used one for years
hate the open slide
low rated for the price range
Here we go again..."And in this corner, weighing in at 196 pounds and no avater: Gregsterrrrrrr, 'The 92 Advoctahhhhhhh'!!!" :icon_chee
I carried an M9 in the Corps ('87-'91) which as a tanker was my primary TO&E personal weapon. I liked it, and recall most of my fellow Jarheads did too, despite the negative hype; this was shortly after adoption by the DoD, when the early "slide breakage" incidents got overblown to where is was made out to sound like you couldn't walk within 50 yards of a military pistol range without the danger of getting bonked in the head because the air was thick with busted M9 uppers flying around.
Well, that and there were always a few lifers who refused to shut up about how great the old M1911 .45 was. Seems they had an impact, since of late, more and more Marine units outside of billets like MSG and ship security (who I don't think ever gave them up completely) have been quietly re-adopting them.
I bought a Taurus Model 92 (a licensed Baretta knock-off) right after I returned from the Gulf War with a big, fat roll of bonus swag I'd been accruing while deployed in a combat zone hundreds of miles from any place worth spending it. After agonizing over choices and came down to that and a CZ-75 (another excellent, reasonably-priced pistol) I took the M-92 'cuz I knew I liked it and could hit with it.
I have never once regretted my choice. I can't imagine I've shot less than 15,000 rounds through it and with the exception of one or two boxes of pissant ammo that I doubt would have reliably cycled through *ANY* gun (a box of dirt-cheap aluminum-cased reloads and some ancient surplus Argentinian Army ammo) it has fed and spit out everything of every brand and description I have stuffed in it (ball, hollowpoint, high-velocity, bargain-price, top-shelf...). The design is simple and robust, and I have yet to replace a single part except the rear aperture, which on mine is adjustable and which I think broke due to my own carelessness, costing me $27. Had it been *ANY* other part, Taurus would have fixed it
pro-bono, and had it been a fixed sight, I doubt it would have ever happened.
I like the new Barettas, 'cept the "DA-only" (I never like that design in any sidearm). and oh, how I wish they all had integral rail mounts in the lower receiver when *I* was in the market.
Anyhoo: I'd recommend them, and especially recommend yo check out Taurus. They sell the same piece, usually for a couple hundred smackeroos less.