Glock vs. Beretta (9mm)

The bottom line is this. Get both guns and shoot them. Many reputable gun shops will be happy to have you try both guns at their facility. There is a range I went to in Phoenix that sold guns. There may be a similar facility in your area. Purchase the gun you are most comfortable shooting with.
Another 9mm (if you have to have a 9mm) you may want to try is a Browning High Power. They seem to fit most shooters very well.

Try this:

http://www.gunsamerica.com/

RogueIsland,

When the government buys spare parts for weapons, how often to they solicit bids from other than the original manufacturer? Read below from a Commerce Business Daily posting. As I said, I don't think that Beretta has solved their problem. The 92 was designed to be carried a lot and shot a little. I wouldn't be caught dead with one. Then again, maybe I would....

10--M9 9MM Pistols parts consisting of: Barrel, Pistol; Block, Locking; Insert, Screw; Receiver w/Bushing; Slide, Rear Sight, Safety w/Lever

General Information

Document Type: Presolicitation Notice
Solicitation Number: DAAE20-02-R-0040
Posted Date: Jul 23, 2002
Original Response Date: Sep 23, 2002
Current Response Date: Sep 23, 2002
Original Archive Date: Oct 23, 2002
Current Archive Date: Oct 23, 2002
Classification Code: 10 -- Weapons
Set Aside: N/A

Contracting Office Address
TACOM - Rock Island, ATTN: AMSTA-AQ-AR, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, IL 61299-7630
Description
NA DESC: Multiple spare/repair parts for the M9 9MM Pistol. Requirements consist of the following six (6) items: (1) 1,393 each, Barrel Assembly, PN: 9346422, which has an overall length of 125.0 minimum; rifling bore groove quantity 6;, rifling direction, right-hand; material, steel; surface treatment, chromium plated; consists of: Barrel, Pistol, PN: 9346426, Block, Locking, PN: 9346425, Plunger Locking Block, PN 9346424, Spring, PN: D63477/8-5P. Proof firing required. Heat treat, phosphate coating, mag netic particle inspection required. (2) 5,000 each, Block Locking, PN: 9346425, Material: Forging, Steel, Alloy 4320 Hot Rolled, Grain Size 5 through 8, ASTM A 29, Overall length approximately 31.00MM, Heat Treat, phosphate coating, magnetic particle inspe ction required, (3) 10,000 each, Bushing, Grip Screw, PN: 9346473, which is made from a steel bar, Carbon 12L14, cold rolled per ASTM A108 with an approximate size of 4.15MM long X 6MM outside diameter with a protective finish of manganese phosphate base, class 1, supplementary oil treatment, (4) 500 each, Receiver, PN: 9346481, part is machined to a close tolerance from an extrusion, aluminum, forging alloy 7075-T6, part has an anodized finish, dyed black, numerous machining fixtures and inspections gages required, (5) 1,000 each, Safety with Lever, PN: 9346486, consists of close tolerance parts machined and formed from bar, alloy 8640 and 1030, cold rolled steel, heat treat and a manganese phosphate class 3, finish is required, and (6) 1,000 each, Slide , PN: 9346487, machined from forged steel, alloy 8640, resulphurized, heat treat, zinc phosphate class 2 finish and acrylic lacquer per MIL-L-19537, firing of one M905 High Pressure Test Cartridge in test fixture, magnetic particle inspection using circula r and longitudinal magnetization wet method required on each part. FOB is destination. For use on the M9 9MM Pistol. Estimated date of is 9 Aug 2002. The proposed contract will include a 100 percent option. This solicitation will be issued electronical ly in accordance with FAR 4.502 and 5.102, therefore, hardcopies will not be provided. Vendors wishing an electronic copy may download it on or after the issue date by accessing the following address via the internet: https://aais.ria.army.mil/aais/SOLINF O/index.htm. CAUTION: This solicitation will be issued electronically as will any amendments thereto. Because of this, the Government is under no obligation and is in fact unable to maintain a bidders mailing list. It is therefore incumbent upon any int erested parties to periodically access the above internet address in order to obtain any amendments which may be issued. Failure to obtain any said amendments and to respond to them prior to the date and time set for bid opening/receipt of proposals may r ender your bid or proposal nonresponsive and result in the rejection of same.
Original Point of Contact
Ellen Bartz, 309 782-5120
Email your questions to TACOM - Rock Island at bartze@ria.army.mil
Current Point of Contact
Ellen Bartz, 309 782-5120
Email your questions to TACOM - Rock Island at bartze@ria.army.mil
Place of Performance
Address: TACOM - Rock Island ATTN: AMSTA-AQ-AR, Rock Island Arsenal Rock Island IL
Postal Code: 61299-7630
Country: US

I suppose I might as well put in my $.02.
I have never heard anything bad about Browning HighPowers, CZ's, Sigs or Kahrs.
You will hear bad stories about some of the other guns so you can take that for what it's worth.
Get a gun that's comfortable to you, one that you like the trigger and the sights are easy to see. That's very important. I'll repeat that: comfort, sights and trigger.
Look for a gun where you aren't confused about where the bells and whistles are. That comes with practice but there are guns where the engineer took a delight in hiding the stuff. Magazine release buttons and slide releases should be listed under comfort.
If you're interested in buying a gun, you should practice with it. After you buy the gun, buy a thousand rounds and shoot a lot. Afterwards, you may not want to do this but muscle memory is a wonderful thing. There's chance that you may remember all of what you learned a couple of years later and it may save your life.
Chuck Taylor's "Combat Handgunning" is the book to buy before you start your practice. If you're not interested in competition like IDPA, I understand. You still owe it to yourself to watch a match every chance you get.

To Answer your original question-I prefer the Glock. Carried the Beretta in the AF for years. Carry the Glock as a duty weapon now. The Glock is simpler, and believe it or not more rugged than the Beretta. Military Berettas had to have slide retrofits after a certain amount of rounds-Don't remember how many, but it wasn't much. Glocks have not had that problem. Chuck Taylor has put around 250,000 rds through one Glock with no large scale break down.

Just my opinion from carrying and using both. One more opinion-I personally carry .40 or .45, and by now you've heard the slams on 9mm. Shot placement is everything. If you are comfortable with the 9mm and can shoot it well-carry it. Carrying a weapon you can't hit anything with is more dangerous to you and bystanders than "Punch through" of the 9mm round-carry Glasers or other prefragmented ammo and punch through is not a problem. The breeze from a.45 going by a bad guys head because you flinched from recoil will not stop him. A 9mm hole in his chest probably will

Strange to hear the negatives about the Baretta. I have had a 92F since around 1988 or so. It is one of the 'Made in Italy' Pietro models. I estimate that I have put more than 5,000 rounds through that gun, most of which have been Cor-Bon +P, and I have never had any issues at all. The gun has never (repeat NEVER) jammed, and despite the number of rounds, shows very little signs of wear and tear. And I have put it in some extreme circumstances, wet, muddy, hot, 300+ rounds in a day without cleaning, etc.

On the other hand, it did take me a good 6 months to get the groups as tight as I had them with my .45. Something about the wider grip maybe, but I agree with some of the comments that they are harder to shoot accurately until you get used to them.

Please let me know what I should be looking for in the 92F in terms of the parts that have failed in the M9s. Thanks in advance. Regards.

I love my Sig! Especially the night sights.

It's comforting to look down the hallway between those glowing green dots at night.

My home is protected by that exact weapon.

BOOM - BOOM - BOOM ...... I'd pity the fool.

I'm curious if there are any other Freepers that have owned a H&K USP or have had experience with one?

Yeah, sweet gun, but I think you need big hands to comfortably hold that double stack grip.

My mom, a good Texan, always said "buy good shoes, good purses, good booze and a great gun".

The reason I ax has to do with the order in which you build your firearms collection. It's still a free country (to a degree) and do what you want, but...

Many believe a good place to start with handguns is a good revolver - either a .357 or .38 special, depending on whether you plan on CCW or not. Also, considering that you already own a .44 mag rifle, you could consider a .44 mag revolver and shoot the same ammo. Kinda hard to conceal one in a big ol' N-Frame, but it might fit right in for you otherwise. Might have to download it a bit for personal defense. Just a thought...

Again, do what you want, be safe, and take a friend shooting. (Lots of these gun choices get down really to what you like best, if you hadn't already figured that out.)

I'm a girl...have a sig Sauer .40 sw and love it...

Yes I have a snake charmer (mossberg .410) and the universal sound of a shotgun being shucked...has a underwear staining affect...plus the splatter of shot is less likely to penetrate a wall and injure an innocent party.

Reason I own a Beretta 92FS.

Pros

-Felt comfortable and natural in my hand. No matter what anyone says about another gun, you have to shoot it accurately. Your life may depend upon it!-
-All metal - for those occassions when you need to pistol whip.
-Reliability, reliability, reliability. Have yet to experience a jam or misfeed. Have yet to seen anyone else with a jam or misfeed either.
-15 round mag. capacity.
-DA/SA. DA for those who think they might they might squeeze one off prematurely.
-Decocker on the slide and not on the trigger (again for those who might squeeze one off prematurely - although I would carry it decocked anyway).
-9mm is a less expensive and round.
-Very accurate.
-round is more comfortable than square is you are carrying IWB.

Cons

-A little large for a concealed carry weapon.
-The question of knock down power (debate that will not die)
-If you shoot production IPSC gun must be decocked to start (can decock in IPSC)
-Not much margin for error on steel targets.

I've heard that before, but my argument is that I'd rather have three small holes in a dead attacker than one big hole in the wall next to a live attacker. For your average "home defender", a .45 is too much to handle effectively.

Point taken. Your argument speaks for the need for training and practice. It is not just enough to buy a full-sized 1911 .45 and stick it in the drawer. The shooter has to know what he/she is doing and practice practice practice.

For one thing, the recoil on a .45 is just too exaggerated to recover from quickly.

Not with a Glock. This is one feature that makes the gun so attractive. I bought their full-sized .45 and after a couple of magazines at the range was wondering if somehow I didn't pick up a 9mm by mistake.

I've never found the recoil from the most unforgiving 1911s that much of a problem. But even by those standards, the Glock .45s are very managable, especially when shooting double-taps by not fully releasing the trigger.

USP -- Yup, love them, the glock never did feel right to me. Which is very important. As was said in the Harry Potter movie. The wand picks the wizard ( or something like that )

The USP Expert in any caliber is dead on. The USP Match ( a bud's ) is even better, if that is possible. But its a might heavy. Neither are carry weapons. Unless you are huge.

But I really really love my P7M8.

"The wand picks the wizard

Oh, puke.

I really like mine as well. Very accurate for a production .45, I'm getting 2-1/2" groups at 25 yds. I wish mine was the tactical model but they were not available when I made the purchase.

Thanks for the reply. I was shocked to see how little mention the USP received on this thread. It may be a little large but it's a great weapon and I can readily understand why the Navy SEAlS selected it.

I'm gonna get me one of those USP Tatical Versions one of these days!

Speaking of large, I'm also looking at the Ruger .480 Super RedHawk if things work out and I wind up in Alaska for the next three years.

Sweet is a great description! I find the grip flatter and a much better feel than the Glock.