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Posted: 10/1/2010 5:30:25 PM EDT
Sorry to all of you who were looking for my photos in this post, the old server wanted money to host :(
I have been trying to gather the photos back into another photo server. Hopefully it will no be much longer before I get them linked back up to this post.


With all the internet drama put to the side, the Beretta 92F series pistol is a strong and reliable gun. As with all things made by man, there is a possibility of broken parts that can cause your pistol to go down for service. These are also things to look at if you are thinking of buying a used 92FS pistol, as well as minor upkeep to prevent problems.

The items pictured can take a bit of work to get the pistol apart, so break out your reading materiel if you don't know how to get the pistol disassembled

So with the knowledge that these are pistols that were shot a bunch, and then mostly continued to shoot some more......

On with the carnage!

Locking Block:
The locking block is exposed to a degree of force every time you fire the pistol. The left side "wing" of the locking block is usually the first area of concern, but I have seen both "wings" snap off and stop pistols from working.



Always inspect your locking block for signs of cracking during routine cleaning. See the red arrow:


If your locking block breaks, do not force the slide (hammering/banging) off of the pistol. First make sure you align the broken "wings" into the locked position on your slide. Use a dental pick or anything thin enough to support the broken part as you gently allow the slide to go forward off of the frame rails. The broken parts can then be replaced:


Slide Cracking:

You do not want this to be the result of poor maintenance and failing to spot cracks ahead of time. The 92FS has an improved hammer pin that will stop the rear of the slide from leaving the pistol at a high speed. It catches the broken slide. The old 92F does not have the improved hammer pin, and will allow a broken slide to hit you in the face.


Allow the slide to hand freely from your finger as pictured. Tap each side of the slide with a brass hammer (or even the metal guide rod from the pistol) and listen for a "tuning fork" ringing sound. If the tap produces a dull "thud" sound, you may have a cracked slide. If your slide is cracked, it needs to be replaced.


See red arrows for signs of cracked slides. These pistols still functioned, but will eventually break if not caught:



Barrel Cracks:

This is not very common, but if your pistol has been used a bunch and has broken several locking blocks, you need to keep and eye on this area. This pistol was still functioning, but suddenly started to shoot about 25 inches higher than normal.


Other Barrel Troubles:

The rear surface of your barrel impacts the breech face of your slide. As the pistol is fired, over a long time, you can weaken the recoil guide spring. The weak spring allows the pistol to beat itself to death, breaking parts and recoiling harder than normal. The rear face of the barrel can get a small ridge of metal in this area (red arrow). The top end is shiny from use and the bottom end still retains its finish. This ridge of metal can be easily removed by light stoning.


––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
The above issues can be avoided by simple maintenance.
- Replace your guide rod spring every 3000-5000 rounds, or replace it if it is shorter than your guide rod.
- Keep the pistol lubed, it requires oil on the locking block and slide rails. The oil needs to be there, but does not have to drip off the pistol.

Hope you enjoyed the images


<Edited to Bold Title.....dpmmn>
Link Posted: 10/1/2010 5:32:51 PM EDT
[#1]
Added:



If your pistol is shot a buch and has started to have extraction troubles.......

It may be time to pull the extractor and clean it out. The residue from thousands of rounds gets trapped behind the extractor, preventing free movement. With the build up, the extractor can actually fail to grab rounds out of the chamber.



New extractor spring is cheap to replace the old one if you pulled it apart

Link Posted: 10/1/2010 5:35:56 PM EDT
[#2]
Thank you!
Link Posted: 10/1/2010 5:55:35 PM EDT
[#3]
Good info.
However I thought the locking block & slide cracking were old problems not seen any longer since Beretta revised those parts?
Link Posted: 10/1/2010 6:01:56 PM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
Good info.
However I thought the locking block & slide cracking were old problems not seen any longer since Beretta revised those parts?

It still happens, but the revised parts are very tough and less prone to breakage.
If you have the newest version locking block and take care to replace your recoil guide spring, it will last a long long time.
Anything will break if you run it hard enough. These parts are not from weekend only guns, they were seriously run down with little care. The Beretta kicks butt, but can be broken if you don't take care of it. These photo took a long time to aquire

Link Posted: 10/1/2010 6:26:22 PM EDT
[#5]
Damn good info, Thanks.
Link Posted: 10/1/2010 7:35:21 PM EDT
[#6]
Sticky!
Link Posted: 10/1/2010 8:44:51 PM EDT
[#7]
Great Post!!!

I knew everything except for the tapping the slide and listening for the tuning fork sound, so I have now added that to my inspection process.

Link Posted: 10/2/2010 4:29:59 AM EDT
[#8]
This should be tacked.
Link Posted: 10/2/2010 12:28:33 PM EDT
[#9]
Awesome pics, thanks!  



+1 for tack
Link Posted: 10/2/2010 4:12:44 PM EDT
[#10]
Fantastic post!  Thanks for the info.
Link Posted: 10/2/2010 7:09:36 PM EDT
[#11]
should be tacked
Link Posted: 10/2/2010 8:21:17 PM EDT
[#12]
Thanks guys.

Remember this, the gun beats itself to death when the recoil spring get tired. It will keep shooting, but over time, something will break.
The shiny spots on the locking block, slide rails and barrel are all in need of good lube. Keep on top of the recoil spring wear and run it wet with oil.

It will work a long long time.
Link Posted: 10/2/2010 9:14:31 PM EDT
[#13]
Link Posted: 10/2/2010 9:17:45 PM EDT
[#14]
Link Posted: 10/3/2010 8:25:17 AM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
Thanks guys.

Remember this, the gun beats itself to death when the recoil spring get tired. It will keep shooting, but over time, something will break.
The shiny spots on the locking block, slide rails and barrel are all in need of good lube. Keep on top of the recoil spring wear and run it wet with oil.

It will work a long long time.



So, are we talking 1000, 5000, 10,000 rounds?
Link Posted: 10/3/2010 6:47:33 PM EDT
[#16]
Saw one pistol go a reported 80,000+ rounds. The slide had cracked about 3/4 of the way down from the top on both sides......it was still shooting ok. Swapped it out for a new pistol because it had already eaten a few locking blocks and had lots of wear to the frame areas near the locking block wings. I wonder how long it would have gone on running as is.....or how many rounds it would have fired if the recoil spring was changed out more frequently, just not due to breakage.


Testing by Beretta for the M9 pistol (per Beretta Website)

• The average reliability of all M9 pistols tested at Beretta U.S.A. is 17,500 rounds without a stoppage.

• During one test of twelve pistols fired at Beretta U.S.A. before Army supervision, Beretta-made M9 pistols shot 168,000 rounds without a single malfunction.

• Two-thirds of all M9 hand guns endurance tested at Beretta U.S.A. fired 5,000 rounds without a single mal function or, at most, with only one malfunction.

• The average durability of Beretta M9 slides is over 35,000 rounds, the point at which U.S. Army testing ceases.

• The average durability of M9 frames is over 30,000 rounds.

• The average durability of M9 locking blocks is 22,000 rounds.
Link Posted: 12/28/2010 3:44:34 PM EDT
[#17]
You see these pictures of broken pistols and you can get worried that your 92 may blow up in your face. Well, truth is, its not really very likely for Mr. Average Shooter. These pistols had a LOT of use and abuse, and very little care in many cases. The average shooter is highly unlikely to ever see most of these problems. Not many of use shoot 80,000 rounds of +P ammo in our pistols.

One thing that was brought up and is important is replacing the recoil spring. This is a key part and really can affect the life of the pistol (slide). Its an inexpensive part that is easy to change. Cost less than twenty bucks and will save your gun. Also, clean and inspect any firearm often. I read where people brag about how they never clean them. Foolish economy. Part of cleaning a firearm, or any piece of equipment, is that it causes us to focus on the parts, inspecting them for wear and tear. Its just good sense to go over that firearm often and well if you want it to last.
Link Posted: 1/2/2011 7:59:42 AM EDT
[#18]
Link Posted: 4/27/2011 12:08:30 PM EDT
[#19]
Great info!  I'll be checking my 96 Compact Inox L over when I get a chance.      The round count is less than 1K, but the added stress from the .40 S&W round will likely beat the components harder than 9mm will.
Link Posted: 9/21/2011 10:57:16 PM EDT
[#20]
And should you find that you need replacement parts like a locking block or recoil spring, Beretta USA sells them as a kit
http://www.berettausa.com/products/92/96-locking-block-kit/

I've got a 1989 vintage 92F that gets thoroughly inspected after every range trip.  It was like new when I bought it back in 2005 and I replaced the recoil spring this year, along with a bunch of magazine springs.  As you can see, both needed replacing.

Link Posted: 3/19/2012 9:11:27 PM EDT
[#21]
Great thread!

Thanks, OP.

Link Posted: 4/14/2012 1:21:18 AM EDT
[#22]
Great pics and excellent info OP.

A question if I may.... Do you recommend a heavier than stock recoil spring if a D hammer spring is used?
Link Posted: 4/14/2012 3:01:10 PM EDT
[#23]
Quoted:
Great pics and excellent info OP.

A question if I may.... Do you recommend a heavier than stock recoil spring if a D hammer spring is used?


The "D" hammer spring does lighten up the hammer fall, and is the same as cutting 3 coils off of the standard hammer spring.
When running the "D" spring, there is not need to bump up the poundage of the guilde rod spring. Stock spring works well either way.

Link Posted: 8/4/2012 9:38:54 AM EDT
[#24]
Is it possible to upgrade to a 92FS hammer pin on a 92F so that one can mitigate chances of emergency dental work? What production years did these early 92F's have problems?
Link Posted: 8/11/2012 3:39:16 AM EDT
[#25]
Quoted:
Is it possible to upgrade to a 92FS hammer pin on a 92F so that one can mitigate chances of emergency dental work? What production years did these early 92F's have problems?


I'm curious about this too.
Link Posted: 8/11/2012 12:45:20 PM EDT
[#26]





Quoted:





Quoted:


Is it possible to upgrade to a 92FS hammer pin on a 92F so that one can
mitigate chances of emergency dental work? What production years did
these early 92F's have problems?
I'm curious about this too.
It
is possible but you'd have to machine a groove into the F slide to
accommodate the larger hammer pin head.  Beretta used to offer this
service for a charge, I don't know if they still do.  Any gunsmith
should be able to do it if you don't have the tools.





IMO: Not worth it.  Just check your recoil spring and look for signs of stress in the slide and locking block when you clean.





If it really bothers you, you could just install a slightly stronger
than 13lb factory weight 16lb Wolff recoil spring and replace your
locking block with the newest relief-cut style from Beretta (about $35
for the kit).  Be sure your ammo runs well with the new recoil spring
before relying on it.





Recoil buffers are also available but I don't like them.





This problem is way overblown, Just shoot it
 
Link Posted: 11/22/2012 9:12:15 PM EDT
[#27]
on Brownell's website, which recoil spring is correct for a 92FS?  There are multiple options availalbe.  Thanks!
Link Posted: 2/19/2013 10:30:20 PM EDT
[#28]
Thanks for the info. I haven't picked up my 92FS yet, but now I know what to watch out for.
Link Posted: 5/14/2013 12:18:02 PM EDT
[#29]
What year did they make the change?
Link Posted: 11/3/2013 2:10:59 PM EDT
[#30]

Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


on Brownell's website, which recoil spring is correct for a 92FS?  There are multiple options availalbe.  Thanks!
View Quote
Don't forget, there is also the Centurion spring, which is not intended for the full-size.

 
Link Posted: 7/27/2016 8:03:46 PM EDT
[#31]
Link Posted: 9/14/2016 8:18:26 PM EDT
[#32]
This is a useless tacked thread.
Link Posted: 9/15/2016 2:54:37 AM EDT
[#33]
I agree, gentlemen.

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