Beretta 92 vs Ruger P89

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TruthTellers

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Looking to get a full size metal framed DA/SA 9mm and have narrowed it down to either the Beretta or the Ruger. S&W 5900 would be cool, but I think I'd rather have that in .40 for the police nostalgia and I'm not familiar with CZ pistols, nor do I have the money for a vintage HK.

Purpose is I want a heavy pistol to soak up recoil and to shoot accurate fast. Not for competitions, just for fun.

So, that being said, which is the one to get? I'm privy to going with the Ruger because they're no longer made, but the Beretta's are easy to come by for a good price.
 
Most people will probably say get the Beretta but if it were me I would go with the Ruger. I have had both a P90 and a P95. The P90 is pretty close to the P89 build wise. Its built like a tank decently accurate and has an acceptable trigger. And as you mentioned the thing is built like a tank and can be used as a war hammer if you run out of ammo :D
 
HAD a P89 at one time - it had a trigger like a cap gun. Awful. (didn't buy this pistol; it was an inheritance). Really a disappointment, as I'm a strong "Ruger guy"
 
Although they have their place, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone claim that a Ruger P Series is as good as the Beretta 92, in looks, refinement, accuracy, or really anything.

P series is reliable, but clunky, with slide action sometimes so slow you can see it. Beretta is reliable also, but with Movie Star looks ( featured repeatedly in action films ) and slide action that Ayoob wrote “ was the envy of the industry.”

Especially since you say the Berettas are widely available at a good price. The P series no longer being made won’t add value, just eventually make parts harder to get.

Trigger and other refinements are available for the 92 from Wilson Combat and Langdon Tactical. Langdon dominated the competition for several years with the 92, so accuracy and speed is clearly there. Did anyone ever use a Ruger P series in high level competition? Why not?

I don’t really care, get what you want. Just kind of repeating what the remarks might be from your more knowledgeable gun buddies.
 
I like the Beretta better than the Ruger. The trigger is a lot better on the Beretta I have than on the Ruger pistols I've shot. I did own a P95(plastic) for several years, it was totally reliable, shot where you pointed it but it had the usual hard Ruger/Mattel trigger that made it real hard to shoot accurately. It became my truck gun, perfectly good S/D gun just not a fun to shoot gun. Later traded it for a P97, plastic .45 ACP, it had a better S/A trigger but rather clunky, still no fun but it was also reliable.
Buy the one you like, Beretta and Ruger both good pistols. Also, the P95 was a decocker only gun which I prefer, I had the Beretta converted to decocker. I shot IDPA with the Beretta, it is easy to turn on the safety after a reload if you sling shot the slide.
Your mileage may vary,, buy the one you like..
 
I spent some time with ratty M9s, now own a Beretta 92S, shot a friend's uncle's P89 and P90 a lot in high school, owned a P94 for a time, and still own a P95 that I bought new in about 1998.

My opinion:
Buy the Beretta if you want a shooter that's reliable, smooth, and likely to have plenty of parts available for another 30+ years. But, depending upon the age of the pistol that you buy, may have parts fitment issues, due to incremental tweaks done over the past 45+ years. (Modern 'gen 3' barrels and locking blocks do not fit my 92S, or those 92Ss belonging to some other people, for example. They drop in, but they don't fit properly.)

Buy the Ruger if you want something that's a bit unrefined, probably never going to be as smooth as a Beretta, doesn't really have an aftermarket, and is already showing parts availability issues for the few people that manage to break them; but probably won't break any important bits, will eat anything you throw at it and ask for more, and can be mistaken for a brick.

I like my 92S (and hate ratty, worn M9s). I also like my P95 and the other P-series pistols that I've spent time with.
Just pick the one that you like and run with it.
 
I've never owned a Ruger P-series, only held one. I do have a Beretta 92A1 into which I've put a number of Langton Tactical parts, as well as Beretta match parts. I love that pistol. The reset with the LTT trigger bar is nuts, the match hammer and lighter D spring make the DA very nice, and converting it to decocker-only is very easy now with the available kit from Beretta. I spent a number of years primarily shooting SIGs, and I like my 92 better now than I did those SIGs. The Beretta with irons can rival other pistols I have equipped with red dot sights. It's a laser.
 
Seems the Beretta is the way to go. I have also thought of getting the Ruger P90 in .45, so I think I'd rather get a P series in .45 than 9mm.

At the least they will have likely been shot less than the 9mm.
 
I'm a sucker for parts availability. Or rather, a worrier over unavailability. So I'd do the Beretta.

But I also suggest having a look at a CZ. Specifically, the CZ SP-01 Tactical (for decocker) or regular for safety. It has a full length dust cover / rail and non-tapered slide that will add more weight up front and soak up recoil even better (in theory) than a standard CZ-75b. That also means it won't be as nimble to swing around but recoil management is the goal right? Be warned the single trigger isn't as crisp as something like the P226's, but Cajun Gunworks has all the nice parts you could ever want.
 
I've had several of the Ruger P series pistols and a couple Beretta's. I no longer have any of them and wouldn't spend my money to buy any of them again. But if I were issued a Beretta to use I'd use it with confidence.
 
Looking to get a full size metal framed DA/SA 9mm and have narrowed it down to either the Beretta or the Ruger. S&W 5900 would be cool, but I think I'd rather have that in .40 for the police nostalgia and I'm not familiar with CZ pistols, nor do I have the money for a vintage HK.

Purpose is I want a heavy pistol to soak up recoil and to shoot accurate fast. Not for competitions, just for fun.

So, that being said, which is the one to get? I'm privy to going with the Ruger because they're no longer made, but the Beretta's are easy to come by for a good price.
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Out of the ones you mention, I like the S&W 59 or 5906 the best; then the Ruger P89. I don't like the Beretta 92, so I won't even include it with the other two.
 
I’ve owned full-size CZs in addition to the Beretta 92. I prefer the 92. When it comes to pistol preferences there’s not really a right or wrong answer.


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A Beretta 92 is one of those guns that everyone should own at least once in a lifetime. Not a big fan of Ruger semi auto's so I'd pass on that.
 
I have a Beretta 92F made in or around 1985. It is a great gun. However, I had a CZ75B and I liked it even better but not for quality differences but rather the CZ fit my hand much better and didn't feel as bulky. You should really look at the CZ75B or the compact before you decide. However, I think that you will like the Beretta if you go that route.
 
I have a Beretta 92G Vertec (along with an M9, PX-4 Storm, and a Billennium), and I’ve owned a Ruger P89 and P93. Out of those, I'd join the recommendations to try out a CZ. I have the SP-01 Tactical and I’ve also owned a CZ 75BD and a CZ 97. Those are solid pistols and naturally more comfortable (to me) than either the Beretta or the Ruger.

If I absolutely had to pick between your two choices, I’d go with the Beretta.
 
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