I've mentioned replacing the 1911 as my off duty piece and I thought I'd share my recent experiences and observations in that process.
Due to a subpar back and on setting arthritis in my strong hand wrist I decided a change was necessary. As such I acquired an FNS9 a few months ago. Overall I've found it to be a very satisfactory tool, then I picked up a Beretta 92FS. The latter was done mainly out of an itch to experience something new. I'd never given the Beretta much time, as I outlined in a previous post. As such it was pretty foreign to me. Firearms design has always fascinated me so I enjoy studying the mechanics of different systems, hence the Beretta. I didn't obtain it with the thought of making it a routine carry piece but rather a summer project. However, after spending some time with the 92FS I find I like it very much.
Over the last couple of weeks I've been shooting the two side by side and the results have proven interesting to me. Initially this consisted of slow fire accuracy drills. Fortunately my IWB holsters for both guns recently arrived so I've been able to move onto more practical shooting. Today I expended four hundred rounds during a range session, Mostly working on speed drills from the holster and drawing from concealment. Gear consisted of an IWB holster at three o'clock and a single OWB mag pouch at nine o'clock. Cover garment was a polo shirt.
My observations/comparisons:
Weight: no surprise here, the FNS wins hands down. While the Beretta, at 33 ounces empty, is lighter than my five inch 1911 it is a heavyweight compared to the FNS's 22 ounces. Still, I don't find either one particularly burdensome or fatiguing on my lower back. I can feel the weight of the Beretta more so then the FNS but that's about it. While the FN is lighter I find the Beretta to have a higher measure of comfort, probably due to the more rounded shape of its overall design. More on that in the next paragraph.
Reliability: a wash so far. The FNS is now over four thousand rounds with no malfunctions. The 92FS just passed the 1k mark without a stoppage.
Concealment: this one surprised me, the Beretta actually wins here. As a 5'11" 270 pound weight lifter I'll never be described as petite. However, it does mean I can effectively conceal a service size handgun. I've never liked the idea of willing jumping into a gunfight with just a handgun and I have an aversion to what I call "key fob pistols". So if I have to do it I want a full size pistol that allows me a better sense of control and overall performance. I've taken flak over my career for insisting on a "hog leg" for off duty use, but I've always believed in the adage that "Guns are supposed to be comforting not comfortable." so pack sand on that one bro. The butt on the FNS is far more square than the Berettas. As such, it prints a bit more under a light cover garment like a polo shirt. The same is true for its magazine. The magazine has a very large and flat base bad that prints more than the 92's. None of this is dramatic and the general population probably wouldn't notice or at least identify it as a weapon, but since I know it's there I can tell.
Accuracy: win to the Beretta. The mechanical accuracy of the FNS seems to be above par for a polymer striker fired pistol. However, when the human factor is introduced the edge seems to go to the Italian gun. I attribute this to several things. First, there's no doubting the Beretta's 4.5 pound single action trigger has an advantage over the FNS's 6-6.5 pound trigger. (the FN's trigger seems to vary back and forth about half a pound). The Beretta also possesses a longer sight radius by about an inch and its sights are tighter. The FNS features a good combat sight picture. The sights are large and easy to pick up quickly. However, I find the Beretta's stock sights work well for me and the tighter sight picture aids in tighter shooting. In slower accuracy fire at distance the Beretta runs away with the prize. This afternoons speed drills consisted mainly of double taps, Mozambique drills and Bill Drills, all from concealment. In all of these the Beretta was the more accurate pistol in my hands. The difference wasn't huge or substantial and either would have sufficed in an engagement, but it was a noticeable difference. This in spite of the Beretta's TDA mechanism. With a lightened DA pull of 7.5 pounds I didn't find the transitional to SA to be a hindrance. In fact, the only time I pulled the first shot was on the occasions where I consciously focused on the transition for DA to SA. When I forgot about it and focused on the sights and checking my work it wasn't an issue. The Berettas weight also came in handy once it was out of the holster. Being a long time target shooter with things like 1911s and revolvers with six to seven inch barrels, I find polymer framed handguns to be a bit floaty for me. For me, the extra weight of an all metal pistol helps to keep the weapon steady, both in speed and accuracy shooting.
Dynamic handling: I'm going to rate this one a tie. Ergonomics are good on both designs for me. Yes, even the big honkin' Beretta. I have big honkin' hands, so the 92FS actually fits me well. My strong hand thumb can reach all of the controls, including the safety lever, without trouble. In fact, in terms of feel in the hand I'd have to say the Beretta has the advantage. On the other hand, (no pun intended) the FNS has nothing to hold it back in this department. Both guns come out of the holster easily and quickly. The only negative factor for the FNS lies in clearing the cover garment. Due to its squarish butt I find that, on occasion, my shirt got hung up on the weapon. This required a pretty good upward pull on my shirt with my off hand to ensure this didn't happen. Due to its more rounded profile the Beretta didn't have this problem. I long ago dispensed with wearing a t-shirt with a loose open front outer shirt as my warm weather wear. I found that often times clearing the outer garment was a problem due to its lighter weight. As sweeping motion could sometimes result in a tangled mess. I also find something like a photographers/IDPA style vest to be unacceptable for everyday wear in my local. I like to call it the "Hi I have a concealed handgun" wardrobe. As such, I usually choose to wear a polo type shirt as my warm weather dress and have become a big fan of fleece pullovers for colder wear. Consequently, the clearance issue is a point of consideration for me.
In the end I think either one will fit my needs but the Beretta does seem to win by a slight edge in the overall picture. Still, The FNS does share a similar manual of arms with my issued Glock 22, where as the Beretta differs with features like the slide mounted safety. In the future the Beretta will be further modified with an extended magazine release and a single sided low profile safety lever. However, if the FNS wins the contest it will probably be on the similarity issue alone regardless of how much I prefer shooting the Beretta. Having used Sigs and Glocks as issued weapons while carrying a 1911 off duty for many years without issue this may not be a defining factor, but still one that needs consideration.
I don't offer these observations as any kind of definitive statement but merely as talking points. I find these kinds of details interesting and I hope you will do the same.
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Originally Posted by Suvorov
