Accurate plating and weaponry custom beretta M92: This AP&W beretta is proof positive that the 1911 is not the only service pistol fit for fine custom work

In one form or another, the Beretta M92 series has been with us for 25 years now. Its merits have been widely praised in some circles and vigorously denounced in others. But despite howls from traditionalists, the M92 was adopted in the mid-'80s as the U.S. Military M9 service pistol and has also achieved wide acceptance in law-enforcement circles.

Secret Of Its Success

To have become as popular as it has, the Beretta must possess some worthwhile features. And while it differs from conventional semiauto pistols in some respects, it is perhaps these differences that has ensured its success.

The Beretta features an open-top slide. This may be one of the reasons for the pistol's outstanding reliability. The Beretta uses a short recoil action and an oscillating wedge lockup of the type first used on the Mauser C 96 pistol. This wedge cams up and down to lock and unlock the barrel to the slide. No swinging link, no barrel bushing. The protruding "wings" of this wedge were known to break at high round counts, but a change to more rounded wings was affected early in the Model 92 program. This lockup confounded those striving for increased accuracy. They had to look toward the barrel and slide relation. Early custom efforts at a slide-mounted group tightener added a significant amount of bulk to the pistol. This is no longer necessary.

The Beretta fieldstrips readily by a simple camming lock on the right side. In maintenance requirements, it falls between the Colt (which is desirous of lubricant) and the Glock ( which scarcely needs lubricant). A little oil on the long bearing surfaces is all the Beretta needs for duty. For long-term range use, the gun should be oiled a little more heavily.

The Beretta boasts a straight-line cartridge feed that promotes reliability. The cartridge skips the feed ramp and is funneled directly into the chamber. Even with lead bullet handloads, which bulge the case an additional .001 to .003 inch, the stock Beretta has proven reliable.

The Beretta's trigger action has been criticized for length. Using an external drawbar, it is seldom as smooth as that of the SIG pistols, but the action tends to improve with use. Trigger reset is not as fast as with the Smith and Wesson autos, but it can be learned.

I am strongly in favor of on-safe carry. Some modern

Beretta pistols have a decocker only. In this version, the pistol can not be deactivated. The "safety" lever simply decocks the gun and then springs back to its original position. To each his own. I recognize the difficulty of taking a Beretta off safe quickly. However, with a quick motion of the straight thumb similar to that used with the 1911, it can be very fast.

After a few thousand rounds with the Beretta, I found the pistol could be shot fast and well. All fighting pistols are tradeoffs of some type. The Beretta is bulky but very controllable. It has the least muzzle flip of any service 9mm. Once on target, you tend to stay there. In my experience, accuracy is quite satisfactory.

Building A Better Beretta

I came to admire the Beretta for its good qualities but realized that it could be improved. I have enjoyed custom 1911 pistols for years. Why not a custom Beretta?

Bob Cogan of Accurate Plating and Weaponry is a maestro of the 1911, but does not confine his work to that design. He does all types of autos and more than a few revolvers. A Browning Hi-Power from his shop has ridden with me for years and has always proven worthy of my trust. When I instructed that the Beretta must be reliable above all else, he was not offended. Like all truly good pistolsmiths, he asked me what the gun would be primarily used for. I explained that it was destined for use as a service pistol by my son and that it might end up in any corner of the world. The ability to use military magazines and ammunition would be a must.

The gun was in need of refinishing. Although serviceable, its blue finish was a little ragged around the edges. In addition to a new rust-proof finish, we discussed many options, including a radical conversion to a single action trigger used by competitive shooters. While such a conversion was an interesting idea, for my uses, the gun needed to retain the stock controls and method of operation.

When the pistol returned from AP&W, I sensed immediately that I had received more than I bargained for. All factory springs were replaced by premium components from either Trapper gun springs or W.C. Wolff. The chamber had been polished to ensure reliable feed. The trigger action, according to my RCBS trigger scale, was lightened to an incredibly smooth 9.75 pounds double-action. In single-action mode, the trigger broke at a crisp 3.0 pounds. The pistol was refinished with an attractive electroless nickel. A little dull compared to my Browning's chrome, this finish is doubtless more utilitarian.

The Beretta had been accurate enough for general use, exhibiting groups averaging three inches at 25 yards with quality ammunition. I requested that accuracy be improved but only if possible without compromising reliability. Cogan installed a novel barrel tightener. The barrel was turned down and a tightening component placed in the end of the slide. No unnecessary bulk had been added to the pistol, and the sole external trace of the accuracy improvement was the presence of a set-screw, visible on either side of the front sight and a slightly different barrel contour.

At first glance, the newly installed sights may seem to contradict the increased accuracy requirements. The rear sight is an Ashley Express sight, and the front sight had been modified into a large translucent red globe. These sights are excellent for close-range shooting. Those who have survived close encounters of the lethal type realize that they tend to take place at conversational distances. Following the bouncing red ball should be a good way to get high-speed hits. Whether or not this sighting system would work at longer distances would not be known until it was tested.

Beyond Expectations

The proof was in the firing. I expected the tuned gun to be more accurate but to possibly show a distinct preference for one load over the other. I was correct in this prediction. While the overall level of accuracy was improved, the pistol now showed a marked preference for specific loads. I was also concerned that the smoother action and apparently lighter hammer fall might not ensure 100-percent reliable ignition. I should not have worried. For much of my life, self defense has not been a secondary or armchair consideration. In perilous circumstances, I have carried an AP&W Commander .45 and an AP&W Hi-Power with equal confidence. The Cogan tuned Beretta proved to be just as reliable.

For evaluation on the range, I employed my well broken in K.L. Null GSS holster. This holster is constructed of premium shell horsehide and holds the weapon close to the body. The holster is very comfortable and features a tongue extending behind the slide, which protects both gun and shooter. This is among my favorite holsters for serious use.

Test ammunition was varied to say the least. I have a box of leftover ammunition from many range trips, and several hundred 9mm rounds have spilled into it. I use this ammunition in short-range combat dills. The resultant barn-barn-POW-bam is disconcerting and requires concentration. This type of mixed loading is also a good test of any handgun's reliability. The newly tuned Beretta was also tested with a supply of high-quality ammunition from Black Hills, Fiocchi, Federal, IMI and Powermax.

The exceptionally smooth double-action of the AP&W Beretta caused me to re-evaluate my normal shooting method for DA semiautos. When addressing a double-action trigger, there are two acceptable techniques. The first is to simply bring the gun on target and fire. This is the derided crunch-and-fire method. It works at short range.

The second and preferred method is aptly called the Master technique. The Master requires much training and experience. In the Master technique, the trigger press begins as the hands meet in front of the belt, prepping for a Weaver stance. Trigger pressure is gradually increased as the gun rises and comes on target. If your timing is perfect, the trigger breaks and the hammer falls just as the sights align on the target. With this technique, an accomplished shooter can deliver a center-mass strike about as quickly and accurately with a double-action pistol as with a single-action. Requiring much skill to properly execute, this technique was developed to overcome the inadequacies of the DA pistol.

When firing the Beretta, I found that the complicated Master technique was not required. Perhaps a short prep just before the gun came on target helped at longer range, but the Cogan-modified trigger action was the smoothest I have felt on any double action pistol and permitted a smooth, rapid press after aligning the sights on target.

As I eliminated much of the oddball ammunition in my range box, I found the Beretta simply hung on the target. The Ashley Express sights were wonderful for close work. Draw, fire, and you had a hit. Although I fired as quickly as possible, my groups were tightly centered. The combination of the low recoil of the 9mm Luger cartridge and a gun that limits muzzle flip gave excellent results. I fired one-hand shoulder points and even speed rocks at close range. Results were uniformly excellent.

After a session of fast work at close range, I concentrated on verifying the pistol's performance at the 25-yard line. In previous experimentation with the Ashley sights on another pistol, I was able to fire a small group at 75 feet. But if I took the gun down and attempted to fire again, my second group would not converge with the first. In other words, consistent accuracy was lost. Intrinsic accuracy, the ability to make a small group, was there; however, the practical ability to place the bullets where they needed to go was compromised. The Beretta's sights, utilizing the red-bead front presented no such problem. Frankly, I was surprised. Carefully squeezing the trigger in single-action mode, I placed 10 rounds of Black Hills 124-grain +P ammunition into a group of a little less than three inches offhand. Further testing from a barricade position brought 10-round groups down to approximately 2 inches. Accuracy was definitely improved over the stock gun.

While the Ashley rear sight and red globe front combination had worked perfectly, I elected to add to the capability of the Beretta by installing a set of Crimson Trace Lasergrips. Lasers have been roundly criticized by a great many experts, and indeed most of the early lasers were not to be trusted. These Lasergrips, however, are a different matter. They are self contained, add virtually no bulk to the gun, and don't interfere with using a normal holster. They retain their zero perfectly and have proven to be totally reliable. There are a host of circumstances where their presence may make the critical difference in being able to quickly place an accurate shot.

Our initial range testing was a success. The pistol proved not only reliable but accurate with an eclectic supply of 9mm Luger ammunition. It outperformed any 9mm I have ever fired, including the estimable Browning Hi-Power. The absolute control inherent in the Beretta made it a joy to fire.

Bob Cogan is known primarily as a handgun refinisher, and a very successful one. The properties of his finishes are well-known and respected. The electroless nickel finish applied to the Beretta never displayed corrosion, chipping or peeling, despite a cavalier attitude toward maintenance and over 500 presentations from tightly boned holsters. From my experience, chrome is less subject to wear, while electroless nickel is more resistant to corrosion. Take your pick based upon your needs. The Beretta seems appropriately finished in a coating superior to any available from the factory.

If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would be carrying a Beretta M92 on a daily basis, I would have chuckled. Nevertheless, the good qualities of the Beretta, both before and after custom work, are not easily dismissed. As a fighting handgun, the Beretta makes the grade. With a few improvements from Accurate Plating and Weaponry, it is a superb choice.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Publishers' Development Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group