Beretta vs S&W Part II - The 90s Wonder-Nines debate continues! - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Beretta vs S&W Part II - The 90s Wonder-Nines debate continues! (Page 1 of 3)

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:20:48 PM EDT

You have a choice of the S&W Model 5903 SSV or the Beretta 92FS Centurion. Both were offered as the shorter slide variant of their products. The SSV was a limited run from S&W, only 1,500 were made and released in 1991. It was a traditional 1st pattern 5903 frame mated with a 6904 slide and barrel, so it has a 3.5" barrel. It also has a bobbed hammer. The Beretta 92FS Centurion was a normal production run gun and offered a 4" barrel. The frame is slightly different than a traditional 92FS. The dust cover is slightly shorter. S&W did absolutely nothing to their frame. They didn't shorten the dust cover.

Both are 15rd, DA/SA, hammer fired, aluminum framed handguns.

Which would you choose?

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:23:08 PM EDT

[#1]

Beretta, no contest.

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:49:54 PM EDT

[#2]

Beretta because the Smith trigger sucked as does that square trigger guard.

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:52:55 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
Beretta, no contest.

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FPNI.

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:53:40 PM EDT

[#4]

I carried the M9 as my first duty sidearm and then the SW4006 for many years. I always hated their slide mounted safety/decockers. They provide a horrible extra step to the manual of arms and also act like a cheese grater if you spend hours of training using the power stroke magazine reload method.

My favorite duty pistols were the second place Sig P229 and the first place S&W M&P. The middle of the pack Glock is just boring.

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:53:40 PM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
Beretta, no contest.

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Posted: 1/15/2021 9:54:14 PM EDT

[#6]

Beretta, without a doubt.

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:55:33 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Beretta, no contest.

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How the fuck is this even a question

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:55:50 PM EDT

[#8]

Beretta

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:56:23 PM EDT

[#9]

Yeah, gonna go with the Beretta here.

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:57:31 PM EDT

[#10]

One's still made, and one isn't...

I wish it still was though.

Posted: 1/15/2021 9:57:44 PM EDT

[#11]

Beretta no question. I had a S&W model 457 and the trigger on it was garbage.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:00:01 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
Beretta no question. I had a S&W model 457 and the trigger on it was garbage.

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The 457 is a Value Line gun. Internally it isn't a 3rd Gen.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:01:18 PM EDT

[#13]

slide mounted yuk

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:06:54 PM EDT

[#14]

2nd and 3rd gen Smiths are reliable, accurate and beautiful point like bricks. I will take just abkut any major manufacturer pistol over them. The Beretta 93/96 series is a damn fine pistol. I had several in the 90's, i would like to get a 96A1 but not at the price being asked for them right now.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:14:31 PM EDT

[#15]

I own both (well versions of both). I like both. I am a huge Smith guy. I would be comfortable with either. But I would lean Beretta. Utterly reliable, accurate. A tad bulky. Neither has a trigger to write home about. In a pinch I could use my 5906 to forge horseshoes.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:15:28 PM EDT

[#16]

S&W no doubt, The Le Smiths I carried and owned have had decockers no safetys. Streel frame to last a lifetime.
The 92 varaints are great as well though too but aluminum frame turns me off.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:22:35 PM EDT

[#17]

S&W hands down. Better trigger & fits my hands like a glove.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:31:50 PM EDT

[#18]

My friend had a 9mm S&W (not sure what exact model) and I bought the Beretta. I like the lines of the Beretta more and feels better in the hand. Also, only problem I ever had was a FTF due to a reload that was not crimped properly (my fault)

Attached File

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:32:32 PM EDT

[#19]

Get both?

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:33:46 PM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
Get both?

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Well, that's clearly what I did.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:38:53 PM EDT

[#21]

So S&W made the glock 19x before glock did.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:40:53 PM EDT

[#22]

Well, since every S&W auto that started my academy failed to finish AND I carried a 92SF when I first got to my current department, I'd have to go with the 92.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:43:45 PM EDT

[#23]

Given the fact that I own seven Gen 1 through Gen 3 S&W pistols and have sold all three Beretta 92s I've ever owned, I guess I vote with my wallet.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:44:01 PM EDT

[#24]

SIG P226. No, the thread isn’t about them, but it was available at the time and is vastly superior to both.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:45:43 PM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
SIG P226. No, the thread isn’t about them, but it was available at the time and is vastly superior to both.

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Nice gun but it is no Beretta 92.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:48:59 PM EDT

[#26]

Not even a contest between those two.

Beretta.

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:51:34 PM EDT

[#27]

Beretta

but I thought about it for a few seconds

Posted: 1/15/2021 10:53:28 PM EDT

[#28]

What debate? There is no debate.

Go to the store and buy a new S&W non-polymer 9mm (or 40S&W, or 45ACP) service pistol.

Oh, wait....that's right, you can't. It's dead. Has been dead for many years now. That battle was lost. Which is ironic, since both guns were more or less born out of the 1950s. Only one of them survived...

Posted: 1/15/2021 11:01:39 PM EDT

[#29]

S&W semi autos are pieces of shit. Every model and every caliber.

Posted: 1/15/2021 11:07:12 PM EDT

[#30]

One of those is American and beautiful and the other is bitch lasagna.

Posted: 1/15/2021 11:09:35 PM EDT

[#31]

I LOVE Beretta, but I'd take that S&W over it, hands down. But I've always been smitten with the metal frame S&W autos. Timeless perfection, IMO.

Posted: 1/15/2021 11:27:25 PM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:
SIG P226. No, the thread isn’t about them, but it was available at the time and is vastly superior to both.

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Your marklar is wise. If one must have a DA/SA, then the Sig classics are the only ones worth discussing.

Even if one is forced to accept the degeneracy that is. 40s&w.

Posted: 1/16/2021 8:52:49 AM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
What debate? There is no debate.

Go to the store and buy a new S&W non-polymer 9mm (or 40S&W, or 45ACP) service pistol.

Oh, wait....that's right, you can't. It's dead. Has been dead for many years now. That battle was lost. Which is ironic, since both guns were more or less born out of the 1950s. Only one of them survived...

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Don't worry, SIG and Beretta will eventually do the same thing. SIG has been culling their metal framed hammer fired guns. The majority of their P22x guns have shed their mortal coil. The P239 has been completely killed off. With SIG now fully producing guns in the US only, the P320 will swallow up more and more production space and eventually the idea of a new P229 or P220 will be a thing of the past. Beretta is right now having a revival with the 92 line, but if the APX actually got off the ground, they'd have killed the 92 line too. They tried it with the PX4 already.

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:12:30 AM EDT

[#34]

Quote History

Quoted:
Don't worry, SIG and Beretta will eventually do the same thing. SIG has been culling their metal framed hammer fired guns. The majority of their P22x guns have shed their mortal coil. The P239 has been completely killed off. With SIG now fully producing guns in the US only, the P320 will swallow up more and more production space and eventually the idea of a new P229 or P220 will be a thing of the past. Beretta is right now having a revival with the 92 line, but if the APX actually got off the ground, they'd have killed the 92 line too. They tried it with the PX4 already.

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Plus, I wouldn't be at all surprised if S&W eventually adds at least one each 39xx and 59xx to the classic line at some point.

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:19:28 AM EDT

[#35]

Beretta

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:23:03 AM EDT

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:

Plus, I wouldn't be at all surprised if S&W eventually adds at least one each 39xx and 59xx to the classic line at some point.

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That ship has sailed out from port LOOOOOOOOOOONG ago. The machinery is long gone as is the space for it. What they did have that they didn't throw away is being used to make 1911s. The market has clearly spoken. The age of the Metal Framed (and even Polymer Framed) DA/SA Hammer Fired Handgun is sunsetting. It is nothing but Polymer Framed Striker Fired Handgun is here to stay. CZ, SIG, S&W, Ruger, HK, Beretta, Steyr, FN, Taurus, and others all now make one and they've all been slowly culling their line of DA/SA gun (except for Beretta strangely). They're all scrambling to dethrone GLOCK in one way or another. They're cheaper to produce, have a higher profit margin, and easier to train novice shooters on.

The only reason why S&W even has the Classic Line of Revolvers is simple. They still have the machinery for them. A Classic Line Model 29 is just a modern production N-Frame with wooden stocks and a better polished blued finish. Internally there is nothing original about it. It still has the lawyer lock, the frame mounted firing pin, the two piece barrel, the MIM parts, etc... It is no different than a current production Model 629 other than appearance.

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:24:34 AM EDT

[#37]

I'll stick with my gen 2 G19 that ive carried for over 20 years

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:26:46 AM EDT

[#38]

My first “wonder nine” was a police trade in 5904 in ‘91ish. Most inaccurate pistol I’ve ever owned to date. Good looking pistol for sure. Paid $333 for it sold it 15 years later for $500. Win win.

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:27:15 AM EDT

[#39]

I know which one I'd pick.

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:30:08 AM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:
I know which one I'd pick.
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/228016/20201010_205103-1629885.jpg

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@Inimicalone, I need to do a new family portrait of mine since I got new ones in the stable.

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:35:30 AM EDT

[#41]

Quote History

Quoted:
Beretta because the Smith trigger sucked as does that square trigger guard.

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Also sucking is S&W's grip, accuracy & ergonomics. In short, that entire series of guns sucked donkey balls. Yes, I owned one. Yes, I sold it off because it sucked.

Beretta's, OTOH, are marvels of engineering design & execution.

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:36:41 AM EDT

[#42]

Quote History

Quoted:
S&W hands down. Better trigger & fits my hands like a glove.

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Posted: 1/16/2021 10:41:09 AM EDT

[#43]

A retired LE friend and gun nut recently told me that he bought every gun his dept gave him the opportunity to buy, except the 5906 because of the reliability record it had with his dept, and him personally. I would definitely buy one if offered a nice one at a fair price. But it would be for my collection. It is a cool classic.

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:45:16 AM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:
S&W semi autos are pieces of shit. Every model and every caliber.

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You leave Model 41 out of this!

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:46:13 AM EDT

[#45]

When those were some of my available options I chose a CZ75 Compact.

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:47:33 AM EDT

[#46]

Quote History

Quoted:
When those were some of my available options I chose a CZ75 Compact.

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*stares in the Iron Curtain*

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:48:14 AM EDT

[#47]

Quote History

Quoted:
So S&W made the glock 19x before glock did.

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It was dumb back then , too

Posted: 1/16/2021 10:52:07 AM EDT

[#48]

Choose for what? One gun to own for the rest of my life?

I'd prefer the standard browning action. Something with locking points at both ends of the barrel.