Beretta 92 Tenn factory build quality good?

[Rmiked]

I’m buying a 92 Elite LTT from LGS. My 92A1 is Italian Made and quality is great. When the TN factory got started I was reading about some QC issues with M9A3s and some other 92 decocker pins walking out? Is the current production quality good?

[JAH 3rd]

https://berettaforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=143159&highlight=tennessee+quality+Beretta

[Rmiked]

Thanks for the link. Probably the best advice is to inspect carefully before buying. That approach could hurt online sales. I have bought 2 Italian 92A1s, and both had great quality in machining, fit and finish. I gave one to my son and still own one myself.

[LockedBreech]

Speaking solely for myself, at this time I’m only buying Italian. I expect that to change as Beretta smooths out QC. I also wouldn’t hesitate to buy direct from LTT.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HCM]

Thanks for the link. Probably the best advice is to inspect carefully before buying. That approach could hurt online sales. I have bought 2 Italian 92A1s, and both had great quality in machining, fit and finish. I gave one to my son and still own one myself.

Yup.

I bought an Italian made 92a1 as a Christmas present for my son which had some locking block /slide fit issues.

TN has been and continues to be more of a crap shoot than earlier Berettas IME. I've seen two issues with TN made Berettas:

1) within the first year of TN production went to buy a Wilson Brig tac. store had more than one in stock so they went to get me one from the back. Luckily I examined it closely as it had an issue with the magazines not locking in. thought it might be a bad mag but it had the same issues with mags from the counter display gun. Wound up buying the display gun which was also TN made and has been excellent.

2) Last year I bought a 92 LTT via normal dealer / distributor channels. After windage / POI issues, I noticed the front sight, which is dovetailed but is staked in place, was not centered, so far off the rear could not be drifted enough to compensate. Dealer swapped it out for another which has been ok but I would recommend buying from LTT direct if you want one.

[Medusa]

I’ve bought my TN produced berettas direct from LTT, and am overall satisfied with their aesthetics and finish. Their performance has been exemplary, and that’s what matters most to me. I feel like sourcing them from LTT is a good idea anyway, one of several reasons being he or his staff have put eyes on them.

[Rmiked]

LockedBreech: Would buying direct from LTT help? They all come from Tenn first, correct? Or are you implying LTT would inspect and reject guns with defects?

Also, am I correct that no LTT Elite 92s made in Italy?

Based on HCM comments, Italian guns could have issues.

My 2 Italian 92A1s are great but I realize any could have issues.

[FreedomFries]

My LTT Elite had a mark that looks like the mill or drill bit skipped or walked near the trigger pin hole and wallowed out some material near the surface. The Bruniton finish also was flaked off on an area on the bottom of the slide. The front sight was off center and pushed almost all the way in the dovetail to one side, then staked into the wrong position with the stake mark impacting both slide and sight base. POI was significantly off horizontally as expected, but after drifting it with an MGW tool, POI was corrected.

I had a WC Brig Tac where the finish flaked off on an area of the slide and required significant windage to correct POI. Obviously not sighted in correctly at the factory. Some other Gallatin Beretta slides I have seen had small bubbles in the finish or unfinished areas without Bruniton finish on the inside (but appear to have been adequately parkerized).

I have also an Italian 92FS I bought around 2016 or 2017 where the barrel was angled and touching the inside of the slide hood. Beretta considers this a cosmetic issue. I emailed them and they sent me a link to a page explaining that it's a cosmetic issue. The pistol required windage of the rear sight so far that part of the unfinished area of the dovetail cut was exposed.

Love Beretta pistols, but I definitely would inspect in person before buying any 92 pistol now.

[HCM]

I’ve bought my TN produced berettas direct from LTT, and am overall satisfied with their aesthetics and finish. Their performance has been exemplary, and that’s what matters most to me. I feel like sourcing them from LTT is a good idea anyway, one of several reasons being he or his staff have put eyes on them.

My LTT was an impulse buy and I did a partial trade in on it. If I buy another, which I may, i plan to buy direct from LTT.

[JSGlock34]

LockedBreech: Would buying direct from LTT help?

Why pass on the opportunity to buy a pistol with a trigger tune from Langdon by buying elsewhere?

[Rmiked]

Good question. I was just on the phone with Aimee discussing that at LTT. At this point I think I may want the D spring since this pistol will be for personal defense. The LTT website currently doesn’t allow for purchase w/o a trigger job and the trigger job will have a 13# spring. So in a nutshell, I don’t want a 13# spring in a personal defense pistol. Based on the education I am getting (and appreciate) with better trigger bar I probably don’t need a 16# spring. I feel good with 14# based on my own experience as long as I avoid hard primer ammo.

My other concern is build quality. I feel like I need to see the gun. I looked at 2 different 92s today at LGS. A 92X (not performance model) and the barrel was touching the barrel hood on one side. I don’t want that. Beretta considers that cosmetic but it requires sights to be adjusted if possible to correct. The LTT Elite I looked at did not have that issue. But the front sight was located such that the edge of dovetail on sight was flush with left edge of milled cut in slide; as out of center as possible staying within slide milled area. The rear sight was drifted so far left (to accommodate front sight off-center) the sight was out of slide milled area with overhang you could put your fingernail under. Now admittedly the 2 sights appeared to be in line and parallel to barrel, just off-center. This LTT Elite was direct from Beretta, did not go thru LTT and get any inspection and rejection that might occur with LTT.

My 92A1 is perfect with respect to these 2 issues. Am I being too picky. I love Beretta 92s. Accurate, reliable, great design, looks cool too. What’s not to like.

[FreedomFries]

My other concern is build quality. I feel like I need to see the gun. I looked at 2 different 92s today at LGS. A 92X (not performance model) and the barrel was touching the barrel hood on one side. I don’t want that. Beretta considers that cosmetic but it requires sights to be adjusted if possible to correct. The LTT Elite I looked at did not have that issue. But the front sight was located such that the edge of dovetail on sight was flush with left edge of milled cut in slide; as out of center as possible staying within slide milled area. The rear sight was drifted so far left (to accommodate front sight off-center) the sight was out of slide milled area with overhang you could put your fingernail under. Now admittedly the 2 sights appeared to be in line and parallel to barrel, just off-center.

Unfortunate to hear that my LTT Elite was not the only one with this type of sight problem. I drifted mine back to normal before even taking it to the range because the front sight was so far off that I didn't expect it to hit anywhere near point of aim and a laser boresight seemed to indicate it was off as well. Still, I've seen some visibly crooked Berettas shoot straight and seen some straight looking Berettas require windage.

[Rmiked]

If the person installing the sights (at factory) installed the front sight first and in center, then the rear centered, seems they would always be centered. Maybe to tolerances in milling the dovetail in the slide on front and rear, combined with the sight milling process itself, is such that they are not snug (tight) when they are tapped in? I believe they go in “left to right” (from rear?). If true, this front sight was not even tapped to center since offset way left. If slide dovetails are tapered, seems like you would make sights slightly larger, then file to fit snug. A couple thousandths oversize would work. Takes time though

[LockedBreech]

LockedBreech: Would buying direct from LTT help? They all come from Tenn first, correct? Or are you implying LTT would inspect and reject guns with defects?


Pretty much what JSGlock34 said, personal handling by Ernest and/or his crew would give me great faith in the quality and function of the gun. The man knows Berettas. Even if there was an issue, I'm 100% sure LTT would fix it.

[AJD21]

I’ve purchased close to a dozen 92 series pistols over the last 12 years with half coming from each continent. Three that have been from TN. To be honest pretty much all Beretta 92’s come from the factory with some sloppy cosmetic flaws or rough machining. But the good news is that they all have worked fine. Beretta 92’s reminds me of Colt 1911’s. Can be rough guns in some respects but they tend to get things right where it matters.

[Jared]

I’ve personally not had any issues with a Gallatin made M9A3, two Elite LTTs, and a 92X-FS full-size. That said, I know others have had some issues. I expect Gallatin to continue to improve. All of mine were acquired from the same shop and I was able to inspect before I bought. Function has been excellent on all 4, as I’ve gotten used to from the 92 family in general.

All that said..... if a person just wants to buy an Italian Beretta to hopefully “make sure” there’s less chance of an issue, the M9A3 now seems to be made mostly in Italy and the 92A1 is still Italian made. My experience with both models has also been excellent. Further, every gun maker turns out a turd now and then. Beretta has never been an exception, even when they were in MD. I do fully trust them to take care of any functional issues. I also would be more likely to trust a Gallatin made 92 straight out of the box than I would a Cohen era SIG.

[FreedomFries]

4786947870

Despite the cosmetic issue and having to drift the front sight, the gun functions 100%. I would agree with the previous posters that Beretta still builds the pistols right where it matters and that they will stand behind any functional issue. However, it is off putting to pay around $1000 or more for a limited run Beretta and then find that it has errors that even a child laborer in a Pakistani counterfeit gun factory wouldn't have made.

[HCM]

4786947870

Despite the cosmetic issue and having to drift the front sight, the gun functions 100%. I would agree with the previous posters that Beretta still builds the pistols right where it matters and that they will stand behind any functional issue. However, it is off putting to pay around $1000 or more for a limited run Beretta and then find that it has errors that even a child laborer in a Pakistani counterfeit gun factory wouldn't have made.

Had exactly the same issue.

[Rmiked]

The front sight picture is exactly what I saw today! And the rear was moved so far left it was outside the slide dovetail cut a noticeable amount. Just seems unnecessary when paying $1000. I love Beretta 92s. I don’t want to look at that every time I shoot if not required. The rear sight install just screams “I don’t care about attention to detail.” I would rather buy one with no sights and install myself.

[AJD21]

In my experience you also don’t get any extra QC when you go up on the price of the 92. Some of the nicest ones I’ve had in terms of machining and finish were $450 plain Jain FS models.

[FreedomFries]

The front sight picture is exactly what I saw today! And the rear was moved so far left it was outside the slide dovetail cut a noticeable amount. Just seems unnecessary when paying $1000. I love Beretta 92s. I don’t want to look at that every time I shoot if not required. The rear sight install just screams “I don’t care about attention to detail.” I would rather buy one with no sights and install myself.

I wish that companies would offer them without sights as I tend to change these immediately. They could reduce their cost anywhere from maybe 2 cents (Glock) to 20 dollars plus whatever labor costs for install if they just left them off. The average gun owner probably would have the same size groups with or without sights anyway.

[StraitR]

I no longer purchase all metal pistols online, sight unseen, unless it's a raging good deal that can't be had anywhere else. While firearms with issues can be rejected at transfer, it's just not worth the headache for the buyer and both participating dealers.

Plastic guns, whatever.

[JimLob65]

My Brig Tac is a beauty. My Elite LTT is awesome!! My Cen Tac has the sloppily machined front slide that many others do. However I didn’t even notice it until others mentioned it on the Beretta Forum. They all shoot incredibly well though.

Just picked up a 92X Performance this afternoon, made in Italy. Incredibly machined and fitted. It’s a piece of art:cool:!

[Rmiked]

The local gun shop Gun Mgr (Beretta dealer) today told me he just shot the 92X Performance at some Beretta dealer event. He said it was awesome! He also said “it should be awesome, and it was awesome”.

[spence]

Why pass on the opportunity to buy a pistol with a trigger tune from Langdon by buying elsewhere?

When you get an Elite LTT to your door for just over $750... I've got two other 92 series with the TJIB and I'm more than happy with it, will order the trigger job independently down the road.

I'm all about the 92, and maybe I'm getting spoiled because I've got a fair round count through the first two, and both have the better trigger in them, I actually was a little surprised how less than stellar the LTT trigger was right out of the box, but it's been a long day since I shot a stock trigger with a D spring.

This is my first TN gun. My M9 is from MD, and the 92 compact from Italy. All are quite good, the LTT does have some mild machining marks in the slide, but not what I find to be bad at all. There have been plenty on the Beretta Forum that have had sloppy machining/finish, but I would indeed hope that their QC will come up as they really get things rolling.

[M2CattleCo]

I've looked at a few TN guns and they have lopsided slides when looking from the front.

I had a TN M9A3 that shaved bullets when feeding and would spray shards of jacket in your face when you shot it. Was quite obnoxious suppressed.

That's the only one I had function issues with.

The LTTs I shot easily turned in the best groups of any pistol I've owned. And I've owned pistols that cost 5X as much as an LTT with a trigger job!

[ralph]

I had a Cent-Tac..the right slide of the slide looked like someone let the mill go just a bit too far as there was a slight cut into the area in front of the locking block slot.. It wasn’t very deep, maybe. .010 but still,that’s pretty sloppy machine work, considering Beretta has been making these for decades. OTOH, my stainless Vertec, made in Maryland at their old shop has literally been flawless, the machine work in the slide is much cleaner IMO..I would not buy a new Beretta sight unseen, unless it was maybe an LTT gun, I remember when some of these QC issues popped up with the Cent-Tacs, and the first thing WC did, was to refer everyone to Beretta... It was like, they didn’t want anything to do with it.. If I was smart, I’d take my vertec, and install a TJIB from LTT, change the sights (I’ve already installed a decocker kit in it) and maybe carry that around for awhile..

[Manbearspider]

I had a Cent-Tac..the right slide of the slide looked like someone let the mill go just a bit too far as there was a slight cut into the area in front of the locking block slot.. It wasn’t very deep, maybe. .010 but still,that’s pretty sloppy machine work, considering Beretta has been making these for decades. OTOH, my stainless Vertec, made in Maryland at their old shop has literally been flawless, the machine work in the slide is much cleaner IMO..I would not buy a new Beretta sight unseen, unless it was maybe an LTT gun, I remember when some of these QC issues popped up with the Cent-Tacs, and the first thing WC did, was to refer everyone to Beretta... It was like, they didn’t want anything to do with it.. If I was smart, I’d take my vertec, and install a TJIB from LTT, change the sights (I’ve already installed a decocker kit in it) and maybe carry that around for awhile..

FWIW, the slight cut you're referring at the front of the locking block slot in the slide is probably the relief cut. I'd bet there's a version of that on your MD slide.

[willie]

The Tenn 92 in my lgs was shipped with the trigger sticking in the rear position. Trigger bar was dragging on grip panel.
CDNN sometimes has killer deals on 92's. The folks answering the phone know their stock and are courteous. For them time is money so I suggest that if you call, then organize thoughts first and resist temptation to chat.

[OlJack]

I bought a 92X Centurion after handling it for about 30 seconds at a sporting store. I have taken it apart a lot while changing the hammer, hammer spring, trigger bar and grip panels ( I would like to see an easy way to change those).
What I have noticed everywhere inside is the quality of the machine work. The finish on my take down lever looks like the pictures of seen on other posts but I’m fine with it. As far as the barrel being centered, I will leave that to the pros.

[willie]

I think that in general we are seeing effects of a terrible gun market. My lgs stocks CZ and HK pistols. Occasionally I see cosmetic issues that were not noticed a year ago. I'm picky. But I am seeing very minor variations in some examples. The sample is not large enough to make valid generalizations. Perhaps I am seeing variations in one run or group of items made. My opinion is that cosmetics are the first to go--in many cases. Said another way, changes in cosmetics may be the first sigh of minimizing QC.

[claymore504]

I have an Italy made 92FS and 92A1. Both have excellent fit and finish. I also have a Elite LTT and quality is the same as the others.

[thatguybryan]

I have 1 Italian 2019 92fs, a TN m9a1, and a MD 92fs vertec.

The Italian has the roughest frame finish on any beretta I've ever owned, but works fine. The TN m9a1 also works fine and looks better cosmetically. YMMV

[ralph]

FWIW, the slight cut you're referring at the front of the locking block slot in the slide is probably the relief cut. I'd bet there's a version of that on your MD slide.

Nope. No “relief” cut on the MD gun, I do have experience running machine tools, I know a screw up when I see one, this cut went about halfway through and stopped.. It would be odd to do it that way, and even odder not to do it on both sides of the slide... Not to mention every other Beretta I’ve ever checked didn’t have this “feature”...

[arcticlightfighter]

I’m buying a 92 Elite LTT from LGS. My 92A1 is Italian Made and quality is great. When the TN factory got started I was reading about some QC issues with M9A3s and some other 92 decocker pins walking out? Is the current production quality good?

The finish on my LTT ELITE is shit.... poorly applied in an uneven manner, the slide scratches easily and the internal machining on the slide is very rough like a cold war CZ75.

However it is a duty gun and runs like raped ape so im not too concerned about the finish. No issues with parts failure so far with over 2k rds fired including 147 gr HST and 115 gr +p+ just for fun. Internal wear is normal with the exception of the frame area where the barrel lugs mate with the frame. Seems to be accelerated even prior to the +P+ but still functions fine.

I agree that when one pays $1100 on a semi custom the attention to detail would be much better.

Im considering eventually trying a Cerekote refinish as I dont prefer the 2 tone and would like all black and this will take care if the shitty paint on the slide.

My Maryland Vertec has a much better finish and my Italian 92FS is absolutely exquisite in comparison.

Any more Berettas will be Italian for me.

[TheNewbie]

How do you even know if you’re buying Italian vs Tennessee?

[Sero Sed Serio]

How do you even know if you’re buying Italian vs Tennessee?

I think there are different model numbers for Italian vs. US guns, at least for some models. For example, 802442893327 gets you an FDE M9A3 G made in Italy (and the object of my desire). I started with a Google search for M9A3 Italy, then poked around with different vendors and saw that several do specify Italian guns for some models. Have not ordered yet to confirm.

[FreedomFries]

How do you even know if you’re buying Italian vs Tennessee?

The slide is usually marked "Made in Italy" if it is Italian, though sometimes also includes a mark indicating who imported it. My TN guns are marked "Gallatin, TN" and "Made in USA."

[Rmiked]

My 92A1 says “made in Italy” on slide. Additionally it has “IT15 on the right side on the barrel hood end. Someone on this forum told me it meant “Italy, 2015”. That makes sense. The guys on here that really follow Beretta know some general stuff like all 92A1s are Italian, all 92X Performance are Italian, all 92 LTT Elites are Tennessee. I don’t know all origins but as you look at them you see patterns. I saw some 92X ( not Performance) that were Tenn. I have seen some M9A3s from both Italy and some from Tenn

[fpnunes]

My first LTT Elite had the same sight issue where it was jacked all the way to one side and staked in place. Several subsequent ones I reviewed at my LGS had the same issue across a 6-7 month period. I ran across one in December that had a perfectly centered front sight and bought it on the spot. Shoots perfectly centered and dead on. Who would have thought?

My Brig Tac arrived from Buds with a dead front night site. Annoying but not the end of the world. Called Beretta CS and they are happy to replace it but haven't gotten around to it as it is an amazing shooter and I'm worried it won't come back with the same poa/poi. Eventually I'll get around to it, maybe :cool:

[azerious]

https://i.imgur.com/Xh4CAT1h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QVfM9jeh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/h76xEEth.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1o8T4AKh.jpg


Different guns
https://i.imgur.com/5sAKtoAh.jpg

Severe off center barrel and frame fit.
https://i.imgur.com/kUVXf6Fh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cGiqHCJ.jpg
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/351027/10D1BD21-3A81-49A6-A446-6502A92D90E9-458564.JPG
https://www.handgunforum.net/xf/attachments/0-4-jpeg.17137/
MANY threads over there on it.

I was THIS close to buying a new 92X Centurion but this has scared me as they have a thread abotu those two and several people have tried two/three times and even the replacements werent right:(

[Rmiked]

That is awful manufacturing. I would not keep any like those examples. My 92A1 is perfect comped to that. I just looked at a 92X Performance at local gun shop and it was amazing quality. Made in Italy as well

[JimLob65]

That is awful manufacturing. I would not keep any like those examples. My 92A1 is perfect comped to that. I just looked at a 92X Performance at local gun shop and it was amazing quality. Made in Italy as well

My Tennessee made Brig Tac & LTT are excellent, my Italian made 92X Performance is exquisite!! A work of art.

[Rmiked]

Good to know some Tenn pistols are excellent. It seems the thing to do is “personally inspect” before purchase. As some have pointed out, for mail order to FFL purchase, it could be awkward refusing a pistol after delivery to FFL. I don’t know how that transaction would play out. I could see the FFL holder getting upset and not wanting any more business in future from a customer with higher standards.

[Manbearspider]

The easy way to spot the Italian model is the same as spotting any European produced handgun. European guns have the SN on the slide, barrel, and frame. US guns typically only have SNs on the frame. If you see a Beretta (or Glock, or HK, etc) with an SN somewhere aside from the frame, it either came from Europe, or its somehow a US export gun that stayed domestic (but I've never seen one of those in the wild).

Current model cheat sheet: 92A1 and 92X Performance (steel frame) is Italy only. M9A3 depends on the year. M9, M9A1, Wilson Combat, Elite LTT line, and 92X full/cent/comp (alloy frame) are US only. The rest I think can be either/or depending on the market.

[Duces Tecum]

https://i.imgur.com/Xh4CAT1h.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/1o8T4AKh.jpg


Different guns
https://i.imgur.com/5sAKtoAh.jpg


MANY threads over there on it.

I was THIS close to buying a new 92X Centurion but this has scared me as they have a thread abotu those two and several people have tried two/three times and even the replacements werent right:(

You may have one of those rare Pakistani Berettas, Azerious. I understand that collectors who specialize in Third-World armament at one time considered them grail guns, but the market's now pretty much saturated and that's affected their value.

[FreedomFries]

https://silahreport.com/2018/01/20/pakistans-locally-made-beretta-92-fs-or-m9/

Pakistani ones looks nicer. Those pictures that azerious posted looks somewhere between Iraqi Tariq and Egyptian Helwan in finish quality.

[azerious]

https://silahreport.com/2018/01/20/pakistans-locally-made-beretta-92-fs-or-m9/

Pakistani ones looks nicer. Those pictures that azerious posted looks somewhere between Iraqi Tariq and Egyptian Helwan in finish quality.

Thats an awesome site man!

[Sero Sed Serio]

https://i.imgur.com/Xh4CAT1h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QVfM9jeh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/h76xEEth.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1o8T4AKh.jpg


Different guns
https://i.imgur.com/5sAKtoAh.jpg

Severe off center barrel and frame fit.
https://i.imgur.com/kUVXf6Fh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cGiqHCJ.jpg
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/351027/10D1BD21-3A81-49A6-A446-6502A92D90E9-458564.JPG
https://www.handgunforum.net/xf/attachments/0-4-jpeg.17137/
MANY threads over there on it.

I was THIS close to buying a new 92X Centurion but this has scared me as they have a thread abotu those two and several people have tried two/three times and even the replacements werent right:(

Are those Italian guns, MD guns, TN guns, or a mix?

I was dangerously close to putting in an order for an Italian M9A3 this morning (the only thing on my 2020 list that’s currently available), but this gave me pause. Wondering if HK is the only current safe bet sight unseen...

[azerious]

Are those Italian guns, MD guns, TN guns, or a mix?

I was dangerously close to putting in an order for an Italian M9A3 this morning (the only thing on my 2020 list that’s currently available), but this gave me pause. Wondering if HK is the only current safe bet sight unseen...

Most seem to be USA made QC problems.

If you do run into issues I would decline to accept the pistol at the FFL and ask for a replacement

[HCM]

https://i.imgur.com/Xh4CAT1h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QVfM9jeh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/h76xEEth.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1o8T4AKh.jpg


Different guns
https://i.imgur.com/5sAKtoAh.jpg

Severe off center barrel and frame fit.
https://i.imgur.com/kUVXf6Fh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cGiqHCJ.jpg
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/351027/10D1BD21-3A81-49A6-A446-6502A92D90E9-458564.JPG
https://www.handgunforum.net/xf/attachments/0-4-jpeg.17137/
MANY threads over there on it.

I was THIS close to buying a new 92X Centurion but this has scared me as they have a thread abotu those two and several people have tried two/three times and even the replacements werent right:(

That looks awful HOWEVER the way 92s lock up off center barrels are a purely cosmetic issue.

[Sero Sed Serio]

Most seem to be USA made QC problems.

If you do run into issues I would decline to accept the pistol at the FFL and ask for a replacement

Thanks. Enabler.

[FreedomFries]

That looks awful HOWEVER the way 92s lock up off center barrels are a purely cosmetic issue.

That's Beretta's argument to not do anything about it generally. I would agree except that sometimes it's so off center the rear sight needs windage until the dovetail is exposed. Then you see that part of the dovetail isn't even finished with that wonderful Bruniton paint. On the basic models, you can only adjust the rear sight so there is no other way to get it to aim where the barrel points. Oddly, sometimes it just looks crooked but shoots straight and doesn't require adjustment.

[Rmiked]

Can anyone explain HOW a pistol can shoot where sights are pointed IF the barrel is not centered in hood? Unless the barrel centers up before bullet leaves the barrel, I can’t see any outcome other than the bullet leaving at some lateral angle of departure from the line of sight. If the sights have enough adjustment, you can make line of sight co-linear with bullet flight path. I saw a guys 92 with barrel offset touching the hood. But as soon as you start racking the slide, when locking block lugs disengage, the barrel centers up. I have not looked at slow motion but I’m guessing the bullet has left the barrel when lugs disengage?

[Manbearspider]

Can anyone explain HOW a pistol can shoot where sights are pointed IF the barrel is not centered in hood? Unless the barrel centers up before bullet leaves the barrel, I can’t see any outcome other than the bullet leaving at some lateral angle of departure from the line of sight. If the sights have enough adjustment, you can make line of sight co-linear with bullet flight path. I saw a guys 92 with barrel offset touching the hood. But as soon as you start racking the slide, when locking block lugs disengage, the barrel centers up. I have not looked at slow motion but I’m guessing the bullet has left the barrel when lugs disengage?

Because the barrel and slide are parallel, not misaligned at an angle. But due to the stackup of some frame rails, the barrel rails, and a bunch of other stuff, sometimes the barrel and that hole are not perfectly concentric (which REALLY stands out to the human eye). At the end of the day though, that misalignment is usually less than a millimeter (again, that sort of thing still tends to stand out to the human eye), but since the slide and barrel are still parallel to each other, the deflection of the POI/POA because of this still falls well within the size of the bullet itself. Unless you are truly the greatest shooter on earth using flawless ammo for bulls-eye shooting, that sub 1mm lateral shift (again, because everything is still parallel) will probably be unnoticeable.

(source: have talked to Beretta CS and platform folks about this before).

[Greg Bell]

While I have generally been happy with my Tennessee Berettas I just finished a terrible oddessey with the finish on my Beretta 92 Compact. It took many phone calls, emails and barely veiled threats to get Beretta to make good on their warranty. To be fair, they did do it. But several times during the process I had to remind them that I am an attorney and that I could actually read their warranty. Fortunately, the finish is now excellent. Here is a little video I did doucmenting all the hassle.

The pictures start at 1.43 if you want to skip past my babble


https://youtu.be/B_6XyryN7wQ


Let me be clear. The folks at Langdon tactical had my back through the entire process. They basically just put the trigger and sights on the gun. It was Beretta that screwed up and I am not sure I could have gotten this fixed without them.

[MattyD380]

Can anyone explain HOW a pistol can shoot where sights are pointed IF the barrel is not centered in hood? Unless the barrel centers up before bullet leaves the barrel, I can’t see any outcome other than the bullet leaving at some lateral angle of departure from the line of sight. If the sights have enough adjustment, you can make line of sight co-linear with bullet flight path. I saw a guys 92 with barrel offset touching the hood. But as soon as you start racking the slide, when locking block lugs disengage, the barrel centers up. I have not looked at slow motion but I’m guessing the bullet has left the barrel when lugs disengage?

I posted a thread on this subject, a few years back:

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?26090-Cockeyed-Beretta-92-barrels

No real consensus came out of that.

But, I feel like ManBearSpider's explanation makes the most sense of anything I've heard. The barrel is straight/parallel with the slide (i.e., not angled) so it's not actually shooting at an angle. And any misalignment of the bore with the front sight only produces a few millimeters of variance.

Still...

If I were to drift another pistol's front sight a few mms to one side or another (in essence, replicating the bore/sight variances I've seen on 92s)... maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like it would create POI issues.

I still wonder if there's some element of centering that occurs when the locking block engages under recoil.

[willie]

20 years ago Beretta had a not so great customer service reputation. A friend sent a 92 back to them and received a $200 bill for work done which they deemed not warranty. He told them to keep the pistol. Not long afterwards it showed up on his door step.

[Shipwreck]

Love Beretta pistols, but I definitely would inspect in person before buying any 92 pistol now.

Yes, I have owned 28 Beretta 92 variants over 28+ years.

I learned - NEVER buy one sight unseen.

Years ago - I'd go to a large Houston gun show, and I'd have to go thru several vendor's backstock to find one without an issue sometimes. And, when out of the box - they are covered with packing oil. So, it is very easy to miss a mistake until you wipe all the oil off.

I've seen so many scratched up ones. Sometimes, I wonder if they slide them across the floor before they box em up.