I have recently started running a 96D, taking a break from my Glocks (long story). I know they are not considered the most durable. Most of you guys are more plugged into the shooting world than I am. What kind of service life should I anticipate from the 96D? Or is it just one of those things that some last and some don't?
10,000 was what we told customers back when I worked there. A significant percentage of 96Ds had frame cracks by that point.
Todd,
What about running a red buffer or the like in the 96? Supposedly the 96A1s have a built in buffer to address the frame cracking issue. I have had great luck with the red buffers in my 92s with thousands of rounds fired with zero malfunctions related.
Last edited by Suvorov; 11-09-2011 at 09:52 PM. Reason: specify 92
I have no experience running the red buffers in a .40-cal Beretta, but used them at times in my 9mm guns but could not guess whether they actually did anything to improve service life.
They were also used in my custom modified 96G Elite in 357 SIG, where they got eaten up very fast. I stopped shooting that gun when I got hired at Beretta and the head quality control guy performed a dye penetrant test on the frame. He found multiple cracks and suggested I not fire the gun again. It had somewhere between four and five thousand rounds through it at the time.
Sad day. I guess I will just run it until it breaks and then replace it with something else.
I've had a Beretta 96 Border Marshal and used a 96D as a bedside gun for years. For someone who does a lot of DA revolver work, a slickslide Beretta is stupid easy to shoot, and there are times when I miss them.
This thread sure helps fix that.
So is .40 S&W that much harder on the frame, or do 9mm 90 series Berettas not have that great a service life either?
The 9mm 92s in general (and by extrapolation, a 92D) are reputed to have much greater (and with less drama) longevity than their .40 96 compatriots. I would, however, STRONGLY suggest replacing your trigger return spring with Wolff's Trigger Conversion Unit (TCU) which essentially eliminates the weakest link in the overall Beretta durability equation. The Wolff assembly replaces a lever/mousetrap spring (notorious for breaking around 5K trigger pulls-the gun is still operable {because the triggerbar spring actually provides the leverage for pulling the trigger}, but the trigger must be manually pulled foward after each shot to engage the triggerbar spring); the Wolff unit is a much more durable coil spring assembly, and with their lighter weighted unit, I didn't find there to be any significant difference between it and the OEM spring; it was the solution that Wolff provided for the Border Patrol (which they subsequently adopted) for their 96D Brigadiers back in the day when that was their issue weapon.
Best, Jon
Thanks for the tip on the trigger spring.
I guess maybe I will have to see if I can find a 92D. I have a fetish for DA triggers, so much so I even like the P250 trigger!!
I have really been pleased with the Beretta 96 I have, although I find it hard to justify spending the same money on a gun that will last maybe 10k rounds as opposed to one that will last 50k+. I have been a Glock shooter pretty exclusively, and earlier this year decided to force myself to try other platforms.
The first handgun I ever carried as a LEO was a 92D Centurion.
JR1572
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