Beretta 96

[Hugh]

Yesterday while at a local gun shop looking at a Ruger SR40 I noticed a Beretta Model 96 .40 S&W. I compared the two and they are, for all intents and purposes, the same size. The Beretta grip is somewhat fatter, but takes the same amount of my hand to hold as does the SR40. The slide on the Beretta was very nice, and overall it appears to be a great pistol. Trigger is good on this pistol. Just one thing bothers me; there's no manual safety.

Is there a safety feature about this pistol that overrides the need for a manual safety?

 

[Mike J]

It has a longer heavier pull for the first shot like a double action revolver or one of the Ruger P series pistols. The only Beretta I have had any experience with was a 92FS I got to shoot when ArmedInAz & I met at a range a few months ago. I liked it a lot. Depending on which variant it is the decocker lever may also be the safety unless it is double action only in which case that long heavy trigger pull is it. Did you dry fire the gun?

Anyway here is a quick overview of the Beretta 92 series pistols & their variants (including the 96) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_92

 

[Anonymous]

Must be a 96D which is double action only and would explain no safety switch. The 96FS has a safety with decocker. Excellent pistols either one.

 

[Hugh]

It has a longer heavier pull for the first shot like a double action revolver or one of the Ruger P series pistols. The only Beretta I have had any experience with was a 92FS I got to shoot when ArmedInAz & I met at a range a few months ago. I liked it a lot. Depending on which variant it is the decocker lever may also be the safety unless it is double action only in which case that long heavy trigger pull is it. Did you dry fire the gun?

Anyway here is a quick overview of the Beretta 92 series pistols & their variants (including the 96) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_92

Must have been a "D" model. I did dry fire it twice. I don't often come in contact with DA semi-automatics and the pull did not seem unusual. Very easy and smooth trigger compared to my DA revolvers, certainly longer than my SR9 and 1911 but not as long as my Ruger DA revolvers. The pull was a lot easier that's for sure. So maybe I should go back and have a second look.

 

[ECUfan]

I have the 96fs and even though this is a Ruger board, it is my favorite pistol. The grip is a perfect size for me. I got it used police surplus so it came with trijicon night sights.

 

[kscott]

I've shot my buddy's 96 and I honestly didn't care much at all for it. I've got relatively large hands, but the grip is way too fat for me to comfortably hold and get follow-up shots on target.

 

[Anonymous]

Steel/aluminum framed double actions can be annoying to shoot DA unless your hands are quite big. I have two, and neither is easy for me to shoot DA as far as how much control I'd want on the trigger. I can shoot them easily, but in DA, the trigger reach is longer than I'd prefer.

 

[ncvikingfan]

I have a 96G which is a decock model. It has the same lever as the 96FS/92FS but returns to ready to fire position after (safely) dropping the hammer rather than staying down as a safety. I just recently bought it and have not had time to shoot any yet so can't comment much about it.

I, too, would think that your experience was with a DAO model with a smooth side and no lever at all.