Major US LE purchase of hammer fired pistols in last decade?

[HCM]

Maryland Park Service also issued the 96D with NP3 finish for several years before switching to the Vertec model in a warranty exchange. They carried these until just before the merger of enforcement duties and personnel into the Natural Resources Police when both agencies went to the M&P40.

96Ds were fairly common. When a lot of agencies were switching from 357 revolvers the idea of a 12 shot 40 caliber with a revolver trigger was appealing. Unfortunately.

The 96D with the D Brigadier slide was not. They’re fairly rare and if you find one it’s going to be from PSP, Shelby County, or one of a few hundred purchased as personal weapons directly from Beretta by INS/USBP people.

Of course all the government owned/BP Beretta were destroyed thanks to Bill Clinton.

While the brigadier was more pleasant to shoot than a standard 96 none of Beretta‘s attempts to make the 92 series work as a .40, including the 96A1, were durable. Very reliable in terms of cycle of operation, tolerating dirt, etc. but durability was their Achilles heel. The other problem was prior to the vertec grip, if you had small hands you were pretty much screwed. That was as big a factor as the durability issues in pushing INS/USBP to HK compacts.

[sickeness]

Ding ding ding. I actually did the laser programming and engraving for those; the special SN request meant they needed to be ran by someone who could program those on the fly. That said, the logo artwork for SEB was much easier to convert than the Homicide or Narcotics logos.

Would you mind sharing what the specs on this build are? It appears to be an all black LTT with night sights and no front serrations. I am assuming that the trigger mechanisms are all stock?

[jnc36rcpd]

You are correct. I spoke with my academy classmate who served as the last lead firearms instructor for the Park Service. The Rangers had the standard 96D. Natural Resources Police at the time had the 92F with some executives having the Centurian. My classmate did endorse the transition to Vertec.

[DDTSGM]

96Ds were fairly common. When a lot of agencies were switching from 357 revolvers the idea of a 12 shot 40 caliber with a revolver trigger was appealing. Unfortunately.

My wife carried a 96D about that time frame, the agency switched from Model 66's to those. Across the board always loved the DA stroke of any of her agency's 92D's I shot. I wish I had gotten ahold of one.

I don't necessarily agree with the thought process. OTOH, back in those times there were a lot of agencies who did shitty jobs of transitioning from revolver to auto pistols.

[Gater]

A belated thanks to everyone for your responses here. Great info.