, i.e. shoulder holster, on the hip FBI slant?

 

1. beretta is one gun that id never buy a clone of. ive been a beretta man since i first got my 92 in 1993. used 92FS's can be found for 5-550, some even lower. police trade ins are also a very good option. lots of finish wear, but typically shot very, very little.

 

2. the only 'shorter barrel' guns were the centurian, which is a shorter barrel and slide on a full size frame, and the elite, which was a full size gun with a barrel flush to the slide, maybe 1/2in shorter. primarily an aesthetic difference.

 

3. carry is entirely personal. 100% dependent on your body type, shape, and comfort. im 6'1, 175 at most, with absolutely no gut. ive carried my 92 in appendix, with nothing but shorts and a t-shirt to cover it. that includes a total of 3hrs driving while carrying. it never printed, and was plenty comfortable all day long. obviously, if you have any kind of gut, appendix wont work. you have to try out holsters/positions first.

If anybody comes across a used one I would love to hear about it! Got my ppp and looking to use it!

 

join here http://www.berettaforum.net/vb/

 

and check the classifieds. used berettas of all kinds are up every day

six pages on the same question recently.

 

http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php?/topic/31920-your-opinion-beretta-92fs-as-1st-9mm-handgun/page__hl__beretta

Beretta does make a compact 92fs. It isn't that much smaller and looks identical to its big brother. i think it has a 4.3" barrel. It's a pretty hard model to track down compared to the standard 92's.

 

a large run of compacts (aka type L) was recently imported/produced again, as of ~10 months ago. check local shops or online if you want one. much harder to find are the type Ms, a single stack compact.

Just picked up a px4 storm compact in 9mm!!! was at Ramsey Outdoor checking out there selection, MANY Beretta's in stock. They had a used Nano i had my eye on and a compact 92fs also which was pretty surprising. The owner of the nano said it had extracting issues but then again it is a pretty hard pocket sized gun to handle and i can see people limp wrist-ing it. Either way i wasn't gonna risk it. The compact 92 was really nice but it had some cosmetic issues that were bothering me, not a big issue and certainly wear and tear you find on a normal gun, but it was new. Looked like people were handling it with rings on there fingers. They actually had a few storms in stock, so i got a new in box, not display model. Very happy!! but then again, buying a new gun always makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I had been set on a storm for a while now, i probably would have gotten the compact 92 if i had been lusting for one, but i hope to one day carry the compact storm in America. Lots of 92 models as well.