Police Week Match and Berettas

[MikeO]

FWIW went to a Police Week pistol match at the local USAF base Saturday. Pop ups, steel plates, 150 yd target on a tank downrange... fun stuff.

If you did not want to shoot your own stuff, they provided a govt gun (Beretta M9), ammo (Win frangible Mk254 Mod O), and holster (Bianchi UM84) at no extra charge. During 6 hours of shooting, saw several guns choke, none of them the beat up M9s (about 12 opted for 'em, not counting military shooters also using them), and they were handing out some of the crappy Checkmate (Chokemate) mags w 'em too.

Asked the range guys about the M9s. They have cracked slides at very high round counts (50K+), but have never had a catastrophic slide separation. Blocks break at higher round counts too (20K+), they replace 'em when they do. Newer contract guns have several plastic parts (guide rod, hammer, safety lever, slide stop, trigger). They have plenty of older steel guide rods they swap out. The other plastic parts they leave in and haven't had any problems w them.

When the match was over, they put on a 7.62 mini gun demo and blasted some old vehicles (M113, M60, M2/3, Peacekeepers) on the range.

A Texas State Police pistol team took second place team. One of their guys took second individual. Only reason I remember that is there was a woman on their team who was hard to forget...

[JHC]

there was a woman on their team who was hard to forget...

Say it with me . . . worthless without pictures!

[nwhpfan]

In 95 I went to a school put on by the Army and drove from my base to the school; checked in at the Marine Corps Detachment where I was issued, among other things, a Beretta M9 to use in the course. This pistol was nearly gray in color and near silver around moving parts. The magazines were weathered and beat as well but of course - it was clean as a whistle. I shot that pistol enough times to bloody both thumbs from loading the magazines so many times. We had zero time to clean the pistols because if we weren't shooting we were loading and hurrying to the next stage. Once I had a few seconds to squirt some CLP "on" the pistol and swipe my finger across the breach face and chamber area. That pistol never failed! Because of my personal tastes in pistols I don't carry a Beretta but if I really needed a pistol and an M9 was all that was available; I wouldn't pause in the least.

[WDW]

. Newer contract guns have several plastic parts (guide rod, hammer, safety lever, slide stop, trigger). They have plenty of older steel guide rods they swap out. The other plastic parts they leave in and haven't had any problems w them.

There are M9's with plastic hammers? I just don't see how that would work

[jslaker]

They have cracked slides at very high round counts (50K+), but have never had a catastrophic slide separation.

I'd hope not. Beretta modified the design of the 92F to prevent slide separation after reports of the issue, which got designated 92FS.

[JV_]

There are M9's with plastic hammers? I just don't see how that would work

It's just a plastic shell.

-Sent using Tapatalk.

[MikeO]

I'd hope not. Beretta modified the design of the 92F to prevent slide separation after reports of the issue, which got designated 92FS.

The mods (enlarged hammer pivot pin and slide notch) keep the slide from flying off to the rear in the event of a separation, but they do not prevent separations.

All pistol slides will crack if you shoot them enough. The Beretta design makes it more interesting when they do crack. If you don't notice the initial crack and keep going, you can still generate a slide separation, even w the FS mods.

It still happens. It's happened to very few pistols, most at very high round counts, well in excess of any previous (5K for the M9) or proposed (25K for the latest MHS) pistol service life requirements. If you want more, ask for more. If you ask for less, don't complain when you get more.

So, I still think this issue isn't as bad as it's cracked up to be!

[DonovanM]

So, I still think this issue isn't as bad as it's cracked up to be!

HA! I see what you did there