I'm thinking of getting a Beretta Elite II 9mm and I plan to shoot the holy hell out of it...


I have been told by a few people that these guns have an issue with the slide cracking...


Is this a major problem?

short answer: NO

long answer: 87!

Beretta's got a bad rep back in the 80s due to some problems with the XM9 that were corrected before the pistol was even widely distributed.  Today you are FAR more likely to win a fight against Chuck Norris than you are to crack the slide of a Beretta.

That story goes back to a couple of SEALS shooting SMG ammo in their 92's. Recent modifications to the 92FS  will prevent the slide from flying away, to "fix" this problem for extra safety SHOULD the slide crack. You can easily check if a slide is cracked (posted by another person):

1) Disassemble the gun, remove barrel from slide.

2) Place your index finger in hole the barrel extends through, holding the weight of the slide with this single finger.

3) Gently tap the side of the barrel against a solid surface. If you have a ringing sound, its all good. If you just hear a rather dull clunk, the slide is cracked. If unsure, use a metal instrument, and again gently tap the side of the slide.

Just repeating what was told to me. That said, I love mine, and another guy at the range I frequent, a police officer, claims to have 90,000+ rounds through his.

I have over 22,000 rounds through my 92FS with not a hint of cracking.  The gun looks like new.

I'm going to be reloading for this gun...

I shoot IPSC and the ammo willl be super low powered - low recoil rounds (With a light spring)...

It will be just enough to cycle the slide...

Will this make any difference?

yes it will


your wrist wont hurt and you will have better target reaquisition


Enjoy your Beretta



Gary

Also, you might want to check out Wolff's line of springs for the 92fs:

www.gunsprings.com/SemiAuto/BerettaNF.html

They offer a pretty wide range on poundage for the recoil spring and such. Should be able to hash out what best fits you.

couldn't the slide come off and cause serious harm to the shooter?



HAT
my brothers has had hundreds if not thousands of rounds through it without any problems.

I would only suggest an elite II if you can really afford it or if you plan on shooting a lot of +P+ ammo.  As for slide fractures, they rarely occur and only after 25,000 rounds (usually much more).  I own a non-brigadier 92FS and an Elite II, I love my Elite II, but I've never had a problem with the 92FS either.

Quoted: I'm thinking of getting a Beretta Elite II 9mm and I plan to shoot the holy hell out of it...

You will probably give out before it will.

I have been told by a few people that these guns have an issue with the slide cracking...

Hardly.

Some very early civilian Beretta 92SB pistols and M9 pistols had some problems with slide seperations, but those were very few. (Like 14 of them....) The problem seemed to be the result of a manufacturing defect in Italian produced slides.

Is this a major problem?

Nope.

I have fired thousands of rounds through my Beretta 92 pistols with no trouble at all. Lots of people "hear" about slide cracks, but ask somebody to show you documentable proof of one and things get real quiet real fast.

For those interested, someone actually tracked down govt. documentation on the Beretta 92/M9 problems that lots of folks want to talk about and came to some rather suprising conclusions, as in the complaints about the Beretta were mostly hooey:

www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/true_story_m9.htm

Does the Beretta Elite II 9mm have a plastic recoil guide rode like the other 92s?

Quoted: Does the Beretta Elite II 9mm have a plastic recoil guide rode like the other 92s?

I think that that's all they're coming with now from the factory.  THIS GUY has any part you may need including a replacement rod.

Quoted: Does the Beretta Elite II 9mm have a plastic recoil guide rode like the other 92s?

Last one I saw had a stainless steel guide rod, but I haven't seen one in a while.