Beretta 96A1: To Keep Or Throw?

It has been a hot minute since I have given the Beretta 96A1 any trigger time. I honestly was actually looking at selling the pistol in order to make some dough for something else. However, after handling the pistol a bit, I decided that it was time to put some rounds through it and see if there was any spark between us. The recoil was firm and the hits were right where I wanted them to be. The gun just has this odd characteristic that makes it hard to hate, but somewhat of a challenge to dedicate solely to. Let me use this article to explain what I mean.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

For those not too familiar with Beretta and their line of pistols, the 92A1/96A1 got their start as the 90-TWO. Beretta claims that the A1 series is a combination of the 92 series styling and the durability and modularity enhancements of the 90-TWO. 

In my small opinion, I think the 90-TWO series should have stuck since it offered a grip that was slender and had styling that brought the 92 design into the future. But aside from that, you may recognize the grip styling and design since it is very similar to what was found on the later PX4 line of pistols.

LET'S LOOK AT THE FEATURES

The features of the 96A1 are meant to bring the 92 series of pistols into the 21st century by answering the basic needs and wants of the tactical firearms market. There a few changes externally and internally, but let's start by covering the external features. First big change was that the front sight is dovetailed in order to allow you to install whatever sights you wish that will fit the dovetail. This is important in allowing the department or user to customize their sights for a better response time when engaging threats. The most obvious change would be the addition of the rail, which is a basic feature in all modern service pistols. Last major change was the magazines were enhanced to allow for more capacity and increased durability. Also, you get three right out of the box instead of the mediocre 2 that hold a mediocre number of rounds.

The internal changes to the pistol are the real game changers that make this pistol unique to the rest of the 92/96 line. First major change if that the pistol uses a captive recoil spring/guide rod system. I am somewhat on the fence about agreeing with this since the price of the whole assembly is about 5x that of the cost of just getting the spring. The biggest change to the internals is the inclusion of a soft metal frame buffer. I would guess that this frame buffer is made of Aluminum since it is light and Aluminum is typically known for withstanding shock with grace. The buffer seems to spread the shock out evenly under and around the takedown latch. This piece is basically in existence solely because the .40 cal seems to be the hardest on the 92 design. This piece is supposed to absorb the beating and leave the frame minimally affected, no matter how hot the ammo may be. In fact, this buffer completely prevents the slide from even making contact with the frame at all. There is little to no reports on how long this buffer will last before it requires replacement, but I imagine it will last at least as long as the locking block (30K) if you change the recoil spring system out regularly like you are supposed to. This is the key to the design that makes this pistol ideal if you are looking for a metal framed .40 caliber pistol you can rely on.

STAND FIRM OR MOVE ON?

Lately I have been looking to clear out my collection of pistols and stick to a streamlined set of pistols that I can keep around and use. I was going through my pistols and was thinking about whether I really wanted to keep the Beretta 96A1 around. It can easily be adapted for use in a home defense role, but is easily outclassed by my full size S&W M&P40 in capacity, recoil, and component cost. If I were to keep this pistol around, it would be on the basis of just having a metal framed pistol in .40 cal to have fun with now and then. This is not to say that this pistol is not useful, but I already have a pistol to do whatever I need a full size pistol for. Yes, I could get the 13rd MecGar mags and get a fresh set of sights on the pistol, but even then it is still lacking in how much the parts cost and how much it recoils. If I absolutely had to have a metal framed .40 caliber pistol, this one would be near the top of the list. However, I think that this pistol just lacks in too many areas for me to consider it for remaining in my collection. Unfortunately, after a fun run and a bit of use, it is time to let go of this piece of Italian hardware.