Beretta 92fs vs. S&W M&P 9mm

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Have been contemplating purchasing one of these, and keep going back and forth.

I've handled both and they both feel equally good to me ergonomics-wise, the Beretta slightly moreso due to my large hands. Haven't gotten the chance to shoot the M&P yet, but I have fired a few Berettas and have been impressed. The availablity of high-cap mags for the 92fs gives it a slight edge in my mind, but the fact that the M&P is a more modern design has it's merits with me also.

Of course, the final decision will come down to my personal preference, I was just hoping some of my fine fellow shooters who may own one or better yet both would offer their opinions, any pros/cons, etc...

Thanks in advance!
 
I've an M&P 9 (full sized) and have shot a 92F a fair amount (friend's gun). They're both very different. The 92 is a whole lot bigger then the M&P - even the size. Might be a little tough as a CCW. If you try an M&P, make sure you DON'T shoot the MA trigger - it's a very nice gun with the trigger God and S&W intended it to have [smile]. Try the large backstrap if you've got big hands.

The M&P's got the long trigger pull, but not as long as a full DA. The pull's lighter then the 92 in DA but heavier then in SA. M&P is lighter then the 92 which means more comfortable to carry but a little bouncier on recoil.

I like my M&P, it's a good gun.
 
honestly i cant really say anything here because i dont have that kind of experiances under my belt as much as you guys do. i've shot many handguns myself and i own a few. I dont go out shoot alot tho, maybe once or twice a month with quite a bit of ammo's.

Today i'm getting myself a mp .45 full size. I so cant wait for it! In may while i was down in north Carolina visiting my cousin at fort bragg, i was able to shoot quite a bit with many different hand guns. I rented a mp .40 and i fell in love with it just because how great it shot and how great it sits in my hand. You see my hand is small and i'm a small guy and the mp's you can adjust the grip! I dont "hate" glocks but, it's personal preferences for every one. the 2x4 feel sucks and it feels too bulky in my hand. But the beretta's a different story. I do like them but not for me. I dont know why but i shoot kind of high with it and i get more jabs in a beratta than the mp i rented with. maybe it's my weak arm ahahaha. but the way the mp are made it sits low and gives a push rather than a snap/jab. (my wrist is semi sensitive because i had an accident few years ago). I rather to have a push rather than jabs. I can shoot all day with little to no pain with that mp .40 but with glock 23 and beretta92 that i played with, i had pain after 5-8 mags of shooting.

I'd get the beratta if you shot it quite a bit and had more experience with it. But since you havnt shot the mp yet, i'd say wait and go try it out. You probably will fall in love with it, or you might not. Be sure you got the ones that has trigger job done to it. The factory trigger is kind of iffy. Once the mp's are tuned, you'll be in love with it thats for sure.

I'm not bashing here, just saying my personal experience and hopefully it helped a bit. Keep in mind, avoid any MA guns as possible hehehe.
 
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I'll put one in for the beretta 92FS. Personally, I feel it's just a better gun. It's more accurate, recoil is less noticeable, hi-cap mags are available, it's better balanced, the actions really smooth, it has the availability of an external safety, whether thats a good thing or not, also, it can fire without a magazine, unlike the M&P. Granted it is much heavier, but if your like me I don't let size and weight prevent me from carrying a gun. You can find a way to conceal it, although the m&p is easier. And you don't have to dish out an additional $60-$80 for a trigger job on the beretta. It's your traditional DA/SA handguns, so first pulls long but smooths, and the SA is light and crisp! Sights are really excellent as well.

Obviously, that's only one guys opinion, but I've had them both and that's my .02cents.
 
I'd go with an M&P compact if it's going to be your carry gun. They hide way way way easier.

for me, external safeties aren't my cup of tea. i have a S&W 1911 and a Ruger 345 that i love to shoot. but seldomly carry. when i do, it's just to do get them out of the safe. LOL, they are like my babies.

for CCW, it's my M&P9c. i use the large pack-strap since i have big meat hooks.
 
What are you looking to do with it? Personally I'd go with the M&P (I don't like DA/SA and the M&P fits my hand better) but my reasons may be completely irrelevant to you.

Oh, and congratulations on you first gun-related post! [wink]
 
Thanks for the input guys, great opinions all.

I really am leaning more towards the 92fs, but will make it a point to shoot the M&P before I commit to a purchase.

I'd love to say that i needed this for ccw, but the fact is it's just gun-lust...[wink] I already have a ruger for ccw. (p345 in fact Jay).

I'm 6' 2" and around 220 so size or weight aren't huge considerations even if I were looking to ccw one of these.

Oh, and congratulations on you first gun-related post! [wink]

Touche'. [wink][smile]
 
The action types are fundamentally different. The 92 is DA/SA -- a long, hard first trigger pull, then a shorter, easier trigger pull. The M&P is striker fired -- each trigger pull is the same. I greatly prefer a gun with a single trigger pull, whether SA or striker fired.

In addition, the 92 has the safety/decocker on the slide. I think this is fundamentally a bad design, because it is just too easy to accidentally decock and/or apply the safety while cycling the slide during an emergency reload.

I'd go with the M&P. YMMV.
 
I'll put one in for the beretta 92FS. Personally, I feel it's just a better gun. It's more accurate, recoil is less noticeable, hi-cap mags are available, it's better balanced, the actions really smooth, it has the availability of an external safety, whether thats a good thing or not, also, it can fire without a magazine, unlike the M&P. Granted it is much heavier, but if your like me I don't let size and weight prevent me from carrying a gun. You can find a way to conceal it, although the m&p is easier. And you don't have to dish out an additional $60-$80 for a trigger job on the beretta. It's your traditional DA/SA handguns, so first pulls long but smooths, and the SA is light and crisp! Sights are really excellent as well.

Obviously, that's only one guys opinion, but I've had them both and that's my .02cents.


Not going to disagree with you as all of the points made in support of the 92fs are true - it's a great gun. Just correcting - the M&P doesn't have to come with a mag safety - it's an option (one that I'm very glad I don't have). It doesn't even have to come with one to be MA legal.
 
If you do go with the 92fs and want to change out the sights, be sure to get a model that has a dovetailed front sight. They don't all. Brigadier slide models and the Elites do, however.

Also the D/A on the 92 can be eased up with an $8 spring (the 92D spring) and it doesn't radically change the SA pull.
 
I just picked up a 92FS a couple days ago. Haven't shot it yet but expect to at Harvard Gun Club tomorrow. If you are interested in joining me you can send me a PM.
 
Not going to disagree with you as all of the points made in support of the 92fs are true - it's a great gun. Just correcting - the M&P doesn't have to come with a mag safety - it's an option (one that I'm very glad I don't have). It doesn't even have to come with one to be MA legal.

I actually don't have a problem with mag safeties.

The probability of me being in a firefight where I'd have to change mags in mid-shot is just much lower than the probability of some scumbag reaching for my piece...and the peace of mind of knowing that I could instantly render the firearm inoperable, briefly relish the confused look on the perp's face as he hears that "click", then proceeding to stomp the living shit out of him provides me with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside...[wink]
 
Not going to disagree with you as all of the points made in support of the 92fs are true - it's a great gun. Just correcting - the M&P doesn't have to come with a mag safety - it's an option (one that I'm very glad I don't have). It doesn't even have to come with one to be MA legal.

Didn't know that! Unfortunately, I guess mine came with it, very annoying!
 
Didn't know that! Unfortunately, I guess mine came with it, very annoying!

It's not so bad. The guns with no mag safety have a warning stamped into the side of the slide making the gun fairly ugly, aesthetically (IMHO).

I opted instead to go with the mag safety and a good looking gun. If I ever decide to disable the mag safety (and accepting whatever risks there may be), I still have that option, but haven't disrupted the appearance of the gun.
 
I just picked up a 92FS a couple days ago. Haven't shot it yet but expect to at Harvard Gun Club tomorrow. If you are interested in joining me you can send me a PM.

For some reason the 92FS never felt right for me as a lefty. It seemed like the controls were too hard to reach, or in the wrong place. I guess this would only matter if the original poster was a lefty.

-Cuz.
 
Thanks for the input guys, great opinions all.

I really am leaning more towards the 92fs, but will make it a point to shoot the M&P before I commit to a purchase.

Make sure you shoot an M+P that actually has a repaired trigger, or at least a non-MA trigger that's been broken in.
The default MA trigger is terrible and completely unusable. I'd budget in some extra money for the M+P unless you can find a gun that's already been done over. Shooting an M+P with the MA cripple trigger will really give you the wrong idea about the gun. [laugh]

-Mike
 
Make sure you shoot an M+P that actually has a repaired trigger, or at least a non-MA trigger that's been broken in.
The default MA trigger is terrible and completely unusable. I'd budget in some extra money for the M+P unless you can find a gun that's already been done over. Shooting an M+P with the MA cripple trigger will really give you the wrong idea about the gun. [laugh]

-Mike

Good point mike, will do.

Even if I can't get to shoot one with the improved trigger, I'd be able to mentally disregard the shitty trigger when making my assessment. I'm not one of those people that looks at a house and decides everything is perfect except for the color of paint on the walls in the living room or some other easily fixable fault which makes them pass on it. Man, the wife has me watching WAY too many of those home improvement/house buying shows...sheesh. [laugh]
 
JUST GOT THE .45 MP!!!!!! my god it shoots a beauty! now i'm complete and i'm happy. i got the gun i wanted. i really suggest you try out mp's before buying anything.

PS: this gun is completely adjusted and it's practically new in box. 5 mags, pratically new in box gun with 100 rounds of winchester .45 auto for 500 bucks. yes it's a steal! the trigger feels great and damn it imma go shoot some more.
 
I just picked up a 92FS a couple days ago. Haven't shot it yet but expect to at Harvard Gun Club tomorrow. If you are interested in joining me you can send me a PM.

Thanks for the offer, much appreciated.

I'm going to have to pass as Mrs. Blood and I are expecting a mini-me come January so unfortunately my weekend has been relegated to escort duty for the Mrs's recon mission at the baby section up at Ikea...[smile]
 
beretta 92 all the way...i have 2 gonna buy a 3rd!

Yeah man I've been leaning towards the 92 pretty much from the start. Regardless I definitely plan on making both a part of the collection, it was all about which one to add first.

Any thoughts on Italian made vs. US made? I've heard that the Italian models have a better fit and finish...bs?
 
i've shot the M9's so i'm not to fond of them. i've seen the italian made ones at Four Seasons and i didn't notice any visual difference.

***if you like both, BUY them BOTH*** LOL
 
Thanks for the offer, much appreciated.

I'm going to have to pass as Mrs. Blood and I are expecting a mini-me come January so unfortunately my weekend has been relegated to escort duty for the Mrs's recon mission at the baby section up at Ikea...[smile]

[rofl][cheers][banana]
 
Don't you take any shit from those Swedes. You just walk in there, pop a few meatballs in your mouth, get the lil lady set up in the nose miner section and head on over the famous IKEA gun section.


Yeah, right....sigh.
 
A gunsmith can take that out for you.

I'm not familiar with the M&P, but if its mag safety is similar to the S&W DA/SA pistols, it is very easy to remove. Just remove the rear sight and the plunger and spring beneath it. Replace front sight and you're done. The only hassle is sighting the gun in after the operation.
 
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