Beretta 87 --- Beretta 92FS --- M9?

Question

As the title (hopefully) suggested I am looking for a natural progression to the Beretta M9.

My ROTC unit will be sponsoring cadets in an event next year where marksmanship, and familiarity with the M9 is key. (Plus this is the handgun I will have to qualify with when I commission.)

Naturally the 92FS is the logical choice as far as a civilian counterpart to train with. However, as I will be a first time gun owner, I wanted to start with something smaller, and cheaper to fire.

Is the Beretta 87 (not necessarily the 87 Target) a good choice for someone intending to move on to the 92FS and then the M9?

Aside from the training bit, are both the 87 and the 92FS solid handguns that I will not regret purchasing? How are they price wise?

Not quite as important (as I'll have to use the M9 anyway) but I have smaller hands for a guy. How is the grip on the 92FS? A good size? Or, large by 9mm standards?

Any insight you gun guru's can shed would be incredibly helpful. If it looks like I'm on the wrong train of thought here, please feel free to step in and correct me.

Thanks in advance.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

The Beretta 87 evolved from the Beretta 84 series,  which evolved from the Beretta 1951...as did the Beretta 92.

Hence you can look at the 84 and 92 as 'brothers' and the 87 as a 'nephew'

The grip of the 87 will be most similar to the 84, which is more similar to Browning BDA grip than a Beretta 92F grip.


However, you are wasting your time worrying about finding a 22LR that has a grip similar to the 92F.

Shooting is about eyeballs, sights, and triggers.  It doesn't matter what handgun you learn sight picture and trigger control on, it will translate to them all.  The degree of translation is much more related to the quality and similarity of sights plus trigger travel length and crispness than it is grip feel.

Go forth and shoot in volume, with both eyes open, perfecting your sight picture with WHATEVER 22LR of decent quality you choose.  It doesn't matter if it is a Beretta 87, a Browning Buckmark, a Ruger Mark 3, Walther 10, Smith and Wesson 41, etc etc

I would recommend staying away from the Walther P22 though, it 'looks cool' but other than that is just okay, not target grade no matter how much target stuff they try and hang from it.

OH, final note, the Beretta 87 has a very different manual of arms than most semiautos.  You are supposed to work the slide from BELOW, by reaching under and in front of  the trigger guard with thumb and forefinger to work the slide.   Of course the Buckmark and the Ruger don't have slides that operate like a conventional modern combat handgun either

? · Answer

I carried the Beretta 85  (380) as my personal protection for nearly 10 years. It is my favorite gun of all times-and I have quiet a few.  The grip will be very similar to, but smaller than the 92.
The safety on the M9/92 will be up on the slide instead of lower on the frame. 
If you are younger and your hand is still growing-an 84 or 85 may fit you good. But when you switch to the 92, the safety being slightly different may cause a little confusion initially. 
Why not just go into a gun store and handle a 92. Then you will know.

Brandon Di Rocco · Answer

well it makes sense to start small, but because your soon going to have to move fast anyway it would be cheaper to buy the 92fs, because otherwinse you would buy one gun, then the 92 to get used to the change BEFORe it really matters so your buying to guns.
I would get the 92 and practice on targets atleast 30 rounds a day  i would personally do more but budget permitting you should do that at the minimum. also clean it regulary because when you need to field strip blindfolded youl b better off
as for the grips   their a good size and if u practice 30 rounds or more a day you should be pretty well set.
one thing    if you start doing bad one day stop
practice makes perfect but if your not doing well then all your practicing is not to do well  and days where you are doing pretty good   shoot a few more   
if you want   if your worried about spending alot   you could reload your own ammo and cast your own lead shot     cuts down the price pretty good
i hope i helped

Beretta 87 ---> Beretta 92FS ---> M9?

3 Answers