Beretta M9 Anniversary!

[m5215]

Today marks the 36th year the Beretta M9 has been in use with the US military. Although it has been officially replaced, many M9s are still in serviceable condition and continue to be used.

Here is some early history on the M9 pistol...

There were only 2 pistols that completely passed all testing during the XM9 trials back in the early 1980s to replace the 1911 pistol. Those pistols are the SIG P226 and Beretta 92F. Beretta won having the lowest bid so the 92F became the M9.

The Beretta USA factory was not ready at the time they won the contract so initial deliveries of the M9 were completely built at the Beretta factory in Italy.

Contract stipulations stated that within 2 years the Beretta USA factory had to be producing 100% of all M9 pistols for the US military.

After several initial shipments of Italian made M9s, the US factory was able to make complete lower frames but for a short time the upper slides still needed to be shipped in from the factory in Italy.

Eventually, within 2 years after winning the contract in 1985 the Beretta USA factory began producing complete M9 pistols for the US military.

Additional detailed information if anyone is interested...

The link below is to the June 1986 GAO report about their investigation on the selection of Beretta as the winner of the XM9 trials in 1985. There was controversy about how the Army handled the XM9 trials so this report was provided to the Chairman of the Committee on Government Operations in the House of Representatives. This 64 page document has a lot of very interesting details about the activities during the XM9 trials.

http://archive.gao.gov/d4t4/130439.pdf

The link below is the joint service US Military technical manual on the M9 pistol. This appears to be an armorers service manual as it has a lot more than just field stripping and cleaning information.

http://www.biggerhammer.net/manuals/m9/M9B.PDF

 

[m5215]

Now I would like to unveil my recently acquired M9 but this is no ordinary M9 that would be readily available. This pistol is as close as one can get to one of the original M9 pistols that came in during the short time in the beginning when they were all made in Italy.

The slide is one of the original Italian made M9 slides. The "P. BERETTA" on the slide identifies that it was made in Italy (US made say "BERETTA USA") and the specific "PB" logo font style on this slide is only found on government acquired M9 pistols. Also, the underside of this slide does not have the groove machined into it for use with the oversized hammer pin that was refitted into existing early M9s and all of them produced afterward along with all the commercially available 92FS variants that came later. Because of this early slide lacking that groove, it will not mount on any M9 or model 92 pistol made after the late 1980s. These details make this specific type of M9 slide rare so I was fortunate to find it.

The frame is from an original commercially available 1986 Italian made 92F pistol which is built exactly like the original Italian made M9 pistol. The only difference between the Italian made 92F and M9 frames would be the serial number which references this one as a 92F. It is impossible for anyone to legally own an actual government acquired M9 as none have ever been approved for release to the public however with the 92F being built at the same location with the same design and parts, it would make them the closest one could get to an original Italian made M9 pistol.

Finally the magazine is the original Italian made version that came out initially with the M9 which have a metal follower and base plate (these were soon changed to plastic) in addition to the metal magazine frame and spring.

I am a Beretta pistol collector so being able to put together a unique pistol such as this one was very cool and is a great addition to my collection!

 

[TipBledsoe]

Interesting read. I'm not a Beretta fan but I appreciate the education.

 

[Greywarrant]

In the mid 90s I was issued one but in the army you go to the range once or twice a year and you shoot maybe 50 bullets at a time. I never thought this was enough to make me proficient so I bought my own Beretta. I think I put 18 or 19,000 rounds through it before the locking block broke. This was back when you could go to a gun show and buy a case of ammo for less than a hundred bucks. I had heard about locking block breakage so I had acquired some spare parts - like I always do for all my guns - parts that typically break. I was able to change it out easily and keep on shooting that day. At that time I had been using Militech to lubricate. That made the pistol slick as snot and the surface of the metal seemed to be slick even without lubricant. But then later on I heard about how it might’ve had some chlorinated esters or something that weakened metal. I don’t know if that caused my locking block break or if it was just shooting so much. I loved the gun. I loved the way it handled, and shot. I never had a magazine problem.

 

[SGHinds]

I love my Beretta.

 

[m5215]

I think I put 18 or 19,000 rounds through it before the locking block broke.

That is right where that locking block will normally fail. If you inspect the locking block when you get to those high round counts you can see when the crack starts to form in it and then just replace it before it completely fails. The original locking block design would fail in between 5000 to 10000 rounds but Beretta has improved the design over the years. If I recall correctly, the current 3rd generation locking block will last between 20000 to 25000 rounds before it needs to be replaced.

 

[claymore504]

Good stuff. I did not get issued an M9 when in the Army. I was in the Infantry, but not in a position that carried one. I shot it a few times just to qualify and really did not care for it. The DA pull was too long for me. I now love the Beretta 92 thanks to how easy they are to modify with thin grips and short reach WC trigger. The Elite LTT is my favorite Beretta 92 hands down.

 

[OLDVET]

What is most interesting about Beretta is their history. They have been making firearms since 1526.

 

[cygunner]

M9 is my go to handgun. Favorite range partner. Very accurate and reliable. A little heavy for my wife though.

 

[cygunner]

What is most interesting about Beretta is their history. They have been making firearms since 1526.

I think I read their first product was arquebus barrels.

 

[OLDVET]

I read that too. Almost 500 years of manufacturing firearms.

 

[cygunner]

Like their shotguns just as well. They appreciate in value but who wants to sell them?

 

[AdioSS]

The M9 is one of my absolute favorite guns.
11 years ago a guy on a local car forum put a Keltec P-11 up for sale. I met him at the local range to test fire it & buy it. He brought along his M9 to compare. At that time I hadn’t shot a pistol in probably over a decade, so the P-11 felt like a lot of recoil to me, but the M9 was so smooth. After buying the P-11 I told him that when he was ready to sell the M9 that I called dibs. Later in the year he let me borrow it to use for my security officer & CHL qualifications, & then a few months later he finally let me buy it from him. I carried, shot, & modified just about everything on that gun. Last year I returned it to mostly stock conditions with the special edition checkered aluminum Hogue grips that came on it, but I did add an aluminum lanyard loop, M9 part numbered hammer, & steel trigger & mag release in addition to a few internal mods.

 

[Asymmetrical]

I do love me some Berettas.

My EDC. Wearing it right now (NOT the chocolate one!)


Issued handgun in Afghanistan, 2020:


Issued in 2019: