Past Gun Reviews

Past gun and knife reviews are here.

Gun Control Myth O' The Week

    "Only the police and military should have firearms, because they're trained to use them."

  How many times have you heard this? The belief among some anti gunners, politicians, and the media is that bestowing a badge upon someone will automatically make them safe, a gun expert, and a tactical guru. As the articles below show, that's far from true.

  Like the majority of Americans, I believe that most law enforcement officers and those in the military are competent and professional. Some however, will always make mistakes. The same is true in the civilian world. Of course when a civilian gun owner shoots himself then it's used as an example of why citizens should be disarmed.

  I suspect that most LEOs spend more time training on paperwork and traffic stops than with firearms. This is especially true after they've left the academy.
  My teenage daughter shoots more than any of the police officers that I've known. There's tens of millions of us that are ex military. Apparently the anti gun community believes that our knowledge of weapons dissolved upon discharge from the service.

  Rifles and handguns are relatively simple machines that anyone can operate. A badge and blue uniform aren't needed for firearms competence. Think about these news articles when someone tells you that due to their training, only the police should have guns.

SWAT Officers Shoots Self During Training
SWAT Officer Is Ridiculed For Having Sight On Backwards
LAPD Confuses Two Hispanic Women And Blue Truck For One Large Black Killer?
Officer's Gun Discharges In Strip Club Mensroom
9 Bystanders Hit By Police Gunfire
4 Year Old Kills Woman With Deputies Gun
Officer Shoots Self At Police Training Facility
DEA Agent Shoots Himself In The Foot
Ohio Police Chief Shoots Himself In The Leg
ICE Officers Leaves Gun In Airport Restroom
Fargo Police Officer Leaves Her Gun In A Restroom
Police Officer Leaves Gun In Courthouse Restroom
Deputy Leaves Gun In Hospital Restroom
Sheriffs Deputy Shoots Self In Leg
ATF Loses Machinegun
'Only Ones'

Give This A Look

Give this a look. If you aren't addicted after the first 10 pages then something is wrong with you.

Failure To Fire

"I Hate 1911's"

absuperman

 

 

   I loved that video. I'm a fan of the M1911, but I have to admit that almost everything he said was correct.

  Even in spite of it's flaws, the M1911 is still selling well after more than a century since it's invention. There's a reason for this. While the M1911 platform may not be perfect, it's still damn good and will probably be around for another 100 years.

  I can't wait to see what he does next. Hopefully an AK is on his list.



Today's, "Stop The NRA March"

Today's, "Stop The NRA March"

"I Hate Glocks" Pt 1 & Pt 2

absuperman

 

absuperman

 

 

   I love these videos. I've never been a Glock fanboy, but I like their guns. I just don't like them enough to purchase one. They're fun to shoot on occasion, but they are just not my thing. To each his own.

  Absuperman did a great job capturing the different kinds of Glock fanatics. Maybe some of these guys will recognize themselves, and tone it down a bit.





Great Piece On The DHS Ammo Contracts

  I'm not going to do a long post on the Department Of Homeland Security's ammo contracts. It's been done over and over on every gun blog on the internet.
  Some believe that the DHS is trying to buy up all of the ammo in order to keep it out of civilian hands. Others speculate that they're getting ready for martial law following an economic collapse. If you get 10 gun people together in a room they'll give you 20 different theories (unless they're Obama supporters, in which case they'll cite 20 examples of his divinity, and miracles performed).

  Some feel the need to try to debunk the ammo contract conspiracy theories, and I'll admit that those such as Andrew Tuohy are very convincing.

  I generally fall somewhere in the middle. Homeland Security is definitely buying more ammo than in the past, but I really don't know why.

  As I said, I'm not going to rehash this topic in another long and rambling post.
  I have little trust in the current Administration, or the DHS. They've lied to the American people too many times, and made far too many statements about returning veterans, gun owners, and Constitutionalists being a threat to our nation. Trust is earned through competence, reliability, and honesty. Sorry... DHS earned a "F" in all three.

  Perhaps the Department Of Homeland Security should concentrate on radicalized Muslims, and the narco terrorists on our southern border. That's just a thought.

  Anyway... this is a very good write up on the topic, and well worth a read.

Fake Tweet About Obama's Bomb Injuries

  Hackers sent out a fake tweet from an Associated Press account today. This erroneous message stated that there were two bomb attacks on the White House, and President Obama was injured.

  The DOW quickly went down 150 points before the error was corrected, and the account was closed.

  My question is why? Why the drop?

  Bear in mind that I wish Obama no physical harm. I say this because:
1) It's true.
2) I don't want his hysterically loyal followers to annoy me with more Hopeychangey gibberish. There's enough of that in my life already.
3) I'd prefer not to end up on a terrorist watch list. It has been a long time dream of mine to make it through life without having some high school dropout at the TSA probe my ass.

  So back to my original question... why did DOW tank?

  Obama is bad for business, and wants to tax anything that isn't currently aborting babies or committing voter fraud. He really doesn't have a plan to fix our economy. Our country is running on borrowed money (.40 cents for every dollar spent), and sooner or later we become a bad credit risk. The President is adding about $1 trillion to our national debt every year. He's divisive, dishonest, and incompetent.
  I don't understand why investors and business people would fear his getting injured in a terrorist attack. We have a backup.
  What is the absolute worst case scenario? President Obama would die in the attack, and the Vice President would take over.

  Hmm...

  OK, now I see why the DOW immediately dropped 150 points.

  My bad.

In The News

Print Your AR15 At Home
First Executive Action On Guns?
Guns Stop Crime- Just A Myth?
"I Can't See My Sights" And Aging Eyes
Biden Revises NRA History On Background Checks
Home Invasion Suspects Killed In Gunfight With Homeowner
Spy Cameras In VA Patients Rooms
Another Anti Gun Mayor Arrested
New Gun Tracking Technology?
Women Worry About Body Armor In New Combat Roles
If New Gun Laws Will Make Us Feel Better, Why Not?
Diana DeGette Guide To Gun Safety
Blame The Guns Not The Gangbangers
What Is Your Dominant Eye
Climate Scientists Struggle To Explain Warming Slowdown
Is The US Economy On The Verge Of Epic Collapse
Cop Accused Of Pulling Gun At Drive Through
"Pro Gun" Background Check Bill?
Another Obama Loving Professor Fired
Where Criminals Get Their Guns
How A Police Dept Choose It's pistols
22 Signs That Voter Fraud Is Out Of Control
Cougar Review Worth Viewing
I Saw 10 Babies Breathe Before They Were Killed
58 Horrific Details From Mass Murder Trial That You Don't Want To Read
One More Reason Why I Want To Defund NPR
Top 5 False Claims Of Conservative Mass Killers
Ohio Police Chief Shoots himself In The Leg
Data Shift To Lift US Economy 3%
New Gunpowder Laws
History Lesson - The NRA's Support For Background Checks
Homegrown Muslim Terror Plots Down In 2011
Muslim Terror Attacks In 2012
$100,000 Challenge
Self Defense Training And The Tueller Drill
2 Female Students Beaten In Queens
Was Manchin-Toomey Pro Gun?
Top 50 Things To Disappear From The Shelves In An Emergency
Let's Hope That the Boston Marathon Bomber Is A White American
Dr. That Helped Us Find Bin Laden Is Still Tortured And In Prison
Terrorist And Miranda Rights
Anatomy Of A Glock

Massive Growth On The Way

  I ran across an interesting article the other day regarding how America's GDP is calculated. A different formula will be used in the future, and surprisingly this will result in a higher reported Gross Domestic Product.

  Who'd have thunk it?

  We'll see around 3% growth reported in or around June thanks to the changes. The crowds will cheer, the FSA will weep with joy, and the mainstream media will wet themselves with excitement.

 

  And... we'll still have the same tepid growth that we've had for years. The only difference is that the government will use a new accounting method. The politicians (and media lapdogs) will be able to crow about the make believe recovery. Two thirds of the country will never realize this. I'm certain that the 51% that voted for BHO will never hear how the government is cooking the books. Ignorance is bliss, and the FSA will be as happy as a fat kid in a candy store.

   Moving on.

 

  I'm sure that some have heard about the current Administration's plans to change the CPI? The idea is to reevaluate how cost of living adjustments are calculated for Social Security payments, and other federal programs. If the methods are "Corrected," then the government saves on cost of living adjustments. This will add up to hundreds of billions of dollars. Uncle Sam keeps more of the money, and seniors get to make due with less. I'm sure that we will see some clever euphemism to explain this.

  If you're like me, you tend to eat (a bit more than necessary). Those like myself are also are fond of this crazy activity that I like to call, "Driving." I know. I know... you probably haven't heard of these odd hobbies.

Guess what though? If you eat and drive, then you should be interested to learn that food and fuel aren't calculated in the inflation rate.

  That's right. Uncle Sam (Uncle Barry?) is using fuzzy math on this statistic as well.

  Never mind about the topics discussed above. At least our unemployment rate is dropping and people are finally getting back to work. I know it's true because the girls on MSNBC and the White House tell us this. I've seen a couple of new faces at the drive through, so clearly the economy must be booming.

  I'm still a little confused though because when I look at the Bureau Of Labor Statistics for the U6 Unemployment Rate, I see that we're at 13.8%.  Of course that's when we use that wild and crazy math, and actually count people that are out of work. If we use the official U3 unemployment rate that the government and media prefer, then we're at 7.6%. That's clearly more accurate, and there's no reason to count millions of out of work Americans when figuring up our unemployment rates.

   The important thing is that we feel like we're in a recovery. It doesn't matter that we have to lie, or fudge the numbers a bit in regards to inflation, unemployment, the CPI, or GDP. If the teleprompter tells us that the country is recovering then we are damn well in a economic boom.

  I'm going to set aside the bitterness, and embrace the government math. It's time that I made fuzzy math work for me in regards to both weight and penis size. From now on I'm no longer fat. Don't believe your lying eyes. My federal math weight puts me at about the average weight of an Olympic swimmer.

Gun Control Myth O' The Week

  I suppose this is timely. The Manchin-Toomey Bill would not have prevented the Sandy Hook massacre.

 Adam Lanza murdered his mother, stole her firearms, and then gunned down 26 innocent people. I fail to see how yet another background check would have prevented this.

  If you liked this Bill then that's fine. You support background checks for anything and everything?
  Ok.
  Argue your points on the Bill's merits. Don't however pretend that it would somehow prevent another Sandy Hook.

Obama And "The Children"

  I was going to take the high road, and not blog about the recent defeat of several anti gun Bills in the Senate. Part of the reason was that I didn't want to gloat. The main reason however, was because we'll see these Bills surface again and again. They'll be tweaked a little, but I have no doubt that they'll reappear as long as the Democrats control the Senate.

  As I said, I didn't want to gloat... then I watched President Obama throw a full on hissy fit on national television that was worthy of a teenage girl.

  Barry, you lost. Get over it. It's politics, and the Background Check Bill was meaningless political theater. I don't know how you got those poor, grieving parents to believe that more background checks would prevent another psycho from killing his mom, stealing her guns, and committing a massacre.

  I know, I know. It's all for the children.

  Let's talk about the children. Obama certainly spoke about them again and again. This  gentleman would usually be considered a hero on the Left. If he wasn't currently on trial there would be Liberals, feminists, and the usual FSA members singing his praises. Most of the media would speak about how important his work is. The President would certainly be among them.

  You don't believe me? Let's look at Obama's voting record . On three separate occasions, BHO refused to step up when he had the opportunity to protect babies born during botched abortions.
  He played politics instead. Barack Obama loves the little children when it's politically acceptable to his base and their causes.
 Is anyone else sick of the President, and the rest claiming that everything is, "For the children?" I suppose they only care about the kids once they're old enough to get on board a school bus.
  I'm sick of their hypocrisy.

Gun Control Myth O' The Week

  No one needs an assault weapon, or magazines that hold more than 10 rounds because they weren't available when the Constitution was written. Only those weapons available at the time of the Founding Fathers are covered by the 2nd Amendment. Gun owners can have all of the muskets that they want.

  I hear this repeated over and over when debating new gun control laws. This is one of the silliest arguments that I hear from both the Left, and anti gunners.

  Using this logic, there is no Freedom of Religion unless your faith was practiced on these shores when the Bill Of Rights was written.
  We could also say that Freedom Of The Press only covers those in the print media that still use primitive printing presses. Television news networks and online media sources clearly aren't covered.
  Of course since the internet wasn't around in 1791 then it is unreasonable to believe that the government needs a warrant to check your e-mail.
  Right?

  I can go on and on with this. It's stupid to believe that our rights in 2013 are entirely dependent upon the technology that existed in the 18th century. It's also ridiculous to think that our Founding Fathers were so narrow minded that they never expected any advances in science and technology.
  Claiming that the 2nd Amendment only covers primitive muskets and rifles is an easily refuted claim that anti gunners should be embarrassed to make.

4 Rules Of Gun Safety

  Everyone with a gun blog or YouTube channel has posted these rules at some time or another. It's still worth adding one more post to the list.

  We've added a lot of new gun owners to our ranks over the last few years. Obama has sold a lot of guns. While I applaud all of the new gun owners taking responsibility for their own safety, I have to say that I've seen a lot of unsafe gun handling at the range over the last few months. IMO, this is due to a lack of training, and people getting into firearms later in life instead of growing up with them.

  Far too much information comes from Hollywood, and the internet instead of a knowledgeable mentor or instructor.

  These 4 rules aren't everything that you need to know about gun safety, but if you follow them it's a helluva good start.

All guns are always loaded.

Never let the muzzle of your weapon cover anything that you're not willing to destroy.

Keep your finger off of the trigger until your sights are on your target.

Be sure of your target (and what's beyond the target).

What Is A Mall Ninja?

  Many of you have probably heard the term "Mall Ninja" used in reference to those with over accessorized guns and gear. I won't go on and on describing the individuals that are sometimes described as "Mall Ninjas."
  The site below details how the legend was born.

Shrine Of The Mall Ninja

In The News

Failure To Fire
Steel Cased Ammo In Handguns Test
Documentary On The Gosnell Clinic
2nd Amendment And The Kool Aid Drinkers
Egyptian Muslims Attack Cathedral
Michelle Obama Got It Wrong
The Problem With The UN Arms Treaty
The Obama Recovery
NAACP Runs From Interviewer
IRS Does Not Need A Warrant To Read E-Mails
32 Gun Purchase Background Checks Per Minute Under Obama
Teen Arrests In Philly
Biden Mocks Gun Owners
Women Eager To Join Navy's Sub Force
Police Chief Cited In Teen's Suicide
Now He's After Your 401K
A Look At The 1986 FBI Miami Shootout 27 Years Later
NY Gun Confiscation Already Underway
Turning Gun Owners Into Felons
You're Probably An Extremist According To DHS
States Look To Tax Guns, Ammo
The Big List Of Violent Flash Mobs That The Media Ignores
1911 Ratings List
Global Warming Didn't Cause Last Years Drought
Bloomberg's Anti Gun Mayors
Middle Class Tax Hike
14 Stabbed On Houston Campus
Lessons Learned From The Waco Raid

No Riots In Chi Town

  I just realized that it's been over a week since the last teen riot in Chicago.

  Great job Chi Town!

  Keep up the good work (of course if there is another riot the mainstream media won't cover it, and you'll never hear of it unless you're on Drudgereport).

  Summer time is almost upon us. I'm considering starting a pool as to when the beaches have to be shut down (again) for teens terrorizing people. Those little scamps.

  Here is a very good source for info on flash mobs, riots, and attacks. It's unfortunate that it stopped being updated last year, but it's still a great resource. Most of the violence listed will be unknown to most viewers as these are not the kind of stories that the MSM covers nationally.

Beretta 92FS vs Taurus 24/7 OSS

  The handgun on the left is the discontinued Taurus 24/7 OSS in 9mm. The pistol on the right is the also discontinued Beretta 92FS "Centurion" in 9mm. While the "Centurion" isn't a exact copy of the handgun in service with our military today... it's close, it's what I have access to, and it's good enough for a comparison.
  BTW, both weapons have a similar round count despite the many years in between their manufacture and purchase.

  Let's talk about the Taurus.
This handgun (Actually the .45acp version) was originally made for the USSOCOM test in 2005. The military was looking for a replacement pistol, and as there was a potential for up to 650,000 handgun (and gear) sales, this could have been a very lucrative contract. Taurus was one of the manufacturers that submitted a pistol, and the 24/7 OSS remained in the trials until the program was cancelled.
  The 24/7 OSS won the NRA's Handgun Of The Year award in 2005.
 Now you know what I know regarding the history of this firearm.

  Most of you know that the Beretta M9 is currently is use by our military. Instead of writing about the trials from several decades ago, I'll merely list a few interesting links.
Shady Trial
CTD On The M9
25 Years With the Beretta 92

  I don't have access to a Taurus 24/7 OSS in .45acp, but I do own the 9mm version. I thought that it would be fun to see how the Taurus stacks up against the Beretta in a side by side comparison. Of course my afternoon at the range is a lot less formal than the military testing.

  If you'd like to compare weights, materials, specs, etc. then check out the links below.
Berettausa
Beretta M9
Taurus 24/7 Polymer OSS
Taurususa
24/7 - OSS

  Here is my usual source for manuals if you'd like more detailed information.

  Finally, here are my earlier reviews of the Taurus and the Beretta.

  What are the two most important things that most of us look for in a handgun? Obviously, we ask ourselves if Joe Biden approves of it, and how pretty is the gun?
  No... that's not it?
  Perhaps we're more concerned with reliability and accuracy.

  I'm going to give the reliability edge to the Beretta based on my experience with these two handguns, and the manufacturers.
  First of all, my experience with new M9s in the military was entirely positive. Our pistols worked, and were extremely reliable.
  This "Centurion" has also been 100% reliable with both the owner and myself (with the exception of one brief period during which a helpful neighbor removed a spring when cleaning this weapon for the owner. There's probably a lesson in there somewhere).
  The Beretta name is synonymous with quality.

  Now for the Taurus 24/7 OSS. This handgun has been very reliable for me. The original owner however, had constant issues with stovepipes. This was caused (IMO) by his funky grip on the gun. Instead of getting the highest possible grip on the weapon, he left about an inch of space between his hand and the top of the frame.
  I blame the shooter, not the weapon for this. It's worth noting however, that I couldn't make the Beretta jam while I've seen the 24/7 OSS repeatedly malfunction for the previous owner.
   There were 3 failures to fire with  the 24/7 OSS at the range last week. I'm almost entirely positive that it was the ammo. The majority of the testing was done with 115gr UMC. There was one leftover magazine of WWB. This Winchester 9mm was the only ammunition that I had any failures to fire with.  Hopefully I can shoot a little over the next several days, and prove that the FTFs were not the gun. I'll edit in the results.
  In my opinion, the "Centurion" wins on reliability since I couldn't make it malfunction. I'm not calling the Taurus unreliable, but of the two guns, I have to pick the 92FS.
  Then there's the Taurus reputation... I'll just say that it's not at the level of Beretta.
Advantage Beretta.

  Moving on to accuracy. I can't see a great deal of difference between the two handguns at 10 yds. Better data could have been gathered from a longer range, but I had to shoot on what was open that day. It is what it is. I suspect that there would not have been much difference in targets at 15 yds (at least in my hands).
  Of course, it's worth noting that the Taurus has a longer sighting radius than the Beretta "Centurion." Some might argue that a full sized 92FS would be a fairer comparison pistol. They would be right. I think that they should bring me a M9 version for evaluation.
 

3" Orange Bullseyes

    So the Beretta gets the slight edge in reliability, and both guns are tied in accuracy (at least with me on the trigger).

  It's possible to have the best designed and most expensive semi automatic on the market. Guess what? If you don't have good magazines, the weapon won't run worth a damn.
  Both manufacturers have quality mags. They work well, and appear to be very well made.
  I have one slight complaint about the mags used for the 24/7 OSS. One of the four magazines that I own will only hold 16 rounds instead of 17. This is not a huge concern, but I felt that it should be noted for this comparison. I didn't see anything wrong with any of the 6 mags supplied with the Beretta.

  I prefer the witness holes on the Beretta magazines over those on the Taurus.

  Magazine capacity is better for the 92FS line than the 24/7 OSS. There are 15, 18, 20, and 32 round mags available for the 92FS while you are stuck with 17 rounders for the Taurus.
  Don't get me wrong, 17 rounds is excellent capacity, but the advantage goes to Beretta. This is especially true since there are several different manufacturers of mags for the 92FS/M9 line while it appears that Taurus is the only supplier of 24/7 OSS magazines.
Advantage Beretta.

  Hmm... perhaps I should start calling them "Magazine Clips," in an effort to reach out to Democratic politicians and MSNBC anchors.

  The sights are a little better on the Taurus. Both of these weapons use the usual 3 dot sight

arrangement that we see all of the time (the M9 however uses a dot over dot sights). The Taurus has the sights dovetailed into the slide at both ends thus making them easier to swap out. The rear sight on the 24/7 OSS is also easily adjustable as you merely need to loosen a torx screw, and tap the sight over.
  Other than the ability to change the front sight and easily adjust the rear for windage, I'd rate the sights almost equal.
Slight Advantage to Taurus.

 

I want to spend a few minutes discussing the grips. The Taurus has finger grooves molded into the frame. There's checkering and rough textures everywhere. It's easy to get a solid purchase on the gun, and it feels very comfortable in the hand. Taurus did a very good job designing this.

  The Beretta feels more comfortable in my hand though. I'm surprised by this since there's only a few vertical grooves running down the front of the grip, and along the backstrap.
  The grip panels have a good texture, and it's easy to keep a firm grip on the weapon (even with wet hands). The "Centurion" has none of the checkering or finger grooves that I've come to expect when shooting Glocks or XDMs.
  When considering how fat the grip is, I expected the gun to feel like a brick in my hand. That's not the case. It's surprisingly comfortable, and I rate it higher than the Taurus. If the backstrap was slightly flatter on the 24/7 OSS this wouldn't be the case. Advantage Beretta.

  Accessing the controls. I have to rotate both pistols in my shooting hand to use the magazine release.
  The slide lock on the Taurus can just barely be used without rotating the weapon, and I have to shift my grip to use the slide lock on the 92FS.

  The safety lever on the 24/7 OSS can be disengaged without changing my grip, but I have to shift the gun in my hand when engaging the safety or using the decocker.
My grip has to be changed when engaging or disengaging the safety on the Beretta. Advantage Taurus.

 

  Disassembly is slightly faster with the 92FS. Unlike the Taurus, the Beretta can be disassembled without squeezing the trigger. Advantage Beretta.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The internals of both guns seem well done. I can't find many rough edges. The Beretta is slightly better finished on the inside than the Taurus.
Advantage Beretta.

 

  The externals of both firearms are attractive in their own way. Both guns have a matte finish, and a tactical look. You can tell however, that both manufacturers made an effort to produce a good looking pistol in spite of the businesslike appearance. There are some fugly guns out there, but the 92FS and 24/7 OSS aren't among them. With that said, I believe that the "Centurion" is the better looking pistol.

  Good looks are an intangible thing that each gun buyer has to define for himself/herself.

  There's not a lot of difference in weight between these handguns. I'd hate to carry either one on a daily basis (been there done that). If you don't mind carrying a full sized service pistol then rock on. More power to you.
  The Taurus is both heavier and more muzzle heavy.

  Both weapons have a decocker, and firing pin block. The 92FS has a trigger disconnector while the 24/7 OSS has a manual safety. The Taurus has an additional key lock built into the slide. I'm am not a fan of these locking devices, but some might like the feature. Advantage Taurus.

  You'll note that the Taurus has a rail. Beretta also has a 92FS version with a rail. The 24/7 OSS has slide serrations at the muzzle end. Meh... they look nice but I never use them.

  Summary:     The Beretta is a bit more reliable than my Taurus. The manufacturer's reputation for reliability is definitely better (if that means anything to you).

  I rate both guns equal in regards to accuracy (at least in my hands).

  The Taurus 24/7 OSS is out of production, but an updated 24/7 G2 is available everywhere. The Beretta 92FS "Centurion" is also out of production, but there are several different models of 92FS available.

  As for prices, I've recently saw a new 24/7 OSS selling for $400 at a local gun show before the Feinstein stupidity began. I see that Bud's has one for about $350 this morning. Add several hundred dollars to that and you can get a Beretta 92FS (currently selling for $650 at Bud's Gun Shop for the Italian made pistol).

  I like Beretta's feel a little more than I do that of the Taurus. The quality of the "Centurion" is also a bit better IMO.

  I prefer the sights on the 24/7 OSS.

  The aftermarket is better for the Beretta.

  I'd feel well armed with either gun, and enjoyed shooting both.

  Which is my favorite?

  The Beretta 92FS "Centurion" wins by a nose.

  Which would the 45 year old me buy? The "Centurion" or whatever current production 92FS strikes my fancy. Bear in mind that the 45 year old me has a good job, and a safe full of firearms.

  Which would the 21 year old me buy? The broke 21 year old me would probably have bought the Taurus, and taken the remaining $250 and applied it to some flavor of .22lr semi auto.




As usual, pictures abound.





More Gun And Knife Reviews On This Blog

In The News

Turning Gun Owners Into Felons
Sequester Cuts Smaller Than Feared
Gun Control Advocate Shows Shocking Ignorance About Guns
Same Anti Gunner Different Source
Doubling Down On Stupid
Your 2nd Amendment Cop Buddy Will Take Your Guns
The Truth About Triggers - Glock
Handgun Stance Basics
Feds Not Prosecuting Gang Violence
Another Bloomberg Anti Gun Mayor Arrested
Racism Hoax
Another Racial Assault Hoax
Obama Administration Pushing For More Loans To Those With Bad Credit
Obama EEOC Wants More Felons Hired
Obama Demands Race Based Discipline Policies
Race And The Gun Debate
One Day A Wilding Mob Will Run Across An Armed Tourist
Recruiting Non Swimming Life Guards
BS Gun Control Stat Quoted Over And Over
Elderly Man Beaten By Teens
Female Marines Fail Infantry Officer Course
Brits Drop Hi Power And Adopt Glocks
$10,000 Fine For Gun Owners That Don't Have Insurance
Clearing Jams And Malfunctions
China Helps To Cut Out The Dollar As Reserve Currency
On Terrorist Watch List But Allowed To Buy Guns
New $25 Gun Tax
Lying Politician Doesn't Know What A Semi Auto Is
Teen Mob Violence In Chicago
Missile To Nowhere Program Won't Die
20 Ways In Which America Has Reaped What It Has Sown
New Water Based Training Keeps Marines Fit
Gun Noob: Sights
Condensed Shipbuilding Video
Cede US Rights To The UN?
New SOCOM Truck To Replace Hummer
Iraq/Afghan War Costs
Women Break Ground In Combat Roles
Army Ground Combat Vehicle - Bad Choice
Bradley Replacement Weighs More Than A Tank
Obama's Sons Of Anarchy
DHS Ammo Purchase - Not A Problem
M9 Beretta

Beretta 92FS Review

  A friend was kind enough to loan me his Beretta 92FS "Centurion" this week. It's worth noting that if some of the current Bills in the Senate become law, gestures such as this will become illegal.
  Only 75 rounds were put through this firearm in my testing. With such a low round count, I can make no claims as to this being a thorough evaluation. Obviously an afternoon at the range, and an evening fondling this pistol is not a detailed examination. Think of this as more of an overview of the weapon.
  On the other hand...
  I have to point out that I had a bit of experience with M9s during my time in the military so this handgun isn't exactly a mystery to me.

  The "Centurion" is very similar to the M9s currently in use by our armed forces. The most obvious difference is the shorter slide, barrel (4 1/4" vs 4.9"), and dust cover. It is meant to be a slightly more compact version of the 92FS, while still keeping a full sized frame.  3 dot sights are used instead of the dot over dot version present on the M9. You'll note in the pictures that the push button for the take down lever (right side of frame) is not flush with the frame as it is on later models This model of 92FS was produced from 1992 to 1998.

  I'm going to skip the specs , and let you browse the manufacturers website if you're curious. As I stated above, this model is no longer in production so most of the info that Beretta gives you is for the current 92FS models.

  So let's begin. I like this gun a lot. It's accurate, easy to shoot, has very good magazine capacity, and is reliable. What's not to like?
  New Berettas are generally expensive guns. Trying to price pistols in today's market is an exercise in futility so I'll happily leave this up to you if you're interested in a new 92FS. If you stumbled across my site then the odds are good that you already know what kind of damage a Beretta will do to your bank account.
  It's not hard to find used Berettas that are police trade ins, but most seem to be in .40cal. If I remember correctly, they were between $300 and $400 when I last saw them in 2012. Most of the trade ins that I've run across are cosmetically challenged (beat to hell).

  Even as a slightly more compact 92FS, the "Centurion" is still a big handgun. It's also wide. I consider it a very good home defense pistol or duty weapon. Concealed carry... nope. Not for me unless our crime rates start looking like something from Mexico City or Columbia. This weapon would not be my first choice for CCW at this time.

  Recoil is mild. It's a full sized 9mm so that's expected. I doubt that new shooters would find the recoil intimidating, and I never even considered the "Centurion's" recoil until sitting down to start this review.

  The sights are OK. They're the standard white 3 dot sights that we've seen again and again. I can't think of any real criticism of them.

92FS on left. Taurus PT92 on right

  The trigger is very good for a SA/DA pistol. The double action pull has no take up, and is consistent throughout the pull. Very revolver like.
  The single action pull has about 1/4" of take up, and then breaks very cleanly. No one would ever call the trigger on this gun "Mushy." I think the SA pull is outstanding.
  I shot a Taurus PT92 and Taurus 24/7 OSS alongside this "Centurion," and the Beretta clearly had the best trigger. When I think back on my P series Rugers, it's amazing what a better Beretta job does with their trigger pull.
  I found the trigger reset is very short in the single action mode.
  The trigger guard is large enough for those using gloves.

  The grip is a little fatter than a lot of the hi cap 9mm's that we see on the market today. Those with small hands may have a hard time with this gun. I have medium sized hands, and don't have any issues. The grip is surprisingly comfortable for me. It's been a few years since I've shot a 92FS, and was expecting something more brick like after years of M1911's and XDM's. I liked the grip on the "Centurion,"  but I've felt better.
  There are vertical serrations cut into the front of the grip, and along the backstrap. They worked better than expected considering that I'm used to finger grooves molded into polymer frames or checkering.
  The magazine release is reversible. It's also very attractive (for a mag release).  I have to slightly rotate the gun in my hand to use it. This may not be necessary for those with larger hands. Magazines drop free easily.
  There is no bevel in the mag well. This may be different in other models. It's not really needed with the magazines used for this weapon.
  You probably noticed that this pistol has a lanyard ring. It's a nice feature that I'll probably never use on a handgun.
  Anecdote alert:    We were required to use lanyards when taking M9's to the field when I was in the Marines. I have no idea if that's the current policy.

  I have to rotate the pistol in my hand in order to use the slide release. That's not a biggie for me as I do the same when shooting all of my pistols except for the XDM's.

  The magazines are produced for Beretta by Mec-Gar. They're very well made, and I've always been happy with Mec-Gar's products. There are 15 numbered witness holes, and the floor plate is removable for cleaning. 15, 18, and 20 round magazines are available. Pro Mag has 32 rnd mags (I haven't used their products in years, and have no idea about their quality in 2013).
  This is an interesting video on Beretta's sand resistant mags. Long story short, due to government specifications, a magazine vendor supplied M9 mags with a phosphate coating on the inside. The sand in Iraq and the texture of the phosphate caused malfunctions. It's briefly discussed here , and here.

  The plastic grip panels shown on this handgun have a good texture. No complaints.
  It's worth noting that there are thinner aftermarket grips for those with small hands.

  I have to shift the gun in my hand to use the ambidextrous safety lever with my shooting hand. That's not something that I care for. I'd prefer a safety that can be disengaged without changing my grip on the gun.
  There's good tension on the safety lever. It engages and disengages easily without feeling loose or sloppy. I've seen safeties on other weapons that required a second hand to disengage, and have run across pistols with safeties that cannot be trusted to stay on. Beretta did a good job with the safety/decocker on this firearm.

  About the decocker/safety lever on this weapon... this is a direct quote from the Beretta website.
"Unique Ultra Safe Design: The ambidextrous safety lever, easily accessible by the thumb of a right or left handed shooter, is spring loaded so it’s either positively “on” or “off ”. The safety lever also functions as the pistol’s decocking lever. When pushed down, the rear part of the firing pin (striker) is rotated out of alignment with the front part of the firing pin. Additional hammer drop catch (half-cock notch prevents striking of the firing pin unit) in the remote chance of unintentional hammer drop."

  I'll try to simplify the explanation a bit. When loading the firearm, rack the slide to chamber a round as you normally would:

*If the safety is on when racking the slide, the hammer will move forward when the slide is released. The weapon is now on safe with the hammer in the forward or decocked position. To fire a round, take the safety off. The first shot will be double action, and subsequent shots will be single action.
*If the safety is in the off position when racking the slide, the hammer will remain cocked, and the weapon is ready to fire.  Your first shot will be in the single action mode and will have a lighter trigger pull than when shooting double action. All of the subsequent shots will also be single action.
*If the safety lever is in the off position when racking the slide, the hammer will remain cocked, and the weapon is ready to fire. If you do not want to shoot the pistol at this time, the safety can be put on and the hammer will be decocked. When you are ready to fire the weapon, the safety lever can be disengaged and the pistol is ready to fire. The first shot will be double action and subsequent shots will be single action.
*The hammer may be decocked using the safety lever at any time. When the safety is on, the firing pin is out of alignment with the hammer. The trigger also no longer functions.
*This is a very safe system, but anything made by man can fail and the weapon should always be pointed in a safe direction. Read your manual as features on models often vary.
 
  If you do not understand the safety mechanism on this handgun then read the manual, or find experienced instruction.
 I say this without trying to be funny or sarcastic. Some people need hands on experience, and reading the instruction booklet isn't enough. My little explanation is definitely not a substitute for training or reading the manual.
  I stated in earlier paragraphs that we used the M9's in the military. When I served in the Marines during the late 1980's, we were in the process of changing over from the M1911A1 to the Beretta M9. The M1911s were carried with a loaded magazine and an empty chamber. The Berettas were carried with a loaded magazine, a round in the chamber, and the safety on.
  It was not unusual to hear about negligent discharges every couple of weeks when the Colt .45's were being phased out. Some people simply didn't understand how the safety system on the Beretta's operated. Lack of training, fatigue, and sometimes stupidity played a role in these negligent discharges.
  So if a serviceman that carries this weapon on a daily basis can screw up then a civilian that shoots it once per year can definitely make a mistake.
  Nuff said on that.

  The slide serrations are pretty good (I've seen better though), and it's easy to get a good grip on the slide when chambering a round.
  Someone, somewhere, at some time, once described the Beretta's slide on frame feel as, "Glass on glass," when racking the slide. I like that description.  So because I have too much time on my hands right now, I pulled handgun after handgun out of my safe. The Beretta does have a smoother feel when chambering a round. Does this really matter? Not really. The other handguns shoot just as well, and are at least as reliable. With that said, the Beretta just "Feels" well made and like a quality piece of equipment. Most of us like a gun that feels good when we spend several hundred dollars for a firearm. It's one of those intangible things that matter to gun buyers.

  The "Centurion" has a black non reflective Bruniton coating. This corrosion resistant coating held up very well on the M9's that we used in the service. The weapon that is being reviewed is a safe queen so it's likely that the matte coating will look like new for generations.



2" orange centers on small pie plates
 

  What are the two most important things about a defensive handgun? Reliability and accuracy. As I only put a little over a box of 9mm through this gun it's hard to write about how reliable it is. It worked flawlessly for me. My friend has had no problems with the gun, but to be honest, I doubt that this weapon has more than 1,000 rounds through it.

  Now for accuracy.  The target to the right has 3 five shot groups at 10 yds (because that's what was open at a crowded range). The first shot was fired in the double action mode and the flyers are the second shot when I changed over to single action.

3" orange centers on paper plates
 

Excuse alert:     I don't shoot a lot of DA/SA pistols so it took a few magazines to get used to the trigger.

  This target also has 3 five shot groups with the first shot being fired in the double action mode. This was at the end of the day, and I showed a little improvement. These are regular sized paper plates with a 3" orange center.
  Yes, I put this handgun up against my Taurus 24/7 OSS, and a Taurus PT92. Reviews are coming (at the usual snail's pace).

  Disassembly is pretty simple. I'm not going to waste paragraphs describing it. Check out the manuals on this site for more info. I will note that you don't have to squeeze the trigger when taking the handgun apart. This is a big deal to some as there have been  occasional negligent discharges by unsafe individuals whose pistols, "Just go off," while they're cleaning them.
  Anyone should be able to disassemble (and more importantly reassemble) this gun.

  Anecdote alert:     I was happy to see us change over to the M9 Berettas when I was in the military. Most of the M1911s that we had in service were junk. I know, I know... that's heresy, and nothing beats a .45acp, blah, blah, blah.
  The simple fact is that our Colt .45s were worn out. They had been in service for at least 40 years when I served. I remember one trip to the range during which 1/3 of our Colts would not fire (our armorer was spoken to about this by the CO). Our magazines were total crap, and I never saw a mag taken out of service. If the weapon jammed you simply cleared it. A great deal of our problems were no doubt due to bad mags, but we regularly experienced every malfunction possible.
  When my unit got the Berettas they ran. It's that simple. The guns worked.
  One more thing. We carried 3 magazines loaded with 5 rounds each when using the M1911s. That's just pathetic. We also had an empty chamber (loaded mag in the magazine well) when carrying the gun.
  We had two 15 round magazines loaded with 12 rounds each when using the Berettas. That's a little better. We also carried a round in the chamber which I consider a huge improvement.
  No, I won't start the .45acp vs 9mm debate.

  This ran on a lot longer than expected. I'll try to wrap it up without adding 10 more paragraphs.
  I like this gun, and would buy it if the price were right. It would probably have to be a decent deal since I like a lot of other handguns more. There's not a lot of bad things that I can say about this weapon. I'm not a fan of SA/DA triggers, and some will be confused by the operation and safety. Others will have a hard time transitioning from one trigger method to another. It's a training issue, but the vast majority of handgun owners don't train. A simpler, more instinctive weapon might be a better choice for those individuals.
  The gun is big, and slightly heavy. This makes for a good home defense weapon. Recoil is minimal, and ammo capacity is extremely good. I believe that the gun is reliable, and know that it's accurate.
  Those with smaller hands will find the grip wide. Thinner, aftermarket grip panels are available.
  The aftermarket is pretty good for the 92FS.
  So in conclusion, I like the "Centurion" a lot, and would buy it for the right price. It's not my first choice but I'd recommend it and would feel well armed when using it.

This is a short but good write up from a very knowledgeable source. When I grow up I hope to be as smart as this individual, and will hopefully have at least half of his firearms knowledge.

My other gun and knife reviews on this site

Gun Control Myth O' The Week

  The NRA wants terrorists to be able to buy firearms. I've heard that lie repeated over and over by the media, anti gun groups, and politicians. Most people already know that the USA has a terrorist watch list, and many believe that those on this list should be unable to purchase a firearm.

  At first glance, restricting those on a watch list from buying weapons seems like a great idea that we can all get behind. The problem is that there are roughly one million people on this list. A few high profile people such as Ted Kennedy and Nelson Mandela were included on the government's terrorist watch list. Small children and returning veterans also found themselves on the watch list when attempting to fly. The media portrayed this as just an amusing and harmless story.

  How does a US citizen get on a government watch list? What is the criteria that makes you a suspect? No one really knows. It's a secret and good luck trying to get off of it (and BTW, how the hell did the Ft Hood shooter not make the list?).

  We basically have a large group of anti gunners that believe that our 2nd Amendment rights should be forfeit because a citizen finds himself/herself on a secret government roster. It doesn't matter that no crime has been committed, no arrests have been made, and no trial has been held. You're on a list and a right is lost.
  I don't believe that this sounds like America.

  This is not something that we want to adopt. I worry that this could easily turn into a political purge, and entire groups of people could find themselves losing rights due to political beliefs. It would be easy to see the entire NRA ending up on this list. The same can be said for the Tea Party, or basically anyone that isn't a friend to the current Administration. Some might remember a statement from the Department Of Homeland Security in which the claim was made that returning veterans, 2nd Amendment supporters, and those that believe in the Constitution are the biggest threat in the US.
  Narco terrorists on our Southern border, Islamic terrorists, or even the more than 100,000 gang members in America apparently aren't a concern.
  Returning veterans and gun owners are what keep DHS members up at night. Is it any wonder why there's so little trust in the current Administration?
 
  I'm always amused and a little disgusted by the hypocrisy on the Left. When you try to stop rampant voter fraud by requiring an ID at the polls, then it's a gross infringement upon people's rights to vote. Supposedly those that are too poor to afford identification get their government assistance without having to show ID? Welfare uses the honor system?
  On the other hand, the same people on the Left are just fine with an American losing his/her 2nd Amendment right because some bureaucrat added a name to a list.

  Here's a novel idea. Penalize the criminals and terrorists. Leave the rest of us alone. Most would agree that is not too much to ask for.