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Do not, under ANY circumstances, buy a Beretta Model 92. First, the open top slide design allows all sorts of funk to get into the gun. Not a big deal if you're not military, but a consideration. Next, the slide mounted "safety/decocker" is very easily engaged during a reload when using the "sling shot" or "overhand" method of releasing the slide. Third, I am NOT convinced that Beretta has fixed the locking block problem. (The locking block is a metal piece under the barrel.) When I managed an indoor range in California the locking blocks were breaking around 2500 rounds or so. Once broken, you needed a rubber mallet to beat the gun apart. More recently (in the past two months) I've been training Marines that are attending security guard school. Same problem. I've also seen these guns heat up to the point where they seize up. During my time in Somalia, I would clean my magazines every three days. Invariably, the mag spring would rust to the mag body. (And yes, I was coating the spring with CLP.) I will also agree with others that question the effectiveness of the 9mm round, particularly ball ammo. Also check our reports on how the guns are holding up in Afghanistan. In short...

DO NOT BUY A BERETTA 92!

Do not, under ANY circumstances, buy a Beretta Model 92

Sorry to disagree with you, but your experiences seem to be with some of the lots Beretta supplied the military in the past. The locking block problem HAS been solved, and the gun does not seize up when hot (personal experience here, and the experience of many, many others). I've put thousands of rounds through an Elite II with NO malfunctions whatsoever. I can't say that for the Glock, or my Sig P220 or my Kimber or my P232 (I can say that for my USP, but hey, it's a USP). Combat conditions (adverse elements, spotty maintenance, hot loads, occasionally ignorant users) are quite different from what any normal person, even an IDPA competitor, is going to put a firearm through.