American Handgunner articles > September 1999
And Now, Without Mincing Words, The World's Most Reliable Handgun Is...
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American Handgunner Article date: September 1, 1999 Author: HACKATHORN, KEN
The only handgun that I would buy over the counter brand new, load with ammo and stick in my belt for self-defense without test firing to insure that it is totally reliable is the Beretta M92. Given a chance, I would always prefer to test fire any small arm that 1 stake my life on, but the Beretta M92 has such a great track record for reliable operation that I would gladly pack one without firing a round of live ammo.
After a decade and a half of issue and worldwide use, Beretta has just introduced a number of modified M92/96 pistols that include many product improvements. After viewing these new "Elite" series pistols at the '99 SHOT Show, I obtained a M92 G Elite pistol for my own use.
Improvements to these Elite pistols represent an effort to make the already popular Beretta an even more desirable sidearm. The changes include a heavier slide that comes from the Brigadier pistol. Beretta made the Brigadier slide heavy and reinforced at critical areas. For use with .40 S&W chambered Model 96 pistols, a greater slide mass made for a stronger pistol that would not fail.
Many M92 pistols have had slide fractures in the area where the locking block rests when the pistol is in battery. This critical area on the Brigadier slide is well reinforced to keep any stress to a minor level.
On the Elite pistols, the Brigadier slide has front grasping grooves to make slide cycling easy, plus a dovetail front sight. This allows for front sight replacement, and installing of tritium insert sights by aftermarket sources.
Most importantly, the Elite M92/96 pistols are of the "G" model series. "G" model Beretta M92/96 pistols have a slide-mounted decocker-only function. While M92F/M9 pistols have a slide-mounted ambidextrous safety/decocker, the Elite models require only the downward movement of the slide-mounted decock lever to safely lower the hammer.
Once this is done, releasing the decocker lever will return it to the upward position via spring pressure. The M92F pistol is fine for less trained operators where the manual of arms requires that any time the pistol is loaded or unloaded, the safety lever is first engaged to make sure that any sloppy gun handling will not result in an accidental discharge while loading or clearing the pistol.
For the more skilled or professional gunhandler who has learned that you do not put your finger in the trigger guard unless you wish to make a loud noise, the simple decocker-only function of the slide mounted lever is favored.
I have preferred the M92 G series pistol for some time. I have used a M92 G as my favorite Beretta for a couple of years. This feature on the M92/96 Elite is welcome and, as the Elite name reflects, this pistol is for the professional gunman.
HACKATHORN, KEN. "And Now, Without Mincing Words, The World's Most Reliable Handgun Is...(Brief Article)." American Handgunner. Publishers' Development Corporation. 1999. HighBeam Research. 18 Sep. 2010 <http://www.highbeam.com>.
HACKATHORN, KEN. "And Now, Without Mincing Words, The World's Most Reliable Handgun Is...(Brief Article)." American Handgunner. 1999. HighBeam Research. (September 18, 2010). http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-56221699.html
HACKATHORN, KEN. "And Now, Without Mincing Words, The World's Most Reliable Handgun Is...(Brief Article)." American Handgunner. Publishers' Development Corporation. 1999. Retrieved September 18, 2010 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-56221699.html
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-56221699.html
