Beretta introducing a Langdon Tactical 92!

[JimLob65]

I too find the right side lever a bit lacking looks wise. Just looks a bit odd. Having said that I really don't notice and really don't care when I am shooting it as the pistol is just so outstanding.
Similarly I personally prefer front slide serrations but the WC guns don't have them. Didn't stop me from laying out the cash and loving them.

We Beretta 92 fans are so damn lucky now as there are several outstanding versions of our favorite pistol available that have been specced out by top notch experts in the field. Looking through the Beretta catalog a few hears ago left me discouraged as there was nothing available at Beretta that was within miles of my long ago sold Elite IIs. All that changed because of Bill Wilson was Ernest Langdon, and now I can order one of 3 to 4 92 Berettas that are far and away better than the Elite IIs, especially if I opt for trigger work. Unfortunately it seems we are badly spoiled now, and many don't appreciate how good we have it.

[pastaslinger]

I like the design of the new G lever conversion versus the old style G levers. Maybe I'm the only one this has happened to but when my grip is very high I've had multiple times where the old G lever has taken some skin from my thumb during recoil. Given the way the new lever is shaped I'm hoping this is not an issue but I don't have many rounds through G conversion guns yet.

[LangdonTactical]

It's not a matter of getting it right, it's that we're at the point with Berettas that we were with 1911s thirty years ago. I know exactly how I want a 1911 built, which is not how others want them set up. My options with Berettas were Henry Ford-ish until now. Now I can choose between LTT or WC, and I have options for safeties, mag release, trigger jobs, sights, etc. Maybe we're getting to the point of a la carte custom Berettas.

While I get your point, I don't really see it as the same thing. No one is asking for a DA/SA 1911, but I hear all the time "if Beretta where smart they would make a single action frame safety 92". No one says the 1911 needs a slide mounted safety, but I hear all the time, "Beretta should put the safety decocker on the frame". Plus there are how many different 1911 manufactures out there now? How many custom parts manufactures for 1911's out there?

Bottom line, you are right, people want to a la carte their Beretta 92s, but are they ready to pay custom 1911 prices? I think not. The Elite LTT is almost $200 cheaper than anything close to it in the market. I got Beretta to build something they have never built before with radius and cuts in areas that make it a custom gun, at a price well under the Wilson gun. BUT NO, if it only had..... They want a la carte custom right now, but for production gun prices.

[LangdonTactical]

Even then they can still make it out of that bag. How do I know?

The G conversion lever is one of, possibly the best thing Beretta has offered for the 92 in the last three decades, a true improvement. I only wish Beretta would step the right hand lever down just a bit further to make it easier to reach, other than that it's great.

Like I mention before in another post, maybe other levers are in the works. If that is the case, would it not make sense to use the much more common F model slide as a base for these new levers? Giving the option of using all the new style levers without having to use a much more rare G model slide. Maybe thinking about backward compatibility would be smart, right?

[Trooper224]

Like I mention before in another post, maybe other levers are in the works. If that is the case, would it not make sense to use the much more common F model slide as a base for these new levers? Giving the option of using all the new style levers without having to use a much more rare G model slide. Maybe thinking about backward compatibility would be smart, right?

Absolutely.

[Prepper_Pig]

I understand where you are coming from and I also prefer the standard G configuration as well. We went with the conversion lever configuration for several reasons;

1. It allows users to convert back to an F model if they choose to do so. I have had several customers have their gun converted back to F models for their own personal reasons. Not possible with a true G slide.
2. It is a much more robust part and design. The true G levers have very small role pins that hold in a stamp steel left side lever that is also prone to breaking.
3. It left the model open to future designs for future levers that Beretta may be working on to be compatible with the standard F slide. Beretta is trying to streamline the process and standardize.
4. It is much easier to work on the conversion G lever from a maintenance standpoint. Some people find the G lever a challenge to assemble and the right side lever spring and plunger are prone to high velocity esacape to the carpeted areas of your home, to never be seen again. I keep extras on hand for that very reason. As many times as I have worked on the G guns, every once in a while one of them gets away from me. Normally it is not even worth looking for them as they are very elusive. (and here come all the experts that will tell me to put the slide in a big ziplock plastic bag so that it does not happen)


So again, "the gun is almost perfect and I would buy one if it had" ...... all black parts, a threaded barrel, it was inox, it was flat dark earth, it was a real G, it was a Vertec frame, it had a rounded trigger guard like the Wilson gun, it had night sights, it was a Centurion, it was a compact, it was in .40 S&W, etc.

Maybe one day I will get it right.

Your reasoning is definitely sound, logical, and practical. I was just giving my personal reasons as a consumer for holding off on the LTT Elite and obviously I can't speak for the majority of gun owners. You've done so much to bring Beretta and their products into the 21st century (and the American consumer market specifically). I just hope they continue to listen to your input and ideas and follow them--so long as you had nothing to do with the APX styling, lol.

The one major draw that the LTT Elite has for me is the sights-especially the rear sight-since as far as I know, no one is making a plain black serrated sight for the 92/96. I may be swayed enough to buy now that I've learned about your "full boat" package!

[Prepper_Pig]

Ahem. Its actually smaller than the stock 92G levers. To wit:

Admittedly, the 92G solution can be run single-sided and that's not easily done on the G Kit. That said, for 99% of those who want G action, its a non-issue.

AAGW would be the "go to"; WC got in the game MUCH later. Wilson low-pro G levers are squarish and don't feel as good as the original factory 92G lever or the G Kit solution. But you do get that cool logo on it.

Both levers may be nearly the same size but when they are installed on the pistol they look completely different, and like I said I run G-models single side only so that's were the biggest disparity is for me... I know that AGW has been in the game longer than WC when it comes to Beretta upgrades but I've never been able to find out if the FS to G conversion process/method is the same for both companies.. Do you happen to know? From what I've been able to discern, AGW drills a hole somewhere and welds in a pin or something, then polishes it down, and finally applies the new finish.

[Prepper_Pig]

The G conversion lever is also a solid piece of steel rather than the hollow sheet stamping of the FS lever.


I used the Wilson Lo-pro levers before Beretta introduced the G levers. Once those were available I quickly swapped them out on all my 92s and never looked back. I really don't get why someone would want to remove the right side lever and sacrifice ambidextrous capability for the sake of appearance, but we all have different priorities.

I would only remove the right side lever on a carry gun if it was a G/decocker-only slide. On an FS slide, I would not want to remove the right side lever since I'd want to keep the ability to take the pistol off safety using either hand. But if it's decocker only then it doesn't matter if it doesn't have a right side lever because I'm only decocking when it's time to re-holster.

[pastaslinger]

Your reasoning is definitely sound, logical, and practical. I was just giving my personal reasons as a consumer for holding off on the LTT Elite and obviously I can't speak for the majority of gun owners. You've done so much to bring Beretta and their products into the 21st century (and the American consumer market specifically). I just hope they continue to listen to your input and ideas and follow them--so long as you had nothing to do with the APX styling, lol.

The one major draw that the LTT Elite has for me is the sights-especially the rear sight-since as far as I know, no one is making a plain black serrated sight for the 92/96. I may be swayed enough to buy now that I've learned about your "full boat" package!

Wilson makes the "Les" rear sight. It's pretty awesome

[Prepper_Pig]

Wilson makes the "Les" rear sight. It's pretty awesome

LOL yeah, you're exactly right and I should've realized this since I have one on my EDC 92 compact *face palm*.. Verbal diarrhea I guess. I wanted something different than the WC Les Pep on my old 92G Vertec but still have the square notched and fully serrated rear. I remember now that I didn't like how high the WC sight sits off the slide.. It has a sizeable gap between the slide and back side of the sight whereas the LTT Elite rear sight did not appear to have this "problem".. I know.. I agonize over the smallest of details!