Rate my HD Pistol!

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The Beretta 92FS has a slide mounted safety/decocker lever, sometimes referred to as a "dead trigger decocker" because if the lever it pushed down (intentionally or accidentally) it decocks the pistol and results in a "dead trigger" as the gun is on safe.

The Beretta 92 G model has a live trigger decocker. If the lever is pushed down, decocks the pistol but pops right back up to the upward position so the pistol can not be carried "on safe".

Many have complained about the slide-mounted position of the safety lever on the 92FS and have accidentally placed the pistol on-safe by sweeping the lever down while clearing a malfunction by racking the slide. This has never happened to me, but the ambi lever does take up quite a bit of space on the slide, worse on the right side than the left, and the levers can be a bit sharp.

My solution, being a right-handed shooter, was to install the Wilson Combat low profile non-ambidextrous lever. The lever still functions in the F mode, but the left sided lever is slimmed down to the point it is impossible to accidentally trip it, and the right sided lever is eliminated. The pistol can still be put on safe if desired, although if used for self-defense it is best to use the pistol as a decocker by simply pushing it back up after decocking. This leaves it hammer decocked in condition 1 with a round chambered off safety.

As for my Beretta 92 FS, I also have VG tactical slant grips. I prefer the look of the rounded trigger guard on the 92 A1 to the squared off trigger guard of the 92 FS. I wish the 92 FS had a dove-tailed front sight. The milled front sight is one of the biggest weaknesses of the 92 FS. I also use Mec Gar magazines, although for home defense I would consider loading the pistol with a 20 rd capacity Mec Gar plus 2 magazine with a slightly extended base plate. I have a reduced power mainspring (currently 14 lb) in my Beretta.

The Beretta 92 FS is not my primary home defense pistol as I prefer .45 ACP for that purpose. But my full-size SIG P320 .45 ACP does wear a rail-mounted Streamlight TLR-2 laser/light combo.
 
pblanc thanks for the explanation. I have never seen a G style safety, but it sounds like a solution I could live with.
 
G levers are the way to go. it's always ready to go. no accidental dead trigger. the long DA pull is your built in safety.
 
Model12win asked:
What do you all think of the gun?
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Looks nice.

Can you hit anything with it? And by that I don't mean can you take it to range and shoot it accurately, but can you hit targets in the conditions in which you might actually be called upon to use it?

All the modifications in the world don't matter if you can't be roused out of a sound sleep by the sound of incessant screaming, find and retrieve the gun in the darkness, identify the assailant, distinguish them from any other occupants of the house and then accurately engage and neutralize them.

Also, make sure you check on your state and local laws for properly keeping a gun in a nightstand. Many states (even gun-friendly states like Texas) require that a gun be kept in a condition so that a child cannot access the gun, or if they can physically access the gun are blocked from being able to discharge the gun. Such law may apply regardless of whether you have a child in the house or not. Depending on how the child gets the gun and what he/she does with it, violation of proper storage can be a misdemeanor or a felony (kiss those gun rights away), so its not something to ignore or take lightly. I mention it because proper storage can have a big influence in what gun you keep in the nightstand.
 
Thanks, gang.

I shoot this firearm very well. I am familiar with the Berettas due to my military service so it was a natural choice for me. As for if I can shoot it well? This is the internet, and proving that one way or the other is ultimately futile.
 
And by that I don't mean can you take it to range and shoot it accurately, but can you hit targets in the conditions in which you might actually be called upon to use it?

All the modifications in the world don't matter if you can't be roused out of a sound sleep by the sound of incessant screaming, find and retrieve the gun in the darkness, identify the assailant, distinguish them from any other occupants of the house and then accurately engage and neutralize them.
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Given that the majority of us haven't been in the situation you go on to describe, that's kind of hard to know isn't it? Even if you do take training courses regularly, very little is going to replicate what you just described. I don't feel like Model12Win was trying to state that this pistol being set up the way he has it has somehow mastered for him all self defense encounters. Like anything, we all have to do our parts too.
 
TunnelRat - the situation described in the quote is not examples of multiple defense encounters; but rather, of one [basic] encounter everyone who keeps a firearm for home defense [as stated in the OP] should go through at a minimum - 1- can you find the weapon if needed 2) can you identify the target 3) can you hit the target if needed. That's pretty basic.

What I took from the post was that a lot of emphasis and thought was put on modifying the tool, was there minimal thought on using it?

I thought the question was valid, albeit it was not directed to me.
 
You say it's a basic encounter that anyone who keeps a firearm for home defense should go through. But have you gone through it?

I didn't see it as him saying the mods would make him perfect in that situation. I think he was showing off his pistol, and everyone turned it into a tactics training session.
 
Northof50 said:
TunnelRat - the situation described in the quote is not examples of multiple defense encounters; but rather, of one [basic] encounter everyone who keeps a firearm for home defense [as stated in the OP] should go through at a minimum - 1- can you find the weapon if needed 2) can you identify the target 3) can you hit the target if needed. That's pretty basic.

What I took from the post was that a lot of emphasis and thought was put on modifying the tool, was there minimal thought on using it?

I thought the question was valid, albeit it was not directed to me.
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Why would you assume, or why did you feel the need to assume it in this particular case?
 
Model12Win - Sorry friend. I'm lost. I don't believe any assumptions were made in my post. I paraphrased a quote and interpreted a question.

What assumption was made? Did you not put thought into your modifications?
 
Northof50 said:
Model12Win - Sorry friend. I'm lost. I don't believe any assumptions were made in my post. I paraphrased a quote and interpreted a question.

What assumption was made? Did you not put thought into your modifications?
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No I did, or tried to. I must have misunderstood you, my bad!
 
DubC-Hicks - are you asking if I've gone through an exercise in which I find my defensive pistol in the dark, can I tell the difference between a family member living in my home and a stranger who broke in, and can I hit a man size target while under some level of stress? Yes. I hope you can as well.
 
Model12Win - No problem. I kept rereading my post to see if I mis-typed something or spell check changed something :-).

As I originally posted, I like the Beretta - just not into modding - and love the Mora's

If you ever get a chance, there is a knife maker in PA - David R Beck. I have a few of his knives. They are awesome. He made the original Tom Brown Tracker for the movie with Tommy Lee Jones [cannot remember the movie name]
 
Northof50, but have you done it when just woken up, still drowsy, and with the real stress of a real home invasion?

I've been through a lot of training in my career. Also a lot of real life situations. When it comes to real life scenarios, training always does help and come into play. But training is not the same as the real deal.

Actually getting out and training is the first step though, and I'm glad to hear you're doing it. Gotta be prepared for anything these days
 
What I took from the post was that a lot of emphasis and thought was put on modifying the tool, was there minimal thought on using it?
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I don't see why the two would be or have to be mutually exclusive. I took this thread as someone sharing what his setup was for a personal defense pistol. I don't see him stating that his setup precludes the basic steps to self defense, nor is this the Tactics subforum (which we do have). I do believe there has been some assumption in this thread by multiple people that in sharing this setup Model somehow is disregarding any importance on training and is simply parroting things he has seen. That's simply my interpretation of some of the posts here.
 
DubC-Hicks - Yes. Our dog started barking frantically - about 2:40am. We had a smash and grab in our driveway - my son's car. Pistol found easily [sitting on my side table when I go to bed]. Cleared the house the best I could [probably not very well] in an attempt to OK kids. Found the dog scratching at the door. Opened the door - let the dog out and followed. Smashed in side window and some stuff stolen from the car. The dog's frantic bark was the most alarming.

Training is not supposed to be the real thing. It is supposed to create habits so that when the real thing occurs, muscle memory and habit step in when the brain is functioning in a different mode.

Now, I'll state openly - my occurrence was far from a home invasion. Nobody was ever in any real danger [unless I did something stupid...wouldn't be the first time]. But, when the dog started barking...the heartbeat was moving at a pretty good rate. Funny the stupid things that go through your head.
 
TunnelRat - asking a question is not an assumption. I certainly cannot speak/write for anyone else - but, because my line was quoted, I made no assumptions.
 
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