Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Italian Police Trade In Beretta 92S

The police forces in the entire nation of Italy, several years ago, switched to a different handgun, so since then, the US has been the recipient of crate load after crate load of their police sidearms, the Beretta 92S, which is the model just before the 92FS, which is what the US military adopted (and recently dropped) under the designation M9.

They are going for pretty cheap, due to huge volume. I paid $300.00, plus $20 for "hand select" (which means, they say, that they look at ten out of a random crate, and send the one that's cosmetically the nicest), and they sent me this one.

Seems to be in nice condition for a police trade-in gun. I feared worse. Barrel looks like a replacement, since it's in very nice shape and bears a different serial number from the frame. Recoil spring seems a bit light, so it might need replacing. Over all, assuming there are no hidden issues, I'm pretty happy.

Sights are about like a USGI 1911. No great shakes, but serviceable for their intended purpose. Mag release is in a different location, but Beretta mags designated for a Model 92FS (as opposed to M9) still come with the cutouts to work in these. I bought two at the gun store, making three total. M9 marked mags won't work, since they only have the modern cutouts.

Also, there's no flare at the bottom of the front strap, like on the M9 and 92FS. That was a feature requested by the US Military before adoption, which they carried over to their civilian models, too, thereafter. These were purchased by the Italian police before that change was made.

Also, the front and back straps are smooth, whereas the US Military requested vertical grooves for both, which were added with the 92FS/M9.

PS I bet they didn't see a whole lot of rounds fired through them. I don't think typical Italian cops spend a lot of time at the range. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

PPS I was pleasantly surprised that the grip screws were in such nice shape, seeming never to have been messed with. Grips are in pretty good shape, too, considering.

Nice Pistol. There's magic in using the genuine article.

Even more "genuine" than the USGI models, since 100% made in Italy.

Here's the MAC review of these Italian Police Trade Ins from Classic Firearms (which is where I got mine, too).

All told, after the $20.00 hand select fee, $25.00 shipping charge, $20.00 transfer charge at the FFL, $5.00 background check charge, it was $370.00 total out of pocket. If I saw that under glass in a used gun case of a gun shop, and if it were mechanically in good order (even if it's been refinished), and the Italian police had never sent any over here, I'd feel like I got an exceptionally good price on an older Beretta 92 at that price. Not a total steel, perhaps, and not a collectors piece (a shooter), but the price is a good bit better than I would have expected under normal circumstances for what I got.

Two things I'm planning to do to it are a replacement recoil spring (the one on it seems a little light) and a replacement "D" hammer spring, both from Brownell's. The "D" hammer spring significantly improves the double action pull weight, and brings down the single action break weight by about a pound. It's the hammer spring Beretta puts on the Beretta 92D (used by some US police departments), which is the Double Action Only model. Installed on the standard 92, it dramatically improves the double action pull. It's a very popular modification. It doesn't make it onto a DAO, but only improves the double action pull weight.

I like the look of the round trigger guard on those. How's the ergonomics of that safety lever feel compared to the later 92/M9 lever?

I like the old style trigger guard too. Who puts their finger on the trigger guard these day, anyway. That's from 1970s gun training.

The thumb safety is a little awkward to take off, but goes on very easy. Not a good combination, I know. Still, it can be gotten used to. The design of the safety lever isn't nearly as ergonomic as the modern ones, but is functional, and works fine once you're accustomed to it.

Been looking at famous scenes in movies where the Beretta is used. One that I cannot find on YouTube is where Ethan Hawke (as Officer Hoyt), in Training Day, is sitting at a kitchen table amongst a bunch of South of the Border type hoods who had, unbeknownst to him, been paid by Hoyt's supervisor, Alonzo Harris (AKA Denzel Washington), to execute him. In a friendly way, they ask to see his gun, which was a Beretta 92. He removes the mag and chambered round, then (figuring these are friends of his supervisor) tosses it to one of them. Things, as you can well imagine, go dramatically downhill from there.

You'd think that scene would be available on YouTube, but I cannot find it.

Nice gun. Being lefty, I gravitate toward toward ambi safety models. Here's ome of my M9's. Purchaed NIB ~ 2004-2007 for $425.

I have shot the living schit out of this gun and it has eaten anything and everything I've pushed through it.

I carried it a little yesterday, and was surprised that it carried just as comfortably, and just as well concealed (in my El Paso Saddlery C-Force IWB - built for the Sig P210, but it's what I routinely carry my Glock 17 in) as my Glock 17.

Odd that I so often hear from reviewers of the 92 that they wouldn't consider it a concealed carry gun, no matter how much they otherwise like it. But then, I hear that about my choice for daily concealed carry, too, i.e., the Glock 17.

I have no intention of switching, but if, for some reason, I were reduced to only owning the Beretta, I wouldn't feel at all disadvantaged vs the Glock 17 in terms of comfort of carry and concealment, and I certainly wouldn't feel ill-armed.

All the above is under the assumption that it proves functionally reliable, which I have no reason to doubt.

I like all the DA/SA Berettas.

In 2007 Century was importing Beretta 92s Italian police pistols made in 2004. I could get them to the FFL for $240 + $8 shipping.
I was getting them and told the guys at work, who were getting them.
Then Century ran out of the S magazines.
I kept buying the 92S pistols and tried to convert 92F magazines to 92S.
I found out that high speed steel would not cut the magazines.
I had to use carbide.
Later I found the American M12 holsters for them.

If you are into taking guns apart to see that is inside, the 92S pistols look like they are worth more like $500 or $600 on the inside.

As for magazines, current production Beretta magazines that are marked for the 92 (and not for the M9) have the necessary cutouts to operate in the 92S.

Interesting. I think the Rome cops may have missed on this for now. When I was there in March, there were nothing but Beretta 92s on their hips. Most of them had a lot of bluing rubbed off.

But glad you got a nice one for a good price.

Why would a barrel be replaced on a police trade in? I see where it might have happened during normal use and service,but is it an indication that these guns will all be non matching parts guns?

Good photos and review, thanks. Based on that review and a couple of others I've seen. Every reviewer that's bought one of these thinks they're well worth the money.

They might be switching gradually, one region after the other. Who knows. The story that's out there is that Italian police forces are switching to something other than the 92S, and that these are their trade in Berettas.

To All,

Numerous members of what my Darla calls "The OF's Group", i.e., Retired US Armed Forces member who meet biweekly for lunch, have bought the "old-school" Beretta 92S pistols, after one of our number bought one from classicfirearms.com & "showed it off" to us. = His was so "near new" internally & "lightly holster-worn" externally that several more guys bought one, too.
(So far, I've NOT bought a 92S, as I'm "saving my nickels & dimes" to buy an original 1863 Richmond Sharps RM.)

SOME members paid the "hand select fee": & some did not. = I've seen any number of the pistols that were received & ALL of them look about the same inside/outside. = 90% plus finish outside & essentially "as new" inside.

EVERYONE who bought a 92S likes what they received, though a FEW members stated that their 92S will only chamber/shoot FMJ or 115grain JHP. = The 92S was designed to feed/fire FMJ only, as the Italian civilian police (then) & their AF now do NOT use HP ammo.
(Fwiw, my treasured, EX-West German Police, Sig-Sauer P6 in 9mm, which is marked: 04/82, will also only "feed" FMJ & 115 grain HP ammo. = Buying 115 grain HP is NOT a handicap to me but that's just my opinion. = IF I'm wearing trousers, the P6 is in my belt holster; I've never felt "under-gunned" carrying it.)

yours, tex