Just like a lot of you guys i am looking at the cheap police trade in 92S guns floating around. I see that they take the "heal release mags". It looks like some current production mags still have the lower cut out in them but some of the USGI mags i see for sale dont have the cut out. Does anyone know for sure what mags do and dont fit these older lower mag release guns? i dont want something that has a rare or hard to find mag. One of the things so desirable to me about the Beretta is the amount of used and USGI parts kicking around.

According to Beretta, the factory 15 round mags will work. However the 17 round Beretta mags will not, and neither will the Mec-Gar from what I understand.

They list these as 92S compatible Link

Look for regular 92 SB mags, they will have the cut out at the bottom left side.

What's a "not-getting-raped" price?

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This is not a bad price for factory new mags.

http://www.44mag.com/product/beretta_92_15_round_magazine/beretta_magazines

They can be had between $15-20 if you're patient and you search enough.  Typically the cheaper mags on the market are either used mags, surplus mil-contract Check Mates, or some other aftermarket.  The best aftermarket mags for the 92 series in my opinion are the Mec-Gar 18 or 20rd mags, but you'll have to mod them with a dremel to work with the 92S.

Factory Beretta (P.B.-marked or M.D.S-marked. regardless of American or Italian-manufacture) 15rd magazines will have the right-hand-side cut-out for the earlier "92S" models.  This includes millions of Factory magazines made since the late 1970's.    

Factory Beretta USGI M9 (regardless of American or Italian-made) 15rd magazines WILL NOT have the right-hand-side cut-out for the "92S" models.  These are the early and late USGI Factory 15rd M9 mags made by either P. Beretta or Mec-Gar (under contract).  These have the USGI Cage-code and part-number roll-marked on the right-hand side of the magazine-body.

Most Italian-made commercial and/or police or contract Mec-Gar 15rd and 17rd magazines will (usually*) have the right-hand-side cut-out for the earlier "92S".  Mec-Gar made 15rd/17rd mags for decades with a cut-out for the "92S".  The newer Mec-Gar "M9" 18rd and new, redesigned 15rd (made from the 18rd mag-body) WILL NOT have the cut-out for the "92S".

No Checkmate or Airtronic-contracted USGI 15rd mags will have the cut-out for the "92S".

Sorry for the long post.  Hope this helps.

You can always make the heel cut yourself on mil surp mags.

I've done it with a dremel & drill and file - If I wasn't lazy I'd use the mill and make a jig.  But only needed a few, so dremele'd mags were fine

I can see if you already had a stack then ya, but the prices listed here don't make it worthwhile to buy cheap mags and hack them IMHO