Todays buy. Beretta 96D

[ryanmercer]

So today I bought this Beretta 96D. It's a police trade in... not in that bad of shape really... bare metal showing in a few places... but other than that everything like the bore and what not is in great shape. I've been wanting to buy one for a while... and actually went Glock shopping today, but decided that I still think Glocks are absolutely UGLY so I bought this... the Beretta 96D was the first handgun I ever fired. Fired my dad's service issue one (He was ISP for 20 years before he passed). I've wanted one every since, just for nostalgic value. However, I think I'm actually going to make this my carry, although I"ll still carry my Bersa .380 when I don't want people to know I"m carrying anything at all.

[Fenway]

I'd like one just for the "Lethal Weapon" factor. I grew up on that movie.

[ryanmercer]

Originally Posted by Fenway

I'd like one just for the "Lethal Weapon" factor. I grew up on that movie.

Good movie(s) I've actually thought... if anyone ever pulls a gun on me... I'm gonna either guide theirs to my head, or better yet draw mine and put it to my head and tell them 'I'll do it, I swear I'll do it!'

hahaha.

[Fenway]

Probably want to leave that idea on DVD

Originally Posted by ryanmercer

Good movie(s) I've actually thought... if anyone ever pulls a gun on me... I'm gonna either guide theirs to my head, or better yet draw mine and put it to my head and tell them 'I'll do it, I swear I'll do it!'

hahaha.

[Bigum1969]

I have a 92FS that has been a good gun. It was the first pistol i ever purchased. My dad has it now.

[epsylum]

The 96 is one of the few .40s I can shoot well. The 92/96 series are good pistols.

[Crystalship1]

I had the 92F in 9MM. Loved that gun!!

Enjoy it!!

[SilentWarrior1]

I hate to be the sourpuss... but I hate Berettas. The design is severely flawed. Of course, I have my reasons why.

I worked as a Small Arms instructor at Camp Atterbury SARTS for a few years. As anyone who knows will tell you, Firearms won't work after a while if you don't clean them. Well, of course you always have your naysayers. I had a ROTC Butterbar who was also an ISP rookie fresh out of ILEA and College. He was Military police (go figure) and he thought his behind produced the stuff of roses. I, being an E-3 at the time, had a hard time with this 2LT who kept busting my chops.

Before I go on, I'll go into WHY I don't like Berettas. I don't care for the open-faced slide. It allows for dirt and other things to get into it, which have been proven to foul up operation. As some of us know in high-stress combat situations... crap happens and weapons get dropped, sometimes into things that can foul up operation. As a combatant, I want something that works, no matter what. Anything with an open faced slide doesn't appeal to me.

Back to the story, This 2LT was busting my chops. Please keep in mind, I could have no-go'd him at any time and been justified in doing it, but I wanted to prove a point. I got prior authorization to bring my Glock 23 onto post and keep it in the Arms room. On range day, I told this 2LT if he could empty his magazines before I could...I would clean his weapon. Only stipulation was we had to roll them in the dirt and mud.

Long story short, I was able to clear 3 magazines in the same time it took him to clear one.

In front of the whole class, I told them, "This is why you need to keep your weapons clean. When you deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan, the sand is not forgiving. You need to clean your weapons daily."

That 2LT was there for 4 hours cleaning that weapon. It was clean 3 hours before... but I decided to be a hardass. He wasn't happy about it. I was responsible for signing in weapons and signing them out, so I had to make sure they were clean.

Yes, Glocks are ugly. I concur with this... However, I could give a damn about aesthetics when it comes to self-preservation. I might be dirty, scratched up, and calloused... but I'm alive. Glocks are ugly, they are pretty by no standard.... but they go Bang every time, and accurate as hell.

If you're going to have a Beretta... please keep it clean. It may mean your life.

[Crystalship1]

Hmmm.... If this is such a flawed and finicky design, why/how did the Beretta pass the very stringent military field testing before it was chosen to replace the venerable 1911??

[SilentWarrior1]

Originally Posted by Crystalship1

Hmmm.... If this is such a flawed and finicky design, why/how did the Beretta pass the very same military field testing that the Glock did before it was chosen to replace the venerable 1911??

Simply put... It does not have an external safety. The US Army trains for the "lowest common denominator". In essence, some people aren't smart or responsible enough to work with pistols without safeties. They require external safeties to "elimiate risk". I think it's a piss poor reason, but it's the one they give.

I honestly you train soldiers until they get it right, or they don't continue. Be more selective. We could recruit every Bubba jay and put a rifle in his hand... that doesn't mean we should. But, that's another sermon for another time.