Picked this thing up recently. It’s a new release. It’s basically the M9A3 they released a while back but now is cut for a red dot optic.
There is rust. Underneath the cerakote finish on the slide. And minor pitting. There is also a finger print smudge where someone touched it while it was still wet.
Aside from the piss poor finish quality, which at this point is standard with Beretta. It’s a nice pistol. The trigger is by far one of the best I’ve used on a DA/SA. The night sights are amazingly bright. The vertec frame is far more comfortable and the front and back strap checkering are great. Accuracy good.
As far as the optics mounting abilities go.
They don’t have the mount plates available for sale and they didn’t send me the voucher I was supposed to get to receive one for free for my specific optic.
I’d send it back in for Beretta to fix the finish problems if I didn’t know better. More often then not sending a firearm into beretta for problems results in it coming back worse than it was when you sent it in. Their turn around times are atrocious too. So don’t count on them for any help.
So aside from the finish quality that is poorer than a handgun that costs 1/4 what this one does($1100+). It’s a very nice shooter.
I have a lot of DA/SA autos. I own several Sig Sauer pistols in the same price range and class as this one, as well as several CZ’s.
Functionally the beretta is superior to the duty model CZ’s imo. Finish wise the CZ’s are slightly better.
Between the Beretta M9A4 and Sig Sauers new Legion series P226. The P226 has a terrific finish. I’ve got two. They were both flawless. It’s a stainless slide with a cerakote elite finish. Supposed to be an upgraded cerakote. The frame is anodized mil spec aluminum that has the same cerakote applied over the anodizing. The Beretta cannot compare to this type of finish. Nor the quality.
Functionally both pistols are almost identical. Decocker only DA/SA. Both come with night sights. The Sig has nicer ones imo, but the beretta is not bad. The tritium beretta used is super bright. The triggers are both excellent. I’d say the beretta is definitely lighter
The only thing the Beretta has that the Sig doesn’t is a threaded barrel. And an optics cut. And the Sig is $200 more. The Sig is available with and optics cut and an included optic for $400-500 more than the beretta. The beretta didn’t even include an optics plate tho so the optics cut is a moot point for now.
Functionally
Beretta M9a4 5/5
Sig legion p226 5/5
CZ sp01 tactical urban grey 3/5 (is going back to CZ to get fixed)
Finish quality
Beretta M9a4 2/5
Sig legion 5/5
CZ 4/5
As far as fit goes. All of them are nicely fitted together and all 3 shoot superbly accurate.
The Beretta uses a PVD finish on the frame. It is hard to tell but it MIGHT be anodized underneath? Idk. Sig used this finish on the original legion pistols frame but switched it to a cerakote put on top of anodizing due to issues with holster wear looking bad.
The beretta uses a high temp cerakote on the barrel. And is chrome lined. The Sig is a melonite treatment so hands down the Sig has a superior finish for the barrel.
The beretta is around $1100. Sig is $1300. And the CZ is around $900
The Sig and beretta have excellent single action triggers and the resets are both great. There is no take up after the reset. Double action is smooth on both but is noticeably lighter on the beretta.
Im still overall happy with the new M9a4. It’s just that the finish is absolute dog crap quality for a $1100+ pistol.
There is no excuse for a new pistol to have a finish applied over rusting and pitting on the slide. Especially not in that price range.
The CZ has a major problem with the action. The hammer occasionally seizes up in the half cocked or decocked position. I’d guess maybe a way out of spec hammer strut? The trigger on it is crap but is workable. When in single action, the hammer still comes back some when you pull the trigger. So definitely not well put together.
Well. Beretta isn’t responding to emails asking about the optics plates. Been over a week. And they apparently don’t answer their phones anymore. Hmm 🤔
I would send it back regardless of your opinions of Beretta. And given your opinions of Beretta, why on earth did you buy one?
I have never had any issues with Beretta quality and I have owned Beretta rifles, pistols, and shotguns. As a gunsmith, its not common to encounter a Beretta that doesn't work. When I do its often a heavily abused .22. Beretta 92 series pistols are world class quality...but everyone makes mistakes. Trust me, I work in the quality department for a robotics manufacturer (my "retirement" job).
I would send it back regardless of your opinions of Beretta. And given your opinions of Beretta, why on earth did you buy one?
I have never had any issues with Beretta quality and I have owned Beretta rifles, pistols, and shotguns. As a gunsmith, its not common to encounter a Beretta that doesn't work. When I do its often a heavily abused .22. Beretta 92 series pistols are world class quality...but everyone makes mistakes. Trust me, I work in the quality department for a robotics manufacturer (my "retirement" job).
I went through Hades dealing with Beretta on a defective shotgun a couple years ago. They have a LOT of unhappy customers with their customer support quality.
I bought it because I wanted an M9. Lol. I’m going to live with the rust underneath the finish because I know better than to send it in. I used to be a big fan of SAKO rifles too. But am hesitant to buy any more because beretta USA handles the warranty and service of them.
If it gets worse I’ll send it in. But it shouldn’t.
I finally got ahold of customer support after sitting on hold for an hour and a half. I’m at home sick so it was a good time to call them. Last time I had to deal with them they never responded to online support tickets or emails. Always had to call and sit on hold forever.
Hey Trent12 ... excellent thread, outstanding reasons given for your choices.
I carried a M9 for most of 32 years. I was actually on the pistol team in Vicenza, Italy (where I earned my nickname) back in the early 80s with the 509th Airborne Combat Team ... they pulled us and sent is to the Beretta facilities to shoot the 92Fs back then. To give them our opinions, needed changes and upgrades, etc. When we were finished after 10s of 1000s of rounds and a solid week of non-stop shooting, they tried to give us each complementary pistols. Our commander, a guy we called Nuke'm Needham, made us return the pistols.
Good gosh but what they might be worth now.
Anyways, I carried one for a lot of years and I have owned a couple as a civilian .... but I just recently sold both of them to a buddy I served with. In the mentime I've gone totally SIG. I've had quite a few SIGs for quite a while, P225s, P226s, a P220, a P229 DAK SAS, a P230 and P232, a P250 .... and now several P320s in various configs. I don't really miss my 92FS knowing they went to a good home and I can see them whenever I want but I never quite got used to them. I've got bug hands, I'm 6'3" so grip size was never an issue. And they are sexy Italian pistols ... I love Italian gunmakers. I married an Italian my second time around. But I could never really drive tacks with either of my civilian versions and our issued pieces were always worn and overly loose ... I dunno.
Here is a group I shot all double action. The rear sight is off to the left. I have a sight pusher coming so I can finally correct this myself. The M9a1-22lr I just bought was the same but I could move that one myself.
This was DA first pull and single action for the rest.
All shot at 12 yards. I haven’t shot a handgun much in the last 2 years. I could do for some practice and maybe a class. 🤔
Hope I'm not crapping the bed here? I've never known, observed or been told of anyone who could accurately, competitively shoot a 'Double action/Single action trigger pull on an auto pistol. This includes myself. I watched police officers shoot S&W 59's and 39's and later Berreta 92's for annual qualification and every one of them cheated by having the first shot 'cocked' and firing single action and still, they had trouble making the grade. With revolvers, no problem due to consistency of the same trigger pull each time. Ok, I said it, now gonna track my mess outside.
Idk. I’ve met quite a few who do it with berettas, Sig’s and H&K’s. Depends on the type of shooting I guess. As you can see. My groups are maybe 50% larger with just practicing the DA first pull but I’m still very much in the ball park. I need to adjust the rear sight and I feel it will be better. The DA first pull has never intimidated me.
Sig and Beretta do offer single action only versions of the 92 and P series pistols now tho, with manual thumb safeties just for this reason.
the orange circle I drew is the DA first shot. My two flyers were single action. My first shot on the target I shot all DA on landed in similar area.
I applaud you for being a realist and trying to learn the weapon as designed. Sometimes, things are made so safe as to be (imo) not useable for the intended purpose. You could prolly guess that I'm a SA/Auto fan of the 1911 persuasion with a grudging fondness for Glock triggers. Can't believe, I just 'outted' myself.
Arguably this M9 has a lot nicer DA trigger than most. This one got their competition trigger system, but I don’t fare too bad with my Sig’s or CZ’s either. Only one of my Sig’s has the improved trigger. My MK25 has original milspec trigger and I shoot it really well.
My brother will be bringing his old base model 92fs when he comes to visit and I will shoot to compare.
Took my brother shooting today. Wanted to get him some practice with double action since most of his handguns are Double action. Beretta 92fs and a pair of revolvers.
He oddly does well with the beretta. And he will hit the first shot with the revolver every time. But he flinches bad with the revolver after first shot, it’s a 686+ 4”. Super smooth trigger. Idk why he finches so bad. But it’s very bad. This is a large part of why I don’t recommend revolvers all the time for infrequent/new shooters.
Basically discussed it. He needs to stick with his 9mm autos. He has 3 of them. Not making good groups but he has 100% hit ratio on a piece of letter paper at 10 yards. At least until he can practice shooting the revolvers enough to hit with them. Cocking a revolver to SA is not acceptable imo outside of recreational shooting or hunting. You HAVE to be able to hit DA.
Yes 686+ 4”. Shot 130gr .38 specials in it, and a few magnums. It’s hilarious tbh. He kind of “throws” the bullets out of it as he shoots. It’s so bad… the trigger on it is amazing compared to my 66 and 19. And it has no recoil with .38’s and even magnums aren’t bad with it tbh.
Hand him the Beretta 92 and this problem goes away. So 🤷♂️
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