General Categories > General Firearm Discussion
The (In)Famous Beretta M9/M9(A1)
SemperFiGuy:
Summa You Fellow Forum Members..........
With previous military experience musta been sent in Harm's Way once upon a time armed in whole or in part with a Beretta M9/M9A1 Pistol, Semiautomatic, 9mm, M9, loaded with 9×19mm Parabellum military issue ball ammunition.
(Instead of good, ol' Hornady Critical Defense, Federal HydraShok JHP, whatever.)
My own limited experience w/military ball ammunition vs. JHPs (in any caliber) is that the difference is clearly detectable.
Anybody wish to share any private thoughts about putting their life on the line w/a sub-optimized self-defense system as they were strapping on their sidearm?
sfg
shooter:
I carried a smith 39 sometimes, came with a supessor . I didn't know much about bullet weight back then, nice touch was it had a slide lock,
wallace11bravo:
Once upon a time:
Disclaimer: This is an entertaining way of sharing my opinions on the M9. I am sure it is not historically accurate.
Army: "We need to get a new pistol"
Common Sense: "Okay, well there are some pretty cool things going on with striker fired polymer framed guns--"
Army: "NO"
Common Sense: "Okaaaaay.... well what are you thinking?"
Army: "The 1911 was too high maintenance. It also isn't in line with our NATO partner's chamberings."
Common Sense: "Oh, well 9mm is a fine choice. Here is something new from an Austrian company. Just hear us out on this, it is getting pretty popular with law enforcement. Low maintenance, reliable, accurate."
Army: "Okay... I don't like plastic. It's not heavy enough."
Common Sense: "What? The M16 and new M4s both have plastic components. Canteens, pro-masks... Why is heavier better?"
Army: "Where is the safety???"
Common Sense: "Well there is mechanical safety features built in, like this trigger safety. Which is sufficient given a quality holster a reasonable level of training."
Army: *Shoots self in foot* "It's just a flesh wound... I'll be fine... I don't like things that don't have toggle safeties... What is this one?"
Common Sense: "Well, this is a double/single-action Beretta."
Army: *Looks confused*
Common Sense: "It means that there are two completely different triggers, basically. A really long smashing one for the first shot, and a lighter one for every shot thereafter. Not really good for actually training folks to hit things under duress."
Army: "I like smashing. I don't like actually training. That costs money and is hard since you have to hold people to standards."
Common Sense: "Well, it is very large and heavy, the magazines last about 6 months of service, it doesn't do well in dirty conditions, the barrel is exposed through the slide making it easy to interfere with, the sights are crap, the grip is too large for most people, the exposed hammer is another easy target for--"
Army: "It has a safety!! Dumb soldiers need safeties!"
Common Sense: "Yes but--"
Politicians: *whispers* "Get the Beretta, they gave us money and promised jobs in our state."
Common Sense: "Who is that??"\
Army: "Who is what?"
Common Sense: "The person that was just whispering in your ear."
Army: "Don't know what you are talking about. It's not like we will ever issue these to anyone but officers. After all, we don't care about Infantry platoons with their silly AGs and Squad Leaders, or Armor Crews.... just how cool we can look when we are walking around the rear. Let's buy a whole bunch and then a whole bunch more. And lets spend way more in upkeep too."
Common Sense: *Backs away slowly* "Are you sure you aren't suffering from blood loss?"
Years later:
Army: "These Berettas suck. The few people we do train are told to keep the safety off and hammer down, the magazines are crap, they aren't reliable, the magazines wear out so fast it is ridiculous, we can't attach things, the upkeep is expensive. We are actually in a war now, and not the one with the soviets, we are fighting some kinda insurges (sic) and those crazy guys that go out and do missions are buying Glocks from IA and ANP because they hate the Beretta. What should we do?"
Common Sense: "Well, those polymer guns are pretty tried and true nowadays."
Army: "Well, let's take another look at them I suppose. I do hear good things."
Army: *Shoots common sense in the face*
Army: "..... ****! We can't have weapon's without toggle safeties. Soldiers can't be trusted with that! Buy more Berettas!"
Army: "Lets spend billions upgrading non-combat vehicles to try to make them into combat vehicles. And lets not train troops in C-IED, lets pile more armor on top of them... its not like we can have them avoid roads, paths, canalized areas, and chokepoints, their feet might get hurt and those (non) combat vehicles will get stuck and broken. Lets spend billions more on a land-warrior system no one uses and everyone hates. Lets make sure that NG units guarding detainees have plenty of night vision equipment and batteries, but lets make those Infantry guy have to get their families to send them batteries for their 12 year outdated nods. Lets get uniforms that everyone hates and blend into nothing...." (it goes on like this)
Common Sense: *Bleeding out on the floor*
Army: "Keep bleeding out on my floor, and I'll Article 15 your ass... I don't care how good you are at getting your men through ambushes or accomplishing real objectives. Do you even have your ACE card on you?..." (it goes on like this)
The end.
tstuart34:
--- Quote from: wallace11bravo on October 21, 2014, 06:38:06 PM ---Once upon a time:
Disclaimer: This is an entertaining way of sharing my opinions on the M9. I am sure it is not historically accurate.
Army: "We need to get a new pistol"
Common Sense: "Okay, well there are some pretty cool things going on with striker fired polymer framed guns--"
Army: "NO"
Common Sense: "Okaaaaay.... well what are you thinking?"
Army: "The 1911 was too high maintenance. It also isn't in line with our NATO partner's chamberings."
Common Sense: "Oh, well 9mm is a fine choice. Here is something new from an Austrian company. Just hear us out on this, it is getting pretty popular with law enforcement. Low maintenance, reliable, accurate."
Army: "Okay... I don't like plastic. It's not heavy enough."
Common Sense: "What? The M16 and new M4s both have plastic components. Canteens, pro-masks... Why is heavier better?"
Army: "Where is the safety???"
Common Sense: "Well there is mechanical safety features built in, like this trigger safety. Which is sufficient given a quality holster a reasonable level of training."
Army: *Shoots self in foot* "It's just a flesh wound... I'll be fine... I don't like things that don't have toggle safeties... What is this one?"
Common Sense: "Well, this is a double/single-action Beretta."
Army: *Looks confused*
Common Sense: "It means that there are two completely different triggers, basically. A really long smashing one for the first shot, and a lighter one for every shot thereafter. Not really good for actually training folks to hit things under duress."
Army: "I like smashing. I don't like actually training. That costs money and is hard since you have to hold people to standards."
Common Sense: "Well, it is very large and heavy, the magazines last about 6 months of service, it doesn't do well in dirty conditions, the barrel is exposed through the slide making it easy to interfere with, the sights are crap, the grip is too large for most people, the exposed hammer is another easy target for--"
Army: "It has a safety!! Dumb soldiers need safeties!"
Common Sense: "Yes but--"
Politicians: *whispers* "Get the Beretta, they gave us money and promised jobs in our state."
Common Sense: "Who is that??"\
Army: "Who is what?"
Common Sense: "The person that was just whispering in your ear."
Army: "Don't know what you are talking about. It's not like we will ever issue these to anyone but officers. After all, we don't care about Infantry platoons with their silly AGs and Squad Leaders, or Armor Crews.... just how cool we can look when we are walking around the rear. Let's buy a whole bunch and then a whole bunch more. And lets spend way more in upkeep too."
Common Sense: *Backs away slowly* "Are you sure you aren't suffering from blood loss?"
Years later:
Army: "These Berettas suck. The few people we do train are told to keep the safety off and hammer down, the magazines are crap, they aren't reliable, the magazines wear out so fast it is ridiculous, we can't attach things, the upkeep is expensive. We are actually in a war now, and not the one with the soviets, we are fighting some kinda insurges (sic) and those crazy guys that go out and do missions are buying Glocks from IA and ANP because they hate the Beretta. What should we do?"
Common Sense: "Well, those polymer guns are pretty tried and true nowadays."
Army: "Well, let's take another look at them I suppose. I do hear good things."
Army: *Shoots common sense in the face*
Army: "..... ****! We can't have weapon's without toggle safeties. Soldiers can't be trusted with that! Buy more Berettas!"
Army: "Lets spend billions upgrading non-combat vehicles to try to make them into combat vehicles. And lets not train troops in C-IED, lets pile more armor on top of them... its not like we can have them avoid roads, paths, canalized areas, and chokepoints, their feet might get hurt and those (non) combat vehicles will get stuck and broken. Lets spend billions more on a land-warrior system no one uses and everyone hates. Lets make sure that NG units guarding detainees have plenty of night vision equipment and batteries, but lets make those Infantry guy have to get their families to send them batteries for their 12 year outdated nods. Lets get uniforms that everyone hates and blend into nothing...." (it goes on like this)
Common Sense: *Bleeding out on the floor*
Army: "Keep bleeding out on my floor, and I'll Article 15 your ass... I don't care how good you are at getting your men through ambushes or accomplishing real objectives. Do you even have your ACE card on you?..." (it goes on like this)
The end.
--- End quote ---
Wow that was fun!
Bravo sir bravo!
Mudinyeri:
My version of John's story is a little different.
Setting: Basic Training, Fort Jackson, SC, 1984
Army: Private, you need to qualify with a pistol!
Mudinyeri: Cool, I get to shoot some more.
Army: Here, qualify with this. (Hands 1911, manufacture date circa 1944, to Mudinyeri)
Mudinyeri (handling pistol): Why does this thing rattle like that?
Army: Don't ask questions. Qualify.
Mudinyeri (after firing first magazine): Why is my shot group nearly 6" across at 15 yards?
Army: Don't ask questions. Qualify.
Mudinyeri (during pistol qualification): This piece of junk is going to ruin my string of Expert qualifications. I'm going to end up with a Bolo Badge.
Mudinyeri qualifies Expert ... barely.
Setting: Frankfurt, Germany, 1985
Army: Here is a new, improved pistol. Qualify.
Mudinyeri: Why doesn't this one rattle? The 1911 that I qualified with in Basic rattled and couldn't shoot a MOA group even if it was locked down in a vise.
Army: Don't ask questions. Qualify.
Mudinyeri (at the qualification range): Wow, I hate that double-action trigger pull but this thing shoots nice. (Easily qualifies Expert.)
Mudinyeri: Man, that M9 is a really nice piece of Italian manufacturing.
Setting: Frankfurt, Germany, 1986
Army: Here carry this M9 for your daily duties.
Mudinyeri: I still hate that double action trigger and it's a pain in the butt to have to manually switch the safety to fire mode.
Army: Carry the pistol with the manual safety engaged or we'll give you an Article 15.
Mudinyeri: I'd rather have an Article 15 than be dead. (Carries M9 with safety in Fire mode.)
Army: If we catch you carrying your pistol with the safety disengaged again, we're going to give you an Article 15.
Mudinyeri: I'd rather have an Article 15 than be dead. (Carries M9 with safety in Fire mode.)
Army: If we catch you carrying your pistol with the safety disengaged again, we're going to give you an Article 15.
Mudinyeri: I'd rather have an Article 15 than be dead. (Carries M9 with safety in Fire mode.)
Army: If we catch you carrying your pistol with the safety disengaged again, we're going to give you an Article 15.
Mudinyeri: I'd rather have an Article 15 than be dead. (Carries M9 with safety in Fire mode.)
Setting: Civilian Life, Several Years Later
Mudinyeri: That M9 that I was issued in the Army was a pretty nice pistol. I have 1000's of rounds of experience with it. I think I'll get a 92FS.
Setting: Several more years later.
Beretta 92FS: Why do all the other pistols get to go out shooting and I just sit here in the safe? :(
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