Beretta 92 Centurion slide length

[GJM]

Today, I had a full up practice session using my Wilson tuned 92A1. It has a fantastic trigger and has been a primary shooter for me. Yet to have a stoppage in over 10,000 rounds. Gorgeous pistol.

One drill my wife and I were doing is three eight inch steel from the draw at 13, 16 and 18 yards. Big wide transition between the 16 and 18 yard targets. My average time with the 92A1 was 2.75, with a 1.30 +/- draw and .70ish splits to the other two steel. My best time was 2.53. This was over about 20 runs.

I decided to grab my carry Beretta, which is a very stockish Centurion with a front sighted painted orange with a Sharpie paint stick, Crimson Trace military laser grips (which I couldn't see in bright desert sunlight), and a Dave Olhasso trigger job. The trigger is good, but no better than my Wilson trigger on the 92A1 which is superb. My first run with the Centurion was 2.25, my next run was 2.23, and over 10 runs my average was 2.25 with a best run of 2.08 (.99 draw to the 13 yard steel, .66 and .43 splits to the two other steel). Same ammo for both pistols, PMC 115 ball.

It seems conclusive to me that the Centurion length slide cycles better/faster than the full length Beretta 92 slide. At the end, I shot a quick three shot group on the head of an IPSC target at 25 yards, with what I had left in the magazine, and all three shots were in the upper A zone and could be covered by ONE paster. So it doesn't seem like the Centurion is giving up anything in practical accuracy.

A Vertec G Centurion with a M9A1 style lower would be my holy grail of a combo carry/game pistol.

[orionz06]

What is the difference in slide weight and recoil springs?

[JV_]

The Centurion is a compact slide, it has a 14# spring rather than 13#.

[LHS]

A Vertec G Centurion with a M9A1 style lower would be my holy grail of a combo carry/game pistol.

I know a lot of folks who'd agree. Personally, I would love to have an M9A1 Compact lower that would work with a full-length Vertec G slide. To me, the butt of the gun is the hardest part to conceal, and I like the longer sight radius of the full-size slide. That said, I still shoot my compacts and don't feel terribly under-gunned.

[GJM]

What is the difference in slide weight and recoil springs?

The Centurion has about a 4.25 inch barrel versus about 4.9 for the full size. OEM recoil springs in both, not sure about the weight difference.

[GJM]

I know a lot of folks who'd agree. Personally, I would love to have an M9A1 Compact lower that would work with a full-length Vertec G slide. To me, the butt of the gun is the hardest part to conceal, and I like the longer sight radius of the full-size slide. That said, I still shoot my compacts and don't feel terribly under-gunned.

My preference would be the full size M9A1 style lower so I can use laser grips, full size magazines and have a full grip for shooting. It would be nice to also have a M9A1 Compact style lower for when concealment is a priority.

Based on how the Centurion slide cycles, I would take that over the longer sight radius of the Vertec FS upper.

[LHS]

My preference would be the full size M9A1 style lower so I can use laser grips, full size magazines and have a full grip for shooting. It would be nice to also have a M9A1 Compact style lower for when concealment is a priority.

Based on how the Centurion slide cycles, I would take that over the longer sight radius of the Vertec FS upper.

I just wish they'd make laser grips for the 92 Compact.

I had concerns over grip size on the compact at first, since I have big hands, but I found in practice that I shoot them both about the same. I've been lugging around my Elite with its full-size frame and heavy Brigadier slide for the last decade or so, and the idea of a smaller, lighter pistol is starting to appeal to me. I carried a standard 92G on my last trip to Montana, and was once again surprised at how light and handy it was with the thinner slide. The Elite's easier to shoot, no doubt, but the little G Compact is a lot handier to haul around all day.

[GJM]

I carried a standard 92G on my last trip to Montana, and was once again surprised at how light and handy it was with the thinner slide. The Elite's easier to shoot, no doubt, but the little G Compact is a lot handier to haul around all day.

I don't think comparing a 92 Compact and an Elite is an apples to apples comparison. The questions I would ask are:

1) All things held constant, which is easier to shoot -- an Elite/Brigadier slide on a full size lower or a Vertec/92FS slide on a full size lower.

2) After determining which is easier to shoot, Brigadier or standard slide, how does that compare in shoot ability to a Centurion (4.25 barrel on full size lower)?

My experiment this afternoon, which I hadn't set out to test, is that the Centurion slide shoots faster than the full size slide.

[Jeep]

I don't think comparing a 92 Compact and an Elite is an apples to apples comparison. The questions I would ask are:

1) All things held constant, which is easier to shoot -- an Elite/Brigadier slide on a full size lower or a Vertec/92FS slide on a full size lower.

2) After determining which is easier to shoot, Brigadier or standard slide, how does that compare in shoot ability to a Centurion (4.25 barrel on full size lower)?

My experiment this afternoon, which I hadn't set out to test, is that the Centurion slide shoots faster than the full size slide.

GJM: Interesting. Might that be an experiment to repeat using carry ammo to see whether the (presumably) greater energy changes the results? I don't know if it would, but the additional information might be useful.

[WilsonCombatRep]

Now you know why Bill likes compacts :)

[GJM]

Now you know why Bill likes compacts :)

yep, and that he set his PR on the 5x5 skill drill with a Centurion.

[LHS]

I don't think comparing a 92 Compact and an Elite is an apples to apples comparison. The questions I would ask are:

1) All things held constant, which is easier to shoot -- an Elite/Brigadier slide on a full size lower or a Vertec/92FS slide on a full size lower.

2) After determining which is easier to shoot, Brigadier or standard slide, how does that compare in shoot ability to a Centurion (4.25 barrel on full size lower)?

My experiment this afternoon, which I hadn't set out to test, is that the Centurion slide shoots faster than the full size slide.

I was actually comparing a standard, full-size 92G to the Elite in terms of carryability, but I can see where my later mention of the Compact would add confusion.

I've only got a couple hundred rounds through my new compact, but thus far, I haven't seen much degradation in my performance with it. I seem to shoot it just as well as the Elite. It holds fewer rounds, but it also weighs less on my hip all day. Like most things, it's a trade-off, and one I'm interested in trying once I get a few hundred more rounds through it to verify reliability.

[Duces Tecum]

http://tinyurl.com/ybt5cpo5

"The latest update to the 92 series is the M9A3, and it may be the most feature-rich 92 model yet. First unveiled at SHOT Show in 2015 (http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/beretta-m9a3-first-look/), the M9A3 has a replaceable front sight, railed frame, and a Vertec style backstrap combined with aggressive grip texture. The pistol also includes a wraparound style rubber grip to mimic the feel of the standard M9A1 backstrap. The truly innovative feature of the M9A3 is a redesigned slide that allows the pistol to be converted between an FS and G configuration by an armorer with a conversion kit. Previously, this kind of conversion could only be performed by a gunsmith which is both expensive and permanent."

Something like this, appropriately reinforced for 10mm, might be nice.

[Clobbersaurus]

I like the recoil characteristics of the Centurion length guns. Unfortunately, my Centurion is a D, which makes comparing split speed a little more problematic.

I like Centurion length guns and especially the PX4, which is essentially a Centurion sized polymer equivalent. I find I can muscle them around a little easier and generally find them generally easier to transition with.

I could never get the PX4 to split as low as my Elite II, but that has more to do with the trigger than the slide velocity.

Dream gun: Elite II frame with a Wilson trigger bar, mated to a Centurion G slide with a dovetailed front sight.

[Bigghoss]

A Vertec G Centurion with a M9A1 style lower would be my holy grail of a combo carry/game pistol.

https://orig00.deviantart.net/b4f9/f/2009/172/3/7/homer_drooling_by_dwcjester.jpg


Is it weird that I want this in a D too?

[PGT]

I have an Inox Vertec slide on an M9A1 lower. It have a spare Inox Centurion D-slide and blued FS slide w/ G-kit. Hmmmm.......

[AdioSS]

Is it weird that I want this in a D too?

Like this? :)
https://i.imgur.com/ODVvlpml.jpg
Minus the Vertec front sight :(

[Bigghoss]

Like this? :)
https://i.imgur.com/ODVvlpml.jpg
Minus the Vertec front sight :(

They look sexier with the D hammer flush with the back of the slide but close enough. I'll be in my bunk.

[AdioSS]

They look sexier with the D hammer flush with the back of the slide but close enough. I'll be in my bunk.

It’s a lot more work than swapping around hammers than just swapping a slide :) I did swap a D hammer into the 96G Centurion that I carry the most.

[CraigS]

One of the guys on the Beretta forum just got a compact to start using for games. I forget exactly which games he shoots in but likes that lighter weight slide. So the guys here are not the only ones.