Thread: Beretta 92fs Alternatives

My father bought a Beretta 92fs from another member here, and simply put...I like it. Unfortunately I can't afford one. So I'm wondering is there any copycat pistols out there, or anything comparable in size, weight and feel of the Beretta but at a more reasonable cost?

Taurus makes a PT92. Looks similar, but I don't have any experience with it. Good luck!

Originally Posted by madiz27

Taurus makes a PT92. Looks similar, but I don't have any experience with it. Good luck!

Taurus International Manufacturing Inc

I have a couple of recent Taurus pistols, and like them a lot. Great value.

It's funny you should ask about a cheaper alternative to one of the only pistols you can buy a cheaper and nearly identical version of!

Ok perfect! Anyone with a experience with both pistols?

I remember ati? Had one too, it was turkish made I believe. Used to be around 300 bucks.

Stoeger Cougar $399 brand new. Beretta designed the Cougar and they first appeared on the market in 1994 as a more compact alternative to the full-sized Beretta 92 service pistol in order to offer a compromise between concealability, ease of carry, accuracy and firepower. It weighs in at 32.6 oz and is a solid all metal gun. Same controls as you would find on the Beretta 92fs.
Mike

Taurus can be hit an miss on quality. No pun intended. I have heard they are good about fixing them when they break. (lot's of practice I guess). I would rather have a used Beretta than a new Taurus. You should be able to pick up a used Beretta in the $300's

Beretta 92FS / 92 FS 9mm Hi-Cap NR. : Semi-auto at GunBroker.com

To repeat the above, the Taurus 92 is a fantastic deal vs Beretta, especially if you are looking to go stainless. They're made under license in a former Beretta factory on former Beretta equipment. The only functional difference is the safety goes up for safe and down to decock (middle to fire). Also has mag release in a different place so you can't use most mags made for Beretta. Google search Taurus vs Beretta and you will get tons owners that love them and brand bubblegums that hate them.

I've shot the Stoeger Cougar and it too is a fantastic deal/pistol. Everyone I know that's shot it (myself included) is surprised by the light recoil and the great accuracy despite our poor marksmanship. It is a bit shorter but beefier than the Beretta and the controls are identical. Also originally a Beretta design, but moved to their subsidiary in Eastern Europe for cheaper mfg.

If you insist on the Beretta name, also consider the PX4. It is mechanically similar to the Cougar, but has a polymer frame. Theoretically a more durable product than the three aluminum frames discussed above, but less expensive to manufacture so it is cheaper than the Beretta 92.

Not sure how much you care about magazines/capacity but the Stoeger only holds 15+1 where the other options are 17 from the factory. MecGar makes 20 rounders for both Beretta and Taurus 92 models.

Taurus= crap

Originally Posted by coop44

Taurus= crap

care to elaborate or do you just talk in 1 word sentences? I had a Taurus PT92 that was great. Accurate. Never had a ftf or ftanything. Very solid and shiny. I only got rid of it cause I felt it was a little too big for my wee little hands. I hate talking bubblegum to a senior member but after that much experience posting you would think you could contribute a bit more to a conversation. Why do you think its crap. Have you had one? What were your personal experiences?

worked at a gunsmith/warranty center where we handled tons of substandard guns, for every beretta we saw there were a dozen taurus. some of the others like bersa and llama we weren't even allowed to try and fix them they were just replaced by the importer.

My wife purchased this Italian made Beretta 92-FS for me as a gift a couple of years ago. It was an impulse buy from Cabela's. It was on sale, plus she had a "$50.00 off" coupon that made it a really good buy. I have always thought the Beretta 92 series were far too large for a 15 shot 9 MM. But after handling and actually shooting the weapon I've reevaluated my thoughts on the gun.

It handles really well, and field strips for cleaning very easily. The gun itself is surprisingly accurate, and very easy to hit with. Also Mec-Gar now makes very high quality 20 round magazines for this weapon. Having an extra 5 rounds in a gun this size makes more sense. Especially when you compare it to say a Glock 19 which has an equal 15 round capacity, but is far smaller.

As far as Taurus, I would stick with the Beretta. 2 reasons. First, as I mentioned these guns go on sale quite frequently, and can be had at good prices from the major stores like Cabela's, etc. Just be patient and watch for sales in your area. They come frequently with today's poor economy. Guns are not moving nearly as well as just a few years ago. The other reason is Taurus's spotty quality. Some run great, while others don't. I've known shooters that had the latter, and had tremendous difficulty in getting their problems resolved by the factory. Many requiring several trips back and forth before getting the weapon satisfactorily repaired.

You don't need or want to buy into a headache. I'm not saying that will happen. It's just your chances are greater with the Taurus in that regard. To be honest I've never seen one of these guns that didn't run properly, (Beretta). I have seen Taurus's at the range give their owners issues. With that said it is your investment, and you have to make the decision. All I can say is this is one gun I really didn't plan on owning, but now that I do it has turned out to be a good decision on my wife's part buying it. When I opened the box I didn't think so. In that regard the gun has earned my respect.

The only thing I don't loke about the M9/92FS is that the barrel is exposed to the elements. In the PNW that can lead to rusting rather quickly due to the weapons action.

Originally Posted by Buddhalux

The only thing I don't loke about the M9/92FS is that the barrel is exposed to the elements. In the PNW that can lead to rusting rather quickly due to the weapons action.

Agree, however most barrels have a decent exterior coating to prevent this...I'm a gun-cleaning fanatic, so I haven't actually put mine to the test.

I currently own a 92FS Centurion that I picked up used from a reputable online seller for $325. The 92FS is incredibly popular and there are always lots of them on the used market. If it were me, I'd hold out for the Beretta over a Taurus...just for resale value alone. I like the slightly shorter length of the Centurion and it makes it a little easier to conceal in an IWB holster.

I have had 2 Beretta 92fs models and currently own an M9. They have all been very accurate and the M9 is my home defense pistol. They have all been very reliable with all manner of hollow point ammo. Cheap Checkmate magazines can have reliability issues as the powdercoat is more like sandpaper and when combined with actual sand they tend to be less than reliable is what I have heard. Once broken in and smoothed out, mine are great range mags. For best results I use the factory Beretta mags of course. If you search around you can probably find a good used Police trade in 92fs. Might not look pretty but I'd bet its still pretty accurate and the reliability is always there. The thing about the open slide is part of its beauty imho. Never had a "stovepipe" and the reduced slide weight reduces muzzle flip to almost nothing in my experience. Kind of like those ported and carved out slides on all those competition race guns... In testing, it proved to be just as reliable as a SIG 226 and more reliable than the M1911A1. I am just a big fan of the M9 for its accuracy, ease of shooting, and reliability. Buy once, cry once.

Oh yeah, its not plastic...

I'd probably look for a well used Beretta m9 but if you wanted a clone ATI also has a AT92 I've heard they are ok