1986 Beretta 92F

[Dcowboyscr]

Friend is selling a mint unfired 1986 Beretta 92F for $750. The only difference between the F and FS as far as I know is the lack of an oversized hammer pin to catch the back half of the slide should the slide break in half. Is there anything else that’s different? Should I be concerned about the F lacking the slide retention pin? Would Berettas of that era be better quality than current specimens?

[Suvorov]

Friend is selling a mint unfired 1986 Beretta 92F for $750. The only difference between the F and FS as far as I know is the lack of an oversized hammer pin to catch the back half of the slide should the slide break in half. Is there anything else that’s different? Should I be concerned about the F lacking the slide retention pin? Would Berettas of that era be better quality than current specimens?

I wouldn’t worry about the lack of the slide safety. I wouldn’t consider them to be of any better quality either (less actually as it would the lack the newer locking blocks). $750 seems too much to me as you should be able to get a nice 92FS for quite a bit less.

[john c]

Do you want it as a shooter or collector? If a shooter, you can get a decent shooter for less. As a collector, bring unfired, that might bring a premium to the right buyer.


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[MattyD380]

It’s subjective… but… the fit and finish on my 1989 92F feels/seems (is?) slightly better than what I experienced on the 2015 vintage 92 I had. Not that the latter was bad, at all. But the F feels just a bit better put together. You get all metal parts, too—the newer 92s have plastic triggers, guide rods and levers.

102276

The thing I really hate about the newer Italian 92s is all the warning copy and serial numbers festooned all over the slides.

You’ll get none of that with the F. But you also won’t get the radiused backstrap (which is a nice feature) or the most up to date locking block, as Suvorov said. But unless you’re gonna pile rounds through it… I’m sure it’s fine.

To me, the F feels more special. But all 92s are good guns, in my experience. I paid $800 for my F, also unfired.

[Suvorov]

I do agree that as a collector piece it might be worth it, but if you want a shooter there are better options.

Also I would always put a $50+ premium on a “paperless” gun.

[Dcowboyscr]

It would be a shooter

[MattyD380]

It would be a shooter

I shoot mine. It shoots damn good, too.

[LockedBreech]

For a shooter I'd get a 92X or 92A1 for that price. A lot of practical improvements.

I have owned and deeply loved older Berettas though, so I really think if it's worth $750 to you to have the John McClane gun, that wouldn't be a letdown either.

[NuJudge]

Beretta has redesigned the locking block several times, in an effort to increase life. That early a 92 is going to have the first type, which has the greatest/quickest incidence of wing cracking, then breaking.
https://berettaforum.net/vb/showpost.php?p=969773&postcount=18

For virtually all purposes, I much prefer the "G" version, which has a decoder, but no safety.

[MK11]

Arms Unlimited is selling 92s for $510. Comes with three 10 round magazines, which is a boon if you're behind enemy lines and not worthless even if you aren't.

https://armsunlimited.com/beretta-92fs-semi-auto-9mm-pistol/

[MattyD380]

Arms Unlimited is selling 92s for $510. Comes with three 10 round magazines, which is a boon if you're behind enemy lines and not worthless even if you aren't.

https://armsunlimited.com/beretta-92fs-semi-auto-9mm-pistol/

The pic shows an Italian 92FS. The listing copy says “Made in the USA.”

So…

Not that either one is bad, per se… but… you’ll get tons of ugly lawyer text with the IT model, and you won’t with the US one. If that matters to you, I’d ask which one it really is.

[FrankB]

Arms Unlimited is selling 92s for $510. Comes with three 10 round magazines, which is a boon if you're behind enemy lines and not worthless even if you aren't.

https://armsunlimited.com/beretta-92fs-semi-auto-9mm-pistol/

I put that in my cart, and they don’t ask for an FFL….?????

[JAH 3rd]

I put that in my cart, and they don’t ask for an FFL….?????

I noticed that too. I scrolled down to the bottom of the page and under the "information header" I then clicked on "how to buy a firearm" header. A page then appeared where I could type in the name of my FFL. I did that, he popped up, and then a header said "claim this ffl." Hopefully this will help. I didn't go any further since I wasn't interested in buying a pistol.

[Joe in PNG]

I suspect a peruse around your local gunshops will yield up a couple of good used examples.

[lwt16]

I’ve owned and been issued a bunch of 92s over the years. Back in 2019 I was in Cabelas and found a 1986 92F that hadn’t been fired much at all. It looked brand new and came with the original box with papers.

I talked them down to 400 or so out the door. I prefer the 92F over the FS version for no other reason than I had one in 1988 as my first CCW pistol.

This one has been an excellent pistol.

102338

102339

[H8Train]

I've got an old 92F and a 92X RDO. The 92F iirc is from 1985, lots of holster wear. When I bought it I replaced the recoil spring, swapped in a D hammer spring and put in the most up to date locking block (gen 3?). It shoots like a dream, with one of the most smooth triggers/actions I have felt. I am not worried about the slide breaking.

I got the 92X rdo end of last year, and according to Beretta's website it was made in Nov 2022. Mine is a TN gun. I read plenty of horror stories online about a lack of QC from current guns. Thankfully mine is great, if anything there is a small blemish on the left side of the barrel. Fit and finish is otherwise great. My only complaint is the trigger was pretty gritty. I fixed that with a LTT trigger-job-in-a-bag, which made the trigger on par with my 92F. Also installed a G kit and WC grips/recoil guide rod.

As noted by others, the lack of the safety billboards on the older guns is nice. At that price I would lean towards a new 92X, my 92F was only $350. I would hesitate from buying without first getting to inspect it though.

[MattyD380]

I've got an old 92F and a 92X RDO. The 92F iirc is from 1985, lots of holster wear. When I bought it I replaced the recoil spring, swapped in a D hammer spring and put in the most up to date locking block (gen 3?). It shoots like a dream, with one of the most smooth triggers/actions I have felt. I am not worried about the slide breaking.

I got the 92X rdo end of last year, and according to Beretta's website it was made in Nov 2022. Mine is a TN gun. I read plenty of horror stories online about a lack of QC from current guns. Thankfully mine is great, if anything there is a small blemish on the left side of the barrel. Fit and finish is otherwise great. My only complaint is the trigger was pretty gritty. I fixed that with a LTT trigger-job-in-a-bag, which made the trigger on par with my 92F. Also installed a G kit and WC grips/recoil guide rod.

As noted by others, the lack of the safety billboards on the older guns is nice. At that price I would lean towards a new 92X, my 92F was only $350. I would hesitate from buying without first getting to inspect it though.

Beautiful.

To your comment on the trigger...

I'll also add that the 2015 92FS Compact I had (Italian) had a terrible DA trigger (gritty, hitchy, bleh). Obviously that's fixable with all the upgrades available nowadays... but... all the older 92s I've had (1989 92F; 1993 92FS Compact; 198? 92S) had nicer triggers. And, honestly, the fit and finish seemed a touch nicer on the older ones as well.

That said, the 2015 compact was laser-beam accurate in SA. And 100% reliable.

[lwt16]

102369

This 92X has also been an excellent pistol. If you’re looking for a shooter, these are good, reliable choices.

[H8Train]

Beautiful.

To your comment on the trigger...

I'll also add that the 2015 92FS Compact I had (Italian) had a terrible DA trigger (gritty, hitchy, bleh). Obviously that's fixable with all the upgrades available nowadays... but... all the older 92s I've had (1989 92F; 1993 92FS Compact; 198? 92S) had nicer triggers. And, honestly, the fit and finish seemed a touch nicer on the older ones as well.

That said, the 2015 compact was laser-beam accurate in SA. And 100% reliable.

Yes I was surprised because I had read the D hammer spring came stock in the 92X series. But out of the box it was very bad, heavier than my 92F. Still accurate and reliable but was a let down. I can't complain too much because I won the gun in a raffle for $60 worth of tickets.

Also with the stock innards, when I went to install the WC grips the trigger bar dragged on the grip, causing it to stick. With the LTT trigger bar the clearance was fine and no problems.

[Hambo]

The locking block in my 1988 92F never broke, but I did replace it at some point. The firing pin did break after 30 years and ??? rounds. As I recall, you didn't see many Berettas around in 86-89, and mine was about $600 new.