Picked up a new M9 a few weeks ago so I've been buying up extra magazines 92 magazines from the EE. There sure are a lot of different types... any preferences on which you guys like to use, and which to avoid? What are all the different finishes? Baseplates?

Here are 3 different types that I have now (all 15 rounders):

Factory magazine with both the model 92 butt mounted magazine release cut and the model 92f magazine release at the trigger guard cut

Factory stainless magazine which only fits the current model 92 series

GI issue magazine, which has only a sheet metal base plate instead of the commercial aluminum base plate.


http://www.berettaweb.com/92%20Successo/Beretta%2092%20a%20global%20success%201a.htm

I only use Mac-gar mags or the factory Beretta mags

The factory magazines used to use a metal baseplate, but have been using a metal reinforced  plastic baseplate since 2004 or so.

In the early 90s OEM mags had the large metal base plates, the checkmate and airtronics had the thin metal base plate.

^^This .MecGar Beretta mags are cheap and totally reliable .

A little shopping will locate the 18's as low as $19 each and the 20's as low as $29.

2 factory Berettas and a GI Airtronics.

The Checkmate mags had a bad rep early into GWOT for reliability, this was related to the inside coating of the mag body building up dirt in the mag body. Things were fixed well before 2010 so yours is GTG. Even supposedly "bad mags" are fine as long as you keep them clean &don't use them in a desert war

I dunno what they're going for on EE, but GI mags can usually be found at many Army Navy stores cheap, especially those near an active military post. I picked up over 50 of them trolling around the gun shops and army navy stores around Ft. Riley, never paying more than $8 a mag.

My 18 round Mec-Gar magazines have proven 100% reliable with my M9 and WC Brigadier Tactical 92G and are my chosen carry magazines. The Beretta OEM 15 round magazines (both standard and sand resistant) have also proven 100% reliable. I've busted the floor plate on one of my 17 round OEM Beretta magazines and haven't been able to purchase a replacement (Beretta doesn't sell replacement floor plates for the 17 round 92A1 magazines) - so I don't recommend the 17 round magazines. My Checkmate magazines (purchased new in wrapper) have proven problematic, with numerous failures to lock back the slide when empty. Checkmate has a warranty on their magazines and provided me with new magazines and springs when I contacted them, but I consider them range magazines only and would not recommend them for defensive purposes.